Super Bowl XLIV between the Saints and Colts was watched by more than 106 million people, which surpassed the 1983 finale of “M*A*S*H” to become the most-watched program in U.S. television history.

From ESPN.com:

Nielsen estimated Monday that 106.5 million people watched Sunday's Super Bowl. The "M*A*S*H" record was 105.97 million.

The "M*A*S*H" record has proven as durable and meaningful in television as Babe Ruth's record of 714 home runs was in baseball until topped by Hank Aaron. Ultimately, it may be hard to tell which program was really watched by more people. There's a margin for error in such numbers, and Nielsen's Monday estimate was preliminary, and could change with a more thorough look at data due Tuesday.

"It's significant for all of the members of the broadcasting community," said Leslie Moonves, CBS Corp. CEO. "For anyone who wants to write that broadcasting is dead, 106 million people watched this program. You can't find that anywhere else."

And people wonder why companies spend so much on one 30 second commercial during the Super Bowl. It’s incredibly hard to get that many people to tune into your product or brand at one given time, so companies have no problem shelling out millions for ads on Super Bowl Sunday.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

I know what you’re thinking: Great, the Saints win one Super Bowl and now the media wants to anoint them the Steelers of the 70s, the 49ers of the 80s or the Cowboys of the early 90s.

Relax – I’m not doing that. But I bring the topic up because there’s a case to be made that the Saints have all the pieces in place to become a mini-dynasty this decade.

Over the next couple weeks, the Saints will ensure that centerpiece Drew Brees finishes his career in New Orleans by giving him a very large contract extension. Whenever the time is right, they’ll also do the same with head coach Sean Payton and make sure that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is happy where he’s at in order to keep their two playcallers intact for years to come as well.

With those three vital pieces in place, the Saints could challenge for multiple Super Bowls and not be a one-year wonder. Continuity breeds success and considering they have a family-like atmosphere in their locker room, the team won’t have a hard sell on its hands in trying to bring free agents like Darren Sharper back to New Orleans next season.

But as I’ve highlighted below (after the jump), they do have some huge hurdles to overcome if they want to build upon their success from the 2009-2010 season.

No team repeats in the NFC
Over the last five years, there has only been one team to make a repeat performance in the NFC Championship Game, which ironically enough, was the Saints (2007, 2009). Since 2002, there has been a different NFC representative in the Super Bowl every year, unlike in the AFC where the Steelers, Patriots and Colts made multiple appearances. This is perhaps the weakest argument against the Saints becoming a dynasty because it has more to do with history than what actually happens between the hash marks, but it’s worth noting that no team has repeated in the NFC since the Cowboys in 1993 and 1994.

Decisions, decisions
The Saints have several key decisions to make this offseason, including what to do with their 18 restricted free agents. They have the right to matchup any offer for All-Pro guard Jahri Evans, running back Pierre Thomas, safety Roman Harper and offensive tackles Jermon Bushrod and Jammal Brown, but will one or more teams price the Saints out for these starters? Will the Saints try and keep key reserve players like Anthony Hargrove or David Thomas? Is Reggie Bush (a role player at this point in Payton’s offense) worth the $8 million he’s scheduled to receive next season? Mickey Loomis has a ton of decisions to make to ensure that the Saints can make a run next year, not to mention the next couple years.

Is their defense good enough?
For three quarters on Sunday night, Williams’ defense shut down Peyton Manning and the Colts’ offense. They were impressive in all three levels and it’s a testament to the job Williams did this year in reviving a unit that has held the Saints back over the years. But the numbers suggest that New Orleans’ D wasn’t as improved as many made it out to be. They finished 25th overall, including 26th against the pass and 21st against the run. They also finished 20th in points allowed after surrendering 21.3 PPG this season. Granted, anyone who watched the Saints play this year knows full well that their defense produced in the clutch. Tracy Porter’s interception of Manning with less than four minutes remaining in the Super Bowl is evidence of that. But if Sharper and/or Harper don’t return, they’ll need to fill both safety positions next year and they could also stand to get more athletic at linebacker. Even though the Saints’ offense is outstanding and the defense played well this season, it doesn’t mean that Williams’ squad couldn’t stand an upgrade at some spots.

The NFC South is tough
If history is any indication, then the Panthers are going to be playoff contenders again next year. They’ve been the model for inconsistency under head coach John Fox over the years, but they’re due to be “on” again in 2010. The Falcons also have a solid young core and gave the Saints trouble twice this season and if they continue to add pieces to their defense, Atlanta will be in the playoff hunt again next season. The Bucs are presumably still a couple of years away from competing for a playoff spot, but they did beat the Saints in New Orleans late in the year and turnarounds in the NFL happen quickly. If the Saints are to go on a run over the next couple years, it’s not going to be easy playing six games against the Panthers, Falcons and Bucs every season. Not to mention the fact that they'll have a first place schedule and will become the targets of every team in the league.

Keeping all of these factors in mind, can the Saints become a dynasty in your mind?

n

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Following their 31-17 loss to the Saints on Sunday night, Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne jetted off to the locker room like losing players of the Super Bowl always do. But what was noteworthy about their exit was that they ran off without shaking hands with their opponent.

From FOXNews.com:

Manning reacted stoically Sunday night after wide receiver Reggie Wayne dropped his team's last gasp -- a fourth-down pass in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. With hands on hips and his helmet still on, Manning returned to the sideline and stared at a video-board replay. He then headed toward the locker room before the final seconds expired in New Orleans' 31-17 win.

Was it poor sportsmanship for not shaking hands with Saints players? Sure. But after what had just transpired in Super Bowl XLIV, I wouldn't want to look back either.

The Boston Globe reports that Manning ran into Darren Sharper on the way out of his postgame press conference and congratulated him “profusely” while shaking his hand and giving him a hug.

"I’ll certainly talk to Drew," Manning said. "I certainly know how it was three years ago when we won. There’s not much consolation for the guys who didn’t win. There’s the stage getting set up and there’s the celebration. That’s the time for the Saints to celebrate. It’s their field. They deserve the moment. I certainly congratulate all their players, their organization. I will speak to Drew Brees, speak to Sean Payton. They deserve all the credit."

Manning is all class and I don’t think he was being a poor sport. Sure, it would have been better had he and Wayne sought out Brees and the Saints on the field, but what’s the difference in them congratulating them immediately after the game or a day later? Showing your respect is the most important thing and it sounds like Manning and Wayne are or did do that.

Neither of those players have history of being poor sports, so I don’t think much should be made out of this.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

One player that will be overlooked in the Colts’ crushing 31-17 loss to the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV is Dwight Freeney, who played the entire game despite having a tear in his right ankle.

Freeney missed two weeks of practice in hopes that his ankle would be completely healed by kickoff and while he wasn’t 100%, he gutted the pain out and turned in a banner first half. In fact, he made one of the best plays of the half when he sacked Drew Brees and forced the Saints to settle for a field goal attempt when they were driving deep into Indianapolis territory in the second quarter.

But following the game, Freeney admitted that the long layoff for halftime hampered his ability to play in the second half. He said his ankle stiffened up and despite his best efforts to loosen up on the sidelines, he just wasn’t the same player that he was in the first half.

Regardless, his teammates respected his effort.

From ESPN.com:

"He worked is tail off, three, four times a day," Colts safety Melvin Bullitt said. "I knew he was going to play. There was no doubt in my mind he wouldn't. That's just the type of person Dwight is. It's hard we couldn't get the win for him with him coming back so soon off an injury like that. It's very disappointing. He came up with a big play at a crucial time for us."

We could play the “what if” game until we’re blue in the face. But had Freeney been healthy and played the entire game at 100%, there’s a possibility that Brees wouldn’t have completed 32-of-39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns.

Of course, none of that matters to Freeney or the Colts but considering many people (myself included) thought he wouldn’t be effective, what he did in the first half was impressive.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

It takes a special person to turn rejection into greatness.

Some forget that Doug Flutie replaced Drew Brees during the 2003 regular season because the former second round pick couldn’t get the job done. That prompted the Chargers to acquire Philip Rivers in the 2004 draft and had he not held out that year, San Diego may have never taken another look at Brees.

Brees played well in 2004 and 2005, which is why he was able to stick around in San Diego as long as he did. But the Bolts faced a major decision at the end of the 2005 season about what to do with Brees and Rivers. Do they commit to Brees and trade Rivers? Do they let Brees walk in free agency and go with an unproven Rivers?

That decision was essentially made for them when Brees suffered a shoulder injury in the last game of the ’05 season. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder and when he went back to the Chargers looking for a new deal, they offered him a five-year, $50 million contract that paid only $2 million in base salary the first year and the rest was heavily saturated in performance incentives.

The Chargers essentially offered him a deal they knew he would reject, which he did before hitting the open market. The team he wanted to play for, the Dolphins, was interested but they used his shoulder injury as an excuse to pass on him and sign Daunte Culpepper instead. The only team that showed any true trust in him was the Saints, whom he eventually signed with in March of 2006.

Fast-forward four years to Sunday night in Miami. After shaking off a jittery first quarter, Brees went on to complete 32-of-39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns in the Saints’ 31-17 win over the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. He earned the MVP trophy by outplaying Peyton Manning, which is no easy feat. Brees was absolutely brilliant, as the Saints relied on him and the passing game the entire night. They trusted him to win them their first ever Super Bowl, just as they trusted him in '06 when they were the only team that was truly interested.

But despite the fact that he’s now a Super Bowl and MVP winner, what makes Brees special is not his on-field heroics. He’s special because at no time did he ever complain about his situation or seek revenge on the Chargers and Dolphins for taking a pass. Instead, he took everything in stride, embraced the city of New Orleans and turned a bunch of negatives into one huge positive. Not everyone can do that and that is what makes Brees' story so impressive.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

If one were to look up Peyton Manning’s stats from Super Bowl XLIV, they would assume that he did enough to propel his team to a victory. After all, he completed 31-of-45 passes for 333 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

But as has been the case his entire career, Manning’s numbers weren’t enough.

Football is a team sport and one play doesn’t settle the outcome of a game. But when Tracy Porter intercepted Manning (who forced a pass into Reggie Wayne in the face of a New Orleans’ blitz) and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown late in the fourth, it sealed the Colts’ fate. In essence, Manning delivered the nail in the coffin for his own team, although it isn’t a surprise that he failed in the postseason.

The Colts have been very average in the postseason with Manning under center. Don’t believe me? Even with their Super Bowl victory four years ago, Indy is just 9-9 in the postseason with Manning as their starter. Considering he’s referred to as one of the best to have ever played the game, is it a stretch to say that the Colts should be better than that? I don’t think so.

Don’t get me wrong: Peyton Manning is brilliant. He’s always the most prepared player on the field at all times and he’s the definition of being a student of the game. But isn’t this always the same story with him? Aren’t we always talking about his numbers and forgetting the fact that he only has one Super Bowl victory despite countless appearances in the postseason? Something is wrong here.

Manning wasn’t the only reason the Colts lost tonight. Had they recovered the onsides kick to start the first half and scored, they would have stolen all the momentum from the game and probably would have won. Had they sustained the momentum from the first quarter (a quarter in which they absolutely dominated), they probably would have won. Had their defense produced more second half stops, they probably would have won.

But I can’t shake the fact that when the Colts needed him most, Manning threw a pick six to essentially ensure a Saints’ victory. That’s not to take anything away from the Saints because they played great, but if we’re going to talk about Peyton being one of the best ever, then he needs to win this type of game. (After all, Joe Montana was 4-0 in the Super Bowl and Tom Brady was 3-1.)

It wouldn’t surprise me if Manning won another Super Bowl before his career is finished. But until then, let’s slow down with all the “best ever” talk, shall we?

Photo from fOTOGLIF

There's a difference between being risky and being stupid and Sean Payton straddled that line all night tonight.

With the Colts ahead 10-3 late in the first half and his team facing a 4th and 1 from the one-yard line, I thought Payton did the right thing by winding the clock down to the two-minute warning before making a decision on whether or not to go for it or kick a field goal. Unfortunately for the Saints, he arguably made the wrong decision by going for it as Pierre Thomas slipped and was stopped short of the goal line.

Forget the fact that Thomas slipped – it was a dumb decision by Payton. Not to go for it mind you - one could debate that it was a decent call given the score and situation. But calling a running play out the single back formation when he has a quarterback like Drew Brees running his offense just wasn't a smart decision by Payton. I could go as far as to say it was a horrendous play call and he was lucky that his defense produced a three and out on the Colts’ next series and wound up still getting a field goal to cut the Colts’ lead to 10-6 right before half anyway.

Then to open the second half, Payton called a surprise onsides kick and had the Colts player fielded it cleanly, the Saints would have been screwed with horrible field position and a total lack of momentum. Payton once again came up lucky that 1) the Colts player mishandled it and 2) the Saints jumped on it, or else Indy might have ran out to an early double-digit lead early in the second half.

But despite all that, the New Orleans Saints are Super Bowl Champions. Despite all of Payton’s mistakes, the Saints were still able to execute. Despite getting dominated in the first quarter, the Saints didn’t freak out and the wound up being victorious in the end. Despite having so much go against them early on, the Saints were the team that showed enough grit and determination in the end to beat an opponent that had just won the Super Bowl four years ago and that had the Hall of Fame quarterback.

And you know what? That’s a testament to Sean Payton.

The Saints have had their backs against the wall several times this season, including near losses in Miami and Washington during the regular season, as well as when they entered the postseason as losers of three straight. But their head coach never wavered in his confidence for his team and they repaid him by showing their confidence in him. Forget destiny – the Saints won because they all bought into Payton’s philosophy. Brees may be the face of the franchise, but Payton is the heart and soul.

A team that didn’t have as much trust in their head coach would have lost tonight. But because the Saints backed Payton, they were able to overcome his mistakes and dominate three of the four quarters to become Super Bowl champs. It takes a special team to do what Payton’s Saints just did.

I'll be doing more Super Bowl XLIV recap posts, so make sure to click here for more coverage.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

I wrote a longer version of this article in my rough draft, but I’m going to do everyone a favor and just skip the foreplay. By now, your well aware of all the storylines centered around Super Bowl XLIV because it’s been shoved down your throat the past two weeks.

So let’s just get naked and do this thing already.

With everyone focused on Peyton Manning’s brilliance, Dwight Freeney’s injury and the Saints' "destiny," fans and analysts alike aren’t paying much attention to something that could be the difference in the end.

Whether it’s pounding it up the middle with Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell or testing the edge with Reggie Bush, the Saints can run the ball. In fact, they can run the ball better than people give them credit for.

What’s one of the best ways to beat Manning? If you said “with pressure” then you’d be right, but that’s easier said than done. The Saints battered Kurt Warner and Brett Favre into mistakes in their last two games, but Manning excels at reading a defense at the line of scrimmage, recognizing the coverage and getting the ball out of his hands quickly. Chances are that New Orleans won’t get to Manning consistently enough for it to play a huge factor in the outcome.

No, the best way to beat Manning is to keep him on the sidelines. The Saints can accomplish that by controlling the line of scrimmage and pounding the rock. Once they’ve done that, then the passing game will open up and due to Freeney’s injury, the Colts won’t be able to generate enough pressure with their front four to slow Brees down. If they blitz, Brees can burn them by throwing away from their coverage, which is something he specializes in.

While Brees, Bush, Jeremy Shockey, Darren Sharper and a host of other Saints will certainly play a key role tonight, I wouldn’t be surprised if Pierre Thomas takes on the MVP award tonight. He could wind up being the backbone of the Saints’ offense and the key to keeping Manning on the sidelines.

The Saints win this game with their ground game, and I’m willing to bet that it’ll be a lower scoring game than people think.

Saints 24, Colts 23.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

As if the Colts needed any more injury issues, receiver Reggie Wayne left practice 20 minutes early on Friday after re-aggravating a knee injury that he’s battled all season.

From ESPN.com:

He's still expected to play in Sunday's Super Bowl.

The four-time Pro Bowl receiver left practice 20 minutes early after aggravating an injured right knee.

Coach Jim Caldwell said Wayne hurt the soft tissue below his kneecap. Wayne is listed as probable and Caldwell plans on him playing against the New Orleans Saints. Wayne got through the injury most of the season.

Even though there’s no concern of Wayne missing the game, this has been a frustrating week for the Colts in terms of injuries. Dwight Freeney is still listed as questionable after not being able to practice the past two weeks and now Wayne re-aggravates a knee injury two days before the Super Bowl.

But hey, such as life in the NFL – no player is 100% right now.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Injured Colts’ defensive end Dwight Freeney was hoping to test his injured ankle on Friday during practice, but it didn’t happen as he was unable to hit the field. He didn’t practice once during the last two weeks and is listed as questionable on the Colts’ injury report for Super Bowl XLIV.

On Tuesday, Freeney told the media that the pain in his ankle was subsiding and that it felt better each day. Although he hasn’t practiced, it doesn’t mean that he won’t suit up on Super Bowl Sunday and he still has two more nights to treat the ankle so you never know how he'll feel in two days.

That said, I highly doubt that he’ll play in Indy’s base defense and will likely be limited throughout the game. The best case for him and the Colts is if he’s able to play in obvious passing situations and provide a decent rush on Drew Brees but even then, it’s doubtful that Freeney will be that effective given that he’s a speed rusher and his ankle won’t be 100%.

As I’ve written all week, if Freeney is limited the Saints have a huge advantage because they can concentrate on slowing down Robert Mathis and won’t have to worry about keeping an extra blocker in. They can use their full complement of offensive weapons, which is dangerous considering how explosive their offense can be. Brees might have a field day on Sunday if the Colts can’t figure out a way to drum up some pressure without Freeney.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Ross Tucker of SI.com writes that Peyton Manning is a better NFL quarterback than Joe Montana and Tom Brady.

Here are the highlights of Tucker’s argument:

Montana may have been the most clutch performer ever; his postseason success is almost unprecedented. He did, however, play in an era before the advent of free agency and the salary cap.

He (Brady) did, however, have the benefit of playing for one of the greatest coaches and defensive minds, Bill Belichick. Belichick's game planning against Manning earlier this decade was a primary factor in the Pats' success. Brady has also been blessed by a defense that was among the league's best for a good portion of his career.

But Manning has also shown an ability to adjust, even after losing longtime running mate Marvin Harrison.

His offensive line has never been dominant, and yet their weaknesses have been covered up by his uncanny ability to get rid of the ball before the defender gets to him.

I can't think of any other player who has as much control over the game plan or play-calling. That, of course, is fitting because I don't think any other player has ever had quite the same grasp of his offense that Manning does.

Tucker makes some valid points, especially in the case of Manning, who is incredible at what he does. But what he ignores is that quarterbacks will always be graded by their performances in the Super Bowl. The goal for every team at the start of the year is to win a Super Bowl, it’s not to try and rack up as many stats as possible.

Montana was 4-0 in the big game, with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also racked up three Super Bowl MVP awards, the most by any player in SB history.

Brady is 3-1 in the Super Bowl, with two MVP awards and by the time he’s done playing, he might match Montana’s number for victories and MVPs.

Manning’s talent speaks for itself, but he only has one Super Bowl ring, which pails in comparison to Montana and Brady. Do you know what Manning’s postseason record was before this season? A dazzling 7-8. Even if the Colts win this Sunday, Manning’s postseason record will be 10-8, which is pedestrian compared to Montana’s (16-7) and Brady’s (11-4).

Manning is great, but Tucker needs to step off of the Super Bowl XLIV hype train for a second and look at the bigger picture. He acts as though Montana and Brady had a ton of help and Manning has been working on his own, but that argument spits in the face of how underrated the Colts have been over the past decade. Don't forget that Manning had Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne to throw to for most of his career, while Brady had Troy Brown and Deion Branch, who were fine receivers but who aren't in Harrison and Wayne's category.

Granted, if Manning wins three or four Super Bowls before his career is over, then we can re-visit Tucker’s argument. But as of right now, Tucker’s argument is full of holes.

n

Photo from fOTOGLIF

As part of our ongoing coverage of Super Bowl XLIV, here are five potential MVP candidates outside of Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.

1. Reggie Wayne, WR, Colts
Wayne only caught three passes for 55 yards in the AFC title game, but that was because he was locked up with stout corner Darrelle Revis, who has a habit of limiting a receiver’s impact. But Wayne caught eight passes for 63 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens in the Divisional Round and Revis won’t be anywhere near the field come Sunday. Wayne has five 100-plus yard receiving efforts this season and one more could earn him the Super Bowl’s highest achievement (outside of a ring of course). He only caught two passes against the Bears the last time he played in the NFL title game, but they went for 61 yards and a touchdown. If his quarterback doesn’t yank the award away from him, then Wayne could be taking home the MVP hardware come Sunday night.

2. Marques Colston, WR, Saints
In an era dominated by diva receivers, Colston is one wideout that is easy to root for. He’s quiet, unselfish and brimming with talent. He’s also reliable and if he gets enough opportunities, he might explode on Sunday and earn the MVP award in his first ever trip to the Super Bowl. In the Divisional Round, Colston hauled in six passes for 83 yards and a touchdown, and seems to save his best performances for top competition. In Week 6 of the regular season against the Giants, he caught eight passes for 166 yards and a touchdown, and in Week 12 against the Patriots he hauled in four passes for 121 yards and a score. Even in a losing effort against Dallas in Week 15, he caught five passes for 86 yards, including a 35-yard strike that led to a Saints’ field goal early in the second quarter. Outside of Brees, the only reason Colston might not have a fair opportunity to win the MVP award is because he’s on a team that is loaded with other receiving weapons. This is where the aforementioned unselfishness comes in, because there’s no doubt that Colston would rather catch one pass for 10 yards and win, than catch 10 passes for 150 yards and lose.

3. Pierre Thomas, RB, Saints
For all intents and purposes, Thomas didn’t have the year that many expected. He battled a knee injury earlier in the year and then lost carries to Mike Bell when the backup exploded for 143 yards in Week 1. But in the Saints’ two playoff wins, Thomas has averaged 16.5 touches per game with two touchdowns. He carried rib and ankle issues into the postseason, but he’s expected to be 100% and should play a key role for the Saints on Sunday. While Sean Payton loves to throw the ball, he also understands the importance of establishing the run and the Colts’ smallish front seven has been vulnerable on the ground in the past. Thomas could surprise come Super Bowl Sunday and be the true backbone of the Saints’ offense.

4. Dallas Clark, TE, Colts
After Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon burned the Jets in the AFC Championship Game, the Saints can’t prepare to defend the Colts the same way. That means Clark could have a field day if Indy’s offense is clicking on all cylinders. He’s a mismatch against linebackers and after Visanthe Shiancoe racked up four catches for 83 yards in the NFC title game, the Colts should have no problem figuring out ways to utilize Clark against the Saints’ pass defense. Outside of Reggie Wayne, Clark is Peyton Manning’s favorite target in the red zone and a multi-touchdown game out of the tight end is certainly a possibility, as is the MVP award. The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is because tight ends have taken home the award precisely zero times in the past 43 years. But hey, there’s a first time for everything.

5. Darren Sharper, S, Saints
Only four defensive players in the last 25 years have taken home the MVP award in the Super Bowl, but if there were any defender to do it this year, I’d put money on Sharper. The Vikings wanted to get younger at the safety position, which is why they didn’t re-sign the then 33-year-old Sharper last offseason. But the Saints had no problem handing Sharper a two-year contract in March of last year and all he’s done since then is given them a great return on their investment. In 14 games this season, Sharper registered 71 total tackles and nine interceptions, three of which he returned for touchdowns. He’s also coming off an 11-tackle effort against the Vikings in the NFC Championship Game and should have fresh legs with two weeks off to rest. Seeing as how this could be his last opportunity to play in a Super Bowl, Sharper will probably leave everything he has on the field and he might turn in one of those once-in-a-lifetime performances.

Comment Fodder: Considering the other candidates that weren't listed (Reggie Bush, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, Jeremy Shockey, Joseph Addai, etc.), who do you think will win the MVP award outside of Manning and Brees?

Photo from fOTOGLIF

As part of the ongoing coverage leading up to Super Bowl XLIV, here are five factors the Colts must overcome to beat the Saints.

1. The potential loss of Freeney.
Come kickoff on Sunday, there will be no bigger hurdle for the Colts to overcome than if defensive end Dwight Freeney can’t play, or is limited due to an ankle injury. He’s undoubtedly Indy’s best defender and is a game-changer in every sense of the word. If he can’t play, the Saints don’t have to worry about keeping extra blockers in to protect Drew Brees and can focus most of their attention on slowing down Robert Mathis. Pressure is the key to disrupting any offense and the same can be said for the Saints’ high-powered attack. As it stands now, Freeney wants to play and should dress. But considering he’s a speed rusher and has a tear in his ankle, how effective does anyone think he’ll actually be? Barring the ankle being completely healed, the Colts have a serious problem on their hand.

2. Slowing down Brees.
For all that is said about Drew Brees, he still doesn’t get enough credit for being able to read a defense and deliver timely, accurate passes. What makes him unique is that he has accuracy on all three levels, in that he can complete the short to intermediate route with as much ease as he can the deep pass. Another thing Brees does well is scanning the field and throwing away from the coverage. Over the last half of the season, nine quarterbacks threw for two or more touchdowns against the Colts, who gave up big plays in the AFC Championship Game to the usually offensively challenged Jets. Brees has a plethora of weapons to use at his disposal and Indy doesn’t have the personnel to go toe-to-toe with all the Saints’ receivers. The best way to slow down Brees is to pressure him, but as was noted above, that could be a problem for the Colts if Freeney is limited.

3. Protecting Manning from the Saints’ pressure.
One of the many great things about Peyton Manning is that he acts as his own protection because he gets the ball out of his hand so quickly. There’s a reason why he rarely winds up on his backside and that’s because he’s excellent at recognizing the defense, adjusting to the coverage and delivering the ball in a timely manner. That said, no team has battered the quarterback as much as the Saints have this postseason. They hit Kurt Warner and Brett Favre a combined 11 times, with most of their pressure coming right up the middle, which is the kind that quarterbacks hate most. If the Saints can pressure Manning up the middle, get in his face, disrupt his rhythm and make him frustrated, then New Orleans can dictate the flow of the game. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

4. The potential mismatch vs. Shockey.
If Jeremy Shockey is completely healthy, then he provides a matchup problem that the Colts will have to figure out a way to neutralize. Antonie Bethea and Melvin Bullitt have become valuable pieces for the Colts because of their versatility and strengths against the run. But Bullitt can be stiff in his hips at times and doesn’t always get into a good back pedal at the start, which leads to him overusing his speed to make up ground. Bethea struggles in man coverage, will lose receivers while biting on pump fakes and sometimes looks for the knockout hit instead of wrapping up. These are all things that the Saints can use to their advantage if Shockey is healthy, because he presents matchup problems in one-on-one coverage and can rack up yards after contact. At times this season, the middle of the field has been a weakness for the Colts that opponents can attack. Indianapolis must adjust if Shockey is 100%.

5. Complacency.
This shouldn’t be a problem for a team led by Peyton Manning, but it’s worth noting anyway. The Colts have been here before, and have won. The Saints have not, so there might be a tendency brewing among Indy’s players that they’ll be more prepared for this game than New Orleans will be. However, the advantages for the Colts stop at kickoff on Sunday, because once that time starts winding off the clock it’s all about 60 minutes of football. All the media hype and hoopla fly out the window and any advantage Indy had from their previous Super Bowl is squashed. The Colts can’t get complacent – they still have to execute for four quarters against an outstanding football team in order to achieve greatness.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

As part of our ongoing coverage leading up to Super Bowl XLIV, here are five factors the Saints must overcome to beat the Colts.

1. First time jitters.
Since the berth of the Super Bowl in 1966, only seven teams have won in their first appearance: the Packers, Jets, Steelers, 49ers, Bears, Giants and Buccaneers. The remaining 18 teams appearing in their first Super Bowl all lost, meaning 30% of first-timers fall in the NFL title game. Trends like these mean nothing when it comes to the actual game, but it’s worth noting that this will be Drew Brees’ first Super Bowl, compared to Peyton Manning, who will be appearing in his second in four years. The fact that the Colts have already played once in Miami is an advantage for them as well.

2. Peyton Manning’s quick-release.
Perhaps no team has done a better job this postseason at battering the quarterback than the Saints. But Manning doesn’t make it easy for teams to get to him because he excels at reading the defense at the line of scrimmage, diagnosing the coverage and getting the ball out of his hands as quickly as possible. He also makes adjustments better than any QB in the game, as evidence of how quickly the tide turned in the AFC Championship Game towards the end of the first half. Gregg Williams can boast all he wants about getting to Manning, but his players still have to execute. And that’s easier said than done when it comes to pressuring Peyton.

3. The Colts’ pass rush.
Let’s assume for the moment that Dwight Freeney’s ankle will be fine by Sunday and he’ll play. The Saints’ No. 1 job on offense then becomes protecting Drew Brees at all costs. In their loss to the Cowboys in Week 15, DeMarcus Ware abused the Saints’ offensive line and Sean Payton and Drew Brees never made the proper adjustments. It’s one thing to trust that your line will do its job, but now isn’t the time to take chances; New Orleans needs to keep extra blockers in to stop Freeney and Robert Mathis so that Brees has ample time to throw. The nice thing about the Saints is that they have a multitude of offensive weapons, but those weapons do Brees no good if he’s constantly on his backside.

4. Dallas Clark’s impact.
In of the NFC Championship Game, Vikings’ tight end Visanthe Shiancoe caught four passes for 83 yards and racked up a YPC average of 20.8. He did most of his damage on Minnesota’s first possession of the second half when he caught three passes for 67 yards to help set up a 1-yard Adrian Peterson touchdown run. If Shiancoe can have that much of an impact on one possession, imagine what Clark could accomplish given four quarters. The Jets did a great job shutting down Reggie Wayne and limiting Clark’s impact in the AFC title game, until late in the fourth quarter when the Indy tight end caught a touchdown and put a dagger in New York’s hopes of winning. While stopping Wayne is important, the Saints can’t allow Clark to own the middle of the field and work the seams. Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon wound up beating the Jets, but if New York had more offense that day they may have won anyway. New Orleans can’t allow Clark to set the table for Manning and the Colts, much like Shiancoe did for the Vikings in the NFC title game.

5. Don’t buy into the hype.
One thing that teams sometimes fall victim of is that they start believing their own hype. A lot of people are talking about destiny when it comes to the Saints and how this is "their year." But the Colts didn’t stumble into the Super Bowl by accident: They earned their right to be here by playing better than any team in the NFL – including the Saints. I’m sure Sean Payton and his coaching staff is keeping their players grounded in the week leading up to the Super Bowl, but they really need to hammer home the fact that they haven’t won anything yet. Whether destiny exists or not, the Saints still have to play 60 minutes of football against the best team in the league on Sunday.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

It’s an understatement to say that the Saints have battered opposing quarterbacks this postseason. In fact, ESPN.com reports that in two games, New Orleans put 11 hits on Kurt Warner and Brett Favre in its wins over the Cardinals and Vikings over the past two weeks.

Per the report, six of the hits came through the middle of the line, with the other five coming around the ends. Five of the hits were from unblocked defenders, three were from defenders beating blocks and three were coverage sacks where the quarterback held the ball for over five seconds.

What’s interesting is that seven of the 11 hits came when the Saints had five or more defensive backs on the field, meaning Gregg Williams isn’t necessarily putting his cornerbacks on islands when he sends pressure. Also, five of the 11 hits came in the first quarter, but just two hits came in the fourth, which obviously suggests that Williams is willing to take more gambles earlier in the game but not in crunch time when scores are vital.

In last weekend’s AFC Championship, the Jets pressured Peyton Manning with some success early in the game, but the Colts neutralized New York’s aggressiveness towards the end of the first half when they switched to the no-huddle. Manning is highly skilled at getting the ball out of his hand early and putting the ball in the air before his receivers are out of their breaks. That’s part of what makes him so effective and how he burns opponents with the passing game.

By looking at the stats, it appears that Williams is aggressive but isn’t reckless with his pressure. He’ll send multiple defenders at the opposing quarterback, but will blanket coverage over the top so that his defensive backs won’t get beat deep. No quarterback likes defenders in his face, so if the Saints can drum up pressure up the middle they might have success against Manning early on. But the key is whether or not they can produce stops in the second half when Williams isn’t as aggressive. The Jets couldn’t and that’s why they’ll be at home next Sunday instead of in Miami.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Over the next two weeks, Saints’ defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has the unenviable task of trying to do something that not even Rex Ryan could accomplish: Stop Peyton Manning.

Actually, “stop” isn’t the best term to use here, seeing as how nobody can actually stop Peyton Manning. “Contain” would be a better word, although that doesn’t make Williams’ job any easier as the Saints prepare to take on the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.

Thanks to Ryan’s guidance, the Jets had the No. 1 defense in the league this year and if there were any team that could contain Manning, many thought it would be New York. Instead, the Colts racked up 30 points and 461 yards of total offense on the NFL’s best defense, as Indy beat New York 30-17 in the AFC Championship Game last Sunday. The Colts also finished with 19 first downs and even rushed for 101 yards despite having the league’s worst ground attack.

Ryan’s game plan was simple: Shut down Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark and force Manning to use his other weapons. And, much as they’ve done all season, the Jets executed Ryan’s plan by holding Wayne to only three catches for 55 yards and Clark to four receptions for 35 yards.

The problem was that Manning did use his other weapons, which then went on to torch the Jets’ secondary. Pierre Garcon hauled in 11 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown, while rookie Austin Collie caught seven passes for 123 yards and a score. Ryan forced Manning to beat him with Garcon and Collie and that’s exactly what he did. That also freed up Clark to reach the end zone in the fourth quarter and pretty much put the game out of reach.

If Ryan and his No. 1 defense couldn’t beat the Colts, what makes anyone think Williams and the Saints can figure Manning out? For starters, Williams will have to mix up his looks. The Jets had a ton of success early in the game last week by pressuring Manning, but then they were burned later on when the Colts went to a no huddle and neutralized their aggressiveness. New Orleans won’t have success blitzing every down, because eventually Manning will start to pick them apart.

Williams will have to mix up his pressure, zone and man-to-man look as much as possible in order to win the chess match with Manning and long-time offensive play caller Tom Moore. If Manning is able to figure things out at the line of scrimmage, it will be difficult for the Saints to keep pace. But if they can mix up their looks and make Manning adjust on the fly as much as possible, then they might be able to come up with a couple of huge stops in order to get their offense back onto the field as much as possible.

That said, Manning is still going to do damage. There’s a reason why he’s the best in the league and even when defenses confuse him he is excellent at putting the ball in only places his receivers can catch it. So even if Williams does win most of the chess matches, Darren Sharper and company need to execute on the field in order for the Saints to win on Sunday.

Can Williams and the Saints figure it out? We’ll find out soon.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

In safeties Antonie Bethea and Melvin Bullitt, the Colts have two players in their defensive backfield that are steady, underrated and are strong against the run.

But the takeaway from the above sentence is “strong against the run.” That doesn’t mean that Bethea and Bullitt are key factors in pass coverage and in fact, they’re not. They’re adequate against the pass at best, which is why some teams have had success attacking the seams of the Colts’ defense with their tight ends.

The Saints have a playmaker at tight end in Jeremy Shockey, a player that, when healthy, is a mismatch in coverage because of his size, speed and pass-catching ability. He would definitely be a mismatch in coverage against Bethea and Bullitt, especially considering that the two safeties also have to defend the run and the rest of the weapons that New Orleans has in its arsenal.

But the problem is that Shockey can never stay healthy and at least for the moment, he isn’t healthy now. Over the past month, he’s battled toe and knee injuries and hasn’t been 100%. In fact, head coach Sean Payton said that Shockey was on a limited snap count in last Sunday’s NFC Championship Game and that’s why the tight end caught just one pass for nine yards.

If Shockey can get healthy over the next two weeks, he could be the kind of X-factor that the Saints will need to beat the Colts. David Thomas is a fine replacement at tight end of Shockey is limited again, but he’s not the type of game-changer that Shockey is when he’s playing at full strength. If he’s at 100%, Drew Brees might have success attacking the middle of Indy’s defense with Shockey being the main weapon in the Saints’ passing game.

But if he resembles the one-legged man again like he did last week, then the Colts will catch a break and will likely turn their attention to stopping Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem and the rest of New Orleans’ outside pass threats.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Colts’ defensive end Dwight Freeney has a torn ligament in his injured right ankle, which means he could wind up missing Super Bowl XLIV.

This is the biggest game of the year and the Colts could be without their top pass rusher. This is devastating news for Indy to say the least and even if he does tough it out and play, he probably won’t be at 100%.

Freeney led the Colts with 13.5 sacks and along with Robert Mathis, gave the team a fierce pass rush – one that is supposed to keep Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees on edge. The best way to disrupt an opposing team’s offensive game plan is to get in the quarterback’s face and make him throw the ball sooner than he intends. That same notion can be applied to Brees and the Saints, who looked like a completely different offense in a Week 14 loss to the Cowboys, thanks to DeMarcus Ware and Dallas’ explosive pass rush.

If Freeney is limited on Sunday or misses the game entirely, then Brees should be more comfortable in the pocket, which is a scary thought for the Colts. In Marques Colston, Robert Meachem, Devery Henderson and Jeremy Shockey, the Saints have a plethora of weapons for Brees to use to attack Indy’s secondary. And if he has all day to throw, then Brees should be able to strike for big plays and keep the Colts on their heels the entire game.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if Freeney can't play, then the Saints won't have to keep extra blockers in to keep protect Brees. With Freeney and Mathis both on the field, teams usually have to keep an extra blocker in (usually a running back) to help keep their quarterback upright. But with just Mathis to worry about, the Saints can roll their backs into the flats or over the middle, and we all know what Reggie Bush can do in open space. Obviously the Saints are at an advantage when Bush is on the field, compared to a blocking back like Pierre Thomas or Mike Bell.

Granted, it's a ridiculous notion to suggest that one player (outside of the quarterback) can change the course of an entire game, but it would be a mistake to dismiss how vital Freeney is to the Colts' defense. He's a game-changer who relies on his speed to disrupt the flow of an opponent's offense and if he can't play, Indy will be limited in what it can do in its game plan come Sunday. Obviously this injury has no affect on Peyton Manning and the Colts' offense, but given how explosive the Saints are, Freeney is the one player Indy can't afford to lose.

The best-case scenario for the Colts would be if Freeney doesn’t practice all week and his ankle feels better by Sunday. But if he does have a tear, then it’s going to take longer than six days for the injury to heel. He has already admitted that the injury hasn’t improved over the last week and he has yet to practice.

With that in mind, I’m sure the Colts are already preparing for the inevitable: That they might be without their best defensive player for Super Bowl Sunday.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Jim Caldwell told the media on Monday that he expects defensive end Dwight Freeney to play in Super Bowl XLIV.

From NFL.com:

Colts coach Jim Caldwell appeared on SIRIUS NFL Radio with Adam Schein and Rich Gannon on Monday and confirmed what a team spokesman said about Dwight Freeney the previous day. The All-Pro defensive end is in Miami, receiving treatment for a third-degree ankle sprain, and is considered questionable for Sunday’s Super Bowl against the Saints.

Caldwell also echoed the refrain that Freeney is a quick healer and has been in this situation before, when it looked as if he wouldn’t play.
The Colts are willing to wait until the very last second to make a decision on Freeney’s status.

“If he’s able to go and capable of going,” Caldwell said, “I mean, we’ll wait until the last hour if need be, and I think he’ll be able to do his job and do it well.”

I’m going to sound like a broken record all week, but so be it: Even if Freeney does play, he won’t be at 100% and that’s all that should matter here. He’s a speed rusher with a bad ankle – how effective does anyone actually think he’ll be?

As a football fan with no alliance to either team, I hope Freeney is able to play and play well. But the reality of the situation is that he has a tear in his ankle and I don’t six days of treatment are going to mend the injury. Again, I hope I'm wrong but this isn't a good situation for the Colts, no matter how much Caldwell spins it.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

After going through their first real practice on Thursday in preparation for the Colts and Super Bowl XLIV, they released a pretty lengthy injury report with several key names on it.

Starters Jeremy Shockey (knee), Darren Sharper (knee), Jonathan Vilma (knee) and Will Smith (groin) were all on Thursday’s injury report, as well as cornerbacks Randall Gay and Malcolm Jenkins, running back Lynell Hamilton, kick returner Courtney Roby and offensive lineman Zach Streif.

Head coach Sean Payton indicated that Shockey received good news from his visit with the acclaimed Dr. James Andrews earlier this week and that there hasn’t been a setback with the tight end’s knee. Shockey said on Thursday that he’s prepared to play with pain and that he’ll do everything he can, “even if that requires hurting myself.”

The injuries to Sharper, Vilma, Smith and the rest of the Saints appear to be minor and as of right now, there is no threat to them missing the Super Bowl. At least, Payton and the rest of New Orleans better hope so.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

The NFL’s mission to rule the world and govern those in it progressed further this week, when the league ordered shops to stop selling ‘Who Dat’ Saints gear and memorabilia.

From WWLTV.com:

As the Saints' appearance in their first Super Bowl gets closer, the marketplace is being flooded with Saints merchandise and memorabilia as businesses are looking to cash in on the euphoria, but the NFL is cracking down on the use of their trademarks, including the iconic phrase "Who Dat."

“They're telling me not to print anymore shirts and to get rid of the inventory that I have because it says the words 'Who dat' and it has a gold fleur de lis on the shirt,” she said.

According to NFL spokesman Dan Masonson, "Any unauthorized use of the Saints colors and other [marks] designed to create the illusion of an affiliation with the Saints is equally a violation of the Saints trademark rights because it allows a third party to 'free ride' by profiting from confusion of the team's fans, who want to show support for the Saints."

What a load of crap. I realize that the NFL has a federal trademark on the Saints’ fleur de lis logo, but these people are trying to make a profit off the logo – they’re trying to make a profit off the phrase and unite Saints fans for the Super Bowl. Unless I’m missing something, the NFL doesn’t own the phrase ‘Who Dat,’ just the Saints logo that is being incorporated on the memorabilia.

Either way, this is just another attempt by the NFL to police its trademarks and I find this particular instance to be crossing the line. Let the small New Orleans shops sell their gear; after all, it’s not like the economy could use a boost or anything.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

If asked to name as many players on the Colts’ defense as they could, the causal NFL fan may struggle coming up with five names. But the one name that would undoubtedly come out of his or her mouth would be defensive end Dwight Freeney.

In only 14 games this season, Freeney racked up 13.5 sacks, 24 tackles and one forced fumble. At times, he provides all the pass-rush that the Colts need and will play a crucial role in the team’s success come February 7 when Indianapolis takes on the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV.

The problem with that, however, is that Freeney sprained his right ankle in the AFC Championship Game last weekend and although head coach Jim Caldwell told the Indianapolis Star that his Pro Bowl D-end’s ankle was progressing, there’s some question about whether or not Freeney will actually be at 100% health come Super Bowl Sunday.

Freeney missed practice on Thursday and isn’t expected to partake in any of the Pro Bowl activities, so he’ll have at least a week of rest before getting back onto the practice field. And if the ankle hasn’t shown any signs of improvement by Monday, Caldwell would surely limit Freeney’s participation n in practice the week of the Super Bowl.

If he does wind up missing an entire two weeks of practice, will Freeney be as effective during the Super Bowl as he was this season? He’s an eight-year veteran of the Colts’ defense, so it’s not like he needs extra reps at this point in his career. But even after only two weeks of inactively, the game has a tendency to slow down for players.

Given how vital it’ll be for the Colts to pressure Saints quarterback Drew Brees, having Freeney at 100% is crucial.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

With this being the Saints’ first ever trip to the Super Bowl, odds makers have made the Colts a 5-point opening favorite for Super Bowl XLIV according to theSpread.com. The over/under total has been set at 55.5.

Both of these teams have been a public favorite this year because they can score points. But given how good New Orleans was all season, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that point spread come down over the next two weeks with people betting on the Saints.

The total is intriguing because it’s the second time in three years that the over/under has been set over 50 points. Even though both teams can light up a scoreboard, 55.5 is a ton of points for any NFL game. The last time a Super Bowl total was set that high was in 2008 when the over/under for the Patriots-Giants title game was 55. Everyone thought that game would sail over too and the final was 17-14, well under the 55 points obviously.

It’ll be interesting to see how the line moves over the next two weeks. I imagine even money will come in on both sides.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

Excuse the borrowed analogy, but there’s no other way to describe what the Vikings did on Sunday night then to say that they shot themselves in the foot. (And repeatedly, might I add.)

The media is going to concentrate on Brett Favre’s interception in New Orleans territory with 19 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Vikings turned the ball over five times in their 31-28 loss to the Saints in the NFC Championship Game. Favre’s interception was a horrid mistake that only most rookies make, but the fact of the matter is that the blame cannot be pinned on just one person. And truth be told, even if Favre threw that pass 12 rows deep into the stands, there’s no guarantee that Ryan Longwell would have made a 50-plus yard attempt on the next play.

The Vikings screwed the pooch tonight – plain and simple. That’s not to take anything away from the Saints because Drew Brees and company deserve the right to play in Miami in two weeks, but Minnesota blew several golden opportunities to put more points on the board. A team can’t turn the ball over five times (it could have been seven had they not recovered two Adrian Peterson fumbles) and expect to win. They just can’t.

But what doomed the Vikings more than anything tonight was when they were flagged for having too many men in the huddle on that third and 10 play from the Saints’ 33-yard line. Had they not gotten that penalty, there’s a good chance that Brad Childress would have called something safer (even if it were a pass play) and therefore Favre probably wouldn’t have gotten picked off while trying to make a play. For all their mistakes on the night, that 5-yard penalty may have been the reason they’re not heading to Miami in two weeks.

Getting back to the Saints, was anyone overly impressed with them tonight? I realize they scored 31 points and Brees threw three touchdowns, but I didn’t think they played a very crisp game. Their defense was shaky, some of the play calls and decisions by Sean Payton were questionable and their offense wasn’t as explosive as the 31 points would indicate. All in all, this wasn’t the best the Saints have played but they still managed to win, which I guess is saying something.

As for Super Bowl XLIV – I love the matchup. Two great quarterbacks and offenses will go toe to toe and either way, deserving men will win. These are two model organizations and unless you’re a Jets or Vikings fan, it’s kind of hard not to like the matchup.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

All week, the game plan for the Jets was simple: Run the football, play good defense, and keep the game out of Mark Sanchez’s hands. In fact, that has been New York’s mantra all season.

But on Sunday, it was the defense that failed the Jets in their 30-17 loss to the Colts in the 2010 AFC Championship Game. They gave up a whopping 461 total yards, including 101 rushing yards to a team that can’t run the football. Peyton Manning threw for 377 yards and three touchdowns on 26-of-39 passing, while Pierre Garcon (11 receptions, 151 yards, 1 TD) and rookie Austin Collie (7 receptions, 123 yards, 1 TD) shredded New York’s secondary for big plays in the second half.

Outside of throwing an interception late in the fourth quarter in garbage time, Sanchez was pretty damn good. And not pretty damn good for a rookie – pretty damn good for any quarterback. He completed 17-of-30 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns, including an 80-yard bomb to Braylon Edwards early in the second quarter to give the Jets a 7-3 lead.

Sanchez was impressive. Several times throughout the game he used his feet to buy more time, threw the ball with confidence and took shots vertically instead of settling for the underneath pass. He played like a seasoned vet and although he couldn’t lead the Jets to a victory, he was also at disadvantage after rookie running back Shonn Greene left the game early in the third quarter with a rib injury.

Everyone knew that Sanchez wasn’t going to be able to beat the Colts with his arm. But the bottom line is that he wasn’t the problem – Manning shredded the Jets’ defense, which couldn’t limit the big play and didn’t make one clutch stop in the second half.

The one person everyone was worried about actually played pretty well. And had the Jets not gone with an ultraconservative to open the second half, then maybe Sanchez would have been able to lead them to Miami. Either way, at least this is a performance that Sanchez can build on heading into a promising second year.

Photo from fOTOGLIF

It’s official: Peyton Manning owns Rex Ryan like Joe Namath owns awkward sideline interviews.

Manning shredded Ryan and the Jets’ No. 1 rated defense for 377 yards and three touchdowns on 26-of-39 passing in the Colts’ 30-17 win in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday. With the victory, Indy is headed back to Miami for Super Bowl XLIV.

In the first quarter, the Jets were able to fluster Manning with their pressure, racking up two sacks and limiting the Colts to just two field goals. But right before half, Indy used its no huddle to loosen up New York’s secondary and strike for a couple big plays. Manning capped the drive off with a 16-yard touchdown pass to rookie Austin Collie to cut the Jets’ lead to 17-13 at halftime.

The drive was an omen for the second half, as Manning completely took the game over with the Jets struggling to generate points. While New York concentrated on Reggie Wayne (3 catches, 55 yards), Manning attacked the seams with Collie (7 catches, 123 yards, 1 TD) and Piere Garcon (11 catches, 151 yards, 1 TD).

Manning was absolutely incredible. He put the ball in places where the defense had no chance to knock it down and had pinpoint accuracy all game. He knew exactly where he wanted to go with the ball on every play and took advantage of holes in the Jets’ secondary. It was as finest performance as I have seen out of Manning in the playoffs.

Manning is now 7-1 against Ryan-led defenses, with the only loss coming in Week 15 of the regular season after Jim Caldwell pulled his starters early in the second half. If the Jets continue to progress under Ryan, then this could be a storyline for years to come.

Photo from fOTOGLIF