The Game

Not a bad ballgame. I would have liked it to end a little differently, but at least it wasn't a snoozer. If the Saints had played anyone other than the Colts, I'd have cheered for them (But I'd have wanted my Eagles to be in the game instead).

But when you have two BYU guys on one team and none on the other, I'm slanting Coltward. Plus, as much as I respect Drew Brees (the guy is a top QB and a leader of the highest order), I have liked Peyton Manning longer and for the same reasons.

That said, I do like to see new blood at the top. It gets old watching the Yankees, Cowboys, and Lakers win year after year after year (especially since I despise those three. It would not get old to see the Jazz, Cubbies or Eagles win year after year after year).

As far as the game goes, it was about what I expected. The defenses rose up and played well; even bad defenses get tired of hearing that they are going to get lit up and though these aren't the best D's in the land, they do have world class athletes who had two weeks to prepare and only had to lay it out for sixty minutes. I thought both teams did a good job of limiting the damage inflicted by the opposing "juggernaut" offenses. I thought the defenses were pretty much even but you have to give an edge to the Saints; their "Pick Six" surely trumped Indy's masterpiece four down, goal-line stand.

Perhaps because of the elevated play of the D's (did Freeney look like a guy playing on one wheel?) I thought Brees and Manning looked pretty mediocre. Neither did much to write home about with one very obvious exception.

Coaching was even. With the onside kick call by Sean Payton, he proved he has guts and nerves of steel, but it only served to offset his bonehead call to go for it on fourth and goal at the end of the first half. Caldwell was his usual level headed best, and he danced with the girl that brought him.

Unfortunately the "girl" that brought him was Peyton Manning. Just when he looked like he was headed for the "greatest QB ever" throne, he tossed the worst interception of his career. The blame for this one goes all on him.

I love the guy, I'd have him start my team any day, but he has to take the fire for the loss. He was forcing passes all day (if you watch the replay see how many passes he throws that are traveling "nose down" through the air--a sure fire sign he's throwing too hard) and he finally found one he couldn't keep safe. It was gut wrenching to see the best QB of this generation looking like Brett Fah-vre stole his uniform for the most important play of the game.

You could tell by the look on his face as he went to the sideline that he knew it too. If you look over on the Colt bench, you can see the shadows of Vince Lombardi and Jerry Sloan waiting to take away his Man Card for throwing like a girl and blowing a Superbowl. He'll have to play better next year to get it back.

It will not be a good offseason in Indy.