The Saints are going to beat the Colts in the Super Bowl

Thanks, Pro, for the quick response. To clarify, I am most definitely rooting for the Saints and I do believe they can and should win. However, I took this challenge for the sake of debate and to see if I can out-argue my opponent which I am about to do... A response to Pro's arguments: 1. The Colts rank 32nd in rushing yards While this is true, the Colts have also had a near-perfect season. Obviously their offense is doing something right. I've got two words to explain the Colts lack of rushing: Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning is arguably the best quarterback in the league. As such, his discipline, precision, experience, dedication (hours and hours spent practicing and watching tape) leadership and overall offensive timing contributes to the Colts explosive offense which has and can succeed without a dominant RB. 2. The Saints have a higher PPG and rush yard average So? It's no secret that the Saints have a dominant offense. However, the Colts do too. In the end it's about winning the football game. Stats aren't everything. Remember the '06 Superbowl season? Basically the Colts had one of the worst run defenses in the league (5.3 YPC average)... but they held all three teams they faced in route to their Super Bowl to I think 83 yards max. Larry Johnson (KC) = 32 yards Jamal Lewis (BAL) = 53 yards Corey Dillon (NE) = 48 yards ( I think NE had 83 total yards) Basically, stats are relevant but not indicative of anything. The Colts have overcome being statistically unfavored in the past. They fix their weaknesses. Now onto Con's arguments: 1. Drew Brees vs. Peyton Manning Obviously the QB plays a tremendous role in the game. Peyton Manning inarguably has more experience, poise and offensive awareness than Drew Brees. His leadership, preparation and discipline will greatly help his team. He exploits mistakes in the opponent's D at every opportunity and is not known to make a lot of mistakes or turn the ball over. Will the Saints be able to stop PM? Like they say - you live by the blitz, you die by the blitz. PM will work around it. Not to mention that the Saints have admitted to target PM, and the NFL has become a lot more concerned about protecting the QB these last few seasons... so expect some penalties against the Saints, which might hurt them in a game predicted to be really close. In his L/2 NFL betting battles against the Saints, Manning has thrown for nine touchdowns against no interceptions. Indy covered and won both games with ease. 2. Defense The Colts have a superior defense. Against the Vikings, the Saints won largely in part due to RB Adrian Peterson's fumbles, and Brett Favre (who is infamous for his intercepted passes) turning the ball over. The Colts rarely turn the ball over, so the Saints won't have the same opportunities that they did with the Vikings whom they barely beat. The Colts have a better pass rush and defense. The Saints rely on mistakes created by their opponent; Manning and the Colts won't make too many of them. The Colts were the #1 ranked scoring D until week 15 [1]. 3. Receiving Manning has thrown for 5,123 yards and 38 TDs, and what he's proving in the playoffs is that he can use any number of weapons. Both WR Reggie Wayne and TE Dallas Clark caught 100 passes during the regular season, but the men that are tearing apart opposing defenses for the Colts are WRs Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon. Neither one expected to factor into the Indianapolis offense this season, as Wayne, Clark, and the injured WR Anthony Gonzalez were expected to be the dominant options in the passing attack, but Collie and Garcon have combined for 27 catches, 360 yards, and three TDs in two playoff games [2]. 4. Performance While both teams nearly went undefeated, the Saints tried a little harder. The Colts only lost twice and both times used their JV squad - not their starters. They've also played around injuries all season long. How the teams played against recent Playoff opponents also says a lot about their post-season game and abilities. Minnesota scored 4 TD's with 5 turnovers, yet the Colts played the top defense (Jets) with one turnover and managed to score 30 points. 5. Pressure The pressure's on NO to win given the media bringing up Hurricane Katrina all the time, and the Saints having never won a Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Manning doesn't have to worry about any added pressure -- he wants to win for his own personal achievement. I'll leave it at that for now... [1] http://www.cbssports.com... [2] http://www.touthouse.com...