With four teams remaining in the National Football League playoffs, human nature starts the wheels turning, and gets you to thinking about possible Super Bowl matchups for the 43rd edition of the game in Tampa.
There’s plenty of story lines included in this quartet of teams…
Arizona Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – this may be the most intriguing matchup of them all, at least for Cardinal fans. Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm were both members of the coaching staff that led the Steelers to the Super Bowl Championship three years ago. When Bill Cowher stepped down from his coaching perch following the 2006 season, Whis and Grimm were both considered, and both were inevitably passed up for Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin. I don’t think Whisenhunt and Grimm have forgotten.
Plus there’s the whole drama between Whisenhunt and his former pupil, Steelers’ QB Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger took offense when Whisenhunt commented on Ben’s less-than-stellar 2006 season, when he threw a league-high 23 interceptions and led Pittsburgh to a 7-8 record. Whisenhunt questioned whether or not Roethlisberger was healthy enough to play following an off-season motorcycle accident and an early season appendectomy.
Needless to say, there would be a lot of juicy buildup to this matchup if it occurs.
Arizona Cardinals vs. Baltimore Ravens – Not nearly as much intrigue, but there is the case of Terrell Suggs, the Valley high school product, who went on to star at Arizona State. Leading up to the 2003 NFL Draft, Suggs was outspoken about his desire to play for the Cardinals in his hometown, and considering he led the nation in quarterback sacks with 24 for ASU in 2002, most local fans were in favor of the pick. And, honestly, who ever came out publicly and said they wanted to play for the Cardinals? Instead, the Cardinals traded the #6 overall selection to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for the Saints’ number 16 and 17 selections. I clearly remember throwing things at my television, and then cursing the organization up and down when Suggs was picked tenth overall by Baltimore. The Cardinals got wide receiver Bryant Johnson and linebacker Calvin Pace, neither of whom is still with the team.
Team officials quietly said that Suggs didn’t rank high on their board, and rumors circulated that they had issues with Suggs’ off-the-field activity, which included an arrest stemming from a fight at a local 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Suggs has gone on to record 53 sacks and has twice been named a Pro Bowler in his 6-year career.
This matchup would also produce the quarterback discussion between the sage veteran who’s been there before in Kurt Warner, and the inexperienced rookie in Joe Flacco, and another Valley high school standout, Todd Heap of Mesa Mountain View (and ASU) also plays for Baltimore.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Pittsburgh Steelers – This pairing is obviously of great interest to those in the Keystone State. It would be only the second matchup of teams from the same state in Super Bowl history (San Francisco crushed San Diego in Super Bowl 29 in an all-California “battle”). And obviously from a fan base standpoint, this is the most attractive potential matchup, although I’m sure nobody in the NFL will tell you that.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Baltimore Ravens – Ravens’ head coach John Harbaugh was on the Eagles’s coaching staff under Andy Reid for 10 years before landing Baltimore’s top job this past off season. And there’s a geographical tie-in, as the two cities are only 92 miles apart, even closer than Pittsburgh is to Philly.
Defense would be a main point of emphasis when breaking down this potential Super Bowl showdown, as Baltimore ranked number two in overall defense and Philadelphia ranked third.
