Super Bowl XLIII

Pittsburgh Steelers

Pros

- No. 1 Defense in the NFL

- Potentially lethal running game

- Mistake-free offense

- Super Bowl experience - Roethlisberger, Ward, Parker

Cons

- Inconsistent offense

- Weak O-Line

Arizona Cardinals

Pros

- High-flying passing game

- Resurgent defense

- Emerging ground attack

- Kurt Warner

Cons

- Unproven in big games

- Defense struggled against Philly

Those points mentioned, I still like the Cardinals to pull off the upset tomorrow. It will require the stars to be perfect alignment - not to mention Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald - but the reason for my favour of the underdog in this Super Bowl is that they're offense is as good as Pittsburgh's defense.

There I said it, assuming Kurt Warner keeps up his stellar play, Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley keeps the ground game coming every three downs and throws in some inventive plays like he did against the Eagles and the Arizona defense plays up to the level it did in the Cards first two playoffs games, the Cardinals will hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

It's all about balance for the Cards attack and that is how they will penetrate the Steelers defense. Pittsburgh's offense's big guns will be stopped by the 'Zona D if they play up to their previous playoff performances (when they stopped much more potent offenses: Atlanta, Carolina and Philly). They won't stop them but they will give their team enough leeway to win the game.

Look for Boldin to be a key in this game, as Troy Polamulu will be have his hands full with Fitzgerald.

I see the Cardinals scoring first like they did against Philly, and then adding to it with further passing TD's and several long range field goals. Roethlisberger will rally in the third and final quarters, but it won't be enough as they will be settling for field goals at best for the first half.

In the end: ARI 27 PIT 23

Where to Vinny?

The Montreal Canadiens have been toted as the front runner for Vincent Lecavalier's services, despite the fact that Lightning management has denied they are shopping their recently resigned (for huge dollars) franchise player because of the economic downturn. I don't believe this to be the case - as noted in my previous post - and I think there are actually several other squads that can offer more to Tampa Bay than the Habs.

In reality, relieving the strangely run Bolts of their finanicial burden should be enough, but in this day in age of "win now to get rumps in the seats", they look to make a killing if they move their star player and -if they're smart - set themselves up for the future.

The three suitors I have listed offer the Lightning three options: get better right now, get better in a couple seasons, or get better down the road in 3-4 seasons (as well as saving a ton of cash!)

Toronto Maple Leafs

The main reason I think Vinny will be wearing this shade of blue in a few weeks? Brian Burke. With every team he's ever GM'ed for, Burke has put his stamp on the club not long after he's arrived. Just look at how he brought the Sedin twins to Vancouver and how he traded off half the Ducks (Federov, Salei etc.) after he arrived. Lee Stempniak doesn't exactly qualify here guys.

Also, they have over six million in cap space right now and with the players they would trade to make the deal happen they would easily be able to fit Lecavalier in - even when the cap drops in 09-10.

Next, the Leafs are a faceless franchise since Sundin left. The most valuble franchise in the NHL needs to have someone who embodies the team and is someone who instantly comes to mind when the grammatically backward "Maple Leafs" is said.

Finally, the beauty of the Leafs is what they can offer the Lightning pretty much anyone they would like in their organization. This team is going to face a major turnover in the next nine months, and pretty everyone is on the block- even the guys with no-trade clauses.

The T.O. media pressure wouldn't be in Vinny's favour here, but he would learn to live with it like Sundin did.

What it would take: D Tomas Kaberle, D Luke Schenn, F Nic Antropov, F Matt Stajan, 1st Round Pick 2009, 2nd round pick 2010

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers haven't had a bona-fide superstar since Mark Messier. Ryan Smyth was the sweetheart of the City of Champions for a while but never scored more than 70 points. They've missed on several big name free agents in recent years (Hossa said no to $80 million) but have done a respectable job building themselves through the draft and minor signings and trades. But for a team that once had Gretzky and company, it's heartbreaking to see them clod along with a relative bunch of nobodys (sorry grease fans, Hemsky ain't no superstar).

Tampa could look to get a lots of prospects from the Oil in return for Vinny, most of who aren't that far away from the NHL and get the defensive help the Bolts so desperately need.

What it would take: D Sheldon Souray, D Ladislav Smid, F Erik Cole, F Robert Nilson, F Robbie Schremp, 1st rounder 2009.

Minnesota Wild

You might call this a bit of a dark horse, but I think Vinny may fit here- assuming he could get used to the cold weather. The Wild have never had an elite player other than the constantly injured Marian Gaborik and this could be the time for Doug Risebrough to jump in. Gaborik will undoubtedly either be traded or leave via free agency this summer and the Wild will need someone to become the cornerstone of their offense. Couple that with defense-first coach Jacques Lemaire leaving after the season and you have a real possibilty for a deal here. Like the Oilers, the Wild - who sell out their barn nearly every night - need a face for their franchise.

The Wild can offer the Lightning something the other two suitors can`t- and that is real salary relief. With the other teams sending so much salary the other way, the Wild could potentially take care of Lecavlier`s salary while sending some good players and prospects to Tampa with low price tags.

Whats it would take (at the very least): F Mikko Koivu, F Corey Locke, D Brent Burns, D Kurtis Foster, 1st round pick 2009, 1st round pick 2010.

The Lecavalier Show

So Vincent Lecavalier is going to be a Montreal Canadien is he? And, according to some sources for Markov, Komisarek, Plekanec, Higgins, Gorges, P.K. Suppan , Youppi and Jean Beliveau's legacy.

Okay, in all seriousness, TSN reported a while back that the deal would be for Plekanec, Higgins, P.K. Subban and a handful of high draft picks. While not a bad package, this doesn't really help out the Lightning this year at all and is nowhere near enough for a franchise player like Vinny. Despite his hefty, long-term contract Vinny is worth much more to whoever gets him, if he is even traded at all from the supposedly cash-strapped Lightning.

More recent reports suggest that the Lightning want either Andrei Markov or Mike Komisarek as part of the deal. Make no mistake, the Habs will never part with either of these two as they are easily the best D-men for the rouge, blanc et bleu.

Markov is an decent puck mover and powerplay specialist while Komisarek delivers crushing checks and plays an essential shut down role. And much like the New York Rangers relationship with Sean Avery, the Habs have a very hard time winning when Komisarek is out of the lineup.

Nevermind the simple fact that Lecavalier doesn't fit well into the Habs salary structure and if he was forcfully inserted it would make Gainey's life much, much more difficult come next season amid an anticipated salary cap drop.

That's not to say he won't be dealt, but I think there are more appropriate suitors for the big frenchman. I will touch on this later this week.

Josh McDaniels saddles up with the Broncos

As a fan of the club, I was really expecting the Broncos to go with a proven defensive mind to rein in their atrocious defense like Steve Spangnuolo, defensive coordinator of the Giants. It would be a bit of a knee jerk reaction, but how could you blame Denver Owner Pat Bowlen after having new defensive coordinators each season for 3+ years?
But Bowlen appears to be taking his team down a familiar path with former Patriots Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels, who - as Peter King of SI.com points out - looks to be a clone of the recently fired Mike Shanahan in nearly every way. This is the same guy who pulled the levers last season as Tom Brady threw 50 tds and the Pat's came achingly close (for Pats fans) to going 19-0 on the year. With weaponized-wideouts like Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal and the cannon armed Jay Cutler - who broke John Elway's franchise passing yardage record in '08 - and the Broncos offense could be even more dangerous this year with a master tactician like McDaniels running the show. Also of note is that McDaniels has also worked on the defensive side of the ball with Bill Belichick's staff in New England as well.
Don't let the fact that McDaniels is just 32 fool you, he looks to be heading into the perfect situation for his talents and will more likely end up like fellow young head coach Mike Tomlin than Lane Kiffin.
Also of note is a report that recently fired 49ers head coach Mike Nolan is being brought in to handle the defensive coordinator duties, a position he's held with several teams over the past 15+ years.
Next, Bowlen needs to find himself a General Manager who will bring in defensive players and more reliable runningbacks.

'Zona in the superbowl?

Not quite the cinderella story that the Eagles are, the Arizona Cardinals are quite the sight in this year's playoffs. After proving to the world they were very adept at throttling clubs in their weak NFC west division (they were undefeated in divisional play) with their potent aerial attack, the Card's often would drop games against other opponents with worse records and not nearly the same weapons they had.
Remember week 4, the 56-35 beating they took at the hands of Brett Favre and Laverneus Coles of the retro-clad Jets? Or the 48-20 flogging they took at the hands of the Eagles- their opponents next week in the NFC title game? These two losses despite 472 yards and 235 yards respectively by early MVP favourite Kurt Warner.
However, don't forget that the Cardinals also beat the pre-locker room issues Cowboys and the at-the-time 4-0 Bills.
Passing was their name, but inconsistency was their game.
Upon easily taking the division, the Cards mailed it in for basically the rest of the year, finishing with the worst record of all NFC playoff bound teams: 9-7.
But since finishing the regular season on a low note and heading into the playoffs an odds-on favourite to lose, the Cardinals have transformed themselves at the best time and are dispatching foes with relative ease.
No longer relying on the passing game that had treated them so well, Arizona has become a two-pronged attack, making the most of rookie runningback Tim Hightower and seasoned veteran Edgerrin James and letting them run wild over unwitting defenses. In this past weekend's game, the two RB's stampeded for 133 yards and a touchdown combined on the ground. Not bad for a team whose RB's looked more like Warner's bodyguards then legal ballcarriers. Coupled with 2 passing touchdowns by Warner against one of the most potent defenses in Carolina's and minus clutch receiver Anquan Boldin. On top of that was a vastly improved effort by the Cardinals in both playoff games (5 INT's against Carolina) and they can't be expected to lie down for the surging Eagles next weekend.
Also, being that the game will played in the desert, it gives the Cardinals an edge on the cold weather acclimated Eagles. Moreover, should they make it to the Super Bowl in Miami, the conditions will once again be in their favour, against either the Ravens or Steelers - both cold weather hardened squads.