Six reasons why the Cardinals will win the Super Bowl

The underdogs are 3.3 to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Betfair

Photo Credit: Ross D. Franklin, AP Photo

The Pittsburgh Steelers [1.43] are clear favourites to win their sixth Super Bowl against first-time challengers the Arizona Cardinals. However, here’s why the Cardinals will become the latest outsiders to triumph:

1. In each of the last three seasons, the team who won fewer regular season games triumphed at the Super Bowl. This year the Cardinals won nine to the Steelers’ twelve.

2. Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt worked for the Steelers behind 2001 and 2006 so his insider knowledge of their set-up could prove pivotal. Six years ago the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Oakland Raiders, who their coach Jon Gruden had left at the start of the season.

3. The two sides last met in September 2007 shortly after Whisenhunt has taken charge of the Cardinals, who picked up a surprise 21-14 win. The Steelers had gone into that match with a 3-0 record.

4. Cardinals quarterbackKurt Warner has the edge over his opposite number Ben Roethlisberger, having outperformed him in their previous encounter. The Steelers love of blitzing will play into the born again Christian’s hands because he leads the league with fourteen touchdown passes against the blitz.

5. Roethlisberger also has a reputation as a big game bottler after underperforming in the Super Bowl three years ago. He completed just nine of 21 passes for 123 yards and two interceptions. His passer rating of 22.6 on that day was the lowest ever recording by a winning quarterback.

6. Cardinals wide reciever Larry Fitzgerald is the form player heading into the Super Bowl. This post-season he has five touchdown catches and has broken the record for the most receiving yards (419) ever in a post season. Previous record holder Jerry Rice  won the Super Bowl and was crowned MVP in the year he achieved the feat (1988, San Francisco 49ers). Last year he faced the Steelers when they had the third best passing defence in the league and caught the ball 11 times for 123 yards.

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Posted: January 29th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn |