Super Bowl Best Bet Winner
# 5 in a Row
600♦ WINNER
Under Saints/Colts
#1 - Under Pittsburgh/Seattle
#2 - Under Indianapolis/Chicago
#3 - New York Giants vs. New England
#4 - Arizona vs. Pittsburgh
# 5 - Under New Orleans/Indy
This is what I told my clients as part of a 2010 Super Bowl Sunday Sweep:
600♦ UNDER Saints/Colts - It's not the underrated defenses I want to talk about in this game, it's the strategy of playing keep-away. Using the play-action to set up even more play action. Dodging the obvious long ball to move the ball downfield accordingly and eating up clock.
Let's be straightforward here, despite talking about two of the most prolific and explosive offensive units in the history of the game ...
Peyton Manning does not want the ball in Drew Brees' hands.
Drew Brees does not want the ball in Peyton Manning's hands.
Thus, these masterminds on offense are going to do everything possible to use every inch within every yard during every drive to gobble up time. I can guarantee you this much, either one of these guys would be fine with a 3-0 win - so long as they win.
And keep the ball away from one another.
Brees has the better opportunity to do this, in my opinion, as he employs Reggie Bush on screen passes out of the backfield. It's an advanced run if you will, and it will keep the clock moving. Brees is going to be tactful with how he moves the ball, and with Dwight Freeney nursing that ankle, Brees will be able to create a little more off the line of scrimmage, while sending run plays that direction.
As for Manning, there is no one better in creating things on offense. Seeing things and adapting in a lickety-split moment. And if that means he needs to get Donald Brown and Joseph Addai involved early and often - which he does - then he will.re he'll welcome Gregg Williams' blitzing schemes, but I'm wondering what he's going to do against an athletic secondary that has finally had time to prepare for an opponent.
That all being said, let's talk about the defensive units.
The Colts have shown some prowess in the playoffs, but don't tell the Saints they don't know how to be physical. The Saints did finish second in the league in takeaways with an aggressive and opportunistic defense.
Weather could also play a factor, remember that. The wind has been steady, and the elements of rain could come into play late. These two are DOMED TEAMS, so both need to adapt from pre-game warm-up to the final tick. The first five minutes of this game are critical, so we'll now how we stand right off the bat.
Guys, it's too easy to see this one being a high-scoring affair ... but everything considered - ball control, defense, weather, rushing games - I like my chances with the Under.
200♦ SAINTS - And with the low comes the play on the underdog, which has reached +6 at some places. Why, when the Vikings should've won the NFC Championship Game and the Colts dominated in their two games?
We haven't seen the Saints' best effort yet in my opinion. I don't think New Orleans has displayed what has gotten it this far, and that would be a well-balanced effort on both sides of the ball.
Sure, the defense wasn't ranked high; but that's because the Saints never cared about getting into a shootout and could always be the better offensive team.
But when it needed to put the fire on an offense, cause it couldn't afford to play "Anything you can do I can do better ..." we saw the Saints dominate the Patriots - that simple.
The better team isn't always the better-prepared team.
This game reminds me of the Buccaneers-Raiders contest several years back ... and the Bucs came out of the NFC South, right?
The Saints are the right side in this game, as this one is going to be close.