Introduction: During Super Bowl XLIII The Sports Union’s Kevin Patra will bring you quarterly updates. From game notes, to ridiculous plays, to random spewings of hatred every time NBC shows Matt Millen, tune in after every quarter to get your in game analysis. Also, below in the featured section J.David will be twittering throughout the game.
Pre-Game: Peter Griffin: “I can’t believe the damn Cardinals are in the Super Bowl, I was like what the f[editor's cut].” Believe it Pete, believe it.
How terrible to wake up and the first thing you see on the TV is Matt Millen’s Mug on the screen. Thank you NBC for reminding me just how terrible my football experience has been. Starting this year in honor of Barry Sanders–the most tortured and cursed player in football history–I will don some sort of Sanders jersey or shirt.
Kurt Warner was just presented the Man of the Year Award. Its hard to
argue with that choice, he carried a perennial doormat to the playoffs and then Super Bowl. But why are you giving that award out right before the game? If you are Kurt Warner do you really want to be distracted by that right now? The other hype is bad enough, but at least you go through that with your teammates. Save the awards ceremonies until after the game. They could have easily given him the award earlier in the week or better yet, next week. Way to not let him appreciate it. If you are a Cardinal fan you should be hoping that isn’t the only trophy Warner wins today.
As if the hype wasn’t ridiculous enough to remind you of New Years Eve, according to the countdown clock there is five minutes to kickoff. Who decides that the audience is big enough that you need a countdown clock? Is there a logarithm that they use to decide? If you plan for more than 40 million viewers for your event do you get to use a count down clock, but not if you only have 39 million? These are the questions we need answered.
General Petraeus just flipped the coin with his right hand. You have to love prop bets.
And here we go to the kickoff…………..
End of 1st quarter:
Dominated by the Steelers and John Madden’s babbling. There is a good chance that Madden has a prop bet on himself: How many times will I say “penetration.”
Great challenge by Whisenhunt–hate kicking the field goal, even if you are supposed to, can’t you get an inch with at 7ft quarterback? You have to hate how bad Pittsburgh is on short yardage.
The Steelers have easily moved the ball. And kept it away from the Cardinal offense. One possession a quarter, got to love that if you are a Steelers fan.
Ben has gotten rid of Super Bowl XL cure and has 118 yard already compared to the 123 he had all of last time he was on this stage.
Tracking my prop bets with J.David: Willie Parker 26 yard (over quarter of the way to 100), Holmes killing Boldin in yardage, and only one receiver has 10 yards for the Cardinals. Needless to say I’m kicking his ass right now. Nice bets JD.
Best First Quarter Commercial: Bud Light with guy getting thrown out of the building on his chair (Conan one close second–Bud Light kills the Super Bowl again).
End of 2nd Quarter: HUGE interception to end the quarter! Huge! Anyone who doesn’t like blitzing has to shut up right now. Warner knew the blitz was coming and tried to make a quick read…ooooppppsss. Blitzing puts the onus on the quarterback to make a play, unfortunately for Cardinals fans, the old man lost his train of thought for a second and it cost his team badly.
Instead of tying or taking a four point lead, they are down 10. Luckily the Cardinals get the ball to start the half, so if they continue to move the ball like they did in the second quarter we could still have a game.
Thank god Arizona scored at least, this game could have turned into a snorer quickly if they didn’t start moving the ball. There is nothing worse than after two weeks of hype watching the underdog team getting smoked off the field.
The brief change in momentum can all be attributed to the Cardinal’s offensive line. When they give Warner time he is killing the secondary (see, Boldin Anquan pass). When they take penalties and don’t pick up the blitz, Warner hasn’t been able to ad-lib or make plays.
How about the boys from Michigan stepping up, Breaston (3 reception for 30 yards, monster punt return) and LaMarr Woodley with two tackles and a big sack…ok enough of me pimping Michigan.
It’s good to know that Edgerrin James can still move, he put a move that sent Troy Polamalu flying out of the screen, something you don’t see everyday.
John Madden quotes of the second quarter: “He’s so quick, he got balls” and “With an effort like that you have to him a touchdown”–referring to the final play, really John? All it takes to score is effort? Damn I should have stuck with football longer I could have been an NFL player
Bets update: Willie Parker: 34 yards (can you run the ball more in the second half); Boldin overtakes SanAntonio Holmes on the strength of one catch; nobody within 40 yards of 100…..
Best commercial during second quarter: Flower commercial….”No one wants to see you naked.”
End of 3rd Quarter: Doing exactly as I predicted, the Steelers continue to march down the field, milking the clock, and keeping Warner on the sideline.
But let’s be honest Pittsburgh got a lot of help on their scoring drive. They might as well put a red shirt on the quarterback and play him two hand touch style. Really? That was a roughing the passer penalty? How pansy is this league becoming? And the roughing the holder penalty? Can’t we make that a more subjective call? It’s not like he got crushed, Wilson just kept running; there is no need to make that call.
The story of this game–which is becoming painful to watch–is the Steelers defense not giving Warner time to look down field. They are neutralizing Fitzgerald’s ability to get down field and make the spectacular plays we have become accustomed to seeing from him.
Pittsburgh is squeezing the life out of what was an entertaining game. I think they might have run two plays that entire quarter: hand off to Willie Parker up the middle or WR screen. Then every once in a while we get to see Roethlisberger scramble and throw the ball away.
Unfortunately, the commercials followed the script of the game and all we got that quarter was movie trailer after movie trailer. Only commercial I can even remember is the Career Builder one because they punch a koala in the face.
End of the 4th: WOW!!!! Who could have scripted that end. Kordell Stewart errr SalPaolantonio Holmes has to be the MVP (even though they will probably gave it to Ben Rothlisberger) .
Larry Fitzgeragld explodes in the 4th quarter and catches the go-ahead touchdown. Most people thought it was over, except every single Pittsburgh fan who was saying “they scored too quick”–the normal fan line trying to convince themselves there is still a chance.
Except this time there actually was too much time.
I won’t step on tomorrows recap but how the hell do they not review that last fumble by Warner????? Even if it was obviously a fumble you have to review that, you have to. What are they worried they would run out of film? Was there not enough time left before The Office went on? How do you not even look at it? Terrible move. You have the ability to review just for that reason. Its the last play FREAKING SUPER BOWL! You review that play if it’s even close.
The fourth quarter gave us the best of John Madden. First it was talking about Fitzgerald’s “big strong hands” for 20 minutes. Then after Dockett sacked Roethlisberger we got this gem: “When he comes out of his explosion he is right on Ben Roethlisberger.” Then his claim that James Harrison should be kicked out of the game–so he is kicking people out and handing out touchdowns for effort.
Check back tomorrow for Kevin Patra’s indepth analysis.
Related posts:
- ⊚ Betting Super Bowl XLIII
- ⊚ Coutdown to Super Bowl XLIII: Part 3 (Offense)
- ⊚ Countdown to Super Bowl XLIII: Part 4 (The Picks)
- ⊚ Countdown to Super Bowl XLIII: Part 2 (Defense)
- ⊚ Countdown to Super Bowl XLIII: Part I (Coaches & Special Teams)
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