Super Bowl XLIII: Cardinals and Steelers' Offensive Keys

A key to winning Super Bowl XLIII will be which offense is most able to function closest to normal productivity. Let's take a quick look at who may have an advantage here and why.

With Kurt Warner at the controls, the Cardinals offense has a former Super Bowl MVP, a quarterback noted for being able to read defenses quickly, & get rid of the ball to avoid pressure. 

While neither Edgerrin James or Tim Hightower have lit up the stat sheets in the playoffs, they have been effective enough to force opposing defenses to be wary of the Cardinals running game.  The receivers, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston, & particularly Larry Fitzgerald have been devastating. 

Fitzgerald, in breaking Jerry Rice's record for most yards receiving in the playoffs, seems to be using this post-season to make a statement that he is now the best WR in football.

Ben Roethlisberger seems to have taken criticism of the amount of turnovers he committed in the regular season to heart, & has yet to have a single turnover in the playoffs. 

The running game, led by a healthy Willie Parker seems to have turned it up a notch during the postseason & will demand attention. The passing game has turned in some big plays, but has also been steady when required, doing what has been necessary to keep getting first downs & moving the ball down field. 

TE Heath Miller has been an important part of the Steelers playoff game plans, & figures to be just as important in the Super Bowl, especially if Hines Ward's sprained MCL limits him in the Super Bowl.

For Arizona, the biggest keys offensively go hand-in-hand. They must keep Kurt Warner safe from Steelers pressure, & keep him from having one of those meltdowns he's been known to have where every ball he touches seemingly ends up in the hand of the opposing defense.

The NFC Championship game against Philadelphia may be the blueprint here. If you can, go back & watch a replay of that game, & note how few of Warner's passes were more than 10-15 yards downfield.

This allowed Warner to get rid of the ball quickly enough to avoid Philly's pressure, & put him in the quick read offense he is most comfortable & efficient in.

For Pittsburgh, establishing their running game could be the most important thing they do. The Steelers struggled to protect Ben Roethlisberger all season, & since 2004, no QB in the NFL has been sacked more times than Big Ben. 

With Willie Parker, they have a back who is a threat to go the distance every time he touches the ball. They must make the Cardinal defense sufficiently wary of this. The short passing game with Hines Ward & Heath Miller doing just enough damage underneath to keep the chains moving will be key for Pittsburgh.

This would limit the opportunities Arizona would have to get to Roethlisberger, & could potentially set up something big for Santonio Holmes down field.  Much of this may depend on Ward's health, & if he is unable to go, it would severely limit the Steeler's offense, though Ward has said that "nothing would keep me out of this game."

Tomorrow, I will take a look at the defenses.