Introducing this series: In the days leading up to the big game, Super Bowl XLIII, The Sports Union asked Kevin Patra and J.David to once again make their picks for the final game of the NFL season; but since it is the big one, they have to do it a little grander.  All week our editors will battle it out via email and allow you access to their conversation, we like to call it the Palin-effect.  Picking the Super Bowl is worth 2 points and it all hinges on this game, with Patra going 7-3 through the playoffs and J.David only one game behind at 6-4.  Monday – Coaching and Special Teams, Tuesday – Defense, Wednesday – Offense, and Thursday – The Whole Shebang!  Also check back on Saturday for a special GameDay meal/appetizer and instructions on how not to celebrate the Super Bowl.

Defense Wins Championships

J.David: All year the Red Birds have heard how bad their defense is, and then they step in to the playoffs and have forced 12 turnovers in three games, haven’t allowed 100 yards rushing in their three playoff games.  Then held Atlanta and Carolina less than 275 yards of total offense, and game up 454 to Philadelphia, but still won the game.

For all the venom thrown at the Cardinal defense for the apparent holes, reality is, that this Cardinal defense is getting it done in the post season and with two weeks to prepare, Ken Whisenhunt and Clancy Pendergast will be able to coach up their teams.  And seriously, a dude named Clancy Pendergast has to be a defensive mad scientist.

Finally, the Arizona Cardinals have the 2nd best-ranked defense left in football.

Kevin Patra:  Really, that is what you are going to start with?  You are like a quarterback handing the ball off to the Defensive Tackle. 

You can keep your Red Bird defense and I’ll go ahead and take the #1 defense left.  

The defense that hasn’t even given up 75 yards in a game so far in the post season.  The defense that doesn’t just stop you, the stomp you out like you are a mini brush fire.  

I’ll take the defense that has a crazy-haired Samoan flying around in the secondary, and the Defensive Player of the Year–James Harrison–who might commit accidental homicide if he gets close to Old Man River you got playing quarterback.  I’ll take the defense that blitzes and jumps routes, the 3-4 base defense that has given Warner some troubles in the past.  

Your Defensive coordinator is Clancy? Right.  Ours is Dick, as in “you can’t score dick today”…. I know you’ll be disappointed.  

J.David:  Dick?  As in you don’t know dick!  

They haven’t given up 75 rushing yards in the post-season?  Of course they haven’t, my pop-Warner football team (NorCal Indianapolis Colts) could hold San Diego and Baltimore to under 75 yards also.  San Diego had LT with one groin laying on the 18-yard line, and the midg errr… little man Sproles who is half the size of my 11-year-old nephew.  

Then, Baltimore?  Don’t get me started on how anemic that offense was.  It was centered around a rookie quarterback from Delaware (yeah, the fighting hens!?) and a once great running back who had his knee thrown through a shredder and now limps to and fro from the huddle.  The only thing worse is having a rookie coach leading the whole motley crew with his less than creative play calling.  But, way to shut ‘em down, shut ‘em, shut ‘em down.  However, Pittsburgh’s defense will be singing another Public Enemy tune about that “Old Man River”, entitled “He Got Game.”  

The Steelers haven’t seen a highflying offense like that of the Red Birds.  After Sunday, Cardinal fans will forget about how many homeruns that puffy red head hit for the other Cardinals, and will salute Warner as the greatest homerun hitter in Cardinal history … and he won’t be afraid to talk about the past.

Now this post was supposed to be about defense, and I have spent my time talking about the Cardinals’ offense and great hip-hop from the past.  But the key to the Cardinals’ defense is found in the reality that they don’t have to shut down the opposing team’s offense as much as they just have to hold them under 30 points.  The Cardinals’ defense is certainly good enough to do that! 

Kevin Patra:  Way to keep expectations low there buddy.  30 points?  Defense is supposed to win championships (so YOU said) and you just want to keep the other team under 30??? Nice logic. 

I’m not in the business of defending the Chargers or Ravens, but the Ravens rushed for a total of 201 total yard in their first two playoff games (against the Dolphins and Titans, who both have defenses that ranked in the top 10 against the rush) and that mini-man Darren Sproles only torched the Colts for 105 yards and two touchdowns.  In case you didn’t figure it out, that guy your defense claimed to shut down last week–Brian Westbrook–had less rushing yards in the post season than both McGahee and Sproles.  But yeah if your pop-Warner team can equal the 44 rushing yards-per game the Steelers’ defense has allowed this postseason we got bigger things to talk about. 

Face it, you talked more about offense and hip-hop because you defense is still suspect.  Beating a rookie quarterback at home (oh wait wasn’t that your argument), then a team whose quarterback should be working at the neighborhood DelTaco, and then gave up a 24-6 halftime lead before the offense saved the day.

Don’t worry though tomorrow you can cream all over when we talk about offense.

J.David:  You see what I did there?  It is the same thing the Cardinals are going to do against the Steelers; make the Steelers beat you with their offense.  The Cardinals will take away the running attack of the Steelers by cutting off their Willie, Parker that is.  They will make Big Ben beat them by putting 15 guys in the box to stuff the run, and by putting points on the board early to make the Steelers press to comeback. 

All week you will hear about how the Cardinals defense is going to have to step up big to even stay close to the Cardinals, and that the Pittsburgh defense is the best ever.  The Cardinal coaches will wax eloquently about how they will need to establish the run, but mark my words, as soon as the coin flip concludes (which is like a 90-minute ceremony in and of itself) the only thing that will be predictable about the Cardinals offense will be that they will snap the ball each play.

The key to the Cardinals defense will be their offense taking on the mantra of a freshman boy … score early and score often.

Previous Articles:

Countdown to Super Bowl XLIII: Part I (Coaches & Special Teams)

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Kevin Patra lives by the adage: Those who can’t do, teach, and those who can’t do or teach, write. Currently, he is a graduate student at the University of Southern California studying Online Journalism, after spending four years at the University of Michigan obtaining a bachelors degree from the school of Language, Science & Fun. Patra grew up watching the Honolulu Blue and Silver every weekend, so he is an expert on what football is not supposed to look like.

J.David has never won an award for his writing, but he is a former collegiate athlete for a small college where everyone makes the team. Currently, he is a grad student at the University of Southern California studying the archaic form called, Print Journalism. J.David points to watching Barry Sanders catlike moves as the birth of his love for the NFL, and LT’s hit on Joe Theisman as the last day he ever wanted to play quarterback.

Related posts:

1. ⊚  Countdown to Super Bowl XLIII: Part I (Coaches & Special Teams)
2. ⊚  The Sports Union’s NFL Divisional Playoff Predictions
3. ⊚  The Sports Union’s NFL Conference Championship Predictions
4. ⊚  A BCS Bowl Prediction from The Sports Union
5. ⊚  The Sports Union Predicts Wild Card Weekend