Manning vs Brees in Super Bowl XLIV

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Written by Zach Keane, Sports Staff Writer

The most watched event on television is coming up, the Super Bowl.  On February 7^th, Super Bowl XLIV will take place in Miami at Sun Life Stadium.  Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis will try to conquer their second championship in three years while Drew Brees leads the New Orleans Saints into their first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history.

The Indianapolis Colts finished the regular season as the number one seed in the AFC.  After having a bye during the Wild Card Round, the Colts played the Baltimore Ravens in the second round.  Fresh off a dismantling of the Patriots, the Ravens were looking to control the clock and run the ball with Ray Rice.  However, Indianapolis’s defense had other ideas and held Baltimore to just three points in their 20-3 victory. 

Last Sunday in the ACF Championship Game, Peyton Manning faced another of the league’s top defensive teams in the New York Jets.  The Colts struggled against the Jet’s secondary led by Darrelle Revis and trailed 17-13 at halftime.  In the second half, the Colt’s offense came to life with big plays from first and second year receivers Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon.  Mark Sanchez, the Jet’s quarterback, had no answer for the resurgent Colt’s defense, as he endured a 30-17 defeat.

In the NFC, the New Orleans Saints took on the Arizona Cardinals in the Divisional Round.  Arizona, who was coming off a 51 point performance against Green Bay, was forced to play catch-up.  Despite an 80 yard TD run by Tim Hightower on the first play from scrimmage, the Cardinals couldn’t keep the Saints out of the end zone.  The Saints ended up winning that game in a blowout, 45-14.

 After Brett Favre led Minnesota to a 30 point victory over the Cowboys in the second round, the Vikings were matched-up against the Saints in the NFC Conference Championship Game.  In this back-and-forth battle, both teams struggled to hold onto the football.  Brett Favre threw a costly interception with 15 seconds left in a tie game when the Vikings were close to field goal range.  This pick forced overtime, where the Saints won the coin toss, drove down the field, and Garret Hartley kicked a game winning field goal.  As the Saints will be marching to Miami, Brett Favre ends yet another Super Bowl run by throwing an interception as his last pass.

 The Super Bowl between the Saints and Colts was thought of to be one of the most even match-ups in history.  However, the Colts are currently a 5.5 point favorite to win the game.  Maybe this is because the Saints have the number 27^th ranked pass defense, a stat that makes Peyton Manning lick his chops.  But don’t underestimate New Orleans as they will certainly try to make their first Super Bowl appearance a memorable one.