It’s interesting to see how similar both curves are, especially given the striking differences between the two franchises. Not only do the teams contrast each other in playing style — Pittsburgh being defense-minded, Arizona preferring to air it out — but also in terms of market, you’d be hard-pressed to find two that are more different. For decades Arizona has been the butt of NFL jokes, having relocated multiple times, rarely gracing a national stage. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, with its five Super Bowl victories, has long been one of sport’s most storied franchises — and consistently the second-most popular on eBay.

If you’ve invested as an eBay seller in either team’s playoff run, it’s likely you’ve been well-rewarded by merch-hungry fans. Check out these sales trends for playmakers on both teams — Pittsburgh wild-man Troy Polamalu, and Arizona’s record-setting wideout Larry Fitzgerald:

Finally, take another look at Terapeak’s NFL sales index, which we released last summer. If anyone had said back then that, come January, the Cardinals would be ranked #1 in Total Sales and #4 in Items Sold (ahead of both the Packers and Redskins) — well, let’s just say they’d be laughed off the field.

Enjoy the game!