A Superb Bowl for the ages

The Super Bowl XLIV match up between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints has the potential to be one of the greatest championship games in recent history. Regular season powerhouses in their respective conferences, these two teams have both carried their success deep into the postseason. We are certainly not trying to argue that there have not been memorable Super Bowl games played over the past few years, or that the Super Bowl by its nature is not a viewable competition. Still, who can name a Super Bowl match up in the last 10 years that has hosted two quarterbacks of a caliber equal to that of Peyton Manning and Drew Brees? Or one that has a team being supported by an entire nation; minus the city of Indianapolis and the immediate Manning family? To elaborate, we have compiled a list of three major reasons why we think that this Super Bowl will be one to remember:

1. Shootout Potential
The Saints’ offense led the league in scoring and total yardage during the regular season, yet with Peyton Manning leading the Colts’ offense, it is unclear who’s offense is more threatening. Needless to say, the Super Bowl point record could be shattered. Additionally, Brees threw for 419 yards against Washington in the regular season and Manning approached 400 passing yards last week against the Jets. With these two prolific passers, we could realistically see Kurt Warner’s record for passing yards in a Super Bowl (414) get shattered.

2. Loaded Sub-Plots
The Saints have never been to a Super Bowl in their franchise history and for a city like New Orleans, which is still devastated from Katrina, there is absolutely a larger significance for the city as a whole. A Saints victory will bring Mardi Gras 10 days early, ya dig? On the Colts side, the fact that Peyton Manning’s dad, Archie Manning, played with the Saints for 11 seasons and that the Manning family is hugely popular amongst New Orleans fans could bring about some tension, despite what official media reports suggest. Also, Colts wide receiver Pierre GarÃƒ§on has dedicated his playoff performance to his native country of Haiti, hoisting the Haitian flag after the AFC Conference Championship game.

3. Dynamic Defenses
In their two playoff games, the Saints’ defense has officially ended one legendary quarterback’s career (Kurt Warner), and may have indeed ended another’s (Brett Favre): both in a brutal fashion. New Orleans’ defense plays extremely aggressively, relying on turnovers to keep opposing offenses off the field. The Colts, on the other hand, are small and speedy on the defensive side of the ball, relying on a ruthless pass rush to apply heavy pressure on the quarterback. Unfortunately, the Pro Bowl man-beast that is Dwight Freeney is suffering from a torn ankle ligament which will limit his mobility during the game. Although each team has a distinct defensive style, both units have the capability of being successful.

If you actually required any persuasion to watch the Super Bowl, you probably hate freedom. And in that case, this column is not meant for your eyes. The purpose of this article was to get you as excited as we are about the big game on Sunday, and prove to you why this game will not be boring, despite Peyton Manning’s participation. In the last 10 years, no better-balanced teams have met in the Super Bowl, and oh yeah, there’s the commercials . . .

For more commentary and sports-related jargon from Doyle and Gabe tune into KWCW 90.5 FM Tuesdays at 1 p.m. for Whitman Sports Radio.