Super Bowl XLIII Pick

I remember the day like it was yesterday: January 26, 1992. A day when the sun shone a little brighter. A day when people had an extra spring in their step. A day when people were rioting in the streets and burning couches. I'm talking, of course, about the day the Redskins won their last Super Bowl.

Flash forward 17 years. The Redskins have won two playoff games in the past 17 years, never advancing past the divisional round. There are DC fans almost old enough to buy cigarettes and porn that haven't tasted the sweet nectar of Super Bowl victory.

And yet of all the suffering teams, the Arizona Freakin' Cardinals are one win away from their first Super Bowl trophy. This is the same team with five playoff appearances in the last 50 years. This is the team most famous for making a 5'5", 160 lb. Cuba Gooding, Jr. the greatest wide receiver in film history. This is probably the least successful franchise in sports.

Obviously, I'm quite bitter about the Cardinals making the Super Bowl. Perhaps the least deserving team in history. Even with all the animosity and bitterness towards Arizona, I still kind of like the underdog and think they have a shot against the big, bad Steelers. So to conclude a mediocre and inconsistent season of picks, here is my Super Bowl stone-cold, lead-pipe lock.

Cardinals (+7) over Steelers

This line is way too high for a team that has steam rolled opponents for three games. With the exception of the 3rd quarter of the Eagles game, the Cardinals have looked dominant in all facets of the game. On paper, the Cardinals have better special teams and offensive units, while the Steelers clearly have the best defense. Since the Cardinals high powered offense and the Dickie LeBeau defense will cancel each other out, the game will come down to the Steelers ability to move the ball against the Cardinals.

Contrary to popular belief, the Steelers ranked near the bottom of the league in rushing and will most certainly be passing. Since Hines Ward is banged up and will be covered by Antonio Rodgers-Cromartie, he won't be effective. That leaves San Antonio Holmes to feast on the Cardinals secondary. There will certainly be a play where Cardinals safety Adrian Wilson creeps to the line, but Holmes gets open over the top for an easy touchdown.

The Cardinals should get a couple of big plays from Fitzgerald (half man/half machine) and Q Boldin, but God won't be smiling on Brenda Warner and the Cards on Sunday. In the end, I see the Cardinals keeping it close but the Steelers prevailing, 21-17. I like Ben Roethlisberger to throw for a couple of TD's (one to Holmes, one to Miller?) and take home MVP honors. Barring a scenario where Lois Einhorn kidnaps Ben Roethlisberger, I see the Steelers coming out victorious. That would leave the Super Bowl count at: Steelers 6, Redskins 3, Cardinals 0. Still bitter.