Teammates run into the same problems in practice. Cardinals safety Matt Ware says Warner’s mind makes the difference. “It seems like he knows what you’re doing before you know what you’re doing. He knows where you’re going to be.”

Perhaps more than any team, the Steelers have an ability to catch opposing quarterbacks by surprise. That is going to be very difficult to do against Warner. Steelers coordinator Dick Lebeau’s famous zone-blitz scheme fundamentally puts pressure on one side of the defense, but Warner has seen it all before. Lebeau knows it will be difficult to unnerve Warner.

“You don’t play in the league as long as he’s played and have the success that he’s had without being able to handle anything the defense does,” Lebeau said.

That doesn’t mean Lebeau will stop trying to force a mistake. “Our feeling is that offenses in general don’t play quite as well against pressure, so we’ll be trying to search for a way to do that.”

The Eagles also run a creative blitzing scheme, but Warner stymied it in the NFC championship game. They kept sending multiple blitzers to one side, but Warner calmly released the ball to the open hole in the defense. Philadelphia didn’t find success until they adjusted at halftime. By then, it was too late.

“I think if you had to say one thing that separates him, he’s got unbelievable vision and anticipation,” Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley said Tuesday.

That anticipation doesn’t come by accident.

Hard work
Every Arizona player and coach that spoke about Warner repeated one thing. No one works harder. No one watches more film, and no one is more prepared.

Despite being a former MVP, Warner knew before this season that he must get better to survive. Most players of his age and stature are just trying to hold on to their old skill set, but Warner set out to find new skills. Whisenhunt believes that has been the key to his renaissance.

“Kurt, to his credit, worked very hard on some of the things that we asked him to do: ball security, moving in the pocket, decisions on his reads. I think a great deal of the success he’s had is because of that work he’s put in. Kurt has never been afraid to work.”

Warner’s work has paid off with one more unlikely trip to the Super Bowl, reviving his second moribund franchise of the past decade. The future is uncertain. Warner is a free agent after the season, and even Cardinals GM Rod Graves admits that Leinart will take over the team … eventually.

Sunday is Warner’s moment. It’s his chance to topple a historically good defense, to make this incredible chapter of his story sublime.

“The dream of this game is, when I walk away, that everybody that played with me, or in the organizations that I was with say, ‘We were a better team, we were a better organization, I’m a better player because I was around that guy.’ That’s what I want my legacy to be.” Warner said Tuesday.

Warner the man deserves to be celebrated, no doubt. But I’ll remember Warner’s play on the field above all: decisive, tough, accurate, and smart as hell. I’ll remember the season, long after most gave up on him, when Warner led the Arizona freaking Cardinals to the Super Bowl.

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Super Bowl XLIII Section Front

Champion Steelers turn focus to '09 season Steelers' legacy grows with historic win Warner doesn’t want Cardinals’ offense rebuilt Tomlin's steely composure lets him thrive Thousands pack 'Sixburgh' to cheer Steelers Obama calls 'humbled and stunned' Whisenhunt Big Ben to Letterman: ‘I thought I blew it’ Steelers' win just another super Super Bowl Big Ben proves greatness with classic 'drive' Curran: Officials confirm Warner fumbled at game's end Super Bowl XLIII Section Front   Add Super Bowl XLIII headlines to your news reader: