SUPER BOWL XLIV PREVIEW

By Tim Scott

MIAMI; One of sports biggest “holidays” is by far the Super Bowl. This year, the battle to be the #1 team in the NFL will take place in Miami for the first time since 2007 (when Peyton Manning led his Colts to a 29-17 victory over the Bears) on February 7, between the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts.

This is the first time the New Orleans Saints have made it to a Super Bowl in franchise history. A strong core of players on all parts of the field led the Saints to a key 13-3 season, and also, key postseason wins over the Arizona Cardinals (45-14) and an overtime thriller vs. Minnesota (31-28). The Saints had 7 Pro Bowlers: QB Drew Brees, G Jahri Evans, C Jonathan Goodwin, SS Roman Harper, FS Darren Sharper, T Jonathan Stinchcomb, and LB Jonathan Vilma.

The Colts are no strangers to the Super Bowl. In their 3 Super Bowl appearances to date, they have a 2-1 record, with wins in 1971 and 2007, while their only loss was in 1969 (to Broadway Joe Namath’s Jets). During 2009, the Colts went 14-2, and had 2 big playoff wins against Baltimore (20-3) and the Jets (30-17). Led by new head coach Jim Caldwell, the Colts produced 7 Pro Bowlers: S Antoine Bethea, TE Dallas Clark, DE Dwight Freeney, Manning, DE Robert Mathis, C Jeff Saturday and WR Reggie Wayne.

Since this is the first time that two #1 seeds from each division met in a Super Bowl since 1993, people may be confused on which team to choose. If you look at it from a statistical point of view, it might be easier to choose the right team.

WHEN THE COLTS HAVE THE BALL
The Colts seem to pass the ball more often than run. Then again, with a quarterback like Manning, it may look like a good option. They also have some good receiving options, like Wayne, Pierre Garcon, Austin Colley, and Clark. Also, Joseph Addai could provide good yardage on the ground, and in the air. Plus, with an offensive line that has let up only 13 sacks, the Colts have a positive outlook when taking the ball down the field.

But, the Saints defense could be a big threat to a musically tuned Colts offense. This is a defense that blew by opponent’s O-lines during the postseason and hit future Hall-of-Famers Kurt Warner (who eventually retired) and Brett Favre so hard that they left the field numerous times. They had 35 sacks during the season, and picked off 26 passes. Harper and Sharper will put a threat on the receiving game of the Colts, while Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer will pose a threat to Garcon and Wayne.

EDGE: The Saints D-Line will pose a threat, but Manning could manage, so the Colts win the battle of offense.

WHEN THE SAINTS HAVE THE BALL
Head coach and offensive guru Sean Peyton really knows how to assemble a great offense. With Brees at QB, they have a supporting cast that every coach wish they had: running backs Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas, receivers Robert Meachem, Marques Colston, and Devery Henderson, plus TE Jeremy Shockey. They also have a strong offensive line, which includes 3 Pro Bowlers (Evans, Goodwin, & Stinchcomb).

The Colts also boast a good defense. With good pass-rushers like Freeney, Gary Brackett, and Mathis, they will probably bother Brees all night long. Bethea leads a decent secondary, which could mean a significant break for the Saints offense.

EDGE: The Saints will quickly find a break in the Colts secondary, which could signal positive momentum for the Saints.

SPECIAL TEAMS
When it comes to special teams, the Colts are okay. They have Matt Stover as their kicker, and Pat McAfee as their punter. TJ Rushing will provide kick-return duties, while Chad Simpson provides punt-returns.

The Saints boast a clutch special teams unit that brought them to the big stage in the first place. Garrett Hartley’s leg kicked a clutch 40-yd FG last week to punch their ticket, and he could provide key kicks at the right moment. Thomas Morstead will be the punter, while Courtney Roby and Reggie Bush will return the ball on special teams.

EDGE: The Saints have a strong returning unit, so they could be lethal on special teams.

WHEN IT’S ALL SAID AND DONE…
It’s going to be a thrilling offensive game, but the Saints will probably edge out the Colts to win their first Super Bowl. Brees’ passing ability in the clutch will edge out Manning, who will mess with a strong secondary all game long. The Colts may be comeback wizards, but they might not be a match for a clutch Saints D.

FINAL SCORE: Saints 38, Colts 31