Super Matchup in Tampa

The Pittsburgh Steelers meet the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII

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Are you ready for Super Sunday?

The National Football League (NFL) season ends this Sunday in Tampa, Florida. That's when the NFC champion Arizona Cardinals meet the AFC champion Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII (43). The game is scheduled to start at 6:28 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast on NBC.

The Cardinals had the second-best passing offense in the NFL this season, thanks to the arm of quarterback Kurt Warner and skill of wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. The Steelers, meanwhile, come into the game with the top-ranked defense in the NFL in 2008, led by cornerback Troy Polamalu and Defensive Player of the Year linebacker James Harrison.

Statistically, the Cardinals were at or near the top of the league in several offensive categories. Yet few people expected them to be in the Super Bowl.

The Cardinals have been one of the NFL's lovable losers for decades. They won a championship in 1947 as the Chicago Cardinals, moved to St. Louis in 1960, and finally settled in Arizona in 1988. Before the 2008 season, the Arizona Cardinals had only won one playoff game, in 1998. Super Bowl XLIII is the team's first Super Bowl appearance.

The Steelers are a different story. They have played in six Super Bowls, winning five. The Steelers won Super Bowl XL (40) in 2006, and if the team wins a sixth Super Bowl on Sunday, that would be the most by any NFL team. In 2008, the Steelers had the toughest schedule in the NFL. They played more games against teams with winning records than any other team this season.

For football fans, Super Bowl XLIII has the makings of a classic matchup: high-octane offense meets bruising shutdown defense.But there will be more than just football fans watching this game. Tens of millions of people around the world are expected to tune in to Super Bowl XLIII. And when they do, they'll see more than just a game—they'll see an event.

American Idol- and Academy Award-winner Jennifer Hudson will sing the National Anthem. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform at halftime. And of course there will be the Super Bowl commercials everyone will be talking about on Monday.

Even President Barack Obama is getting in on the Super Bowl festivities—NBC will air the first half of an interview with Obama as part of its pregame coverage. The second half of the interview is scheduled to air on Monday on the network's Today show.

Super Bowl XLIII officially kicks off Sunday evening, but the pregame entertainment begins at noon. So even if you don't care if the Cardinals or Steelers win the NFL championship, chances are you'll find something Super Bowl-related worth watching on Sunday.

CARDINALS AND STEELERS UP CLOSE

Kid Reporter Shelby Fallin is in Tampa for Super Bowl XLIII events. Catch her report from Media Day before Sunday's big game!

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