Breaking down Super Bowl XLIII

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Super Bowl XLIII is a classic matchup featuring a top-ranked defense against an explosive offense. The Steelers finished the regular season ranked first in nearly every major defensive statistical category, including total defense, rush defense, pass defense and scoring defense. The Cardinals, meanwhile, ranked third in the league in scoring (26.7) and fielded the fourth-best pass attack (292.1).

When Pittsburgh Has the Ball

The Steelers offense is built the strong running of two-time Pro Bowl back Willie Parker. Although injuries limited the fifth-year pro to 791 yards during the regular season, he has started to display the skills that led to three straight seasons with 1,200 or more rushing yards. Parker's speed makes him a threat to score whenever he finds a crease on the perimeter, and the Steelers will relentlessly run him on an assortment of sweeps and stretch plays out of their two-back sets.

With Parker anchoring the rushing attack, the Steelers use a complementary play-action passing game in which Ben Roethlisberger throws on the move on an assortment of bootlegs. Heath Miller and Hines Ward repeatedly find open space in the middle of the field while working free on crossing routes behind the linebackers. When the Steelers opt to use their conventional passing game, they go with an array of bunch formations with Ward, Santonio Holmes and Nate Washington closely aligned to limit the Cardinals' ability to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage. Additionally, the cluster-type look generally frees up one of the dangerous receivers over the middle.

Roethlisberger loves to hit Holmes or Ward on time on a variety of curls and dig routes (15 yard square in), but also does an excellent job of improvising until his receivers break free. The majority of the Steelers big plays have been the result of Roethlisberger making big throws after he has fled the pocket, so the Steelers' scramble drill could ultimately result in a game-changing score. On the other hand, inconsistent play along the offensive line led to the Steelers allowing 49 sacks and ranking 22nd in total offense during the regular season.

The Cardinals' defense has been outstanding by focusing on stuffing the run on early downs. With offenses forced to throw from long yardage situations, defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast has used a series of creative coverages to confuse passers. In the past, Pendergast has unveiled an assortment of wrinkles ranging from five-man lines and two-man rushes to distort the timing and rhythm of the offense. While the Cardinals have been in stellar in their conventional 3-4, their frequent use of gimmicks has helped create turnovers during the postseason. They finished the regular season with the fifth-most takeaways (30).

Against the Steelers' running game, the Cardinals will attack the line with eight-man looks with Adrian Wilson hovering in the box as an extra defender. The Pro Bowl safety has a knack for sniffing out ball carriers, and his ability to thump runners in the hole has been instrumental to the team's improved run defense. Darnell Dockett and Antonio Smith must create penetration up front to allow linebackers Karlos Dansby and Gerald Hayes to roam freely. If the Cardinals can win the battle upfront, they will continue their surprising postseason dominance against ground attacks.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie wears the big sombrero as the Cardinals' top corner. He will shadow Ward or Holmes on most downs. His supreme athleticism has helped him win playoff matchups against Atlanta's Roddy White and Carolina's Steve Smith, but his inexperience could hurt against Pittsburgh's savvy route runners, who excel on double moves.

Regardless of how well Rodgers-Cromartie blankets the Steelers' receivers, the Cardinals must find a way to get consistent pressure on Roethlisberger. Though opponents have repeatedly attempted to harass Roethlisberger on blitzes, their inability to get the big guy down has resulted in numerous big plays. The Cardinals would be wise to pressure him up the middle. By forcing Roethlisberger to see the rush in his face, they can force him to throw a few passes up for grabs.

When Arizona Has The Ball

The Cardinals finished the regular season ranked fourth in total offense, but mustered only 73.9 yards on the ground, which ranked last in the league. They have been more explosive during the postseason due to a more balanced attack. Led by a resurgent Edgerrin James, the Cardinals have averaged 111 rushing yards a game in the playoffs. While that isn't overly impressive, the team's commitment to the run (33.3 rushing attempts per game) has prevented defenses from loading up to stop the passing game.

Offensive coordinator Todd Haley has deftly mixed in runs out of pass-heavy formations while also increasing the use of two-back sets. With sledgehammer Terrelle Smith leading the way, James and Tim Hightower have averaged nearly four yards a carry the past three games.

Larry Fitzgerald has been a dominant force during the playoffs, but credit Haley for creating the big play opportunities. Since the beginning of the postseason, Haley has moved around his playmaker to get him favorable matchups. From using him in the slot, to an increased use of tight splits, the Cardinals have made it seemingly impossible for defenders to track Fitzgerald's whereabouts. Plus, the Cardinals have used crossing routes from those alignments to get Fitzgerald open over the middle.

Anquan Boldin still poses a threat as a tremendous runner after the catch, and the Cardinals will frequently use a variety of receiver screens to get him the ball. Against the Steelers, the quick screen will be an effective counter to blitzes. Additionally, crossing routes will pose a problem to the Steelers' zone blitz. The underneath droppers will have a tough time picking up the crossing route from the opposite side. With Boldin's and Fitzgerald's excellent running skills, the Cardinals' short passing game is capable of chewing up chunks of yardage in a hurry.

The Steelers' top-ranked defense bullies opponents behind their dominant front seven. Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel and Aaron Smith take turns occupying double teams so that the Steelers' outstanding linebacker corps can chase freely against the run or pass. Outside linebackers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley are lauded for their pass rush skills, but their ability to stack the edge makes it difficult for opponents to find running room on the perimeter.

With opponents finding it impossible to make headway on the ground, the Steelers overwhelm one-dimensional offenses with their exotic pressures. Harrison and Woodley crash off the edges, but defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau likes bringing an additional rusher from a random location to catch the offense off-guard. His ability to attack the weakness in an opponent's blocking scheme is unrivaled and makes the Steelers' pass rush a difficult matchup.

However, the Cardinals pose a challenge due to their ability to spread the field from a variety of spread or empty formations. This strategy makes it easy for Warner to identify "hot" rushers and gives him the opportunity to get the ball out quickly. The Steelers must anticipate the Cardinals' use of the empty set, and do a great job of holding their disguise until the last possible moment. If they can keep Warner from deciphering the rush prior to the snap, they will have a better chance of disrupting his rhythm.

Additionally, the Steelers will need to come up with a solid strategy for dealing with Fitzgerald. The Pro Bowl receiver has single-handedly carried the Cardinals' passing game, despite facing double teams on a regular basis. The Steelers rarely use man coverage, but may be forced to use some form of combination coverage to keep Fitzgerald under wraps. LeBeau likes to assign Ike Taylor to top targets, so expect to see Taylor shadow Fitzgerald for most of the game, with a safety over top. Though the tactic will leave Boldin and third wideout Steve Breaston in single coverage, the Steelers' priority will be on limiting Fitzgerald's impact.

The X Factor

Ken Whisenhunt's and Russ Grimm's experience as Steelers coaches. The duo's extensive knowledge of Dick LeBeau's defense is invaluable. Knowing his tendencies will allow them to craft a game plan that attacks the weaknesses of the defense. Though LeBeau's defense has continued to evolve in the two years since their departure, they still have a great deal of familiarity with his pressure package. Look for the Cardinals to aggressively attack the Steelers' defense during their first 15 plays. A quick start will get Warner and Co. off to a good rhythm, and put pressure on the Steelers' offense to perform from behind.