Steelers Favored a Touchdown Over Cardinals as Early Vegas Lines Open

Las Vegas rarely wastes any time setting lines for major sporting events and considering the Super Bowl is the very definition of that phrase, it shouldn't be shocking that Vegas has already released the line for the Pittsburgh Steelers - Arizona Cardinals matchup.

What might be shocking is that the Steelers are favored by either 6.5 or 7 points, depending on which sportsbook you ask. Yes, it is a lot, thanks for noticing. However, it shouldn't be that big a surprise, I suppose, considering the total lack of respect that the Cardinals have gotten this year.Oh, and because the Steelers have been considered one of the NFL's best teams all season, while people tended to think the Cardinals were collapsing at the end of the regular season. But also because, apparently, Vegas thinks Pittsburgh's road to Tampa was tougher.

"The AFC has a little more respect as far as the way they play power football," said MGM Mirage Inc. Race and Sports Books Director Jay Rood, who set lines in his books at 7. "They just seem to be the better league at this point."

However, as Jay Kornegay of the Las Vegas Hilton noted, the Arizona bandwagon has been building steadily over recent weeks with gamblers (because they're perpetual losers, natch.) I would guess that a lot of money will end up on the Cardinals, but because of the Steelers' immense popularity, that line won't move much lower than six or so, depending on the Steelers' injury report.