Super Bowl XLIII: Picking the MVP
Super Bowl MVP bettors are likely to lean towards putting money on the quarterbacks but there are plenty of other options that deserve attention.
With Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald having an outstanding playoffs and Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu having a chance to intercept one or two of the many passes that Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner will pass, there are a number of choices that could lead to a big payday when the MVP trophy is handed out Sunday night.
Fitzgerald and Polamalu are both getting intriguing odds and while five of the last nine MVPs have been quarterbacks, both players have the big play capability to join the two other receivers (Hines Ward, Deion Branch) and two other defensive players (Ray Lewis and Dexter Jackson) that won the award in previous years.
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Here's a look at the top MVP candidates:
Roethlisberger may be the favorite as he's the quarterback of the team favored by seven points, but he'll have to play a lot better than he did in the Super Bowl against Seattle a few years ago. ‘Big Ben' threw for just 123 yards and had two picks and he would have been the goat if they lost that game.
Warner won this award in the 1999 season when St. Louis defeated the Tennessee Titans, 23-16. He threw for 414 yards in that game, two TD's and no interceptions. Warner threw for 365 more yards in the Super Bowl loss to New England two years later when Tom Brady won the first of his two MVP's.
Fitzgerald may be the most talked about player leading into this game and that's not surprising given the fact he's averaged 139 yards receiving in three playoff games and has five touchdowns. Fitzgerald provides great value at these odds, especially with the sportswriters already comparing him to 49ers' great Jerry Rice.
Parker has been a little bit of feast or famine recently. He has gone over 116 yards twice in the last three games, but was held to just 46 yards last game against Baltimore. With Pittsburgh's likely commitment to the running game, especially if it's working, Parker is another player with intriguing odds.
As mentioned above, two defensive players have won this award recently, and Polamalu is the kind of big name, big play guy that can do it again. The Steelers' safety sealed the win over Baltimore with an interception return for a touchdown and another ‘Pick-Six' could bring a Super Bowl MVP and a big payday to bettors.
Anquan Boldin, Edgerrin James, Hines Ward, and Santonio Holmes are all at +1500 odds due to respective question marks. Boldin has fought with the coaches and is in Fitzgerald's shadow, while James will have trouble running versus the Pitt defense. Ward's knee is going to be far less than 100%.
Holmes is the best value of the four as Roethlisberger likes to look for him deep and he is capable of a 100-yard plus receiving game, big plays on special teams and two TD's. At these odds, that makes him a very attractive candidate.
Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
