Advantage Cardinals? Steelers Don't Think So

[mesaSteeler]

Whisenhunt Leads Cardinals Against Former Team
By Joseph Heckel, Web Producer
ThePittsburghChannel.Com
updated 8:49 a.m. MT, Fri., Jan. 23, 2009

PITTSBURGH - When Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers take the field at Raymond James Stadium for Super Bowl XLIII on Feb. 1, it may feel like a flashback to their 2005 championship team with plenty of familiar faces lining up across the sidelines.

Most notably, Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt ,who served as offensive coordinator for the Steelers' Super Bowl XL team.

Whisnehunt left the Steelers to become head coach of the Cardinals in 2007, taking assistant head coach/offensive line coach Russ Grimm and special teams coach Kevin Spencer with him to the Arizona desert.

When asked if their familiarity with the Steelers would give the Cardinals any advantage heading into the Super Bowl, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin wasn't ready to subscribe to any such theory.

"We have no control over that. What they know is what they know. The Baltimore Ravens knew us pretty good. That's football," said Tomlin.

In their first season as head coaches, Tomlin's Steelers and Whisenhunt's Cardinals met in week 4 of the 2007 season with round 1 going to the Cardinals.

Arizona scored 14 points in the fourth quarter to win 21-14, but Tomlin was quick to acknowledge that both teams have changed since then.

"Teams evolve, schemes evolve. We're not the same team we were two years ago and I'm sure they're not as well," said Tomlin.

Roethlisberger, who has been critical of Whisenhunt in the past and did not approach him when their teams met in 2007, said playing against his former coaches just makes it fun.

"To play them and see them across the field, I'm really happy that coach Whis and Russ [Grimm] and Spence [Kevin Spencer] and the rest of those guys are over there. We're not going to change what we do and who we are," said Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger, who completed 17 of 32 passes for 244 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in his first outing against Whisenhunt, hopes to even the score when the two teams meet again Feb. 1.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28809519/

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[LambertLunatic]

I don't understand how Whiz, Grimm, and a few players knowing our tendencies and players gives them any advantage. Wouldn't our players and LeBeau know Whiz just as well? This isn't a homer post; I really don't understand how either team would have an advantage here.

[RoethlisBURGHer]

Originally Posted by LambertLunatic

I don't understand how Whiz, Grimm, and a few players knowing our tendencies and players gives them any advantage. Wouldn't our players and LeBeau know Whiz just as well? This isn't a homer post; I really don't understand how either team would have an advantage here.

I don't see it either. But it's all the idiots in the media can come up with.

We have a different playbook now than we did in 2005 and 2006. We chopped off a lot of the dead weight.

Not to mention, I don't think Whiz really knows Ben's strengths and weaknesses as much as the media thinks he does. Cowher and Whiz held Ben back. They didn't want him doing to much. Tomlin came in, put more on his shoulders and opened up the offense...and then Ben has a career year. I don't think that's coincidence.

[WarnerToFitz]

Originally Posted by LambertLunatic

I don't understand how Whiz, Grimm, and a few players knowing our tendencies and players gives them any advantage. Wouldn't our players and LeBeau know Whiz just as well? This isn't a homer post; I really don't understand how either team would have an advantage here.

Maybe you missed the Tampa SB. It worked great for them.

[fansince'76]

Originally Posted by WarnerToFitz

Maybe you missed the Tampa SB. It worked great for them.

Callahan changed nothing, and I mean nothing, that Gruden was doing from the year before. Even the terminology was the same. I can understand how that mistake would be made by somebody who just started paying attention about 3 weeks ago, though. Please play again.

[MasterOfPuppets]

Originally Posted by fansince'76

Callahan changed nothing, and I mean nothing, that Gruden was doing from the year before. Even the terminology was the same. I can understand how that mistake would be made by somebody who just started paying attention about 3 weeks ago, though. Please play again.

[HometownGal]

Originally Posted by fansince'76

Callahan changed nothing, and I mean nothing, that Gruden was doing from the year before. Even the terminology was the same. I can understand how that mistake would be made by somebody who just started paying attention about 3 weeks ago, though. Please play again.

B-I-N-G-O!

Warner-To-Fitz - you get an F for not doing your homework.

[IAWarnerFan]

Last time I checked, the Steelers had a 7 point advantage.

[JackHammer]

Originally Posted by IAWarnerFan

Last time I checked, the Steelers had a 7 point advantage.

That "advantage" only applies to gamblers betting on the game.