Super Bowl Pick'em

Welcome to the Bleeding Sports 2009 NFL Playoff Pick'em Finale! Sadly, this is the last Sunday with football until September. It's sickening just thinking about it. The NFL season just flies by way too fast. But don't worry sports fans, 72 weeks of NBA playoff basketball is just around the corner. Sigh. At least, we all have March Madness to look forward to. Before then, however, the Super Bowl needs to be played. So without further ado here are the Bleeding Sports Super Bowl picks from the CEO, G. Francis and The Pickmeister, J. Daniels.

G. Francis - BS CEO

Arizona (+6.5) over Pittsburgh

Super Sunday...Steelers and Cardinals for the World Championship. The fact that the Cardinals are playing in this game is a feat in itself. The bottom line is that Kurt Warner and the Cards are indeed here and I'm taking them to win this game outright. The Steelers have been in the national spotlight all season with seemingly everyone of their home games featured in the national 4pm slot on Sundays. The Steelers defense has been dominant this season, but they haven't faced an offense like the Cardinals. If the Cardinals offensive line can give Warner time, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin will cause fits in the Pittsburgh secondary. The fact that Arizona head coach Ken Wisenhunt and assistant Russ Grimm were on the Steelers staff just two years ago gives the Cardinals a distinct advantage. Arizona used that advantage to defeat Pittsburgh 21-14 last season.

On offense, the Cardinals know the Steelers defensive tendencies and will take the Steelers out of their base defense with Wisenhunt's three wide receiver offense. Though the one unit that has barely been mentioned at all and could have the biggest impact is the Cardinals defense. The Steelers are average at best on offense and the Cardinals have forced twelve turnovers in three games this postseason. The Cardinals do a great job at pressuring the quarterback and the Steelers' offensive is the weak link. If the Cardinals can stop the run they will tee off on Ben Roethlisberger and force him into turnovers.

I expect it to be a close game especially with the way the Steelers keep teams in the game with their style of play. I'm putting my money on Warner, Fitzgerald, and Boldin to pull this game out for Arizona. Keep an eye on Boldin and Breaston especially with the Steelers paying extra attention to Fitzgerald.

Cardinals 27, Pittsburgh 24


J. Daniels - The Pickmeister

Arizona (+6.5) over Pittsburgh

You hear it all the time (and saw it last year) that defense wins championship. Pittsburgh’s D is damn good, you can’t argue with that, but Arizona’s have been playing out of their mind throughout the whole playoffs and will no doubt carry the momentum into the Super Bowl. To add to that, Big Bum loves helping out the other teams defense and the Cards will thrive off his mistakes. You can’t give Warner and his two beasts of receivers any short field opportunities, but Ben is going to do just that. Look forward to seeing fumbles, interceptions, and of course sacks as the Arizona D rattles Roethlisberger. Take the Cardinals with the points. Actually take the Cardinals to be the Super Bowl XLIII champs with a 24-16 victory.