New Orleans Saints vs. Indianapolis Colts
Super Bowl XLIVÂ Â Venue: Sun Life Stadium
Sunday, February 7th 6:25 pm
Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints (15-3) will take on Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts (16-2) in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami this Sunday. It’s only fitting that the teams with the best regular season records in their respective conferences made it to the big dance. For Peyton Manning, it will be a matchup against his hometown team, once led at QB by his father Archie Manning, as the Colts try for their second Super Bowl title in four years.  For the Saints, it’s been a long time coming as it will mark their first Super Bowl appearance in their team’s 43 year history. This game has the potential to be one of the highest scoring Super Bowls we’ve ever seen, as both teams offenses operate like well-oiled machines, led by two of the best quarterbacks in the game.
Manning threw for 377 yards and 3 touchdowns against the NFL’s top-ranked defense in the AFC championship game, leading the Colts to a 30-17 win over the Jets. However, the Colts defensive leader, Dwight Freeney, suffered a torn ligament in his ankle in the second half of that game when he tripped over the foot of Jets QB Mark Sanchez. The injury could keep him out for the Super Bowl and even if he’s able to play, it will undoubtedly limit his effectiveness in the game. Raheem Brock is expected to see an increased role and will need to step up in order to fill Freeney’s shoes. The Colts defense takes a big blow with the injury to Freeney, but they’re still a fast group of players who should match up relatively well with the Saints offensive weapons.
Brees also threw for 3 touchdowns in the Saints 31-28 victory over Minnesota to capture the NFC title. He finished with 197 yards passing with no turnovers, while managing to get sacked just once against the NFL’s best pass rushing defense. As he has done all year long, Brees spread the ball out to an array of receivers, eight in all and three different receivers on his touchdown throws. The Saints defense intercepted Brett Favre twice in the game and forced 4 fumbles, recovering 3 of them. They’re a team that makes their opponents pay for turning the ball over and this game was no different. Their defense will need to be just as opportunistic against Manning and the Colts in the Super Bowl if they have any chance of winning.
BOTTOM LINE:
The Saints absolutely MUST get pressure on Peyton Manning if they’re to have any chance of being crowned as Super Bowl champs. Seeing as Manning has only been sacked 10 times all season, I don’t see the Saints having much success, if any, getting to him and disrupting the rhythm of the Colts potent offense. The Saints forced 39 turnovers during the regular season and 7 this postseason.  They will find it much harder this week to create turnovers up against one of the smartest players to ever play the quarterback position in the history of the league.  The Colts won’t run the ball much, but they rarely if ever abandon the run completely as it helps to keep the opposing defense honest. Joseph Addai does have a nose for the end zone and he could find it once or twice in this game. Of the two teams, the Saints have the better ground game, led by a resurgent Reggie Bush and their 2009 rushing leader, Pierre Thomas (793 yards). In an effort to help out their defense, the Saints may focus on running the ball more than usual to control the clock and keeping Manning off the field.   But that won’t be enough, so the Saints must not get away from what got them here. Brees needs to get the ball downfield to his talented group of receivers (Marques Colston, Robert Meachem and Devery Henderson) and execute the screens and misdirection plays to his backs (Bush and Thomas). While the Saints certainly have an edge over Indy when they’re on offense, the Colts defense is fast and physical and more than capable of matching up with the Saints talented group on offense.   As good as these two offenses are, defense will ultimately decide the winner of this game and the Colts have the better defense.
The Colts also hold a significant edge when it comes to experience. It’s their 2nd Super Bowl appearance in 4 years and they’ve made it to the playoffs every year dating back to 2002. You can’t underestimate the edge that experience gives a team, especially when that team is led by Peyton Manning. Drew Brees along with many of his teammates such as Pierre Thomas, Reggie Bush, Marques Colston and Jonathan Vilma have never experienced a Super Bowl. While emotions will run high for these players to start the game, that intensity will fade as the game goes on and Manning will look to take advantage of that. I like both these teams a lot, but with a high-powered offense, edge in experience and a more talented group on defense, I like the Colts to win Super Bowl XLIV.
PREDICTION:
Colts 34 Saints 20 (MVP: P.Manning)
**YMM Staff Predictions**
-KRM:Â Colts 33Â Saints 27 (MVP: P.Manning)
-Dubbs:  Saints 38 Colts 35 (MVP: R.Bush)
-Shamus O’Cabbage:Â Colts 34Â Saints 24 (MVP: K.Kardashian/Reggie Bush)
-Bobby O:Â Saints 38 Colts 31 (MVP: D.Brees)
