The Official PigSkinPros Superbowl Predictions

-Wednesday: Road To The Superbowl: Pittsburgh Steelers
-Thursday: Road To The Superbowl: Arizona Cardinals
-Friday: Steelers-Cardinals: How They Compare
-Saturday: The Official PigSkinPros Superbowl Prediction
-Monday: Superbowl Game Analysis

You've read our "Road To The Superbowl" segments. You've read the head to head comparison of both superbowl squadrons. Now, it's time to pick a winner. It is time to man-up, put your cojones on the line, and make a bold prediction. However, this isn't any simple guess. This is the Superbowl. This alone makes it ten times harder than your regular, regular season game. You pick right, you're a hero. You pick wrong, your the Joey Harrington of game picks. Do you want to be a "Joey Harrington" of anything? I know I sure don't.

The Cardinals are the hotter team in my mind. Coming off impressive wins against Atlanta, Carolina, and Philadelphia can only mean one thing; they're for real. The Steelers, being the number two seed in the AFC tournament, were expected to defeat San Diego and Baltimore. And they did just that. One of the best offenses in the league, will go up against the best defense in the league. What the result of when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? A hell of a good football game. Kurt Warner will move the ball against the Pittsburgh defense. The weakest link of the Dick LeBeau defense is the secondary, and they will be no match for Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. I don't care if hair boy is lurking back there or not, he will have his hands full. Expect Anquan Boldin to have a big night here, as all the attention will be on Fitzgerald. The Steelers will not have a problem moving the ball on offense either, especially late in the game when the Cardinal's defense seems to disappear. I truly believe this is a game of "who wants it more?" Kurt Warner already has a ring. So does Ben Roethlisberger. Most experts see this as a Steelers blowout. I do not. I see this as an up and down game with many lead changes. This game will ultimately be decided in the mid-late 4th quarter, and I am going with the boys in red. Whisenhunt has been here. Tomlin...hasn't. I can trust Kurt Warner in the big game, but I can't trust the man who's nicknamed after a tower in London. Expect an upset; and gosh I sure hope I don't look dumb on Monday morning...


Alec Picks: The Arizona Cardinals
Flip Picks: The Pittsburgh Steelers

The Game Within The Game

When both teams take the field and set up for the kickoff, we are all on the edge of our seats, waiting for the start of Super Bowl 43. Whether you are at home in a quiet house or at a bar with people screaming in your ear, the game is the same no matter where you watch it. So what does " The Game Within The Game " mean? Simply put, we all wait anxiously wait for the game itself, but what not many people realize is that the fans who are at the game can make an impact too.

The Steelers fans and Cardinals fans who are attending the game, will have a battle during the game. No not a physical battle ( though it may result in some rumblings after the game ), but a vocal battle. I'm not saying that whoever has the loudest side is going to win, but having the loudest side is always an advantage. The fans play a key role in the Super Bowl, where momentum is everything.

The Steelers fans' have a long history, filled with many cheers and Super Bowl rings. Oh, and don't forget about the Terrible Towel. Loved by the Steelers fans, and hated by the opposition, the Terrible Towel is the symbol for all Steelers fans. Pittsburgh fans are closer in distance to Tampa Bay, and add that to the dedication the Steelers' fans have to their team, and you have a parade of Steelers fans marching into Tampa Bay.

On the other side are the Cardinals' fans. They are not accustomed to the Super Bowl, I mean it has been 61 years since their last. But don't take anything away from them. Just look what the fans did to Donovan McNabb's house in Arizona, they hung an Arizona flag and burned 'Go Cards' on his lawn. They don't have anything like the Terrible Towel, but they are as excited as anyone of the Steelers' fans are.

Steelers-Cardinals: How They Compare

PigskinPros Superbowl Lineup:

-Wednesday: Road To The Superbowl: Pittsburgh Steelers
-Thursday: Road To The Superbowl: Arizona Cardinals
-Friday: Steelers-Cardinals: How They Compare
-Saturday: The Official PigSkinPros Superbowl Prediction
-Monday: Superbowl Game Analysis

What's one way to find out who has the best chance to win the superbowl? No, not simulate it on Madden! The absolute best way to do so is to compare their starting line-ups. Who has better players at each position? We at PigSkin Pros will break it down for you:

Quarterbacks: Roethlisberger vs. Warner
Ben Roethlisberger has defeated the Baltimore Ravens three times. He definetely deserves credit for that. However, Kurt Warner has played outstanding so far this post season, passing for 770 yards and 8 TD's. This will be "Big Ben's" second time to the "Big Dance". Warner's third time, but first since 2001. Doesn't matter. Kurt Warner has the edge here for his outstand play throughout his entire career in the post season.
The Pick: Arizona

Runningbacks: Parker vs. James/Hightower/Arrington
Fast Willie Parker returned from injury to lead the Steelers running game. Although he didn't impress vs. Baltimore, I feel that he has worked his kinks out and will be ready for the not-so-bad-not-so-good Arizona run defense. Edgerrin James has come out of the Arizona desert these past few playoff weeks, to emerge as a fresh, reliable running back. Hightower has really slowed down, despite a decent regular season. Arrington can be used in the passing game. However, so can Parker.
The Pick: Pittsburgh

Receivers: Ward/Holmes/Washington vs. Fitzgerald/Boldin/Breaston
This is where the Arizona sun shines brighest. The high powered Arizona offense is captained by Kurt Warner but brought to life by the fantastic three: Fitz, Boldin, and Breaston. Any one of these three can go the distance. Fitzgerald is a Top 3 Receiver, and can be argued to be the best in the league. Boldin can very well be in the Top 10. Steve Breaston was reliable in the regular season, and one of Kurt Warner's favorite targets. The Steelers on the otherhand, not so great. Hines Ward is an excellent possession receiver, and a great down field blocker, but the deep-threat is not there. Santonio Holmes, the speedy guy, has been very inconsistent this season, despite scoring a rather "lucky" touchdown last week when CB Corey Ivy slipped in coverage. Nate Washington is good for one big play a game. Fitzgerald? One big play a quarter.
The Pick: Arizona

Offensive Line:
Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked way too many times this season. Kurt Warner? Not so much. The Steelers line has a rather excellent run block, although the Cardinals' push isn't something to sneeze at. The big difference is the pass block. Roethlisberger had taken 46 sacks in the regular season. Warner, 26, despite having 129 more passing attempts than Big Ben. Simple. Simple. Simple....Oh wait, they're playing the confusing, quarterback killing, Dick LeBeau-run, Steeler Defense? I don't care.
The Pick: Arizona

Defensive Line:
The Pittsburgh Defense isn't number one in the league because their defensive lineman are girl scouts. No, No, No. In fact, if you called Casey Hampton a girl scout...he would probably eat you. The Chargers could not run on Pittsburgh, and neither could the run-heavy Ravens. The Steelers did not allow a 100 yard rusher all season! The Steel Curtain #2 also gets plenty of pass rush from Smith and Keisel. The Arizona line is mediocre. Sure, they have Darnell Dockett and Bertrund Berry, but let's get serious. Casey Hampton is Docket and Berry combined. Despite the Cardinal defensive line holding Michael Turner, DeAngelo Williams, Johnathan Stewart, and Brian Westbrook intact, I feel they are not as good as the men in black and gold.
The Pick: Pittsburgh

Linebackers:
Karlos Dansby and Chike Okeafor will have to bring their A game's A game to match the level of play of Pittsburgh's James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley, who together, form some out of this world, quarterback sacking, mega monster machine. James Harrison is the NFL Defensive MVP of the 2008 Regular season, and lets just say, Chike Okeafor is not. Pittsburgh can do it all. They can blitz and stop the run. This is about as lopsided as Casey Hampton and Ken Whisenhunt on a see-saw.
The Pick: Pittsburgh

Secondary:
When Ed Reed is out of the picture, Troy Polamalu becomes the best safety in the league. Polamalu is a magnetically attracted to the ball, for he is always around it, either making a hard tackle or picking it off. Safeties Antrell Rolle and Adrian Wilson bring a lot of attitude to the game, but this debate was over at Troy. Ike Taylor and DeShea Townsend are very good, but very underrated NFL cornerbacks. They will have trouble vs. Fitzgerald and company. However, Big Ben will have just as much success with Rookie Cromartie-Rodgers and Rod Hood.
The Pick: Pittsburgh

Special Teams:
Jeff "Quadzilla" Reed, whose right kicking quad is bigger than the quad in my shed, is about as clutch as they get when it comes to field goal kicking. Rackers is decent. Arizona may have the edge at punter, but the return game is pretty much even. Breaston and Arrington are very good return men, and Santonio Holmes can make a big play happen at anytime. However, I will not resort to a tie. Steelers get this spot, just because of Reed's huge quads.
The Pick: Pittsburgh

Coaching:
Both head coaches are head-coaching in their first superbowl. Whisenhunt has already received a superbowl ring though, winning it with the Steelers when he was the offensive coordinator in 2005. The big kahuna here is Steelers' defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau, who is referred by me as the "Einstein of the Blitz". He confuses more quarterbacks than Brett Favre confuses what team he is playing for. (High Interception Rate joke...get it? No? Well I'll think of a better one later). I feel that the head coaches and offensive coordinators are even. But, Dick LeBeau commands that you call him "Daddy" on Sunday's.
The Pick: Pittsburgh

Arizona's high powered offense against Pittsburgh's high powered defense. A great match-up indeed. I could add an "Overall" comparison, but I feel that could be taking away from tomorrow's prediction. Despite Pittsburgh being a bit superior in terms of our comparisons, there is no doubt that Arizona is a hot team and playing very, very well. It should be one heck of a game, that we can all enjoy.

Dont Miss!
Tomorrow: The Official PigSkin Pros Superbowl 43 Prediction

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Road To The Superbowl: Arizona Cardinals

PigskinPros Superbowl Lineup:

-Wednesday: Road To The Superbowl: Pittsburgh Steelers
-Thursday: Road To The Superbowl: Arizona Cardinals
-Friday: Steelers-Cardinals: How They Compare
-Saturday: The Official PigSkinPros Superbowl Prediction
-Monday: Superbowl Game Analysis

The Arizona Cardinals opened their preseason with Matt Leinart as their starting quarterback, and I mean at that time, who would have thought Kurt Warner would lead the team to the playoffs, let alone the Superbowl? However, during a preseason game with the Oakland Raiders, Leinart was 4-12 passing, with three interceptions. That's definetely not what Coach Whisenhunt wanted to see. However, it was probably the best thing that could have happened to the franchise, as Kurt Warner was named starter for Regular Season Week 1.

A look at their season:

at San Fransisco W 23-13
Miami W 31-10
at Washington L 24-17
at New York Jets L 56-35
Buffalo W 41-17
DallasW 30-24 OT
at Carolina L 27-23
at St.LouisW 34-14
San Fransisco W 29-24
at Seattle W 26-20
New York Giants L 37-29
at Philadelphia L 48-20
St.Louis W 34-10
Minnesota L 35-14
at New England L 47-7
Seattle W 34-21

They finished the regular season 9-7, and secured the NFC West Division. If you looked at their scores, you could tell that their offense was powerful. At the end of the season, they struggled a bit, getting blown out at home to the inferior Vikings and losing in Foxboro by 40 points. Nonetheless, they entered the playoffs with a chip on their shoulder.

Atlanta W 30-24
Carolina W 33-13
Philadelphia W 32-25

They were challenged by the rookie, Matt Ryan, at home. They stunned the sports world when they went into Carolina, who was 8-0 at home, and absolutely had their way with them. They were overwhelming the Eagles until late in the game, when the Eagles went up 25-24. However, Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Edgerrin James capped off a seven-minute touchdown drive that put the game away. The Cardinals, as a franchise, find themselves in the Superbowl for the first time in team history. Its kind of ironic that they play a franchise in the Steelers, that is tied for the most superbowl victories.

Stay tuned in tomorrow for,
Steelers-Cardinals: How They Compare

Road To The Super Bowl: Pittsburgh Steelers

PigskinPros Superbowl Lineup:

-Wednesday: Road To The Superbowl: Pittsburgh Steelers
-Thursday: Road To The Superbowl: Arizona Cardinals
-Friday: Steelers-Cardinals: How They Compare
-Saturday: The Official PigSkinPros Superbowl Prediction
-Monday: Superbowl Game Analysis

Before the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers had the toughest strength of schedule, with their oppenent's 2007 win percentage at .598. They finished the 2008 regular season with a 12-4 record, winning the AFC North, and sweeping through the playoffs.

A look at their season:

Houston W 38-17
at Cleveland W 10-6
at Philadelphia L 6-15
Baltimore W 23-20
at Jacksonville W 26-21
at Cincinnati W 38-10
NY Giants L 14-21
at Washington W 23-6
Indianapolis L 20-24
San Diego W 11-10
Cincinnati W 27-10
at New England W 33-10
Dallas W 20-13
at Baltimore W 13-9
at Tennessee L 14-31
at Cleveland W 31-0

The Steelers were consistent throughout the year, and although the "toughest schedule" label didn't necessarily play out, they still had a difficult one at that. They beat teams they should have beat, and lost to teams that they could've lost to.

When they entered the playoffs, their momentum from the regular season continued.

Chargers W 35-24
Ravens W 23-14

By defeating the Ravens at home, the Steelers earned themselves a trip to Superbowl XLIII. They are 7 point favorites to claim victory, and their 6th superbowl ring in franchise history.

Stay tuned in tomorrow for,
Road To The Superbowl: Arizona Cardinals

The Top 10 Selling NFL Jerseys

What does every NFL fan have in common? They all own an NFL jersey. The profit that the NFL makes from the sale of jerseys is outstanding. Fans from all across the states show off their spirit by wearing their favorite players jersey. So who topped the charts for the most sold jerseys? The following is the top ten sold jerseys, according to NFL Shop. It includes a 39 year old vet, four teammates, a pair of brothers , a rising star, a 3 time Super Bowl champ, and a player who always is "hurt" in the playoffs.

1. Brett Favre

2. Tony Romo

3. Eli Manning

4. Marion Barber

5. Tom Brady

6. Adrian Peterson

7. Peyton Manning

8. Jason Witten

9. Ladanian Tomlinson

10. Terrell Owens

Brady's Back

In a report released by the Boston Globe, they confirm that quarterback Tom Brady is recovering from ACL and MCL surgery rather smoothly, and even performing drop backs and throwing passes.

If you can recall back to Week 1 of the 2008 NFL Season, Tom Brady was severely injured on a low hit delivered by Kansas City Chiefs Safety Bernard Pollard.

Brady is "on track to be fine for (Week 1 in 2009)," says the Boston Globe. "He had a shaky start, but he's caught up."

Despite the 2007 NFL MVP missing the entire season, the New England Patrioits, under Matt Cassel, did fairly well. They went 11-5, but fell short of the playoffs. The situation in New England could get messy, as Cassel may want to look for another option besides the bench. He had an amazing regular season, after performing putridly early in the NFL Preseason.

The rest of the league would probably rather have Cassel at the helm. Randy Moss and the Patriots; probably Brady. The decision is up to the mysterious mind of Coach Bill Belichick.

Welcome To Hollywood T.O

We all knew this day would come, the day when Terrell Owens would officially have his own television show. The controversial star will have his own reality show broadcasted on VH1. The show will air in the summer, giving fans a look at T.O's life on and off the field. VH1 announced the show will take place in the offseason, with Monique Jackson and Kita Williams helping T.O "re-examine" his life. Both women will be Owens' therapists and matchmakers. T.O previously aired on HBO's "Hard Knocks" that tracked the Cowboys' training camp.

I don't know what the fans think about this, but personally I think this is great. I'm not saying I am a big T.O fan, but he is a very entertaining person. The show has some great potential, and if T.O acts the way that I think he will, this will be a very popular show. VH1 made a great decision by broadcasting a show based on T.O. We all know how T.O acts on and off the field, but now we see it on a weekly basis. The one part I don't understand is the part where Monique Jackson and Kita Williams play matchmakers for T.O. I mean, why does T.O need help getting a date? Is it because he really is as arrogant and cocky as he appears to be? Well I know I will be watching this show, and hopefully I find out the truth behind Terrell Owens.

Ray Lewis Headed To Dallas?

Reports have surfaced around Baltimore that the Dallas Cowboys are very interested in acquiring the 10 time Pro Bowler and former Super Bowl MVP, Ray Lewis. The contract is said to be around $27 million and $30 million with 3 years on the deal. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones feels that Lewis may be what the team needs in the locker room. Lewis' intensity on and off the field could provide the spark this team needs.

In my opinion, Ray Lewis would fit great with Dallas' defense. The Cowboys defense is filled with talent and speed, but lacks experiance, especially in the postseason. Lewis would greatly help players like Bradie James and DeMarcus Ware, both of whom are still young but are terrific defenders. The Cowboys have been a dissappointment in the past couple of years. Their roster is filled with top notch talent, but they have not produced to their full potential.

The Dallas defense ranked 12th in the league in rush defense and 5th in pass defense. Offenses would dread going up against a Cowboys defense that consisted of DeMarcus Ware, Greg Ellis, Bradie James and Ray Lewis. If Dallas can snatch Ray Lewis in the offseason, expect Dallas to be better then ever, and hopefully not blowing it as they have in the past seasons.

Keep checking 'Pigskins Pros' often, as we will continue tracking all the offseason news and reports. If you have any questions, ideas, or requests, leave a comment down low or e-mail me at fphlip9@yahoo.com.

Will Collins Start In 2009?

A team source told ESPN's Chris Mortenson that head coach, Jeff Fisher, met with Kerry Collins and discussed the idea of him being the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans in 2009. Collins was reportedly thrilled with the news, threatening to retire if he did not receive a contract from the Titans.

Something bugs me here. In fact, I know what it is. It is the mediocrity of Kerry Collins' play, and I feel that the Tennessee Titans would be making a huge mistake if they named him the starter next year.

Let's look at the facts. Kerry Collins is a good quarterback. He is an expert at managing the game and "not losing" it. However, Collins had a measly 12 touchdown passes in 17 games this season, including playoffs. He also threw it to the opposite jersey 7 times. Is this who the Titans want to get them over the hump, and to lead them to the Superbowl? Collins was also 24th in the entire NFL in passing yardage.

The Tennessee Titans used their excellent running game, and immovable defense to go 13-3 during the regular season and win the AFC South. These two luxeries were the formula to their rather successful 2008 season. Having a mediocre, aging Kerry Collins as the starting quarterback for the 2009 season will once again place the Titans in the good-but-not-great status.

One can almost guarantee that the Titans will look for an offensive playmaker in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. After all, the current wide receiver situation in Tennessee will not make opposing defenses stay up at night any time soon. Can we blame Collins' numbers on his lack of wide receivers? Maybe Fisher would open the offense more if they had, say...Percy Harvin? Or Darius Heyward-Bey?

Do I think Kerry Collins is better than some of the other starters in the league? Yes. Do I think he is a bad quarterback? Of course not. However, I just feel that with Collins, this offensive attack will never be what it can potentially be.

I believe things will turn out rather interestingly in Tennessee for the 2009 season, as I expect quarterback Vince Young to sit down, take a look at himself in the mirror, and give Collins a run for his money.

Questions? Comments? Ideas?
Email me at: Alec82@gmail.com
Or comment below!

The Good and The Bad from the 2009 Senior Bowl

The Senior Bowl is the last chance for NFL hopefuls to secure their spot in this year's draft. The game is not just another game, for some, it might be their last game they ever play. If you think it's not important, just look at the two teams in the Super Bowl. The Steelers and Cardinals have a combined 36 former Senior Bowl participants. This year's game is no different from previous games. There are many players who need to show they have the talent that all the scouts want, and some players are still competing just to get recognized. So how did this year's Senior Bowl participants make out? Here's the rundown of the good, the bad and the ugly of this year's Senior Bowl.

The good from this year's game came from the South Quarterbacks. West Virginia QB Pat White proved all the scouts wrong, showing he has potential to be a NFL quarterback. White was named MVP of the game, throwing for 95 yards and 1 touchdown. Former Crimson Tide QB John Parker Wilson scored the game's first TD on a 4 yard run, while Clemson QB Cullen Harper threw for 44 yards. Also, Tennessee defensive end Robert Ayers might of improved his draft stock the most during the week. Before this week, Ayers looked like a second day pick, but after the game, he appeared to cement his spot on day one of the NFL draft.

Graham Harrell may have killed his chances after last night's game. His accuracy was not where he needed it, and his arm strength was just not what the scout's wanted to see. For Texas Tech, Harrell put up amazing numbers, but sometimes stats do not get you into the NFL, just look at former Hawaii QB's Timmy Chang and Colt Brennan. The same went for Rhett Bomar, who may have dimished his NFL hopes. Florida State receiver Greg Carr looked like Terrell Owens, but not the good side of T.O. Carr had too many drops in the game, crushing his draft status.

Don't forget too keep coming back to 'Pigskin Pros', as we will continue our draft analysis and keep track on all the news from the offseason.

Another One Bites The Dust

The off season; When head coaches drop faster than Terrell Owens' catches. When owners of the most disappointing gridiron teams look for new brains to lead their men; When fans of a losing team can lift their heads up high and rally around a new man. Yes, it's the off season, and it's one of the most exciting times of the NFL year.

So far this off season, seven head coaches have received the pink slip. The most recent firing coming from Kansas City. Herm "You play to win the game!" Edwards, who was 15-34 in three seasons with Chiefs, was told Friday that he would no longer be the team's head coach.

"That's OK," Edwards told FOXSports.com. "I told (Pioli) I didn't need an explanation. I understand the business. I'm OK with it."

Chiefs fans can recall a trade in 2006, when the New York Jets "traded" Herm Edwards to the Chiefs, who in return received a compensatory 4th round draft pick. Who did the Jets select with that pick? Leon Washington, a running back from Florida State. In 2008, Leon Washington averaged 5.9 yards a carry, complemented by 6 rushing touchdowns as a backup role in the Jets backfield. In 2008, Herm Edwards averaged one win every eight games. Who would you rather have? We know who got the better end of that exchange.

Who will be tribe leader for the Chiefs next season? I'm not sure if they even know. Either way, newly appointed GM Scott Pioli definitely has his work cut out for him. Getting this 2-14 team back on the competitive path will be difficult, but not impossible. Chiefs fans should be praying for the big turn-around that happened to the Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons this year, to happen to them in 2009.

We will have more information on who the Chiefs decide to choose as their 11th head coach in team history in future updates. Stay tuned.

What Our Site Is All About

Dear Pigskin Pros readers,

The two of us have developed 'Pigskin Pros' to keep all football fans up to date on the NFL and college world. When the NFL season is over, our site will keep going. In fact, the offseason is a great time for our site, enabling us to write many articles. With our genuine knowledge of the college football game, we will provide our own mock drafts, prospect analysis, and all the NFL team's needs in the draft. Throughout the season, we will preview key games, report breaking news, and write about the NFL like no other site has before. Just as our motto goes, " Covering the NFL all 365 days".

Both of us seek a career in sports writing, so 'Pigskin Pros' will be our building block for the future. We both strive for success, and also write to please the readers. 'Pigskin Pros' is not just another site, it is going to be a hit among all NFL fans. Our knowledge of the game will provide great content and I hope you all will feel the same as we do. The site will get it's success from all the fans and readers of 'Pigskin Pros'. I hope you enjoy our site, and come back often, as 'Pigskin Pros' is your source for all NFL coverage.

Hope to see you soon,

Flip and Alec