So this might not have so much to do with online sports betting, but as Boyz II Men sang…

Super Bowl XLIII is finally upon us. It’s literally just two days away, which is kind of bizarre since we’ve been talking about it for nearly two full weeks.

The bottom line is that it’s hard to go against the Steelers in this matchup.

Those who bet sports just need to break it down. If the Cardinals can’t run the ball, then they’ll be one-dimensional. If they’re one-dimensional against the Steelers pass-rush, they are going to get mauled. If they get mauled, they’ll cough the ball up. If they cough the ball up, it won’t be a very close game.

Maybe that’s somewhat exaggerrated, but I don’t see how the Cardinals run the ball against the Steelers, and from there, the game will play out exactly how the Steelers want.

It’s been a nice run for Arizona but online sports betting handicappers know that they wouldn’t be around if they didn’t prey on their three feeble co-horts in the NFC West.

If you plan to bet sports this weekend, bet the Steelers to win Super Bowl XLIII.

We’ve been talking about the Super Bowl for a while now and online sports betting handicappers are getting focused as the game approaches. Before you lay it down (i.e. bet sports), let’s take a quick look back at the history of the series.

This will be the 59th meeting between the two teams and the Steelers hold the series lead (32-23-3).

The teams played last year in Arizona, with the Cardinals winning, 21-14.If you recall, that was a big matchup because it was Ken Whisenhunt’s/Russ Grimm’s first meeting against their former team. The Cardinals got a big boost from a 73-yard punt return for a touchdown by Steve Breaston, which was the team’s first punt return for a score since 1993.

This is the two team’s first meeting in the postseason, and really, those who bet sports know that postseason meetings are more vital than regular season meetings.

I know that online sports betting handicappers always want another tidbit, so here is one: the two franchises merged their rosters all the way back in 1944 and performed as Card-Pitt, finishing with a 0-10 record.

The Super Bowl XLIII betting total isn’t really talked about that much, especially with all sorts of proposition bets and exotics taking up our time.

So here’s a simple question: do you like the final combined score to be more, or less than 46.5 points?

Do you expect the Cardinals offense to rack up some points – maybe somewhere in the high-20′s – and dictate the style of the game? Or do you think the Steelers defense controls the pace of the game and clamps down on the Cardinals high-octane offense?

For the Super Bowl XLIII betting total, I just think back to one game: the Oklahoma-Florida National Championship game. Everyone expected a ridiculousy high-scoring game, somewhere in the seventies, but there was a feeling out process in the first quarter and by the time the second quarter rolled around, the over had no shot.

I expect similar things to happen in the Super Bowl. For this total to get to 47 points, the Cardinals have to score early and often. I don’t believe that happens, so take the under on the Super Bowl XLIII betting total.

The Steelers vs Cardinals line rapidly approaches. Hard to believe the Giants didn’t make the big dance after being crowned Super Bowl betting champs last year. How do their fans feel about it? Well, just watch (the whole thing):

…wow. You don’t often see a reaction like that from a guy whose team won the year before. Talk about spoiled. If Arizona loses in the Steelers vs Cardinals line this Sunday, I’d understand way more; I doubt they’ll get back to Super Bowl betting in the next 50 years.

Still a few more days to kill until betting on Super Bowl 43 really gets going. So let’s do some musing about next year’s potential surprise teams in Super Bowl betting. Who could come out of nowhere and become next year’s Cardinals?

1. Cleveland Browns — is it that much of a stretch? Some pundits thought they’d be one of the choices in betting on Super Bowl 43 this year. A full year of Brady Quinn, plus a new coach and GM, plus a great O-line could mean the Browns will improve dramatically.

2. Green Bay Packers – the passing game is there, the running game should improve over this year’s stinker performance and Dom Capers is running the defense now. Toss in a free-agent signing — Julius Peppers? — and this team could win 10 games.

3. Buffalo Bills – all they need is a quarterback. Good featured back, massive O-line, capable defense.

4. Detroit Lions – just kidding. They should just buy tickets for next year’s Super Bowl odds.

Super Bowl XLIII betting is taking up most of the NFL attention nowadays, but leave it to the Dallas Cowboys to make sure they aren’t forgotten this offseason. Already, Pacman Jones has been released under allegations of yet another shooting, we’ve had Troy Aikman calling out Tony Romo for going on a vacation before a playoff loss last season, and now, Michael Irvin will be the host of a reality show that gives one person a chance to win a spot on the Cowboys’ roster.

This is the LAST thing the Cowboys need, which is more cameras and more attention. The locker room is a mess, and it all started in the preseason when Dallas was featured in the “Hard Knocks” series. Now they want more cameras? I’ll only think this is a great idea if Emmitt Smith is Irvin’s co-host. There should actually be a Super Bowl XLIII betting prop to see how many mistakes Smith makes on Super Bowl Sunday’s pregame show.

Reason number 64 why the Super Bowl XLIII odds may, MAY end up closer than expected: Ken Whisenhunt’s intimate knowledge of Ben Roethlisberger. Who was the Steelers offensive co-ordinator when the Steelers emerged as 2005 Super Bowl betting champions? You guessed it — Whisenhunt. He also called this play:

So remember than when you bet on the Super Bowl.

A small break in the Super Bowl XLIII betting action to talk about the NFL draft, to be held on April 25 and 26 in its usual home of New York City. This draft will not have the name recognition of recent years, as most of the high-profile quarterbacks chose to stay in school.

Georgia’s Matthew Stafford and USC’s Mark Sanchez are generally expected to be the first two quarterbacks picked, but they lucked out as Heisman-winning Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, former Heisman winner Tim Tebow and Texas’ Colt McCoy returned to school for glory (any more glory for Tebow and he may explode, but that’s another story). The first three Northbet.com teams (Detroit, St. Louis and Kansas City) all need a new quarterback badly, and after the success of Matt Ryan in Atlanta and Joe Flacco in Baltimore, teams will probably be more accepting to pick a pivot with their first-round pick.

It’s not like any of those three teams will have good Super Bowl betting odds next season, but it’s a start, right?

It’s been all Super Bowl betting this week and most of it has been focused on the Steelers Super Bowl odds, or the Cardinals Super Bowl betting, but don’t forget about one of the best non-in-game aspects of the Super Bowl: the ads.

We look back to the history to predict how the games will be played and how the results will be made, so let’s take a look at how last year’s Super Bow ads played out to see if we can get a hint of what’s to come this year:

Take a break from the analysis and enjoy the clips. If you want a more serious breakdown for today, visit the Betting Edge Blog.

Super Bowl XLIII betting players who are going with Arizona must be a bit worried by Anquan Boldin’s argument with offensive coordinator Todd Haley in the second half of their 32-25 win over Philadelphia to go to the Super Bowl. If you missed it:

Now, everyone is saying “that’s just part of the game” and “emotion” and whatnot, but Boldin’s been angry with the Cardinals all season due to a contract dispute, and they need him 100% focused for this contest. Boldin’s ability to draw coverage underneath allows Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston to take their defender deep in one-on-one coverage. If the Cardinals want to overcome these Super Bowl XLIII betting odds, they need all of their weapons.