Stingy Steelers D Will Look to Stop a Solid Cardinals Offense

While the Steelers will have to pay some attention to the Cardinals running game Sunday in Super Bowl XLIII, there is no question what the Steelers D will focus in on – stopping Kurt Warner and the Cards passing attack. When you have a guy like Larry Fitzgerald who can out-jump two guys to get the football, there is nothing you can do about that,” Steelers safety Troy Polamalu said. “You just have to realize that he is a great player, they have a great quarterback (Kurt Warner), a great scheme and he makes great plays. I think it would be big to limit those plays.”

Warner is the key to the Cards success, throwing for 4583 yards, 30 touchdowns and 14 interceptions this past season. He’s been very good in the playoffs, throwing for 770 yards with 8 touchdowns and two interceptions. Pressure and disguising coverages will be a key element in trying to get Warner off his rhythm Sunday.

“We expect everything. It’s the Super Bowl, so everything goes,” Steelers LB James Farrior said. “We know they’re a high-powered offense and they’re going to try to get the ball to their great receivers they have to make plays. We definitely expect a little bit of everything.”

The Cardinals have been solid in their three playoff games, putting up total yards of 357, 215 and 267 yards. The Steelers are a stingy defense, and their specialty is not allowing teams to put up 300 yards of offense. They allowed it just once all regular season (Tennessee), and will look to put the hammer on the Cards and their offense Sunday.

“We’ll find out on Sunday,” Farrior said. “We know they have a great, high-powered offense and they’ll try to get the ball to their great receivers. It’s going to be a tough challenge for us and we’re looking forward to it.”