Colts Vs. Saints in Super Bowl XLIV: The Biggest Super Bowl Let Down in NFL History

Super Bowl XLIV features the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Indianapolis Colts versus the National Football Conference (NFC) champion New Orleans Saints. The Colts are led by Peyton Manning, arguably the best quarterback the NFL has ever seen, or will be one day. Drew Brees leads the New Orleans Saints, and is proving to be a legitimate candidate in the NFL's greatest quarterbacks debates held in offices and homes around the country. These two teams bring in high powered offenses. Indianapolis wide receivers Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie are all threats. New Orleans too has a trio of talented receivers in Marques Colston, Devery Henderson and Robert Meachum. Both teams have solid running backs. The Saints feature Reggie Bush, while the Colts start Joseph Addai. This should be a high scoring game, but both of the defenses are both capable of making big stops.

So with all of this talent on the field, why do I say it is already disappointing? One reason: At least one of these teams should be undefeated going into this weekend's Super Bowl XLIV in Miami, Florida. Indianapolis screwed NFL fans out of the chance to see the greatest quarterback of all-time lead his team to a perfect undefeated season. They decided to bench starters in the final two games of the regular season, and lost. The Saints were also undefeated for most of the season, but Dallas beat them with all of their starters in week 15. New Orleans lost the next two as well. My guess is that ratings for the game would have been through the roof if Peyton Manning and the Colts had a shot at the perfect season. Now it is going to be like any other Super Bowl.

I think NFL teams should have some sort of incentive to complete a perfect season. I don't know if that means cash, a draft pick or something else. Whatever it is, the fans deserve to see their teams give it their all every regular season game. This is especially true with the increasingly expensive ticket prices required to watch these men play football. Super Bowl, Schmuper Bowl, let us see perfection! I do not think I am alone in this thinking, and would venture to guess that many players feel the same way. I still don't know if I'll watch the game. Perhaps I will at least tune in to see the remaining members of The Who perform some of their hits.