By Chris Agar (Whetstone staff writer)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/flygraphix/ / CC BY 2.0
This is how it was supposed to be.
For the first time since 1993, the top two teams from the NFL regular season are facing each other in the Super Bowl on Feb. 7.
While there aren’t any Cinderellas like years past – think 2007 Giants – that doesn’t mean this year’s championship won’t be a memorable game.
Still, the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints are two evenly matched teams that should give us a Super Bowl for the ages.
Both teams feature explosive offenses, which should lead to fireworks in Miami.
Peyton Manning and Drew Brees ranked in the top ten in passing yards, touchdowns and quarterback rating.
Even worse for the defenses is that neither quarterback had one singular go-to guy that they always keyed in on.
The Saints had an NFL record 19 different players score touchdowns. Indianapolis spread the ball around too. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark were tied for the team lead in touchdown receptions with ten. Rookie Austin Collie reeled in seven and youngster Pierre Garcon had four of his own. Garcon also had a break out performance in the AFC Championship Game against the Jets’ number one ranked pass defense, so the Saints have to keep an eye out for everyone.
I believe that both offenses will cancel each other out. Defense will determine who wins the game. New Orleans had a defense that was more prolific in scoring than the Oakland Raiders offense.
Seriously, if you wanted a touchdown, you relied more on a team’s defensive unit than Jamarcus Russell. They scored eight defensive touchdowns.
However, they’re going to have to come up with big plays in order to be successful.
The Saints are not a team known for sacking the quarterback, only recording 35 the whole season. Part of the reason they’re in the Super Bowl is because they forced Minnesota to turn over the ball five times.
If they want to beat the robotically efficient Manning, they are going to have to design exotic blitzes and force bad throws. If the Colts can make it through without turning the ball over, New Orleans’ 26th ranked pass defense is toast.
If the Colts are going to win, it comes down to getting pressure on Drew Brees.
As the Dallas Cowboys showed in Week 15, if you rattle him, the Saints are beatable. Defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are renowned QB killers. Holding them will be key for the Saints to continue their offensive dominance. If that offensive line was able to maintain a Vikings defensive front that includes Jared Allen, Pat Williams, and Kevin Williams, they should be able to do a good job stopping this line.
I predict a great game that will more than likely come down to the last possession. If either quarterback gets rattled, the other team will have the inside track to raising the Lombardi trophy. I believe that the Saints defense will come up with one or two game-changing turnovers (they did have 39 over the course of the year), which will prove to be the difference in the game.
Saints (+5.5) over Colts
