Steelers facing Arizona, with sentimental twist

The game matches Pittsburgh against several coaches the players like, respect and trust.

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Ravens and Bengals are rivals, and the Patriots may be the team to beat in the AFC. Right now, none of that matters to the unbeaten Pittsburgh Steelers.

To them, perhaps their most meaningful game all season will take place Sunday at Arizona.

For real, against the Arizona Cardinals. It’s not because of Matt Leinart or Larry Fitzgerald or Anquan Boldin, but rather a couple of guys standing on the sideline, Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm.

“It will be a tough game, probably our toughest of the year,” Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel said.

Underlying concern

It’s been a long time since anyone in the NFL called the Cardinals (1-2) their most difficult game. But to the Steelers (3-0), this game is about a lot more than facing a traditionally weak team they rarely play in a cross-country interconference game that normally might be perceived as being more of a nuisance than a challenge.

No, this game is personal, and it matches the Steelers against several coaches they like, respect and trust.

Whisenhunt, now the Cardinals’ head coach, was the Steelers’ offensive coordinator when they won the Super Bowl two seasons ago. Grimm was the assistant head coach and offensive line coach.

When Bill Cowher resigned in January after 15 seasons, Whisenhunt or Grimm — Steelers assistants for six years apiece — were the favorites to succeed him.

“When Cowher retired, everybody in the league wanted two of our guys, so you’d think we would want at least one of them,” Steelers All-Pro guard Alan Faneca said.

It didn’t work out that way. Whisenhunt, perhaps sensing he wouldn’t be the Steelers’ choice, took the Arizona job nine days after Cowher quit. Grimm, one of the two finalists before Pittsburgh chose Mike Tomlin instead of him, accompanied Whisenhunt to Arizona.

Dismayed

Some Steelers players were visibly unhappy that one of the two wasn’t hired, with Faneca saying, “I wanted Russ to get the job. It’s a guy we know, and a guy I’m experienced with.”

So far, with the Steelers off to their first 3-0 start since 1992, it would be difficult to argue they made the wrong choice in Tomlin. That doesn’t mean their players have any less respect for Grimm or Whisenhunt.

“We’re going to get ready this week to smack Russ around,” Keisel said, laughing. “It’s going to be cool. It’s going to be interesting to go out there and face Whiz, who we’re used to going against in practice, and it will be nice to see them again.”

The Cardinals are 1-2, with last-minute losses to San Francisco, which the Steelers beat 36-17 on Sunday, and Baltimore.

On Sunday, Cardinals backup QB Kurt Warner rallied them from a 23-6 deficit in Baltimore only to lose 26-23 on Matt Stover’s last-play field goal.

“I imagine we’ll be a little excited this week,” Faneca said. “It will be good to see them again, but it’s another football game.”

Not really, and they know it.