The Cardinals lost Super Bowl XLIII.
They didn’t lose because of bad coaching or bad officiating. They lost because they are the second best team in the NFL.
It’s easy to see that the play of the game was the Harrison interception return for a TD. The Cardinals lost by 4 points and that play was a 10 point swing.
I’m not upset at the interception. Sure, it was Warner’s mistake. It was a pass he should not have made. He did what he rarely does. He locked on to one receiver. He didn’t check to find the LB on the play. None of that upsets me.
Kurt Warner gets away with that pass far too often to suddenly get upset about it now. If this was a continual mistake, then I’d go nuts. When the aggression of a QB is the whole reason why a franchise makes it to the Super Bowl, I refuse to suddenly question his actions at the end.
What does frustrate me is the lack of tackling. It seemed to me there were about 4 people feeling sorry for themselves after the interception. If Harrison is tackled, the half ends. Sure it stinks the Cardinals would have lost 3 points and maybe 7, but that has nothing to do with the Steelers scoring a touchdown. If all 11 guys would have put as much effort into tackling Harrison, the Cardinals would be Super Bowl Champions.
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Yes, the Cardinals are the second best team. However, the officiating was horrible. James Harrison does his best Kimbo Slice impression on Fransisco and gets to stay in the game. 3 no call penalties on the interception return….1 holding on Warner, 1 blocking in the back on Hightower, and another blocking in the back. The roughing the passer on Dansby…..THAT WAS A JOKE, warner had been hit like that all day and nothing was called. The whole game was poorly called by the officials!!!!!
great game by the Cardinals, inspite of it all. penalties hurt the Cards more than anything IMHO. props to Pittsburgh and coach Tomlin. while we lost the Super Bowl, as NFC West and Conference champions, go and grow from this one. the Cards did all to stand this season. respect.
Could not disagree more:
After the dust has settled from a phenomenal game by the Steelers and Cardinals respectively; it can be realized that both teams played their hearts out and invigorated the masses with quality football.
My problem with the game lies in the simple fact that officiating had far too much impact on the game in a series of questionable calls and non-calls.
1. Block in the Back on Tim Hightower
In an excellent Zone Blitz scheme James Harrison jumps Anquan Boldin’s route and takes it 100 yards for a Touchdown. Refs choose to ignore a dreadfully obvious Block In The Back by James Farrior on Tim Hightower which should have negated the return. The score should have been 10-7 at Halftime. (+7 Steelers).
2. Chop Block by Edgerin James
Here is the exact verbage by the NFL Rulebook:
A chop block is a foul by the offense in which one offense player (designated as A1for purposes of this rule) blocks a defensive player in the area of the thigh or lower while another offensive player (A2) occupies that same defensive player in one of the circumstances described in sub-sections (1) through (10) below. (I provided the first 4 as they all pertain to a pass play)
( 1) On a forward pass play, A1 chops a defensive player while the defensive player is physically engaged by the blocking attempt of A2.
( 2) On a forward pass play in which A2 physically engages a defensive player with a blocking attempt, A1 chops the defensive player after the contact by A2 has been broken and while A2 is still confronting the defensive player.
( 3) On a forward pass play, A1 chops a defensive player while A2 confronts the defensive player in a pass-blocking posture but is not physically engaged with the defensive player (a “lure”).
( 4) On a forward pass play, A1 blocks a defensive player in the area of the thigh or lower, and A2, simultaneously or immediately after the block by A1, engages the defensive player high.
The problem with this is Lyle Sendlein was no longer engaged with the defender as he was beaten badly on the play. In addition, this method of blocking was used over half a dozen times in Super Bowl 32 by the Denver Broncos. Their fullback would do that exact move springing Terrell Davis and no penalty was ever called.
3. Personal Foul Roughing The Passer By Karlos Dansby
Not much to say here, one step and a small hit. Not to the helmet and did not drive him into the ground. Terrible call plain and simple.
4. Unnecessary Roughness: Adrian Wilson
Adrian Wilson tries to prevent running into the holder after trying to block the Field Goal, he slightly stumbles and literally pumps into the holder. We aren’t talking about Basketball and Soccer where guys flop all the time. This is the blood sport of Football and there was no intent to injure and nothing that could be deemed unnecessary about that play.
5. Non-Ejection of James Harrison
This guy is the best defender in the NFL, but his cheap shots on Aaron Francisco in the fourth quarter were embarrassing and showed no class. He should have been tossed immediately. That is the definition of Busch League.
Non-Reviewed Plays:
1. Larry Fitzgerald Jump Ball Touchdown
Looked as if the ball may have touched the ground on the jump ball with Ike Taylor. Should have been challenged at least.
2. Forward Pass or Fumble by Kurt Warner At The Game’s End
Regardless of the result of the review, it should have been reviewed at least! This is why Instant Replay was instituted wasn’t it. So there is no controversy in pivotal situations. This is a prime example of a failure in NFL officiating!
Final Thoughts:
A person has to wonder after watching 2 Superbowl’s with the Pittsburgh Steelers in it in recent years, it is obvious there is a bias for this team. Super Bowl 40 and 43 had officiating skewed dramatically in their favor. Mike Holmgren knows all about it, they even made reference to it in the broadcast booth. It makes a lot of sense for the NFL to long for the Steelers to win. We are in the midst of a deepening recession and which team will bring in more revenue if they win Cardinals or Steelers? The Steelers have a top 3 following in the United States and that was evident with the 50 to 1 fan ratio at the Super Bowl. Like all things in life, money has the final say and even if they never admit it; there is a bias towards the team that is going to bring in more revenue for the NFL. After all it is still a business, and we all know how much ethics is involved in business!
http://nflplayoffs2008.gearupforsports.com/blog/2009/02/officiating-has-the-final-say-in-the-super-bowl/
The game is played because anything can happen. We just didn’t get the most balls bouncing our way. I still believe the Cards could’ve won this game with a few key moves.
I can’t understand why the Cards chose to put an inexperienced Superbowl defense on the field first after winning the coin toss. It put too much pressure on a defense that usually starts a little slow. I was so excited to win the toss because I knew we could take them out of their game with a good opening drive. Ben would’ve panicked and probably tried to do too much to get back in the game. If our defense could’ve then stopped them once, or hold them to a field goal, then they would have certainly shown some urgency. It showed a sign of weakness by not going to our strength from the start.
We’ve been taking chances throwing to Fitz in double & triple coverages through the entire play-offs and all of a sudden we become conservative. The offense got started too late but it was evident we could move the ball against the #1 defense. Maybe Haley has to warm up too.
Yeah Kurt made a mistake throwing the goal line interception, but the only play that should have been called in this area was the fade to Fitz in the corner of the end zone. We had (3) shots at this. It hasn’t been stopped yet! Don’t want to question the coaching, but this is too obvious to miss. Our passing opens up the running game. We tried to run first and the Steelers weren’t having it. Did we not watch our own film of the past three games? Play your game first.
All we can say at this point is (if). If we would’ve done this or that. Congrats to the Steelers but the Cards have nothing to be ashamed of. Their chance of winning their first Superbowl ever was GREAT! They belonged in the game and it showed. Go NFC Champs!!!!
Being from Seattle we all had a very good idea what was going to happen with the officiating. There is definatley a bias and unfortunately the NFL is able to get away with this. I am still sick to my stomach about the Seahawks officiating in the Superbowl we played in, and I am even more sick now. Everyone I know in Seattle was rooting for the Cardinals and unfortunately some calls that were made or not made was the difference in this game. You will be back next year, just take it easy on my Hawks.
I have read the comments and most of the Cards fans are taking it well and admiting your the 2nd best team but some of you are just wrong. Im from Pittsburgh and obviously you dont watch any Steeler games because you would not be saying these false things of an officiating bias. 1st of all as many close calls that went against you I can point out the same or more that should have went our way. (1) Ben’s TD run was a touchdown. plain and simple. His knee never touched in fact if you watched on a hd bigscreen u could still see the shadow under his leg and even at that there def. wasnt 100% conclusive evidence to overturn the call which the rule states. (2) yeah, they should have reviewed the last play of the game but at least the call on the field was roght. in fact, watch all the sports shows like espn and nfl network and they all say the same thing except 4 one person and he was a quarterback. (3) i hear sum of u talking about a no call on 1 of our players taking off the helmet. Yes, it happened but take a look back at Warners 1st fumble that was overturned and u will see him ripping off his helment to complain.(no call) (4) Yes the roughing the passer was def. a bad call but in the end it didnt matter we still had to kick the 3 same with ruffing the holder which was a legit call if you go by the rule book. hes defenseless and u cant touch him jus like the kicker. i know it was petty but you guys were just makin dumb mistakes. we still only got 3 anyway. also, u guys were holding on almost every play wit ur arm around harrison’s neck but i dont even care about that. The MAIN issue where u are wrong is that the leauge wanted pitt 2 win because of monetary reasons when its the exact opposite. Com. Godell basicallly admitted he wanted the Cards 2 win wit out sayin it. think about it. STeeler fans are there no matter what the outcome was. And 1 super bowl isnt as big of a deal as it is 4 us as u. Revenue would not change much,. However, if the Cards win its a huge deal and a cinderella story while at the same time picking up masses of new fans or at least motivating “sorta” fans to buy merchandise etc. i have plenty more examples for every point ive made but no time. Overall, the Cards are a great team wit respectful players. I mean i watched all the post-game interviews and evn your own website is very honest and humble. If it wasnt myy team i def. would have been on ur side but it came down to the last drive with Ben vs. Cards deffense and on that particular drive at that particular time we came through when we had to and u didnt. So, the best team won on sunday. Congrats on a great season. p.s. sorry bout the typin in a hurry and tired.
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