Super Bowl XLIV
Super Bowl XLIV
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Sun Life Stadium – Miami, Florida
Kickoff apx. 6:30p ET
Colts vs. Saints
Continuing the theme from an earlier post regarding the importance of quarterbacks, let’s focus there in assessing the game’s key matchup.
Early in his career, Peyton Manning, a four-time league MVP, was criticized for failing to win big games. Indeed his career playoff record is just 9-8. However, he has won six of the last eight, including a Super Bowl victory over the Bears three years ago in the rain in Miami.
Heading into this year’s Super Bowl, Manning is red hot setting an NFL record for 300-yard playoff games with his seventh in last week’s AFC championship win over the Jets.
Seeing how he dissected two of the league’s stingiest defenses (Ravens, Jets) in the last two games, Manning poses some real issues for the Saints defense. He may not be mobile, but the numbers speak for themselves -
*completing 67.5 percent of his throws for
*623 yards,
*five touchdowns and one interception.
*Manning’s 104.6 rating is far higher than he managed in leading the Colts to the 2007 Super Bowl.
New Orleans must find a way to mix up their pressure pass rush and drop back coverage schemes.
The main players to watch will be DT Sedrick Ellis, DE Bobby McCray and linebackers Scott Shanle, Scott Fujita and Jon Vilma . DE Will Smith will be the key sack threat (he was second in the NFC with 13). However the Saints have only one sack in the playoffs. Still if they can get to Manning like they did Favre, the pounding will take a toll.
Pressure will be vital as New Orleans is overmatched in the secondary. Safety Darren Sharper, who tied for the league lead with nine interceptions, running back three for scores, will give All-Pro tight end Dallas Clark some trouble, but look for Manning to lean on young wideouts Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie as well as Reggie Wayne.
Indianapolis is likely to stick to their season-long pattern of running Joseph Addai and Donald Brown just enough to keep the Saints thinking. Still for the Colts to win it will have to be done like it has been all year – through the air.
In New Orleans, as the conductor of the NFL’s most prolific offense, Drew Brees is the league’s most accurate passer, but moreover his ability to get everyone involved creates matchup problems for opponents.
More mobile than Manning, Brees uses short drops that are especially effective for those quick-hitters over the middle.
Indianapolis, is not likely to stop a team that led the league in scoring with 510 points and has 76 in two playoff games, but their quick ends Robert Mathis and All-Pro Dwight Freeney have the skills to get in Brees’ grill in a hurry. And hurry the Colts better, otherwise there are a bevy of targets awaiting Brees’ tosses including- wideouts Devery Henderson, marques Colston, Lance Moore and Robert Meacham. David Thomas has done well in filling in where fellow tight end Jeremy Shockey’s right knee problems have curtailed his production.
The Saints also have a better run game with Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell, though Reggie Bush is also quite effective as a receiver as well. Look for New Orleans to try and get Bush in single coverage with safeties Antoine Bethea or Melvin Bullitt.
