Inconsistent Steelers face stumbling Cardinals
Associated Press
Glendale, Ariz.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin says the game seems “eons” ago.
Pittsburgh beat Arizona 27-23 in one of the most thrilling Super Bowls of all time. The teams meet today for the first time since that matchup, a nice story line but insignificant as far as those involved are concerned.
“You move on,” Tomlin said. “I think everybody needs to have that approach, whether you’re talking about football or life in general. I think the greater thing is the challenges that lie ahead.”
The Steelers (4-2) have been shaky on the road, going 1-2 with the only victory a 23-20 squeaker at winless Indianapolis.
The Cardinals (1-4) need to beat somebody — period.
An Arizona loss would be its fifth straight and would leave the team 1-5 heading into a game at Baltimore, the first in a stretch of four of five on the road.
The Cardinals have lost 10 straight road games going back to last season’s opener.
Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt agrees that the 2009 Super Bowl seems a long time ago, but the fact that the Cardinals made it — and went back to the playoffs the following season — is reason for hope through these difficult days.
“It was a good run for us,” he said. “I think that’s what makes us so confident that what we are doing is the right thing, as far as how we prepare and how we work and that if we stay the course, we’ll come out of this thing. This is a good football team.”
Whisenhunt once thought he had brought the team out of its long history of losing for good, but the Cardinals are 6-15 since Kurt Warner retired and the transfer of controls to Kevin Kolb this year has not been as smooth as hoped. In the past three games, Kolb has thrown one touchdown pass and been intercepted five times.
With fans already wondering if he is worth the big money the Cardinals spent on his long-term contract, Kolb has had an extra week to prepare for the Steelers. He reminds himself that three of Arizona’s losses came by a combined eight points.
“Getting away and realizing that I am right where I need to be and I want to be and make sure that we keep realizing the opportunities, as a team and as a unit,” he said at his weekly session with reporters.
“I told you all this before, we love the group here. We love the coaching staff, obviously love this city and this place, and we all want it to remain that way. The only way you do that is by winning.”
Six of Arizona’s coaches, including Whisenhunt, were with the Steelers at one time or another. The most recent addition is defensive coordinator Ray Horton, Dick LeBeau’s defensive backs coach before he came to the Cardinals this season.
While the Cardinals have slid back to the bottom rungs of the league, the Steelers have remained, well, the Steelers. The reigning AFC champions have a winning record despite a multitude of injuries, particularly on the offensive line.
They could get one of those players, left guard Chris Kemoeatu, back. He has missed three games overall and the past two with a knee injury.
Despite their record, the Steelers aren’t at all satisfied with their overall performance, especially on offense.
“We’ve got a ways to go, which I guess is good,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. “I don’t think you want to be running on all cylinders right now, but we make mistakes here and there. We’ll play a couple of good quarters, maybe a half, but we just have to put the full game together.