I took a pretty good look at The NFC Title Game and no matter how you slice IMHO you have to like The Saints to make it to their first ever Super Bowl..
Play on Saints -3.5 at the best juice you can find. The -3.5 is widely available and naturally if for some reason the game drops to
Saints, minus 3 with reasonable juice attached that is all the better however unlikely a line change is at this point.
I am playing this game for 3 units..
Why do I like the Saints at least one or two of you must be wondering. Well I will tell you hopefully without putting you to sleep at the same time.
1. Home Field advantage for The Saints is huge. Talent wise these teams are very close but the advantage that Drew Brees and the rest of the Saints will enjoy playing in The Super-dome is more than enough in itself to make up for the 3.5 point spread. In case anyone cares: Brett Favre is 0-3 in road playoff games since leading Green Bay to an NFC Championship win at San Francisco during the 1997 season.
2. Coaching: HC and OC Sean Peyton and DC Gregg Williams (along with their staffs) are arguably the best combo of coordinators in the NFL.
I know that statement is subjective and Vikings backers will want to back their guys of HC Brad Childress (an Andy Reid disciple), DC Leslie Frazier and OC Darell Bevel are superior or at least equal. I disagree and will leave it at that. This is my write up and my many years of capping NFL football tells me the Saints coaching is a little better.
3. The Saints offense led by Drew Brees - is there a better QB in football right now? You can't say Farve is better outside of The Metrodome.
Plus all of the AFC QBs are moot as far as this game goes. Reggie Bush looks to be in the best shape of his life and is a serious threat every time he touches the ball. The Saint receivers are all a DB's bad dream: Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem and Lance Moore are all capable of burning the main weakness on Minnesota's defense their DBs (their safeties especially) repeatedly. Tight end Jeremy Shockey is one of the better receivers at his position (assuming he is healthy). Throw in a better than decent Saints running game of Mike Bell, Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush to go with the best Offensive Line in The NFC (sorry Dallas) and The Vikes' Dee definitely has their hands full.
4. Protect Drew Brees - critical for The Saints but who better than an offensive line full of Pro Bowlers and a head coach who is famous for his offensive sets designed ultimately to protect his franchise player Brees. Jared Allen will have to deal with huge LT Jermon Bushrod - that is a pick-em especially if Bushrod gets a little help from a back or TE. The real strength of the Saints team is their Offensive line. Let the O line
give Brees some time (unlike what Tony Romo got last week) and it's kitty bar the door as he will pick the Viking secondary apart with quick releases that allow him to remain sack free.
The Saints look to break on top and take Adrian Peterson out of the game, something they are very capable of doing in the Super dome. BTW Dome teams at home are 5-0 in the playoffs so far this year..
5. Darren Sharper - The X factor in the Saints defensive backfield. Sharper was let go by The Vikes after last season - you know the rest - he wants revenge.. Plus he practiced against Farve for 8 years in Green Bay and knows his moves better than anyone. Sharper is a spectacular play-maker and at sometime during the game will make his presence felt in a big way.
6. The Saints on defense MUST contain the run, not stop it stone cold dead as that is basically impossible but contain it so that their excellent secondary (most of you know the names) can put the clamps on Brett's excellent corps of receivers, especially Sidney Rice.
7. The Vikes have somehow got to contain Drew Brees the hardest QB to sack in football. More power to em if they can manage it.
8. Minnesota's front four, led by Jared Allen and tackle Kevin Williams must be able to apply pressure alone on Brees as he will pick apart any Viking blitz packages with his quick release and elusive feet. The Vikes want to rush four and drop seven but if the four don't get there it's a game changer.
9. Special teams especially the kick returners Percy Harvin and Reggie Bush could swing the game for either side. Word is Harvin is banged up but it is hard to believe he will sit out such a big game.
Reggie Bush is 100% plus and raren to go.
Substantial edge to PK Ryan Longwell of Minnesota over The Saints unproven Garrett Hartley. If it comes down to a single field goal I am dead anyway.
10. The City of New Orleans is ready for this. I know it may sound corny but with nearly 60 years of wearing paper bags and rooting for losing teams behind them the crowd Sunday night will be like nothing anyone has ever heard at a football game. Let's call them the 12th man for one game.
I could write about individual match-ups and all that stuff but you can find it all on websites like ESPN.com, CBS Sportsline.com etc. So I am going to skip it. Trust me when I say I have looked at all the individual match-ups and like I said both teams are very talented but only one is playing in their own house..
Who Dat Goin to Beat Dem Saints ?
BOL. to all, wil..:toast:
PS. To Vikings fans, I know you probably are not happy to see anyone predict a Saints win but in this case it is not about being a fan of either team, it's about winning a bet plain and simple. So please do not take it personal. I am not a fan one way or another of either team when there is no cash at stake...
Play on Saints -3.5 at the best juice you can find. The -3.5 is widely available and naturally if for some reason the game drops to
Saints, minus 3 with reasonable juice attached that is all the better however unlikely a line change is at this point.
I am playing this game for 3 units..
Why do I like the Saints at least one or two of you must be wondering. Well I will tell you hopefully without putting you to sleep at the same time.
1. Home Field advantage for The Saints is huge. Talent wise these teams are very close but the advantage that Drew Brees and the rest of the Saints will enjoy playing in The Super-dome is more than enough in itself to make up for the 3.5 point spread. In case anyone cares: Brett Favre is 0-3 in road playoff games since leading Green Bay to an NFC Championship win at San Francisco during the 1997 season.
2. Coaching: HC and OC Sean Peyton and DC Gregg Williams (along with their staffs) are arguably the best combo of coordinators in the NFL.
I know that statement is subjective and Vikings backers will want to back their guys of HC Brad Childress (an Andy Reid disciple), DC Leslie Frazier and OC Darell Bevel are superior or at least equal. I disagree and will leave it at that. This is my write up and my many years of capping NFL football tells me the Saints coaching is a little better.
3. The Saints offense led by Drew Brees - is there a better QB in football right now? You can't say Farve is better outside of The Metrodome.
Plus all of the AFC QBs are moot as far as this game goes. Reggie Bush looks to be in the best shape of his life and is a serious threat every time he touches the ball. The Saint receivers are all a DB's bad dream: Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, Robert Meachem and Lance Moore are all capable of burning the main weakness on Minnesota's defense their DBs (their safeties especially) repeatedly. Tight end Jeremy Shockey is one of the better receivers at his position (assuming he is healthy). Throw in a better than decent Saints running game of Mike Bell, Pierre Thomas and Reggie Bush to go with the best Offensive Line in The NFC (sorry Dallas) and The Vikes' Dee definitely has their hands full.
4. Protect Drew Brees - critical for The Saints but who better than an offensive line full of Pro Bowlers and a head coach who is famous for his offensive sets designed ultimately to protect his franchise player Brees. Jared Allen will have to deal with huge LT Jermon Bushrod - that is a pick-em especially if Bushrod gets a little help from a back or TE. The real strength of the Saints team is their Offensive line. Let the O line
give Brees some time (unlike what Tony Romo got last week) and it's kitty bar the door as he will pick the Viking secondary apart with quick releases that allow him to remain sack free.
The Saints look to break on top and take Adrian Peterson out of the game, something they are very capable of doing in the Super dome. BTW Dome teams at home are 5-0 in the playoffs so far this year..
5. Darren Sharper - The X factor in the Saints defensive backfield. Sharper was let go by The Vikes after last season - you know the rest - he wants revenge.. Plus he practiced against Farve for 8 years in Green Bay and knows his moves better than anyone. Sharper is a spectacular play-maker and at sometime during the game will make his presence felt in a big way.
6. The Saints on defense MUST contain the run, not stop it stone cold dead as that is basically impossible but contain it so that their excellent secondary (most of you know the names) can put the clamps on Brett's excellent corps of receivers, especially Sidney Rice.
7. The Vikes have somehow got to contain Drew Brees the hardest QB to sack in football. More power to em if they can manage it.
8. Minnesota's front four, led by Jared Allen and tackle Kevin Williams must be able to apply pressure alone on Brees as he will pick apart any Viking blitz packages with his quick release and elusive feet. The Vikes want to rush four and drop seven but if the four don't get there it's a game changer.
9. Special teams especially the kick returners Percy Harvin and Reggie Bush could swing the game for either side. Word is Harvin is banged up but it is hard to believe he will sit out such a big game.
Reggie Bush is 100% plus and raren to go.
Substantial edge to PK Ryan Longwell of Minnesota over The Saints unproven Garrett Hartley. If it comes down to a single field goal I am dead anyway.
10. The City of New Orleans is ready for this. I know it may sound corny but with nearly 60 years of wearing paper bags and rooting for losing teams behind them the crowd Sunday night will be like nothing anyone has ever heard at a football game. Let's call them the 12th man for one game.
I could write about individual match-ups and all that stuff but you can find it all on websites like ESPN.com, CBS Sportsline.com etc. So I am going to skip it. Trust me when I say I have looked at all the individual match-ups and like I said both teams are very talented but only one is playing in their own house..
Who Dat Goin to Beat Dem Saints ?
BOL. to all, wil..:toast:
PS. To Vikings fans, I know you probably are not happy to see anyone predict a Saints win but in this case it is not about being a fan of either team, it's about winning a bet plain and simple. So please do not take it personal. I am not a fan one way or another of either team when there is no cash at stake...
