Ken Whisenhunt was the tight-ends coach of the Steelers from 2001-2003, and the offensive coordinator from 2004-2006, including their Super Bowl run.
He interviewed for the Head Coach position but lost to Tomlin; in the aftermath, he left the organization and went to the Cardinals. So the Steelers thought they had seen the last of their former coach; he's back, with a strong team.
And the reason I bring this up is because Super Bowl XXXVII (37) was very similar to this situation. We have a former coach going up against his old team.
SB 37: Jon Gruden faces his old team (Raiders). Gruden was one year removed from the job. Gruden was head coach of Raiders and Bucs.
SB 43: Ken Whisenhunt faces his old team (Steelers). Whisenhunt is two years removed from the job. Whisenhunt was offensive coordinator, now is head coach.
So this is now the third time in recent memory that something like this has happened: SB 37, when San Francisco hosted Detroit (with Mike Martz, Detroits offensive coordinator from last season, as our new offensive coordinator). The result both times has been the coach on the new team helping his new team dominate the old one.
I've seen this twice in the pro-league and both times its been a bad loss for the former team. Will it happen a third time?
Remember: the Cardinals are good too. And the game will be played in warm weather. The Steelers are a cold-weather team with a great defense travelling to a warm weather city to play a fast, dome offense. Sounds just like when the Colts played the Bears.
1 comment:
I was thinking about the warm weather factor on a great defensive team. I think that is when separation is created between a great defense and an okay defense - in good weather. Pittsburgh's D is questionable to me at best. I look at their schedule and wonder how they will do against a team who's offense hasn't struggled much. I'm thinking Arizona might put a lot of points up and surprise people (again).
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