SUPER BOWL XLIV PREVIEW

The football season comes to an end this Sunday night in Miami as Super Bowl XLIV will be played between the NFC Champion New Orleans Saints and the AFC Champion Indianapolis Colts. Being a huge football fan and The ArmChair Coach, I have mixed emotions every year about this time, I love the Super Bowl and it is the biggest game in the sport of football, but it is the last football game of the season. I will have to get out my calendar and start marking off the days until all of the training camps open in July and August. So lets look at this years Super Bowl match-up.

SUPER BOWL MATCH-UPS

This is the first time since 1993 that both of the top seeds made it to the Super Bowl. The Colts are in the Super bowl for the 4th time in franchise history and the 2nd time since they started calling Indianapolis home. The Saints, traditionally one of the worst losing teams in the NFL since coming into the league, will be making their first Super Bowl appearance. Lets look at the key match-ups for the game.

TEAM OFFENSES

The Colts offense has averaged 282.2 yards a game passing and 80.9 yards a game rushing for a total yards average of 363.1. The Colts have averaged 26.0 points per game. The Colts red zone offense breaks down to 66.0 percent scoring TDs and 22.6 scoring field goals. So their red zone scoring percentage is 88.6.

The Saints offense has averaged 272.2 yards a game passing and 131.6 yards a game rushing for a total yards average of 403.8. The Saints have averaged 31.9 points per game. The Saints red zone offense breaks down to 57.7 percent scoring TDs and 26.8 scoring field goals. So their red zone scoring percentage is 84.5.

Edge to New Orleans

TEAM DEFENSES

The Colts defense has allowed 212.7 yards a game passing and 126.5 a game rushing for a total yards allowed average of 339.2 per game. The Colts defense has given up an average of 19.2 points per game.

The Saints defense has allowed 235.6 yards a game passing and 122.2 a game rushing for a total yards allowed average of 357.8 per game. The Saints defense has given up an average of 21.3 points per game.

Edge to Indianapolis

TEAM HEAD COACHES

The Colts have a rookie Head Coach in Jim Caldwell and the Saints have Sean Payton who has been coach of the Saints for four seasons. Neither Head Coach has been Head Coaches in the Super Bowl.

Even

SUPER BOWL EXPERIENCE

The Indianapolis Colts have 21 players with Super Bowl experience and the New Orleans Saints have 6. Experience is usually big in big ball games and it don't get any bigger than the Super Bowl.

Edge to Indianapolis

TEAMS QUARTERBACKS

The Colts Peyton Manning won the NFL's Most Valuable Player award this season and he ranked 2nd in the NFL with 33 TD passes and he passed for 4,500 yards. He has been at his best during this post season as he has 623 yards passing and 5 TD passes. He has already played in and won a Super Bowl Championship.

The Saints Drew Brees finished 2nd to Manning in the MVP voting this season and he ranked 1st in the NFL with 34 TD passes and he passed for 4,388 yards. He has passed for 444 yards and 6 TD passes during this post season. At times Brees can be almost unstoppable and at times he can be normal. He has never played in the Super Bowl and has limited post season experience.

Edge to Indianapolis

SUPER BOWL XLIV..... New Orleans vs Indianapolis..... This game has a chance to be high scoring with this season's two best QBs playing against each other. I see the difference in the game to be the Colts Super Bowl experience and they have the NFL's best QB in Peyton Manning..... Indianapolis 31 New Orleans 21

Until Next Wednesday.