Whisenhunt ready to watch Super Bowl as a spectator

Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt spoke at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and discussed his thoughts on the Super Bowl, two years removed from Arizona’s appearance in the big game.

Whisenhunt complimented both the Packers and Steelers, saying he thought the game could come down the final minutes.

“I think you’ve got two teams that are very good defensive squads that also have the ability to strike quick and make big plays offensively,” he said. “I think you look back to the game they played not this season but the season before which came down to the last play of the game and I think you might see something like that in this game.”

Whisenhunt, though, cautioned that any familiarity between the teams based on a game played last season will likely have to be thrown out the window, as things are certainly different for each this time around.

“I think when you haven’t played an opponent in a year and a half like they haven’t, there is going to be a little bit of a feeling out process early in the game but there is no question that it’s going to be tough to move the ball on either defense and the team that does that successfully early, I think, is the one that’s going to have a good chance,” he said.

Whisenhunt was vague when asked about which team he’ll be rooting for on Sunday but seemed to be leaning towards Pittsburgh, his home for five seasons as a tight ends coach and offensive coordinator before joining the Cardinals in 2007.

“It’s hard because we’ve been in [the Super Bowl], it’s hard not to be in it. I have a lot of friends that are on the Pittsburgh Steelers and you’re always pulling for your friends to have success. But it’s also tough because I’m pulling for the NFC team because we’re in the NFC,” Whisenhunt said.

“I just get to watch the game and I don’t really have to pull for either team but I’m pulling for my friends to have success and hopefully they will,” he added.

Arizona Sports’ Craig Grialou contributed to this report

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