To think, when the Steelers announced that Mike Tomlin -- not Russ Grimm -- would replace Bill Cowher, the biggest concern was that the former Vikings defensive coordinator who had learned the intricacies of the Cover-2 while serving as Tony Dungy's secondary coach in Tampa Bay would get rid of zone-blitz architect Dick LeBeau and scrap the 3-4 defense.
The Cardinals trailed the Steelers 10-7 when linebacker Karlos Dansby intercepted quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at the Pittsburgh 34-yard line with two minutes to go in the first half of Super Bowl XLIII.
Seven plays and 1:42 later, Arizona had a first-and-goal from the 1. Best case: the Cards headed to the locker room with the lead. Worst case: a tie. Unimaginable case: NFL Defensive Player of the Year James Harrison pick-six'ed Kurt Warner (video after the jump), resulting in a 10-point swing that had as much to do with the game's ultimate outcome as the Big Ben-to-Santonio pass-and-catch in the back of the end zone during the last drive.
But here's the thing: Harrison was supposed to blitz on the half-ending, game-changing play. If he had, Boldin would have been wide open, Warner would have hit him in stride and the Steelers might still be sitting on five Super Bowl titles.
In May, the Eagles announced that Sean McDermott would be the team's interim defensive coordinator, replacing Jim Johnson indefinitely while he received cancer treatments. Friday, the organization named McDermott to the full-time gig.
Johnson continues to battle cancer, and as NFL Network's Jason La Canfora writes, "If there is ever a Coordinators Wing in the Hall of Fame (and frankly there probably should be), then of this modern era of defensive coaches, Johnson and Dick LeBeau should be first-ballot entrants."
Johnson, 68, molded the Eagles into one of the league's best defenses during his 10 years in Philly, and in a 2005 interview with the Boston Globe he explained his blitz-happy philosophy.
Good news: Larry Foote is an NFL starter, which is all he wanted. Bad news: he went from the Steelers, twice Super Bowl champs in the past three years, to the Lions, winners of exactly zero games in 2008.
In Detroit, Foote will have to adjust to playing middle linebacker in the 4-3, and despite suspect pass-coverage skills, he'll upgrade the defense. (Given that the Lions were one of the worst units in the league, it would be hard not to. Point taken.)
As expected, the Steelers finally got around to releasing linebacker Larry Foote today. The team's 2002 fifth-round pick hadn't missed a start since 2004, but with the emergence of Lawrence Timmons, Foote became expendable. In fact, last season, Foote was a two-down player, coming off the field in passing situations. And that, along with Timmons' progress and Foote's $2.9 million salary for next season, was enough for the Steelers to make a change.
Foote never made the Pro Bowl during his seven-year career, but he was an integral part of the defense, particularly after Dick LeBeau returned as coordinator in 2004. He was one of the team's most consistent players, and that, along with his age (28), means he won't be out of a job for long.
The Green Bay Packers added some depth to their secondary on Friday, agreeing to terms with free agent safetyAnthony Smith. A former 2006 third-round pick, Smith was a tremendous disappointment with the Steelers, and was not tendered a contract offer this offseason as a restricted free agent.
He's talented, sure, but he's the football equivalent of a million-dollar arm and a 10-cent head. His claim to fame as an NFL player is his foolish guarantee of a win against New England back in 2007, when the Patriots were on their way to an undefeated regular season.
The news that the Cardinals have promoted from within to fill their defensive coordinator job is very good news for the Steelers.
There had been rumors that Steelers linebacker coach Keith Butler, who was with the Steelers back when Ken Whisenhunt was the offensive coordinator, was a leading candidate for the job, but in the end Whisenhunt decided to promote Bill Davis to help prevent losing him to Kansas City, where Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley just got the head job.
When the Steelers defeated the Ravens in the AFC Championship game nearly two weeks ago, Vegas immediately made them seven-point favorites over the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.
Of course, there is a disconnect between betting lines and reality, and just because gamblers like the Steelers a lot doesn't mean the Cardinals are doomed. In fact, Arizona has developed something of a following since that line was set, if not from fans who've made their way to Tampa, definitely from people who get paid to make such predictions.
Partly because Arizona has been playing out of its mind the last month, but also due to a story line we've had shoved down our throats this week: the Cards have an advantage heading into the big game because their head coach, Ken Whisenhunt, was on the Steelers staff from 2001-2006.
And it all boils down to this. Pittsburgh. Arizona. Super Bowl XLIII. We've been giving our '08 Playoff Picks all postseason long, and we couldn't possibly pass up one last chance to display our expertise. Behold.
Because the Super Bowl is a display of gluttony, we thought we'd indulge ourselves in this final installment of playoff predictions, giving you the prognosticated goods and dropping some philosophy on you in the process.
Each of us have added to our pick a few musings on the game, life itself and the art of Zen. Add your predictions and thoughts in the comments, and be responsible on Sunday -- there's a wing shortage, people, think of your fellow (wo)man when you build your plate. This goes doubly for you Steelers and Cardinals fans; selflessness breeds good karma.
The best news Steelers fans could get during the Super Bowl pre-game hype is not a great report on Hines Ward's knee or news that Larry Fitzgerald somehow has gotten lost on his way to the stadium. When Dick LeBeau told his defense that he will be coming back next year as the Steelers' defensive coordinator, Christmas came early in Pittsburgh.
The Cardinals trailed the Steelers 10-7 when linebacker Karlos Dansby intercepted quarterback Ben Roethlisberger at the Pittsburgh 34-yard line with two minutes to go in the first half of Super Bowl XLIII. 
In May, the Eagles announced that Sean McDermott would be the team's interim defensive coordinator, replacing Jim Johnson indefinitely while he received cancer treatments. Friday, the organization named McDermott to the full-time gig. 
Good news: Larry Foote is an NFL starter, which is all he wanted. Bad news: he went from the Steelers, twice Super Bowl champs in the past three years, to the Lions, winners of exactly zero games in 2008. 
As expected, the Steelers finally got around to releasing linebacker Larry Foote today. The team's 2002 fifth-round pick hadn't missed a start since 2004, but with the emergence of Lawrence Timmons, Foote became expendable. In fact, last season, Foote was a two-down player, coming off the field in passing situations. And that, along with Timmons' progress and Foote's $2.9 million salary for next season, was enough for the Steelers to make a change. 
The Green Bay Packers added some depth to their secondary on Friday, agreeing to terms with free agent safety Anthony Smith. A former 2006 third-round pick, Smith was a tremendous disappointment with the Steelers, and was not tendered a contract offer this offseason as a restricted free agent. 
The news that the Cardinals have promoted from within to fill their defensive coordinator job is very good news for the Steelers.
The best news Steelers fans could get during the Super Bowl pre-game hype is not a great report on Hines Ward's knee or news that Larry Fitzgerald somehow has gotten lost on his way to the stadium. When Dick LeBeau told his defense that he will be coming back next year as the Steelers' defensive coordinator, Christmas came early in Pittsburgh.
