FanSided.Com Live NFL Draft Chat

NFL Mocks is the Home for the first FanSided.Com Live NFL Draft Chat

Although Tomlin inherited a team that was built to win, he has done a fantastic job of motivating his guys and will have the chance to prove he is as deserving as any Steeler that has won a championship if he leads his team to victory on the 1st. Not if, but when those terrible towels are waiving at the end of the game and the Cardinals are looking up at the confetti falling for their counterparts they will say to themselves “we got beaten by the better team”. It’s no shame to loose to a team that carries the title of dynasty

This year’s Steelers team is as much a symbol of what Pittsburgh football is as any past team through history. Their defense is the most feared in the league and they have a QB who has a knack for winning big games.  On February 1st, the Steelers and Cardinals will meet in Tampa Bay for Super Bowl XLIII and the majority of the sports betting public will have their money on Pittsburgh. BetUS has set the total at 42 ½ which should lead anyone to believe the respect that oddsmakers have for the defense of the Steelers.

Areas of Concern

Troy Polamalu is a beast and will be flying around the field like a super charged ball magnet but despite having two weeks off, his calf may still slow him down that crucial half step. I guarantee it won’t be noticeable throughout most of the game as he will still be busting up rush plays per usual, but if he gets caught in a wide receiver screen and can’t explode to the ball like he usually does, it end up being a big play. For all we know, Polamalu’s calf is fine and he we won’t have anything to worry about but this is the media and we have to scrutinize something.

The injury that has most Steeler fans really sweating involves former Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward and his bum knee. He is Big Ben’s favorite target and is the best big game receiver that will suit up for Super Bowl XLIII. Not only did he amount 1,043 receiving yards on 81 receptions and seven touchdowns throughout the season, he brings smarts and leadership to the field which is invaluable in such a big game. Adrenalin will allow Hines to play but look for him to be more effective in the short passing game. The BetUS sportsbook has props on everything relating to this game and has the over/under set at five catches for Heins for the game, which is low in my opinion. If I were a betting man I’d put some cash on him catching more balls than that, he’s to much of a beast to let the injury stop him from being a major contributor.

The AFC championship game against the Ravens proved something about the Steelers; they are more resilient and dedicated to winning than any other team in the NFL. They play hard nosed, in your face, beat me if you can football and that’s what wins super bowls. Giving the Cardinals only 7 points is a joke; I bet they beat the Cardinals by 14 points or more in an absolute lesson on football. If you want to put some money down on the Steelers, Bet on Super Bowl XLIII over at BetUS Sportsbook today.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (14-4 SU, 11-7 ATS, 10-8 O/U) have earned the right to play in Super Bowl XLIII by beating the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game 23-14, their second Super Bowl in 4 years. The Steelers covered the BetUS spread (-5.5) and went over the BetUS total (35) for the game. The Ravens kept it a nail-biter until Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu intercepted a Flacco pass and weaved his way to a highlight reel 40-yard touch down, ensuring that the Steelers covered the spread.

With the early lines out in the BetUS sportsbook, the Steelers are a -6.5 point favorite to win Super Bowl XLIII from Tampa, Florida. Pittsburgh has been the favorite throughout the playoffs and has left little doubt that they belong at the top.

After earning a first round bye, they dismantled the San Diego Chargers 35-24 in the second round. Pittsburgh easily covered the BetUS chalk as -6.0 favorites and crushed the over which was set at 38 points. In that game, the Steelers not only held the Chargers off the scoreboard throughout the third quarter, they held them off the field. Other than one offensive play that turned into a Rivers interception, the San Diego offense was on the sideline for every other snap of the quarter. Pittsburgh built up an insurmountable lead and made many BetUS account holders happy by easily covering the spread at home.

The early lines, according to the Super Bowl 2009 odds from BetUS, are anover/under of 47 points and Pittsburgh (-6.5) is the favorite against Arizona (+6.5). Arizona has shocked the world by beating Atlanta, Carolina, and then Philadelphia. Kurt Warner is back to his third Super Bowl and has an MVP already under his belt. Warner has an unbelievable rapport with WR Larry Fitzgerald who is tearing it up offensively throughout the playoffs. But the most trusted (and proven) adage in sports is, defense wins championships, and that’s just what Pittsburgh possesses.

They flexed their defensive muscles all season, maintaining the NFL’s top ranking in almost every category. Another essential ingredient to success is experience, an element that Pittsburgh has the clear advantage. Having won the Super Bowl four years ago and maintaining many of that team’s key contributors, Pittsburgh will be better prepared to handle all the hoopla that is associated with the biggest game of the year. Ben Roethlisberger is a proven winner, Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward will have 2 weeks to rest his injury and proven big-game performer RB Willie Parker has seen this before. The Steelers defense will have two weeks to prepare and design schemes to confuse Warner and the Cardinals offence, and you know they’ll be hungry come February 1st.  No other secondary in the league is better suited to handle the high-octane Cardinals offense, and if Pittsburgh shuts down the offense then Arizona has no chance. Head over to BetUS to bet on Superbowl XLIII.

Byron Leftwich waited nine months to get back on the practice field. Now that he’s done that, his first NFL action is likely only days away.

Signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the quarterback brought in to replace injured backup Charlie Batch impressed during his first two practices with the team on Monday, so much that coach Mike Tomlin said “it looks like he’ll be able to play” Thursday when the team plays the Buffalo Bills in Toronto.

“I was impressed simply by the fact he was a quick study,” Tomlin said after a rain-soaked afternoon practice at Saint Vincent College. “He was able to step out there and step in the huddle, spew the verbiage out, get people lined up and actually get the ball around.”

Leftwich might have been a lower-tier starting QB, but he is a top-tier back-up. It will be fun to watch him play in a Steelers uni come this Thursday.