Super Bowl 44 Prediction
Last Updated on Monday, 08 February 2010 21:17 Written by GreenBay Packer Nation Sunday, 07 February 2010 18:00
I have always been loath to give game predictions not because there isn’t some good analysis involved but because there is a reason that the players actually walk out on the field and play. That being said, the Super Bowl is all about predictions and so every season I take the time to make mine.
The predictions that I have heard thus far (and that is not very many) seem to draw a dichotomy between “head” and “heart”. The reasoning is this; ‘The Colts are obviously the best team in football so my head tells me that they are going to win this game but there is some part of me (heart) that really wants the Saints to win…for the town’. This line of thinking is absolute horse puckey and though I don’t want to set up a straw man here I have heard these sentiments too much to let them go on any longer so I will break it down here and then give you my prediction:
The Colts are obviously the best team in football. Well one thing is true, the Colts are one of the two best teams in football (even though the NFL system allows for two teams that are not the best to be in the Super Bowl). The Colts are great, Peyton Manning has been absolutely phenomenal this season and I don’t wish to take anything away from him (except a second Super Bowl trophy). But though the Colts were close to a perfect season they showed they were beatable in several games and if it weren’t for the Patriots giving away a 17 point deficit in the fourth quarter, Bill Belichick would never have even had to gamble on the fourth down play that lost the Patriots that game. The Colts know how to win and that is the most important thing, but at this level, every weakness will be exploited and they are not a team with no weaknesses.
By the way, here is a little note to all the overpaid analysts out there…the Saints have a quarterback on their team too. His name is Drew Brees although everyone in the media has forgotten, and he is pretty darn good at his craft. The Saints played the Jets too, and killed them, the Saints played the Patriots and destroyed them. Wake up, the Saints are a very good team! The Colts have more wins but in terms of statistics, that (and the qb position which is basically a wash) the Saint exceed the Colts almost across the board. This team is healthy and has two very good corners in Tracy Porter and Jabari Greer. Manning will beat them and will probably end up throwing all night to Dallas Clark as always but the Saints beat the living tar out of Brett Favre in the NFC Championship and if the refs don’t throw worthless roughing flags, Manning will be diving for the turf so as not to get hit. Don’t get me wrong, Manning is a great qb and will put on a show if the coverage isn’t there and the Colts will score some serious points but the Saints are healthy and hungry.
Here’s how I see the game going down, and I expect a great one like everyone else:
Classic shoot out but not on the scale of the Packers AZ Wildcard game
Manning does what he does and the Colts put up 31 because the Saints hold the Colts to a field goal
Freeny plays but is not quite the force he usually is
The Saints have a great game plan in and overcome any psychological deflation after the big win against the Vikings
Reggie Bush has a Desmond Howard moment in this game. He is stifled in the running game but breaks a long return (maybe for a score).
Drew Brees - SB MVP
Saints win 35-31
These are two great teams and it should be a remarkable game but like I said at the beginning, the guys have to get out on the field and play. If the Saints have their game face on, they have the heads (coaches and players) and heart (city they love) behind them and can get the job done.
