This game has been very chippy thus far, with at least three skirmashes and some late hits. DT Bryan Robinson definitely threw a punch, but nothing was called. The officials are letting them play.
Arizona needs to stay out third-and-long situations to keep Dick Lebeau's blitzes at bay. On their third-and-17, James Harrison blitzed without getting touched, ending the play before it started.
I'm surprised Mike Tomlin didn't go for the touchdown from the one-foot line. He did a lot during the year with mixed results. Pittsburgh's short-yardage struggles were certainly a factor in the decision.
Just like Bill Belichick talked about in pregame, the Steelers use Arizona's aggressiveness against them with a bootleg to a crossing receiver.
Roethlisberger and Ward look plenty healthy, thank you very much.
Every Steelers gets a huge roar from the crowd. I can't imagine many Super Bowls in history felt this much like a home game.
No one will ever accuse Neil Rackers of having weak leg. He just nailed a 60-yarder in warmups, and hit the crossbar from 65. So we know where he's good from.
Jeff Reed hit from 55 with at least five yards to spare. It's always amazing to see the kickers warm-up, because they simply never miss in practice.
The crowd is picking up, but it's a closed-air press box, so it's hard to get a feel of how loud it really is. When the Steelers came out, and the place exploded. The Cardinals came out, and one or two sections cheer. It sounds pretty loud - the towels are in full effect. I suspect it's way louder than last year, if only because most of the crowd is for one team.
Ben Roethlisberger to Jerome Bettis: "It's the Super Bowl. Everyone should be nervous." Except the writers!
Cardinals inactives: NT Alan Branch, CB Eric Green, FB Tim Castille, LB Victor Hobson, OL Elliot Vallejo, OT Brandon Keith, TE Jerame Tuman, and third QB Brian St. Pierre.
Two of the former Steelers on the roster (St. Pierre and Tuman) won't be able to try to beat their former team. J.J. Arrington will return kicks and play despite being listed as questionable. Defensive ends Antonio Smith and Travis LaBoy will play, as expected.
Steelers inactives: S Anthony Smith, third QB Dennis Dixon, CB Fernando Bryant, OLB Bruce Davis, OT Tony Hills, OT Jason Capizzi, DL Scott Paxson, and DE Orpheus Roye are out for Pittsburgh. No major surprises there. Smith told me about his plans to hit Larry Fitzgerald as much as possible in the game - he won't get the the chance.
Jerome Betts got the entire stadium waving terrible towels as he crossed the field. Upon reaching Hines Ward, the two did an awkward half-jumping chest bump.
A really terrible-looking slice of pizza costs $9. An equally poor-looking turkey sandwich costs $15. A souvenir cup of beer is a relative bargain comparitely at $10. Luckily, we have the "media brunch" up here with some solid tacos.
Each seat comes with a Bridgeston seat cushion. Most writers toss them aside. At 5'5, I can use it with high tables here. The cushion comes stuffed with odd goodies like doo-rag and an ITunes Gift card for the free purchase of the video to the Super Bowl. They also come with an earpiece to listen to the game on NBC or Westwood one, although no one does that.
Belichick is on the pregame show, doing the x-ways and talking about taking advantage of Arizona's aggressiveness. Backside runs or rollouts could mean big plays for the Steelers. The Cardinals do make a lot of big plays, but also give up plenty of big plays.
Pretty awesome that Belichick went through the tapes and picked out all the plays to break down. Hearing Belichick, Tony Dungy, and Mike Holmgren talk about each team is pretty cool. And I'm not just saying that because I'm an NBC employee.
Three hours before kickoff, the main press box is at least half full. A lot of writers without a lot to do. Ken Whisenhunt and Josh Reed are some of the names already roaming the field. Some impressions from my way in to the game:
The first thing you see as you approach the stadium is a sea of black and gold. Everywhere. Last year, there was a relatively even split of Giants and Patriots fans, probably leaning towards New England. This year, it's essentially a Steelers home game. The gold jerseys are already dotting the seats throughout the stadium.
Continue reading "Hello from Tampa" »
Unlike the Cardinals and Steelers, I’ll admit that I’m happy to be here. That’s what was speeding through my mind as I ran this morning on Bayshore Drive to the best Hold Steady/Lil’ Wayne mix in creation. (Perhaps the only one.) The weather has improved, already in the low sixties, with no wind, and no chance of rain all day. The Goodyear blimp is already overhead, the amount of fans asking me for tickets is increasing, and everyone in the hotel is checking their watches, seeing if its time yet to head over to Raymond James Stadium. Finally, it’s gameday.
The first bus to the game leaves at 1:30, and I plan to be on it. What else is there to do today? I understand where they are coming from, but I plan to never feel it. If I ever take this for granted, if my love for football ever wanes, if I ever can’t get excited for the Super Bowl, then it’s time to quit. It’s a privilege to be here and I’d write a Bob Hayes style list of thanks to everyone who has helped me get here, and who has helped me while here, if I thought anyone would find it interesting.
Continue reading "Gameday, Finally" »
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