B.J. Surhoff - Former Oriole

Greg Amsinger - MLB Network

 

Chris Mannix - SI.com - NBA

 

 

There are probably two reasons why there hasn't been a lot of Super Bowl talk around here. Reason number one is that the Baltimore Ravens aren't in the Super Bowl, and that bores a lot of Ravens fans. Reason number two is that the Indianpolis Colts are involved, and a lot of Ravens fans hate Indy for obvious reasons.

 

However, I'm very interested and excited about the Super Bowl. This is, not only, a match-up that features two of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League, it's also a game that feature two very opportunistic defenses.

 

Indy has Peyton Manning, but if he was the only player on this team, they would be home watching this game. Reggie Wayne is starting to become one of the more underappreciated superstars in the NFL. He constantly puts up numbers and makes big plays for number 18. His presence will put pressure on the New Orleans Saints as they have to account for him on every play that he's on the field.

 

That pressure opens up things for Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. You've heard so much about those guys because Wayne is on the field and has been healthy. I go back to the regular-season game in Jacksonville when the Jaguars forced Manning to "nickel and dime" their way for three and a half quarters.

 

Finally, Wayne was able to get by the underneath coverage to get a long touchdown pass from Manning. That's the Reggie Wayne effect. Just when you think you've shut him down, he beats you for a game-breaker.

 

The Saints have a big-play team as well. It seems as if Reggie Bush is the talk of the town now that he had a great play-off game against the Cardinals, but for me, he's still Reggie Bush. He may show up, he may not show up. I put no faith in Bush. Yeah, I said that.

 

If the New Orleans Saints are going to beat the Colts, they will have to win a shootout. They will have to rely on the man who truly got them here and that's Drew Brees. Don't get too cute and try to out thing Indy by running the ball more than you usually run it. Exploit their secondary and injured pass rush and put Indy on its heels.

 

Peyton Manning isn't going to give the Saints' defense opportunities to get turnovers like they're use to. Manning isn't goint to give the Saints too many short fields to work with.

 

This will be a good game, for the first half. The Indianapolis Colts are, clearly, a better team than the New Orlean Saints. They are playing better football in all three phases of the game as well. They will roll the Saints in the second half to put this one away. Look for them to get big plays early in the third.

 

 

Rob Long