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Every good story has a defined hero and villain. The same goes for sports. It is best when you like one team and hate the other.
I love it when the Detroit Red Wings beat the Colorado Avalanche because I hate the Avalanche. The same goes when the Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees because the Yankees make me angry.
The problem with the Super Bowl for me is there is no one to hate. I like the Indianapolis Colts AND the New Orléans Saints. I wasn't a fan of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning until he became a pro and I liked Drew Brees when he played at Purdue and followed him during his time in San Diego and then the Saints.
I grew up hoping the Saints could turn it around because they were losers like my beloved Detroit Lions. I never really liked the Colts until Manning got there and the team became exciting to watch. If that makes me bandwagon, then so be it.
I have no one to hate on either side. In fact, I have reasons to want both teams to win.
It would be good to see Manning cement his legacy by winning another Super Bowl. But it would also be nice to see Brees enter the talk as one of the best QBs of the era by taking home the Lombardi trophy.
And if any city other than Detroit could use a boost, it is New Orleans.
All my ramblings aside, here are my reason the Indianapolis Colts will beat the New Orleans Saints, but the score will be as high as some might think:
- Peyton Manning is the best quarterback in the NFL (maybe second to Tom Brady). Manning is the ultimate field general. While he exercised the demons of the past that stated he couldn't win big games, he is not as spectacular in big games as he is in regular season contests. I think some of that is because the other team has more time to come up with ways to slow Manning down.
- Saints head coach Sean Payton has done a wonderful job building New Orleans into a great team. But, the Saints rely on beating teams by outscoring them. That will be too hard to do with the Colts. While I think Payton is a very good coach, I can't find a game he won by making adjustments and overtaking a quality that holds a lead. If the Colts can move the ball, it will be a long day for Payton and his team.
- Indianapolis will be able to move the ball. The Colts don't run the ball very well but the team's passing game will open up enough space for the ball carriers to do some damage.
- The Saints can light up the scoreboard but it is difficult for a team on its first trip to the Super Bowl to start hot. New Orleans will heat up after a slow start but the Colts won't have any nervousness and will start and finish strong.
- The Saints were third in turnover ratio (plus 11) in the NFL but Manning and Company don't frazzled after turnovers.
- Colts head coach Jim Caldwell is new but he learned under Tony Dungy and has a very experienced staff. Plus, he has Manning on the field and Manning can help overcome any coach's mistakes.
The game should be fun to watch. I am picking the Colts to win. I predicted last year's Super Bowl correctly with the exact score, I might add.
Final score: Colts 31, Saints 23.
