Super Bowl 44 is today from Miami between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints. The IP Sports crew has your predictions!
Eugene – : I’ve got to go with the Colts. Their defense, even without Freeney, is better than the Saints. I look for Manning to have a big day. Brees is good, but I don’t see him exceeding what Manning will do.
AJ – If we’re lucky the Super Bowl will be an epic shootout between super star QBs…….if we’re lucky. I think super sunday will look more like a Peyton Manning highlight reel than any real competitive game. The game could really go either way but I’ll take The Colts to win and to beat the spread. Colts 34, Saints 24.
Aaron: At their very best, the gap between Drew Brees and Peyton Manning isn’t as pronounced as the media would have you believe, now that Manning is thought of as a cross between Johnny Unitas and Jesus. Everyone picking the Colts says the same thing: Indy hasn’t lost a game all year when they gave a damn. My retort: Brees is the best QB the Colts have faced all year. In Week #3, Kurt Warner threw for 332 yards vs. Indy. Tom Brady threw for 375 yards vs. Indy in Week #13. Brees WILL get his yards. And, while I’m hard-pressed to call the Saints the better team, if my life depended on it, I’d bet on the Saints’ Sean Payton outcoaching Indy’s Jim Caldwell with room to spare. I know how clichéd New Orleans’ underdog story is, but…they’ve been through so much. Did you hear about that hurricane? Final Score: New Orleans 28, Indianapolis 27
Chad – With both teams having great offenses, I think this game comes down to which defense can atleast slow down the oppositions offense. The Saints defense has been outstanding all year at forcing turnovers. Now they go against one of the smartest QBs to lace up his shoes. The Saints are going to need to force fumbles, because Manning won’t be throwing INTs. New Orleans showed in the NFC Championship that they can force fumbles, but you know the Colts saw that and have been working for the last 2 weeks on ball security. I think New Orleans is going to have a very difficult time against the Colts offense.
On the other side of the ball I think the Colts are set up much better. Dwight Freeney will play and he will play well. His ankle injury is one of the most overblown injuries in recent history. And you know what makes it that way? The fact that it’s a grade 3 tear, the worst of the tears. Seem like backward logic? It’s not. With a grade 3 tear, it’s already torn as much as it can possibly tear, it’s gone. So there is no chance of Freeney hurting the ankle more than it already is. Give him some pain killers, tape the ankle up good and tight and he’ll be no different than any other week. His spin move might suffer a little, but he’ll be just as effective as a speed rusher. The rest of the defense is small and fast which matches up well with the Saints between the 20s. If the Saints get inside the 20, the Colts might start to have problems but they should be able to limit that. The linebackers can match up well enough with Bush that the screen game won’t be a problem for the Colts. The Saints best chance is going to have to be homerun balls on the young secondary.
If you couldn’t tell from my two paragraphs, I think the Colts are going to handle this one pretty easily. It will hopefully be close for a couple quarters, but the Colts will pull away at the end. If you’re a betting person, I’d take the Colts with the points because they’ll end up covering. Score: Colts 34-17.
SMS – I like Drew Brees. He seems like a really great guy, a likeable guy. The New Orleans Saints, if they were to win, would finally become credible as a franchise, redeeming themselves in the NFL much like Tampa did with their win in Super Bowl XXXVIII. It would do a great deal for the city’s hopes for rebuilding, or so CBS will tell us ad nauseaum tomorrow. America would smile more if they won. A few babies might even be made.
I hate to let everyone know, but that’s just not happening at all. Peyton Manning is the best quarterback of all time. This is coming from a Dan Marino fan, so it hurts to admit that ANYONE might be better than Dan. He’s going to make up his last Super Bowl trip to Miami which was rain soaked and boring and lame. This one will be boring because the Colts will roll.Winner: Colts 44 Saints 27
Trent Scott – This has the potential to be a barnburner but at the same time I also think the defenses, particularly Indy’s, is feeling slighted. Much ado has been made of Freeney’s ankle and the turnovers created by the Saint’s defense, of which I think neither will have much impact in the contest.
Bottom line: The Colts have played two defenses that are better than the Saints, ballhawk like the Saints, and have left them smoldering. What does Gregg Williams possibly have that Manning has never seen before? The only way I see this being close is if New Orleans establishes a ground game early to set up big gaing play action. If they don’t run, forget about it. Even if they do, they have to match Manning, not the other way around. Colts 31 – 24 Saints
Daniels – The more I thought this game during the week, the more I tried to make a case for the Saints. The problem is that if you have to try this hard to make a case then there’s no way you can really make the pick. Everything about this season has broke the Colts’ way. As much as my picking compatriots have goofed on it, should the Colts win, we’ll be talking for years about how they should be undefeated. How they laid down for the Jets “to prevent injury” before playing their starters in a snowy disaster in Buffalo. And somehow the Patriots have remained the heel team… Anyway, the Colts have had a blessed season. Manning has just been too good and I simply don’t see how he doesn’t sweep the MVPs this season. Colts cover. Sorry Matt.
Murtz – I have liked the Saints all year and things aren’t going to change now. I think they are a team of destiny. To be honest, I like both teams and this is the first real Super Bowl we have had in a long time. I think these teams are pretty even except for Manning being one of the best quarterbacks in history. But football is about more than just a QB. It’s like Gene Hackman said to Keanu Reeves (Jake Falcone) in The Replacements. “It’s about heart. Miles and miles of heart.” And the Saints have plenty of faith. Have faith. Who dat.Saints 35, Colts 24
Russ Blatt – As everyone is here predicting the Super Bowl and what they think will happen, I have decided to take another route. One of the biggest part of the Super Bowl are the proposition bets that take place. Not only will I tell you what I think will happen in the game, i will also tell you what I think will happen in the pop bets for the Super Bowl between the Colts and the Saints.
Colts (-5) vs. Saints – I think the Colts will win, but the Saints will cover, my prediction 31-27 Colts
Coin Toss – Heads vs. Tails – Heads is my prediction
Team to Receive the Opening Kickoff – Colts vs. Saints – Saints will get the ball first
Saints, Over/Under 25.5 – I choose the over
Indianapolis, Over/Under 31 – I said 31, push
Total Kickoff Returns by both teams Over/Under 9 – I choose the under. I do not believe touchbacks count, so go the under
Team to Commit the 1st Penalty – Colts/Saints – I say the Saints, on the opening kickoff
Team to Score LAST in the 1st HALF – Colts/Saints – Isn’t it always the Colts?
LAST Score of the 1st HALF will be – Touchdown/Any other score – Touchdown
Will there be a Safety – Yes/No – I say no
Will there be Overtime – Yes/No – I say no
Will the game be Decided by Exactly 3 Points – Since I say it will be 31 to 27, it is also a no
Will the Team that Scores First Win the Game – Yes/No – I say no, I think the Saints will score first but the Colts will win
How Many Times will CBS show Kim Kardashian on TV during the Game? – Over/Under 2.5 – I have a feeling this will be 3, choose the over
How Many Times will CBS show Bourbon Street on TV during the Game? – Over/Under 2 – OVER OVER OVER OVER
Will a member of the Who smash a guitar on stage during the halftime show? – Yes/No – I think this is a no
Will CBS Show winning Super Bowl apparel before the final whistle – Since this will be a close game, I say no
Who will the Super Bowl MVP of the Game thank first? God/Teammates/Does not thank anyone/Family/Coach – Teammates, especially if it is either quarterback
Team to score last in the game – Colts/Saints – I think the Colts will drive to won
Team to have last possession – Colts/Saints – The Saints will get the ball late, but cannot score to win
That is just a portion of the props. Have fun and enjoy the game. By the way, whatever the Over/Under is on how many times Archie Manning will be on YV…choose the over no matter what the line is!
