The Starting Five Super Bowl 44 Prediction: Who Dat? Or 3 Out of 4?
Colts are favored by 4. The number is 57.
First let me say straight up that a homeless person is still going to be homeless after the Super Bowl…win or lose. We need to keep this all in perspective and not go overboard because if the powers to be truly wanted the region to mirror or surpass its Katrina past, they would have done so by now. 5 years is simply unacceptable and the pro athletes I’ve spoken with shake their heads every time I ask a question regarding development or lack thereof. That being said, congratulations to the New Orleans Saints and their fans. There isn’t a franchise in sports who doesn’t deserve this moment more.
You all know how I feel about the Saints. You all know how I feel about Drew Brees and Sean Payton. I just want to see them do it to be first, considered a great team and for Brees and Payton to be considered great by their position. Too many times we give it up way too early. Superstars are named and judged by their body of career work not by mere moments no matter how huge their are…
Please make the distinction yourselves between what a hater is and how we should want history to be told to the next generation.
That’s all I ask. Chill people chill. Let it ride out first.
There is so much talent being pushed to the forefront in Katrina’s aftermath that I’m very thankful for because it shows how people can strive and survive through the most horrific conditions. Here’s one who is about to blow…
Who is spittin’ like this?
“Call me Jay ElecHannukah Jay ElecYarmulke Jay ElecRamadaan Muhammad Asalaamica RasoulAllah Supana Watallah through your? monitor”
No one.
I’m sure there are many many more out there reppin’ New Orleans in their own specific way of art, but Jay is the one who has hit me the hardest.
To the game…
Ron and I are both doing a prediction piece and I wanted to tackle the Saints because during the week I’ve changed my pick. I wanted Jim Caldwell to win the Super Bowl simply because if he did, then 3 out of the last 4 Super Bowl winning coaches would have been Black. That’s key because it proves to the NFL and every other level Black men can lead the charge to mad influential success. That is important to our youth for it creates soul models on every level in and out of the game.
With a Colts victory it will also mark the second time Black coaches (Cito Gaston ‘92, ‘93) have gone back to back in major sports history.
But, I don’t think it will happen…not this day.
There is also a sense of urgency. The Saints have half of their roster contracts expiring after the season. 29 in total…18 restricted, 11 unrestricted. They want to get this done now instead of tempting fate.
Here’s what has been going around the web since the Saints defeated the Vikings:
This will be the 44th Superbowl, Obama is the 44th President, there are 44 days from Christmas to the Super Bowl, the Saints franchise is 44 years old, on Super Bowl Sunday it will be 4 years and 4 months since Katrina, The Saints won in the NFC Championship game in 4 minutes and 44 seconds in overtime, Can you say WHO DAT 44 times ???????????
Is this fate or will simple talent win out?
Drew Brees set a NFL record by completing 70% of his passes during the regular season. He has weapons at his disposal and is perfect in Sean Payton’s system because he will hit you with precision accuracy. Look at his receivers. Check out what he has coming out of the backfield. Dig the game plan.
Sean Payton is going to attack the Colts weak secondary from the gate. He’s not going to simply sit back and establish some sort of running game to keep the Colts honest. Dwight Freeney will play but I would guess mainly on third down. The Colts pass rush obviously will not be as effective if number 93 cannot be the juggernaut in Drew’s face. Bracket will try to rule the middle of the field, but if he can’t catch ‘em before the skill players hit their stride and into the secondary, holding the Saints to 40 might be a problem.
On defense, I think the key is finding where Pierre Garçon is. He has his own inspiration to soul to and has arguably been the best playoff receiver. Reggie Wayne is also banged up, but won’t shrivel in the moment.
Of course it’s important to get in Peyton’s face and judging by what the Saints have done to Warner and then Favre, Manning better get his running shoes on. The Saints will try to come in waves but they better watch out because as obvious as that seems, Peyton Manning just doesn’t get sacked. Never has…and with the veteran line he has in front of him, this game will come down to who makes the most plays. The Colts don’t give the ball away but remember this statement Terell Suggs gave me here:
MT: When do you know a QB is cracking mentally because of defensive pressure?
TS: When he’s throwing the ball before he’s supposed to. Peyton Manning would rather throw an interception rather than take a sack–which is stupid if you ask me–but that’s how he prefers to play. That’s when you know you got him rattled. Getting antsy in the pocket and they wanna run–especially non scrambling quarterbacks. A scrambling quarterback is going to run regardless.
If Manning gets sacked 5 plus times, I think the Saints dominate because the happy feet dance will be a comin’. I just don’t know about the turnovers the Saints opportunistic defense make happen. They can be thrown on and if Manning is on top of his game…oh OH.
Reggie Bush has shown me something. He didn’t have necessarily a great game vs. the Vikings, but I think he will show out and ultimately be MVP. Too much has to be going through his mind to not make that happen. He finally has his Vince Young get back and being this is the grandest stage there is in sports, I think he will rock out by returning one to the house and by amassing 100 yards in receptions with 2 scores.
Colston will get two red zone touchdowns.
Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell Robert Meacham and Lance Moore will impact the game as well. Brees sets the Super Bowl passing yardage record and might eclipse the touchdown mark as well. It’s not that I think the Colts can’t stop the Saints, I just don’t think they can score with ‘em.
Peyton has a great game as well, but a very timely Darren Sharper pick and return seals the deal.
40-28 Saints. As stated, Bush MVP. Something about the Saints body language and swag this week…specifically Sean Payton and Drew Brees that is much different than youthful exuberance points to a Saints victory.
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February 8th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
I love me my colts…Dungy, Caldwell and the super job they have done creating a perennial winner in Indiana.
and I love Peyton Manning too for being the cog at the centre of all the winning.
but I must recognise that like Bret Farvre Manning has an obvious achilles.
I said it last year when Dungy retired and I say it again….Manning is the cause of the the poor post season results of the Colts..compared to their regular season performances.
something changes in Mannings make-up when the playoffs start that almost always end with results inconsistent with the regular class of the colts.
I dare to say it wont end for the colts until Manning is done!
its too late for Manning to change his aura….just like Bret farvre.
if they were thoroughbreds you woud bet against them in big races always for the same reason…the bigger the race, the more certain they will let down…..although you would secretly place a saving fiver on them just in case - they are so good!.
Peyton Manning! we have the man, his particular career mode and spirit….and ‘dats dat’
February 8th, 2010 at 11:26 pm
“Colts ran the ball 19 times for 99 yards… that’s 5.2 yards per attempt. Most teams would continue with the run if they were that successful. Manning should have rushed the ball 25-30 times given the success and defensive fronts (2-3 d linemen) he was facing… instead he chose to throw into a stacked secondary. Manning proved to be more stubborn than cerebral.”
I wont blame manning along for that throw in the conditions of the moment. those who manage the colts games should have called for a run..more runing of the ball… proving themselvs to be as stubborn as Manning.
“Peyton Manning and Bobby Cox are both considered great, especially during the regular season, but both of them are completely incapable of realizing the game isn’t going their way, adjusting the game plan, and executing. In my opinion, that is the mark of a champion and a great player. Minus Dave Justice and a city known for choking worse than the Braves, my city would still be without a championship, ever. Minus a mediocre Bears team, so would Peyton Manning.
– Kyle, Atlanta ”
Precisely! no adjustment on the part of Manning and those who ran the game for the Colts. they blew their management assignments giving Manning archilles every opportunity to find expression…leaving opportunities to exploit the Saints defense unexploited.
over confidence can be a killer!
the quotes are comments I found on ESPN blogs!