WETSU

Just sayin' here ... the 2008 Arizona Cardinals surrendered individual-game point totals of 56 points (to the New York Jets), 48 points (to the Eagles), 47 points (to the Patriots), 37 points (to the New York Giants) and 35 points (to the Vikings).

The Cardinals' defense allowed 36 touchdown passes this season. 36!!! The Steelers allowed 12. As head coach Mike Tomlin wrote on the team's blackboard yesterday, according to Dale Lolley's NFL From the Sidelines blog ...

Tomlin put the word 'WETSU' on the
black board in the team's locker room Thursday.
It's short for "We Eat That Shit Up."

Okay, now that that's out of the way, let's take a look at the bigger picture:

Identity
The Steelers know and embrace their identity: They are a ferocious, violent football team. As coach Mike Tomlin wrote on a board the night before the Steelers' playoff win over Baltimore, "The most violent team wins."

For all that, they are not a dirty team, at least according to running back Brandon Jacobs, of the reigning world champ New York Giants (who beat the Steelers this season). During an ESPN interview yesterday, when asked to make a prediction, Jacobs said:

"I'm gonna go with the Steelers, for totally non-football reasoning.
When we played against them, they're probably the most solid bunch, uh, great character.

"They aren't dirty, they respect football, and they respect their opponents. And they're a bunch of great guys. In playing against them and seeing that, that's special."

As Joey Porter's Pit Bulls noted way back on Oct. 4, following the first slugfest win over the Ravens and immediately preceding the nearly equally violent brawl with the Jacksonville Jaguars, they've had to establish their identity this year by necessity ... by pounding their way through the NFL's toughest schedule and against San Diego's and Baltimore's own tough guys in the playoffs ...

"The only way the Steelers will survive their brutal schedule will be by being more 'physical' (violent) than the other team. If last Monday night's slugfest against Baltimore was any indicator, the Steelers are capable of doing just that.

"The best players set the tone. For all his impetuous brilliance, Ben Rothelisberger is a tough guy. He's played through injuries all though his pro career, and he sets an example ... Again, it doesn't get any easier. But if the Steelers are going to forge an identity, it's going to be that of a tough, 'physical' football team. In other words, brutally violent."

The Steelers have a long history, going back decades, as a "physical" team. This year, they've stepped it up a notch. That's who they are. Just ask the NFL's second-most violent team, the Ravens, whom the Steelers defeated three times. For the Steelers, it doesn't get any easier against Arizona, but the Cardinals have encountered nothing like this. For them, it will get downright nightmarish on Sunday.

Togetherness
Following the win over Baltimore, Ben Roethlisberger repeatedly invoked references to his teammates as "a band of brothers" (coincedentally, JPPBs just happen to be reading the book "Band of Brothers," by historian Stephen E. Ambrose, about World War II's Easy Company, the inspiration for the excellent Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks-produced HBO series of the same name). During a media session, just yesterday, Rothlisberger explained:

"I don't have a brother, or brothers, but I told these guys,
if I ever were to have brothers, I'd want them to be you guys."

As reported by the AP's Alan Robinson yesterday, the sense of togetherness spans the entire team:

"You'll see us in (training) camp, there's 20 of us in one room together,"safety Ryan Clark said. "I think that adds a lot to your team. I think we're probably the only defense before we start the game, in our first huddle, you've got to hug everybody. We say to everybody that we love them."

That type of closeness creates a bond, Clark said, because, "to see one of us mess up, it's probably like the most disappointing look you'll ever see on a grown man's face because we feel like we let somebody down."

"We genuinely love each other," defensive end Brett Keisel said. "Ben (Roethlisberger) has talked about being a band of brothers. It's really what it is. We care about each other. We care about each other's families. We know each other's families. We spend time with each other, just like we're a regular family. When you get that kind of chemistry, you've got a special team on your hands."

Strong Character, Unsung Heroes & Faithful Fans
Team chemistry reflects team character -- the "character" referred to by the Giants' Brandon Jacobs -- and the marrow of this collective group of individual characters. From stars like Hines Ward and Troy Polamalu to lower-profile players such as Aaron Smith, Deshea Townsend, Max Starks, William Gay, Nate Washington, Chris Hoke, Darnell Stapleton, Mewelde Moore ... on and on ... this team has character. It's something that starts at the top (ownership) and permeates through the front office, coaching ranks, support staff and team roster. And the fans? Dunno about "character", but the fans definitely are "characters".

Talented players, a sense of identity, team togetherness, strong character, unsung heroes and faithful fans ... the Steelers have all this and more. All this and The Terrible Towel. Yes, The Terrible Towel.

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* Gratuitous JPPB prediction: The Steelers will block a punt. For what it's worth, Arizona punter Ben Graham, a 35-year-old former Australian Rules footballer, is officially listed on the Cardinals' injury report as "questionable" with a bad groin. We're thinking there are probably not many more high-pressure situations for this guy (with limited NFL experience and a bad groin) to be in, than the Super Bowl in front of a worldwide television audience of 300 million people. Just sayin'. Something to keep an eye on.

Super Bowl XLIII Musings: Reasons for Optimism

Last week, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls flagged some of the many reasons the Cardinals represent a formidable foe for the Steelers on Sunday, Feb. 1. Yes, the Steelers will have their hands full vs. the Cardinals, but there certainly is reason for Steelers' fans to be optimistic ... not least of which is that "Kurt Warner's No. 22!" (ranked No. 22 in career fumbles among NFL quarterbacks).

In no special order ...

• The Steelers will have the edge in time of possession. The Cardinals will have limited success running the ball. They'll barely try, frankly. Or, to be more precise, they'll try to run the ball in the first quarter, just for appearance's sake, but they will lose patience, quickly, and abandon the run, early. In lieu of establishing the run, they will resort to quick-out patterns, bubble screens, and short-to-intermediate crossing patterns -- which the Steelers will disrupt. Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau anticipates all this and will have his defense ready.

• For what it's worth, Arizona posted the worst running numbers in the NFL this season -- just 73.6 yards per game. The Steelers defense was second in the league against the run.
  

• The Steelers will have the edge in turnovers. Not that the Cardinals have a bad defense. They have a good defense. The Steelers have a great defense.

• Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner will make mistakes. Granted Warner is a great player (in the discussion for the Hall of Fame), seems like a terrific guy and has a wonderful rags-to-riches story. On the plus side, he is poised, recognizes coverages, has a lightning-quick release and an arm that is plenty strong enough. Plus, he has tremedous receivers in Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston (whom nobody seems to be talking about this week but is the guy who worries me as much as anybody [well, except for Fitzgerald, the best in the NFL]). Warner is a steadying influence, having started two Super Bowls (beating the Titans and losing to the Cheatriots) and being named Super Bowl MVP in the January 2000 SuperBowl. He's like a coach on the field and, in fact, is older than Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
  

• One the negative side for Warner ... For all his positives, Warner relies on timing -- everything has to be just perfect, including and maybe especially, his offensive line. Here's where the Cardinals have serious matchup problems with the Steelers defense. Left tackle Mike Gandy and the running back du jour (Tim Hightower, Edgerrin James or J.J. Arrington, depending who is held in the backfield to help with pass-blocking) are having nightmares this week, as they contemplate trying to block NFL Defensive Player of the Year James "Silverback" Harrison. On the other side, right tackle Levi Brown surrendered 11 sacks (11!!!) this season. Surely, he'll get help from the tight end, but the Cardinals look to be over-matched on that side by defensive end Aaron Smith and linebacker Lamarr Woodley. Somebody's going to put pressure on Warner, whether it be Harrison, right defensive end Brett Keisel, Smith, Woodley, or inside linebackers James Farrior, Larry Foote and Lawrence Timmons.
  

• Sacks, pressures, hurries are one thing. Fumbling the ball is another. Kurt Warner has a history of fumbling the football: With 85 career fumbles, he ranks Number 22 all-time among quarterbacks -- and this is a guy who started his NFL career late (at age 28) and spent much of the past four seasons in a backup-relief role. Again, he's fine when everything goes well. There's a reason, however, that he started this season as the backup to Hollywood Golden Boy Matt Leinart (Warner was run out of St. Louis and seemed to be washed up following his ill-fated stint with the New York Giants). As poised as he usually looks, he can be rattled and can lose his cool. And he has that history of fumbling -- a tendency that may be aggravated by the NFL League Office. Huh?, you ask? The NFL League Office generates revenue (makes money) by selling Super Bowl game-used footballs. During the game, especially in the first half, the officials will introduce a shiny new football into the game nearly every play. Brand-new footballs have a sheen to them. They're slippery. And, hmmm, if it rains ... Anyway, we expect Warner, who will be operating mainly in the shotgun formation, to cough up two fumbles. Big Ben will do just fine, thank you. He's that kind of guy.
  

• Speaking of the aforementioned Levi Brown, he's only just finished in his second year in the league, and he does have a strong pedigree: As the very first player drafted by head coach Ken Whisenhunt, Brown was drafted fifth overall in the 2007 NFL draft, from Penn State, where he played left tackle. The Cardinals new braintrust (Whisenhunt and offensive line guru Russ Grimm, also from the Steelers' staff), drafted Brown as the centerpiece of their plan to establish a strong offensive wall. They moved Brown to right tackle to protect the left-handed wunderkind Matt Leinart's blind side. Well, since then of course, Leinart lost his job to Warner. The 328-pound Brown is a fine young prospect. Still ... 11 sacks allowed this season ... yikes ...and going up against Aaron Smith and Lamarr Woodley. Double yikes. It could be a long day for Messrs. Brown and Warner.

• The Cardinals will be overly amped and prone to miscues. The Cardinals have five players who have appeared in a Super Bowl. The Steelers have 20. And the Steelers will have Dick LeBeau. Mike Tomlin. Big Ben. Fast Willie. Santonio. Hines Ward. Troy. Big Snack. Ryan Clark. A stadium full of fans. And the Terrible Towel.
  

The Terrible Towel is Out of This World

But then you knew that already. Click here to view a NASA astronaut's video of the Terrible Towel in space. Myron would be proud. "Yoi and double-yoi!!"

As Myron himself wrote,

"The Terrible Towel is not an instrument of witchcraft.
It is not a hex upon the enemy.

The Towel is a positive force that lifts the Steelers to magnificent heights
and poses mysterious difficulties for the Steelers' opponents only if need be.

Many have told me that the Terrible Towel brought them good fortune,
but I can't guarantee that sort of thing because the Steelers, after all,
are the Towel's primary concern.

Still, at the least ... if it causes good things to happen to you, so much the better."

Miles to Go Before We Sleep

We have miles to go
before we sleep."

-- Mike Tomlin, Steelers' head coach -- quoting poet Robert Frost --to his players Sunday night following his team's win over Baltimore.

Yup. True dat, and there's plenty to keep Coach Tomlin and Steeler Nation awake at night. Bloviating blowhard Skip Bayless, on ESPN 2, called the Arizona Cardinals the worst team ever to make the Super Bowl. Wrong! At this point, the Cardinals may be the best team the Steelers have played this season -- and the Black 'n Gold had the NFL's most brutal schedule.

Nope, it doesn't get any easier. And it all starts with quarterback Kurt Warner. Warner, who is nine months older than Coach Tomlin, won a Super Bowl nine years ago with the St. Louis Rams and two years later appeared in another, which he and the Rams lost to the New England Cheatriots. While both he and Ben Roethliesberger are pursiuing their second Super Bowl triumph, respectively, Warner has a decided edge in experience, a markedly quicker release and wa-a-a-y better receivers, especially if Hines Ward's sprained right knee limits his effectiveness to any great degree.

Speaking of the Cardinals' receivers, three (Larry Fitzgerald, Anquin Boldin and Steve Breaston) tallied 1,000 yards each this past season. Each is dangerous in different ways.

Larry Fitzgerald is simply the best in the game; and that's no surprise, based on what we saw him accomplish at Pitt, except he's gotten exponentially better. Do ya think, if he'd been in the unfortunate Limas Sweed's position Sunday night, that he would have dropped that pass? Nope, didn't think so (Sweed's first error on that play was "misunderestimating" the flight of the ball and, thus, slowing down on the route [Larry Fitz routinely adjusts to the ball in the air] secondly, Sweed took his eyes of the ball [Fitz has laser-like concentration, screens defensive backs and adjusts accordingly]; third, and worst of all, Sweed dropped the ball [Fitzgerald has the best hands in the game, by far]). Fitzgerald runs any and all routes to perfection, catches everything thrown in his direction and is plenty fast enough, strong enough and elusive enough to tack on major yardage after the catch. The only "rap" against him coming out of college was that he didn't have the greatest straight-line breakaway sprinter's speed -- but ask the Eagles, Panthers and Falcons if he's too slow. Fitzgerald is kinda like a young John Stallworth.

On the other side is longtime Pro Bowl receiver Anquin Boldin, one of the most accomplished and productive receivers in the game, mostly because he's ferociously tenacious, pugnacious and competitive. Boldin battles every play, and defensive backs around the NFL routinely describe going up against him as, well, exhausting. He's kinda like a healthy Hines Ward.

Steve Breaston, the second-year wideout from the University of Michigan and, previously, Pittsburgh's Woodland Hills High School (state champion under Breaston's leadership at quarterback), has the flat-out, deep-route, straightaway speed that Fitzgerald and Boldin may lack, not that they need it. Having amassed more than 1,000 yards this season, he's already matured into a bonafide NFL receiver, and he is a lethal kickoff and punt returner. Breaston is kinda like a more accomplished, more polished Devin Hester, with better hands.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls have heard some people suggest the Steelers will assign cornerback Ike Taylor to shadow Fitzgerald, but we don't see that happening. If anything, Bryant McFadden might match up better against Fitzgerald but, again, we don't anticipate seeing much one-on-one coverage. Expect the Steelers' defense to mix coverages and try to clog the middle of the field to take away crossing routes and mitigate Warner's short drops and quick release. Linebacker Lawrence Timmons may well play a major role in this capacity.

We also anticipate that Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt will open the game by trying to establish the run. We know from his time as the Steelers' offensive coordinator that Coach Wiz routinely gave certain looks to set up subsequent plays: He would show a fake reverse, for example, early in a game before springing a real reverse later. Against the Eagles, he used the run, early on, to set up the spectacular flea-flicker that produced Fitzgerald's blockbuster touchdown. We foresee him trying to establish the run to set up the pass.

Speaking of the running game, the Cardinals have the venerable Edgerrin James (nearing the end of what is arguably a Hall of Fame career but sill looking good) and productive rookie Tim Hightower, who runs as tough inside as he runs fast outside, with equal productivity. These guys are trouble, as are their tight ends.

On defense, Arizona has given up a lot of yards, but their defensive-line guys penetrate up front, their linebackers roam sideline-to-sideline to stuff the run, and safety Adrian Wilson is certainly in the conversation as one of the three best safeties in the NFL. This group is tougher than most people give it credit for. If Hines Ward is markedly less than 100 percent and serves primarily as a decoy, expect the Cardinals to double-team Santonio Holmes, bring Adrian Wilson up to clog the running game (and cover tight end Heath Miller) and dare the Steelers to beat them with Nate Washington and, gulp, Limas Sweed.

Coaching? We know all about head coach Ken Whisenhunt, offensive coordinator Russ Grimm and special teams coach Kevin Spencer, all of whom coached on Bill Cowher's staff that won the Super Bowl just three years ago. One might think they know something about the Steelers but, as Coach Tomlin said this week, the Baltimore Ravens' coaching staff probably knows at least as much about the Black 'n Gold.

We figured the Steelers would be favored in this game, if only because of the heritage and how Steeler Nation would play in Vegas. We figured the Steelers as a two-and-a-half point favorite. Today's line in Vegas? The Steelers are favored by seven (?!). That seems high.

One advantage for Pittsburgh: 20 Steeler players have Super Bowl experience, vs. only five for the Cardinals. By gametime, the Cards may be so over-amped that they will be prone to mistakes. Not saying it will happen, but it might.

In any case, the Cardinals are not to be taken lightly. Big Ben had better be at his improvisitional best, and the Steelers had better run the ball effectively to maintain time of possession and thus keep Arizona's offense off the field. This will be the key to the game.

With miles to go before we sleep, there's plenty to keep us awake at night.

Editor's note: Sorry for the long hiatus. Issues with Blogger and other things. JPPB will try to post more regularly.