Oh good. It’s only four days to the Super Bowl. The terrifyingly efficient Indianapolis Colts head to Miami in search of their second title in four years. Standing in their way, praying on bended knees that this is their destiny, the New Orleans Saints carry with them the hope of a city and the good-wishes of almost every neutral fan.
I’m on the bandwagon.
Come Sunday, I’ll be wearing Blank ‘n’ Gold and cheering Kim Kardashian’s on/off boyfriend Reggie Bush (No. 25) on his way to the end zone. Kardashian’s likely presence will more than probably go unnoticed – of all places, Sunlife Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday will be a hotbed of celebrity activity. The popular venue will be full to the rafters with actors, musicians and famous fans of the game all there to watch the two number one seeds clash for the first time since 1993 and to bear witness to a halftime show that promises to be every bit as exciting as we have become used to it being.
Bush, though, is one of the game’s lynchpins. His performance (or lack thereof) could very well affect the outcome of this titanic contest.
Today, for your reading pleasure, I will do my usual positional breakdowns, choosing a winner from each category (beware – surprises in store). Tomorrow, I’ll highlight the players I regard as LYNCHPINS and explain why they will be the difference makers in deciding whose name is etched onto the 44th Lombardi trophy.
Quarterback: Boom. Boom. What’s that? A monster at the door? Oh, no, it’s just Drew Brees knocking-on for his mum. Why? Because he’s that kind of guy. He’s that nice. Drew has always had one of those instantly likable faces. He smiles a lot. He looks like he’s having a good time. And you know what? He is. And so are the Saints. And, more importantly, the people of New Orleans are having fun too.
The Saints have never been to the Super Bowl before: New Orleans has been used to watching its beloved team get whipped for decades. The Colts only have one championship since moving to Indianapolis, but that was earned in 2007 and was the culmination of years of dominance. They are due another win in the big game – no one deserves it more than future hall of famer Peyton Manning.
So who’s gonna stop him? Drew f***ing Brees, that’s who.
I’m going to do it: I’m giving the edge to Brees. Why? His feet; the ability to extend the play; his desire; and his smile. I mean it. That smile, that boyish, sanguine grin, is the physical manifestation of warm fuzzy optimism. He’s a hero. His men want to play for him; to fight for him; to win for him. He moves well – better than Manning. They both want it equally, for different reasons, but Brees has to win. This Saints team won’t be back here again – I would bet on that. The Colts should notch-up another one or two Super Bowl trips while Peyton’s still playing.
I know I’m disregarding the massive advantage Manning has in postseason experience, but screw it – it’s just a game. Brees can win this. Brees will win this for New Orleans, because they believe in him. And so do I.
Running Backs: Notch-up another for New Orleans. The Colts finished dead-last in rushing in the regular season. One reason I think this might be is because their offensive line is so solid not even their Running back can find a way through. That’s represented by the time Manning has in the pocket. I’m joking, of course, but there is some truth in the line’s weird ability to stand firm and ineptitude when it comes to busting holes for Joseph Addai. New Orleans has Reggie Bush, Pierre Thomas and the brutal Mike Bell.
Smash.
Mouth.
Football.
With Style…
The multiple threats coming out of the backfield will make it a long day for the Colts, but they needn’t worry – their undersized front seven are adept at chasing down even the most elusive runners in the open field.
Expect to see a lot going up the gut in this game. The speed of the Colts’ secondary might put the team off running too many sweeps, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bush catching a fair few screen passes. Yum.
Receivers: Depth is the word of the day here. The Saints have got Colston, Henderson, Meacham and even Bush. The Colts have Canton-bound pass-catcher Reggie Wayne, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon and Tight End Dallas Clark. For the unflappable cool-headedness of the Colts corps, they get the nod. They have experience and youth on their side; talent and focus in abundance; and the most consistently poised triggerman throwing them the ball. Throw this one the Colts’ way – they sure as hell won’t drop it.
Offensive Line: This is an interesting debate. If you look at this unit from the point of pass-protection it’s no contest: the Colts win hands down. But the minute you consider the line’s effectiveness when setting-up the run, the Saints are clear winners. I’m going to give this category to the Colts, because of the overall impact the line’s performance has on their game plan. The Saints are a more versatile team in many ways – they are well balanced and unafraid to ‘wing it’. They resort to playground football when they have to – the Colts, however, avoid getting themselves into those chancy situations. Brees can make plays when the pocket collapses. Manning doesn’t need to do that very often and, when faced with an unblocked rush he would sooner go down than risk an errant throw.
Defensive Front-seven: The Colts have the more aggressive front, but they are small. Without Dwight Freeny, who may very well be out injured, the Colts aren’t anywhere near as dangerous. If New Orleans is able to pound the rock early on and discombobulate the Colts’ blitzes, the undersized front-seven will probably find themselves playing a hotchpotch version of cover two in an attempt to protect the middle of the field from short under-routes. Tricky, tricky – who deserves this more? The Saints have been really good at times, but are prone to let the opposing offence off the hook on occasion. There can be no such let-up in the Super Bowl. Colts have it in my mind.
Defensive Backfield: Darren Sharper is fantastic. Under his eagle eyed tutelage, the Saints’ secondary, which includes talented cornerbacks Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter, has become one of the better units in the NFL. Sharper catches picks for fun and scores touchdowns with relative ease and frequency. Manning must beat this tight-knit unit and beat them well. Any mistake will be punished. The Saints have this category by a long way.
Special Teams: Reggie Bush. New Orleans. What? If Kim Kardashian promised you a ‘special rub’ for running a punt back for a score, you’d be in the end zone doing your fat-man dance before Usain Bolt has tied his shoelaces.
Who’s got the edge?
I want to be in that number when the Saints go marching in. I’m going for it: I’m going to predict an underdog victory, because it makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. Aside from my suddenly sired emotional attachment to the New Orleans Saints, I really think they can win this game. But they will have to win it. The Indianapolis Colts don’t often beat themselves. Manning will throw everything he’s got at this championship – it would be the feather in the cap of possibly the game’s greatest ever player. But Brees is hungry…hungry for feathers.
So watch out!
Pick up THE HARE newspaper at Night and Day; Bar Centro; or Tiger Lounge in Manchester town centre.
E-mail theharenewspaper@hotmail.co.uk with questions, comments or contributory pieces.
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