sportsfanIQ

New Orleans at Indianapolis (-5.5)

Ok, here we go.  Peyton Manning is 9-0 this season against defenses ranked twentieth or better; the Saints rank twenty-sixth.  A friend texted me this past week and stated that Manning's precision is "ridiculous" and that we may be witnessing the best ever.  Although I can debate whether he's the best ever, he has been spot-on this post-season.  Over the Colts' two playoff games, Manning's gone 56 for 83 for 623 yards with 5 TDs and an INT.  His QB rating over this time averaged 105.75.  Kind of astonishing when you consider he went up against the number one and number eighth passing defenses for the regular season.  All year Indianapolis' running attack has been obsolete.  For the post-season, the Colts have averaged 71.5 YDS/G on the ground.  You'd hate to see that come back and bite them in the final game.  Then there are the Saints.  Look at these numbers and tell me how they won the NFC Championship.  Of course the most telling - five Vikings' turnovers. (Not to mention three more fumbles which they recovered.)  The Vikings were clearly the better team, which leads me to think that five and a half points isn't enough.  When analyzing, it would appear in the Saints best interest to establish the run, in order to keep Peyton off the field.  For the regular season, the Saints were sixth in the league, averaging 131.6 YDS/G, while continuing that success in the playoffs, running for 119.5 YDS/G.  The Colts rushing defense, which held the Jets to only 86 yards on 29 attempts, albeit without Shonn Greene for most of the second half, ranked twenty-fourth in the league during the regular season, giving up 126.5 YDS/G.  If I were on the Saints coaching staff, running the ball would be the core of my game plan.  Right up there with stopping Peyton Manning.  Good luck with that!  I expect this game to be a high scoring affair, with both Brees and Manning exchanging gunfire.  Colts will be ahead late, and put it away with a Manning to Clark TD.  Colts minus the 5.5 for their second Super Bowl in four years.