It?s finally here! The seminal event that unifies the nation into one giant mass of appetizer-eating, beer-drinking, prop-betting, advertising-junkie, football-watching couch potatoes. Yes, it?s the Super Bowl (don?t tell the NFL I used that term!). And this one looks like one of the more compelling match-ups in recent times, the point spread be damned. I?ll leave the focus on the media-driven story lines to others and focus on the Xs and Os that will decide the game. In my mind, there are three main keys to the game: 1. How well the Cardinals' offensive line can handle the Steelers complex blitz packages. 2. How well the Steelers' offensive line can create running lanes against a resurgent Cardinals' defense. 3. Which quarterback is able to make more plays against the opportunistic, but vulnerable, opposing secondaries. Tackling them in order, the Cardinals have a tremendous passing attack that is fully capable of running away and hiding with this game. But in order for that to happen, the big boys up front have to give Kurt Warner enough time to survey the field and deliver the ball. Nobody brings the heat better than Pittsburgh, and it?s how they bring it that confounds offenses. Is it James Harrison looping wide? Is it Lawrence Timmons and Lamarr Woodley attacking the right side gaps together? Where is the human hairball, Troy Polamalu? Is Bryant McFadden blizting off the corner? Dick LeBeau?s defense presents so many variables, and it works because the players execute in beautiful harmony and have the talent to make it happen. The Cards O-line has been largely hit and miss this year, though throughout the playoff run they have been nothing short of spectacular in pass protection. They manhandled Jon Abraham and the Falcons, blunted Julius Peppers and the Panthers, and controlled the action against the blitz-happy Eagles. What I?ve noticed is how well they hand off rushers and their ability to correctly identify the primary threat. Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley has done a superb job of counter-punching the attack, using the strengths of the opposing defenses against them. Nothing slows down a blitz better than a delayed stretch hand-off to a big back like Edgerrin James, or a wide receiver screen to Anquan Boldin, or a chip-and-flare by Tim Hightower. Arizona helps out their linemen with well-designed, well-executed plays like this, and that puts a great deal of pressure on the front 7 defenders that aren?t hellbent on turning Warner into roadkill. But the 3-4 attack of Blitzburgh is a different animal than anything this group has seen in weeks, and other than RT Levi Brown this line is pretty pedestrian. Most Steelers fans would consider ?pedestrian? an upgrade for their own offensive line. No QB gets sacked or hit more frequently than Ben Roethlisberger, though I would quickly include the fact that no QB is better equipped to get hit or handle pressure than Big Ben. The focus for the Steelers is running the ball, however, and in that regard their O-line generally does a decent job, though prone to inconsistency. They are coming off a game against Baltimore, like Arizona a 3-4 team with active linemen, where they couldn?t manage even 2 yards per carry. The week before against San Diego, yet another 3-4 pressure team, Willie Parker ran wild and the Steelers dominated time of possession. Parker is the type of back who can make the first guy miss, but when that first guy is more than one guy, as it often was against Baltimore, he?s pretty easy to bring down. The Cardinals front seven has thrived at shooting gaps and getting into the backfield quickly during the playoff run, stifling runs before they get started. If Darnell Dockett & Co. can continue that against the Steelers questionable line, Pittsburgh will lose the threat of the run and have to rely on throwing the ball to produce any offensive punch. That plays into the hands of the defense, particularly the playmakers in the secondary. Adrian Wilson and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are very dangerous, capable of creating turnovers and controlling the game from the back end, and if they don?t have to worry about the run, that threat is magnified. The last question is the most difficult to forecast, but probably the most pertinent to deciding the game. Warner and Roethlisberger each own a Super Bowl ring, each has capable weapons, and each can easily win MVP honors. Both also have shown a propensity for head-scratching, drive-killing mistakes that can put 6 points on the board for the defense. Warner has the better receiving corps and pass protection, but don?t discount the talent of the Steelers wideouts and TE Heath Miller, and their synchronous relationship with Big Ben as he buys time and throws on the move. I expect both QBs to be prepared and sharp, but this is the type of game where one critical mistake could very decide the outcome... ...and that?s why I?m picking the Steelers. Pittsburgh is more capable of overcoming self-inflicted gunshots (moreso now that Plaxico is in New York, ba dum bum ching!). One of the knocks against Pittsburgh is that they often win ugly instead of asserting their superior skill and dominating opponents. I see that in a different light though; they are experienced and skilled at handling the pressure of a close game and winning thanks to one key play. That is the kind of mettle that wins big games, being able to pull out a victory despite not firing on all cylinders. They beat the Seahawks in the Super Bowl three years ago despite Big Ben having one of the worst games of his career, and they have the ability to do that again here. I cannot say the same for Arizona if Warner doesn?t have his ?A? game. Steelers 24, Cardinals 20. - Jeff Risdon is RealGM's senior football writer and draft expert. He may be reached at Jeff.Risdon@RealGM.com