Contrary to popular belief, your humble scribe did not go on suicide watch after the Vikings overtime loss to the Saints. I did brood quietly for a couple hours and then shrugged it off as I got past the loss and soothed myself with some college basketball for a few days, but I am excited about the game of the year that is on tap and in recent years lived up to the hype.

Its what every football player dreams of, running out of the tunnel on the field where every football fan is watching. The holy grail of football is at stake. The Super Bowl is the unquestioned biggest football game of the year. Though laconic Dallas RB Duane Thomas once asked “If it’s the ultimate game, why do they play it every year?” The audience grows and the hype grows, this is the game even the non-fan knows about. Lets look at some facts and historical data first:

Super Bowl Fast Facts
The game will be broadcast in 160 countries worldwide, would you like breakfast with the Super Bowl? That’s what it will be in Sydney where the game will kickoff at 10:25 Monday morning
The first contest between the Packers and Chiefs was broadcast on two networks and didnt sell out
Tickets for the first game were $8 & $12, cheapest ticket for this years game $800
There has never been a shutout or overtime in any of the 43 previous games.
Most Points by a team: 55
Fewest Points: 3
First team to score in the Super Bowl has won 28 of the 43 games

Team Fast Facts
The Saints are the first team to lose their last three games of the regular season yet still make the Super Bowl
This is the first time the conferences top ranked teams have both advanced to the Super Bowl since The Bills & Cowboys did so for Super Bowl 28
The Colts are the first team to make the Super Bowl twice each representing two different cities (The Raiders made it 4 times coming from Oakland but once in LA)


Super Bowl 44
Indianapolis Colts (16-2) vs New Orleans Saints (15-3)
For The NFL Championship and the Vince Lombardi Trophy
Sun Life Stadium, Miami 6:25 (CBS)
Favorite Colts by 5
More Fast Facts IND: The Colts have made each of their Super Bowl appearances in Miami, 2 as the Baltimore Colts at the old Orange Bowl and this is their second while in Indianapolis NO: Saints are the 4th NFC team in the last seven years to make their first Super Bowl

Team Dossiers

New Orleans Saints (15-3) National Football Conference Champions
Head Coach: Sean Payton (4th Season 38-26 all with Saints, 3-1 in postseason all with Saints 41-27 overall)
Regular Season Record: 13-3 NFC South Champions (#1 Seed)
Regular Season Statistics: PF 510 (1 NFC, 1 NFL) PA 341 (most allowed by a conference champion)
Rankings Offense 1 Defense 25
Road To Miami:
Earned 1st Round Bye as NFC #1 seed
Defeated NFC West Champion Cardinals 45-14 in Divisional Round
Defeated NFC North Champion Vikings in OT 31-28 in NFC Championship

Who Dat? Don’t call ‘em the Aints anymore!
The Saints are a relentless emotional squad that seems to have a million ways to beat you. Led by the fiery Drew Brees, the Saints offense can and will put up a tons of points. They have decent running game featuring the solid running trio of Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell and the resurgent play of Reggie Bush all three are solid receivers out of the backfield and Bush is doubly valuable as a feared return artist. The Saints strength on the defensive side of the ball is their strong secondary led by All-Pro FS Darren Sharper who is someone that must be accounted for on every play.



Indianapolis Colts (16-2) American Football Conference Champions
Head Coach: Jim Caldwell (1st Season 14-2 regular season and 2-0 in postseason 16-2 overall all in Indianapolis including playoffs)
Regular Season Record: 14-2 AFC South Champions (#1 Seed)
PF 416 PA 307
Rankings Offense 9 Defense 18
Road To Miami:
Earned 1st Round Bye as AFC #2 seed
DefeatedAFC Wild Card-2 Ravens 20-3 in AFC Divisional Round
Defeated AFC Wild Card 1 Jets 30-17 in AFC Championship

Colts cash in as perennial title contender
These aren’t the same high powered Colts you remember from back in the day, but they still have the systematic leadership and fundamental play of Peyton Manning and he is the brains and engine of a dangerous offense. This offense passes and passes and might as an afterthought run the ball on occasion. This is an offense that will wear you down. On the other side, their defense isn’t as flashy and is dogged for being vanilla from time to time, but they don’t give up many points and with an offense that scores as often as they do, their defense doesn’t have to do much. A little known fact is that the Colts D has given up 18 or fewer points in 12 games and 20 total in two playoff games.

When the Colts have the ball
Offensive Team Leaders
QB Peyton Manning 4500 Yds 33 TDs
RB Joseph Addai 828 Yards 10 Tds
WR Reggie Wayne 100 rec 1264 10TDs Dallas Clark 100 Rec 1106 Yds 10Tds

Peyton Manning won his 4th MVP this year and leads a potent passing attack, the Colts running game is there to be sure and Joseph Addai is a decent back but his play and impact has been minimal in the postseason. Add in the young receiving duo of Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon and the Colts are a tough team to gameplan for.
Edge: Colts

When the Saints have the ball
Offensive Team Leaders
QB Drew Brees 4338 Yds 34 TDS
RB Pierre Thomas 794 Yds 6TDs
WR Marques Colston 70 Rec 1074 Yds 9TDS


Drew Brees had a down year compared to his near record season of 2008, but his game management skills are top notch. He is he unquestioned leader of this team. Thomas is a decent option and good with catches out of the backfield. Colston leads a squad of underrated receivers, you can be sure that this team will try to exploit the hobbled Dwight Freeney as much as possible, giving Brees time to work in the pocket is not a safe option for the Colts defense
Edge: Saints

Coaching
Jim Caldwell reminds me a bit of George Seifert of those old Niners squads of the late 80s and early 90s, handed the reins of a top flight and is smart enough not to tinker with it too much. The Colts play like they did under Tony Dungy, smart cool and efficient. Sean Peyton is the energetic coach of the Saints who keeps his squad loose enough to shrug off a late season slide to be ready for two division champs in the playoffs.
Edge: Even

Analysis
This is the heavyweight fight the football nation wanted. Both squads can give a scoreboard a workout and have strong leadership on both sides of the ball. Brees and his squad want to prove that they belong with the elite in the NFL and have the strength on both sides of the ball to validiate that thinking. On defense, The Saints look to force turnovers and have openly talked about “remember me” hits on Manning to rattle his confidence. Good luck with that, I see Manning picking the Saints defense apart much like Brett Favre did in the NFC title game. The difference is that Manning won’t force the ball like Favre did and the Colts wont turn the ball over as much, I see both teams trading punches but the Saints wearing down late and Manning marching the Colts to a late score that ices the game
Pick- Colts 34 Saints 24

Championship Week: 1-1
Playoff Total: 3-7

The Next Spec Sheet will post tomorrow. Until Next Post Fellow Sports Fans!