Sunday set to bring spectacular Superbowl XLIV
David Rettinger
Issue date: 2/2/10 Section: Sports
After 512 total regular season games and 10 heart-pounding playoff games, the Super Bowl is finally upon us. On Sunday night, the New Orleans Saints take on the Indianapolis Colts in Miami, Fla., for the right to supplant the Pittsburgh Steelers as NFL champions. This is the first time that the top two seeds have met in the Super Bowl since 1993.
Quarterback Drew Brees and safety Darren Sharper lead the Saints, who are in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. It was only a few years ago that the Saints were nicknamed the "'Aints" by fans who would place brown paper bags over their heads to hide the fact that they could love such a losing team. Those days came to an abrupt end in 2006 when head coach Sean Payton came to the Big Easy. The Saints are 38-26 during Payton's tenure and had their best regular season this year, going 13-3 before buzzing through the playoffs.
The Colts, led by four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning, are looking for their second Super Bowl win in four years. Manning, who is widely considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, has the poise and confidence to carry his team on his shoulders. The Colts' offense has changed drastically since their last Super Bowl appearance, but Manning is the staple that makes this team great.
Although Vegas has the spread for the game set at 3 ½ points for the Colts, they are heavily favored in the public eye. While the Saints are a very good team in their own right, the main question is: Which team will show up? Will it be the Saints team that began the season 13-0, or the team that sputtered into the playoffs, losing their last three games? How will the Saints cope with the mere essence of playing in the biggest game in the franchise's history? The Colts have had questions as well, but many of those were answered with their Super Bowl win in 2007.
The keys to victory for each team are the same: Stop the opposing quarterback. Manning and Brees are two of the best quarterbacks in the league. For the Saints, they must force Manning out of the pocket and make him throw on the run. If the Saints allow Manning sufficient time to find his receivers, it will be a long night in Miami. Gregg Williams, the Saints' defensive coordinator, must employ the same aggressive tactics that he showed in the NFC Championship win over the Minnesota Vikings in order to have a chance.
The Colts will have to stop the most prolific passing attack in the league. In their playoff run, they haven't met much opposition in terms of offensive firepower. Brees poses a threat unlike any the Colts have lined up against. Indianapolis must make the run game a non-factor, making the Saints a one-dimensional team and forcing errant throws from Brees.
Now for my prediction: this game will be a high-flying, action-packed game that will come down to which team has the ball last. The Saints' offense seemed to put up huge numbers against the Vikings, so scoring won't be the problem. The problem comes when the offense is off the field and the defense has to stop the Colts. If the Saints can recover at least two turnovers, they will win this game. But with Manning at the helm, I don't think they can force him to make that many mistakes. Colts 34 - Saints 24.
Quarterback Drew Brees and safety Darren Sharper lead the Saints, who are in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. It was only a few years ago that the Saints were nicknamed the "'Aints" by fans who would place brown paper bags over their heads to hide the fact that they could love such a losing team. Those days came to an abrupt end in 2006 when head coach Sean Payton came to the Big Easy. The Saints are 38-26 during Payton's tenure and had their best regular season this year, going 13-3 before buzzing through the playoffs.
The Colts, led by four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning, are looking for their second Super Bowl win in four years. Manning, who is widely considered one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time, has the poise and confidence to carry his team on his shoulders. The Colts' offense has changed drastically since their last Super Bowl appearance, but Manning is the staple that makes this team great.
Although Vegas has the spread for the game set at 3 ½ points for the Colts, they are heavily favored in the public eye. While the Saints are a very good team in their own right, the main question is: Which team will show up? Will it be the Saints team that began the season 13-0, or the team that sputtered into the playoffs, losing their last three games? How will the Saints cope with the mere essence of playing in the biggest game in the franchise's history? The Colts have had questions as well, but many of those were answered with their Super Bowl win in 2007.
The keys to victory for each team are the same: Stop the opposing quarterback. Manning and Brees are two of the best quarterbacks in the league. For the Saints, they must force Manning out of the pocket and make him throw on the run. If the Saints allow Manning sufficient time to find his receivers, it will be a long night in Miami. Gregg Williams, the Saints' defensive coordinator, must employ the same aggressive tactics that he showed in the NFC Championship win over the Minnesota Vikings in order to have a chance.
The Colts will have to stop the most prolific passing attack in the league. In their playoff run, they haven't met much opposition in terms of offensive firepower. Brees poses a threat unlike any the Colts have lined up against. Indianapolis must make the run game a non-factor, making the Saints a one-dimensional team and forcing errant throws from Brees.
Now for my prediction: this game will be a high-flying, action-packed game that will come down to which team has the ball last. The Saints' offense seemed to put up huge numbers against the Vikings, so scoring won't be the problem. The problem comes when the offense is off the field and the defense has to stop the Colts. If the Saints can recover at least two turnovers, they will win this game. But with Manning at the helm, I don't think they can force him to make that many mistakes. Colts 34 - Saints 24.
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