Colts vs. Saints in Super Bowl XLIV

Alright, so I figured since I'm bored silly and Super Bowl XLIV is right around the corner I would put a little somethin together.

So story has that the Colts and Saints are meeting up in South Florida this coming Sunday in the mother of all fights... (drum roll please) the Super Bowl. These two teams going face to face in the biggest game of the year, pretty intense stuff we got going on here.

So first off we have the infamous Indianapolis Colts. Peyton Manning at QB and they're pretty much all set. The only reason I don't like these guys is they have given my beloved Broncos YEARS and YEARS of bad memories for all the times the two AFC teams have met up. Other than that, I kinda... sorta... maybe like the Colts.

The Colts had a pretty darn good season. Almost went 16-0 till their coach, Jim Caldwell, decided it would be best to bench the starters in the last 2 games of the regular season since they already knew they were going to the playoffs. But who in the world would complain if you ended the season at 14-2, won your division, had homefield advantage in the playoffs (but didn't blow it like the Chargers do every year, LOL), and then went on to go play in the Super Bowl?? I know Bronco fans would be sitting on cloud 9 if that were us. One can only imagine.

Now, for this Super Bowl we have an almost complete "Cinderella Story" with the New Orleans Saints making it to their very first SB, ever! How did they make it, you ask? Well, it all started when they made it to a 13-0 start and like the Colts they almost made it to a perfect season but then failed to win their last three games. However, they still won their division, earned homefield advantage for the playoffs (haha, stupid Chargers, still makes me laugh!), and made it to the Super Bowl. So now they have made it this far, all the way to what is known as the "Promise Land" in the NFL.

The question now is, who's gonna win it? Who will take it all? Who will go home victorious and be the reigning SB champs for the next year? I have my opinion on who it should be but all I can say is this will be a very entertaining, on-the-edge-of-your-seat, don't-you-dare-look-away, exciting game. These are two very good teams but only one can win.

Not that I have to remind anyone and don't fall out of your chair in shock when I tell you the Colts are favored to win. GASP!! Yeah, what a shocker.

Have to hand it to the Colts though, they are a high-caliber team who may at times be WAY overrated but when you have a QB like Manning, well that's expected. Reminds me of when our Broncos had the great and almighty powerful Elway who to a lot of people was overrated but with good reason. But I vividly remember, no one ever expected the Broncos to win a Super Bowl even with Johnny boy. We were the underdogs, everytime, so I have to go with the Saints.

I like both teams ( sometimes) and if I had to pick a winner I'd say the Saints. I'd like to see them win just because they've never been to a Super Bowl before so I'd like to see them go home winners instead of making it this far and then fall short.

Now when it comes to the actual facts and figures and stats of both teams, it's obvious to me the Saints should be favored but there's more to it than just the facts & figures. When you add in the value of the players for each team, coaching and the system, the Saints aren't too far off the radar as everyone seems to think. They just don't have Peyton Manning at the helm so they are automatically put in the backseat.

Colts vs. Saints: the stats (2009 season)

On average, the Colts put up 30 points (7th) per game vs. the Saints with 31.9 (1st).

Total yards per game: Colts - 363.1 (9th) vs. the Saints - 403.8 (1st).

Pass yards per game: Colts - 282.2 (2nd) vs. the Saints - 272.2 (4th).

Rush yards per game: Colts - 80.9 (32nd) vs. the Saints - 131.6 (6th)

Not too shabby for team overall stats however, the Colts had the worst rush yard stats in the league during the 2009 season. The Saints own that over the Colts but again, when you have a QB like Manning who has a cannon for an arm, you're not going to rush the ball very often. That's a given.

Extra stats for both teams during the 2009 season:

Total First Downs: Colts - 339 vs. Saints - 348

First Downs (rushing-passing-by penalty: Colts (69-241-29) vs. Saints (115-215-18)

Third Down Conversions: Colts - 95/193 vs. Saints - 88/197

Fourth Down Conversions: Colts - 5/11 vs. Saints - 6/15

Offense (plays-average yards): Colts (980-5.9) vs. Saints (1,032-6.3)

Total Rushing Yards: Colts - 1,294 vs. Saints - 2,106

Rushing (plays-average yards): Colts (366-3.5) vs. Saints (468-4.5)

Total Passing Yards: Colts - 4,515 vs. Saints - 4,355

Passing (Comp-Att-Int-Avg): Colts (402-601-19-7.7) vs. Saints (378-544-12-8.3)

Touchdowns: Colts - 53 vs. Saints - 64

Time of Possession: Colts - 27:40 vs. Saints - 31:36

With all that in mind, either team can win the big game. It's all just a matter of who will execute better come Sunday night.

Now if we consider the players each team has, the ones who are more well known, the starters, this will play a huge factor into how each team plays and ultimately who wins.

We'll start with the Colts just to get it out of the way.

We all know who Peyton Manning is (if you don't, you need to watch football more often). As usual, he had a very good season. He was 393/571 for 4500 yards (a 68.8% completion rate). Add in 33 touchdowns, 16 INTs and a not too bad 99.9% rating and you have yourself, believe it or not, one of the best QBs in the NFL today.

Next up is Joseph Addai, the Colts' starting RB. 219 rushes for 828 yards (avg. 3.8) and 10 touchdowns. This is what happens when you throw 90% of the time - low rush stats and the worst rush yards per game rate in the league but still this isn't and shouldn't be their main concern. They are a passing team mainly because Manning has an arm that just keeps on giving.

When it comes to receivers for the Colts, the list is practically endless. Manning is gifted with him arm but he is also a happy QB because he has so many weapons to throw to and ones he can rely on. First up is Reggie Wayne - 100 receptions for 1,264 yards (avg. 12.6) and 10 touchdowns. Then they have Dallas Clark - 100 receptions for 1,1o6 yards (avg. 11.1) and 10 touchdowns. And we all wonder why Manning throws passes so much. Gee, I have no idea.

The list continues with Austin Collie - 60 receptions for 676 yards (avg. 11.3) and 7 touchdowns. I'll even throw in Joseph Addai added all this to his rushing stats - 51 receptions for 336 yards (avg. 6.6) and 3 touchdowns.

On the Colts defense the craziness continues. OLB Clint Session (only in his 3rd season) led his team with 103 tackles (84 solo and 19 assists), 0.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 2 INTs. Next is Robert Mathis with 37 tackles (24 solo, 13 assists), 9.5 sacks and 5 forced fumbles.

The guy in question about whether or not he'll play on Sunday is Dwight Freeney. If this guy plays, he'll make a big impact on the Colts game if not they are still a top-notch team but the Saints should do whatever they can to take advantage of his absence. Even if Freeney doesn't play here are his 2009 regular season stats: 24 tackles (19 solo, 5 assists), 13.5 sacks and 1 FF.

And one more Colts defensive player I'll mention is Antoine Bethea who had 95 tackles (70 solo, 25 assists), 2 forced fumbles and 4 INTs.

Now onto the New Orleans players.

In his 9th NFL season (his 4th with the Saints) QB Drew Brees had one impressive year.

His stats start off with 363 completions out of 514 attempts for for 4,388 yards (70.6% completion rate) and 34 touchdowns. He also had 11 INTs and a 109.6 rating but the one thing that stuck out most to me was the 20 sacks he incurred during the season. Piece of advice to his O-line: protect your QB better!!

The most popular and probably familiar name you'll find as an RB on the Saints roster is Reggie Bush. The USC product rushed for 70 carries for 390 yards (avg. 5.6) and 5 touchdowns. He was third on the Saints' rushing list behind former Bronco Mike Bell who had 172 carries for 654 yards (avg. 3.8) and 5 touchdowns & Pierre Thomas who rushed 147 times for 793 yards (avg. 5.4) and 6 touchdowns.

On the receiving end, the list starts off with Marques Colston who had 70 receptions for 1,074 yards (avg. 15.3) and 9 touchdowns. Next is Devery Henderson with 51 receptions for 804 yards (avg. 15.8) and 2 touchdowns. Jeremy Shockey came in third with 48 receptions for 569 yards (avg. 11.9) and 3 touchdowns. Reggie Bush also added some receiving yards to his stats with 47 receptions for 335 yards (avg. 7.1) and 3 touchdowns. To close out the top 5 receivers for the Saints is Robert Meachem who had 45 receptions for 722 yards (avg. 16.0) and 9 touchdowns.

To name a few defensive guys for New Orleans, I start off with the team's leader in sacks, DE Will Smith who had 49 tackles (36 solo, 13 assists), 13 sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 1 INT. Next is MLB Jonathan Vilma who lead the team in tackles (110; 87 solo, 23 assists). He also had 2 sacks and 3 INTs. 4-year SS Roman Harper also had a good season with 102 tackles (84 solo, 18 assists), 1.5 sacks and 2 FFs.

13-year veteran FS Darren Sharper led his team in INTs (9) for 376 yards (avg. 41.8) and 3 touchdowns. CB Tracy Porter came in second with 4 INTs for 72 yards (avg. 18) and 1 touchdown. He also has 2 forced fumbles on the season.

Lots of info and stuff to take in but these are 2 teams that have had a lot to show. And they each have one more game to show who's boss. Only time will tell who really is the boss.

So there you have it. The stats, the players, the facts and figures of both Super Bowl XLIV contenders. Manning & Co. in one corner, Brees and Co. in the other.

They are ready to battle it out Sunday night; ready to put everything they have on the line of scrimmage and become Champions. Ready to come out of that stadium as the best team of the 2009 season.

Are you ready?