Rick Teverbaugh
There are many reasons the Indianapolis Colts will win their second Super Bowl in three years Sunday.
A big one is the Colts have the world’s best quarterback in Payton Manning — perhaps the best ever to play the game.
Manning has changed the quarterback position in the most drastic way since the forward pass was made legal 104 years ago.
The next reason is Dwight Freeney, the Colts All-World defensive end. He's going to play despite a bad ankle. When he plays, even if limited to passing downs, he forces the rival quarterback to play quicker than he’d like. Freeney also draws so much attention one of his defensive mates will get an opportunity to make the play.
Another reason is the Colts deserve the win more than the Saints.
It seems most of the country is enthralled by the idea that a Saints win is the elixir New Orleans needs and deserves on the long road back from Hurricane Katrina.
It is true a win would give New Orleans an emotional lift, but that's also true for Indiana, which hasn’t exactly been a hotbed for good economic news either.
Furthermore, Indianapolis has been through more hardship as a team than New Orleans.
Consider what the Colts lost before and during this season: Coach Tony Dungy; one of the NFL’s best defensive players, Bob Sanders; a certain Hall of Fame receiver, Marvin Harrison; and a certain Hall of Fame kicker, Adam Vinatieri.
Perseverance shouldn’t and won’t go unrewarded.
Then there’s the matter of the Saints’ favorite NFL son (at least prior to Drew Brees), Archie Manning. It has to hurt New Orleans’ chances that not even he will be rooting for his old team this year.
The Colts will win because they have won this game at this same venue three years ago. Winning breeds winning. Comfortable players are relaxed players. Relaxed players perform at levels closer to their natural abilities.
There are other similarities between 2010 and 2007 that bode well for the Colts. They are again playing the NFC’s top-seeded team. They are again installed as the betting favorite.
But the No. 1 reason the Colts will win Sunday is Dave Letterman said so on his “Late Night” show.
What better authority could be found?
Letterman predicted the Colts would defeat Baltimore in the first round of the playoffs and he was right. Then he told his New York audience that the Jets had no chance in the AFC title game. And he was right.
Mark my words: Colts 28, Saints 17.
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Rick Teverbaugh is the sports editor of the Anderson, Ind., Herald Bulletin. Contact him at rick.teveverbaugh @heraldbulletin.com.
