Superbowl Sunday betting

An incredible season of the NFL (both in the quality of play and, more importantly, our betting results!) came to a dramatic head on Sunday night as the Steelers deafeated the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 to capture the NFL title.

Fletch finished off his superb betting season with another couple of good tips too. First, Cardinals’ star man Larry Fitzgerald scored two touchdowns as predicted and, of course, our straight-up bet on the Steelers came in too. The new season can’t come quickly enough…

Pittsburgh Steelers vs Arizona Cardinals, Superbowl Sunday!

Well at least we have a big favourite in the Steelers and a romantic story in the comeback kings of Kurt Warner and the Cardinals.

Now the head rules with the Steelers, they have been composed in the crunch weeks, Hines Ward is training fully again, they have big Ben Roethlisberger playing well at QB, a ferocious defense and a winning mentality of getting the job done.

In contrast Cardinals throw the ball with abandon, defense can be rickety, especially against the run, and they throw away winning positions only to reclaim them in the 4th quarter. However, in their air attack they have been one of the joys of the winter and in receiver Larry Fitzgerald they have the best player I have seen all season.

Key Areas:

The Cardinals have to stop Steelers controlling the game and the clock via the run of Willie Parker. Steelers will want to grind first downs, wear down and tire the Cards defense and control the stopwatch. Cardinals have to prevent that.

Warner has to hit Fitzgerald early and well downfield to make the Steelers defense panic. That means the OFF line will have to give Warner time and stop the blitz.

If the Steelers defense swarms Warner then the Cards are struggling. The defense builds pressure for Steelers and they will want to unsettle Warner early and hopefully pick him off for an interception.

Edgerrin James simply has to move the ball on the deck for the Cards to buy Warner some time and space downfield. Then they can isolate Fitzgerald on someone and let him do his stuff.

Bets to make

Some boring bets from me here as although I want the Cardinals to open the game it’s hard to look past the Steelers. Still I want to back the Steelers as, even if Cardinals go 14-0 ahead they have a history of slacking off and letting sides back in. Remember the Eagles two weeks ago?

Fitzgerald @ 8/11 to score a touchdown

I am backing this becasue he is such a key for Warner that whatever the state of the game he has to gamble on his big man picking off a pass and scoring. He is tall, good with his hands and strong as an ox to bring down so 8/11 is fair.

Steelers to win @ 10/23 (Boyle sports)
Steelers to win -6.5 Handicap @ 20/21