The Clarion

Issue date: 1/27/10 Section: Super Bowl

We all know what happened the last time the Super Bowl was held in Miami. The Indianapolis Colts defeated the Chicago Bears 29-17 and Peyton Manning was named MVP of the game. The end result of Super Bowl XLIV will be the same as the last time the Colts played in Miami for the title.

Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison currently hold the record for most receptions (953) and touchdown receptions (112) between a quarterback and wide receiver. Harrison was released before the start of the 2009 season.

Wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez was poised to fill the void left by Harrison, but he went down with a season ending knee injury in Week 1. Former Head Coach Tony Dungy retired at the end of last season, and yet Manning still put up one of his best seasons statistically.

At the beginning of the season, nobody would've believed that the Colts would win the AFC Championship Game with Manning's two most potent receiving threats getting shutdown by the opposing defense. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark were held to just 90 yards and one touchdown by Darrelle Revis and the rest of the New York Jets defense.

This is where Manning excels. He will mentally breakdown the defense and find the open receiver and throw it to him, no matter what his resume looks like before the game.

Pierre Garcon entered the season with only four career receptions. Austin Collie, a rookie from Brigham Young University, came into this season with no NFL experience. The two combined for 274 of Manning's 377 passing yards and each grabbed a touchdown against the Jets.

The best way to beat Manning and the Colts is to keep the ball out of his hands, especially when the game is on the line. Just ask New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick.

Peyton Manning is determined to wear a second Super Bowl ring when it is all said and done. And what better team to do it against than his father's former team, the New Orleans Saints?

The Saints enter the Super Bowl coming off of a game where the Minnesota Vikings outgained them by 218 yards and they were a Brett Favre interception and a generous coin flip away from watching the Super Bowl instead of playing in it.

With that said, the Saints have explosive players on offense that've burned opposing defenses on big plays throughout the season. Their offense averaged a league-high 31.9 points per game in the regular season. The likely absence of Dwight Freeney on the line for the Colts will make Drew Brees' day much easier, but not a walk in the park by any means.

The Saints defense has been tough this season, but they have not faced a quarterback quite like Manning. He rarely loses his composure under pressure and is known for his ability to pick apart opposing defenses.

The only two games the Colts lost this year are when Manning was pulled against the Jets in Week 16 and when he didn't play against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17. Peyton Manning will be under center for every snap against the Saints in Miami so the result of the game should come as no surprise to football fans.

Colts 27

Saints 17

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