Super Bowl Preview

First off, I would like to point out (because I am a prick) how close I was on the Championship Weekend predictions.
Jets @ Colts
Mine: 27-10 Colts
Actual: 30-17 Colts

Vikings @ Saints
Mine: 31-27 Saints
Actual: 31-28 Saints

Ok. I just had to get that out of my system. Lets take an advanced look at what should be an awesome Super Bowl.

6:25 EST
New Orleans Saints: 15-3 vs. Indianapolis Colts: 16-2 (-5)
Outlook: It doesn't take Tom Jackson to figure out that this will be a high scoring game. Both teams are elite at QB and have tons of weapons to get the ball to.
Biggest question mark: How much blitzing will Greg Williams do?
Drew Brees is good against be blitz but Manning is better. Brees also can be rattled by a good defense end (see Ware, DeMarcus). The Saints don't have an elite 4 man rush so they will need to bring 5-6 players consistently. Manning eats up the blitz better than any QB in the NFL though (see Jets, New York)
Key Matchup #1: Jonathan Stinchcomb vs Robert Mathis
With Freeney's looming ankle injury, it will be up to Robert Mathis to aplly pressure on Brees and squeeze the pocket. No one in the NFL is better at stepping up in the pocket and making throws than Brees. Also, New Orleans will attempt to run underneath the speed rushing Mathis, and Stinchcomb will need to push him around.
Key Matchup #2: Peyton Manning vs. Darren Sharper
2 of the best at their position in the NFL in a non-stop chess match that will last all game. Sharper is known for his ability to read quarterbacks and ball hawk as good as anyone. Peyton Manning is Peyton Manning. However, keep in mind that Manning threw 16 INTs the season and was intercepted twice by Ed Reed in the Divisional Round win over Baltimore (only 1 couted, the other was called back by a penalty). If Manning can keep Sharper guessing wrong and get behind him, goodnight.
Possible deciding factor #1: Special Teams
Pop quiz: Who is the kick and punt returner for Indianapolis?? Now how about New Orleans???
Yeah. New Orleans definitely has the advantage here. Despite his short comings as an every down back, Reggie Bush is explosive when you give him space (i.e. punt return). In week 16, Brad Smith of the jets took a kick return 106 yards and set an NFL record. If New Orleans can swing field position in their favor, or take one back, they will have a lot better chance of winning.
Possible deciding factor #2: The Final Countdown
There were no teams better in the last 2 minutes of each half of putting points on the board then Indy and N.O., nor were there 2 better QBs than Manning and Brees. This game has the "team to score last wins" tag written all over it.
Prediction: Saints 34-30; I just have this feeling that the Saints will ride the energy of this game early and jump out to a 24-10 lead at the half. Manning is the best at adjusting in the NFL. Down 30-27 with a hair over 2 minutes left, Brees will rally and score a TD to win 34-30 and give the city of New Orleans a well deserved Super Bowl.
MVP: Brees 27-38 362 yrds 3 TDs

Last Week:
line 1-1
picks 2-0

Playoffs:
line 1-5
picks 4-2

Tebow to provide greatest Super Bowl Halftime ever

MIAMI, FL -
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell seemed to not have done his research before he made his decision on the Super Bowl Halftime Show this year. If you have not heard, The Who will be preforming at Halftime of Super Bowl XLIV this Sunday. Goodell thought this choice would manage to follow the theme that the NFL has followed since the infamous Janet Jackson "wardrobe malfunction" of Super Bowl XXXVIII of "safe" and "conservative". What Goodell didn't realize is that Pete Townshend of The Who was on the "Watchdog" list for the UK for 5 years from 2003-2008, due to child pornography being found on his computer. Townshend claimed it was in research of a book he was doing. Now, a local child advocacy group is passing out fliers among 1,500 homes near Dolphin Stadium to warn the local people of an arrested pedophile being there. In light of the situation, Roger Goodell has decided to change his plans for the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

The new plan is to highlight someone that has not received enough media attention, Tim Tebow. Tebow spent all of last week at the Senior Bowl practices, showing of his skills for NFL scouts. Despite already being claimed as a saint in the state of Florida, some critics feel he does not have all the necessary skills to play as a pro QB. One team scout said, "Tim reads defenses slower than a 2-year would read The Wallstreet Journal... cover to cover."

In order to shed some positive light on Tebow, the NFL thought it could show his other attributes in order to increase his likeliness of being drafter early. Tebow had planned to have a anti-abortion commercial shown during the Super Bowl, but several liberal groups are STRONGLY urging CBS not to show it. Since the commercial might not air, the NFL jumped into action. Goodell said, "He (Tebow) is a fan favorite and the media orgasms every time they talk about him. We need to keep him relevant as long as possible. His college skills have little to no transfer ability into the NFL, so we hope to fool a bad GM into drafting him in the 1st or 2nd round. That way we will be able to get plenty of media attention going his way."

Goodell claims that the goal of the halftime show is to "Show off all of the other skills Tebow has that have nothing to do with being an NFL QB". It is scheduled to include an interpretive dance to show off Tim's intangibles, him reading a children's book to kids to show his ability to read a defense, a live circumcision of a Haitian refugee to show good hands, and then Tebow will instruct a group of boy scouts on how to tie knots to show is amazing leadership skills.

In an exclusive interview with an enthusiastic Tebow, he stated, "Yeah this should be great. I hope after I finish this presentation, scouts will be able to look past my awful footwork, atrocious mechanics and delivery, and my terrible accuracy. I promise you one thing, a lot of good will come out of this. You will never see a person in the country work as hard as I will on this. You will never see someone push those kids to tie knots during this competition as hard as I will. God bless."