A Super Bowl XLIV Preview

Super Bowl XLIV in Miami promises to be a wild shootout with two of the NFL's premiere quarterbacks taking center stage. Here's a preview of Super Bowl XLIV that demonstrates what to look for as both teams vie for one of the most storied championships in all of sports. Let's first look at what Indianapolis must do on offense, defense and on special teams to win.

On offense:
The first thing the Colts must do is Protect Peyton Manning. The Saints feature a very aggressive defense that drove Kurt Warner and Bret Farve nuts. The Saints were able to chase Warner and Farve so much that they had to constantly change what they wanted to do on offense. As a result, the Colts offensive line has to protect Peyton Manning. Otherwise, it's going to be a very long day for the Colts' offense.

The second thing the Colts must do is be a multi-dimensional team on offense. The Colts have to run the ball at least half way decently against the Saints. Otherwise, the Saints' linebackers and defensive tackles will have a field day blitzing and causing havoc at the line of scrimmage.

Furthermore, the Colts must find a way to spread the ball out on offense. They can not rely exclusively on Marvin Harrison to catch everything in site. This makes it imperative that Peyton Manning spreads out the ball to receivers like Reggie Wayne. Otherwise, the Colts could have a tough time moving the ball against a Saints' defense that is better than advertised.

Finally the Colts must also stay patient on offense and and try not to rush things early on offense. Many Super Bowl games are lost in the first five to ten minutes of the game because early turnovers on offense make life miserable. As a result, see if the Colts try to ram it down the Saints' living room or if they take it easy. It might just dictate how well Super Bowl XLIV goes for the Colts on offense.

On defense:
Find a way to pressure Drew Brees. If the Colts can harass Brees early and often, they have a chance to shut down this high-octane attack (Just ask Kurt Warner and the Cardinals!). They could also cause a few turnovers that might make a huge difference in this game.

The secondary needs a big game, too. The Colts have had good games this post season from free safety Antoine Bethea. Everyone else has been shaky at times and now would be a good time for a great game from the secondary.

On special teams:
I could be wrong about this, but this game might be decided by how well the punters, kick returners and field goal kickers play in this game. I say this because (when this was written) Adam Vinatieri was listed by Yahoo! Sports as probable for Super Bowl XLIV. If that's the case, the Colts will have a huge advantage if the game goes down to the wire because Vinatieri is one of the best clutch kickers of all time.

If the Saints are going to win Super Bowl XLIV, here are some things that need to happen on offense, defense and special teams.

On offense:
The first thing the Saints have to do to win on offense is to win the battle near the line of scrimmage. As a result, look to see if the Saints can protect Drew Brees well enough to win the line of scrimmage battle. Also look to see how well they can create holes for RB Reggie Bush to run through. If the Saints are doing these two things well, they are probably winning the battle near the line of scrimmage.

The second thing the Saints have to do is run the football. Reggie Bush needs a big game for the Saints to win because I think that the Colts will be focusing on containing Drew Brees. If Reggie Bush can run for 100-130 yards, it would force the Colts to sneak up closer to the box up front. If that should happen, Drew Brees could have a field day picking apart the Colts' secondary.

The other things the Saints have to do on offense is to stay aggressive on offense. The Saints feature very fast wide receivers like Marques Colston and a very good running back in Reggie Bush. If the Saints stay aggressive on offense, these two guys will have a huge game that could make a difference in this game. As a result, look to see if the Saints keep the pressure on the Colts' defense with good, aggressive play calling.

On defense:
There are two things the Saints must do well on defense to win. The first is simple. Get to Peyton Manning early and often! He isn't the most mobile quarterback in the NFL and if the Saints can force him out of his comfort zone, the Saints could cause a few turnovers that could make all the difference in the world in this game.

The other thing the Saints have to do well on defense is to prevent the Colts from running the ball. In other words, the Saints have to force the Colts to become a one-dimensional team on offense. If they can do that, then they can force Peyton Manning to make mistakes. That could win this game for the Saints.

On special teams:
Don't do anything stupid! I think Super Bowl XLIV boils down to how well the teams' special teams units perform. As a result, the Saints can't afford to do stupid things such as kicking the ball out of bounds before it reaches the end zone or muffing a punt. If the New Orleans Saints can prevent these mistakes, they will give themselves the best chance to win Super Bowl XLIV.

Prediction:
Because the offenses of these two teams are so good, I think Super Bowl XLIV will go down to the wire with the Colts winning 38-35 on a last second field goal..