Super Bowl XLIV: Five questions on the New Orleans Saints and five more on the Indianapolis Colts

Indianapolis Colts QB Peyton Manning (left) and Head Coach Jim Caldwell
(Eric Gay/AP Photo)

With the Indianapolis Colts facing the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida, Colts Examiner John Oehser and New Orleans Saints Examiner Danny Cox posed one another five questions on the matchup.

Oehser's questions for Cox . . .

1) Who is there more pressure on here? The Colts trying to win their second Super Bowl in three years or the Saints trying to win their first ever?

Honestly, the pressure isn't really on either team. Indianapolis has a storied history and perhaps the greatest quarterback in NFL history with Peyton Manning. Three years ago they proved they can win a Super Bowl with the team that is still rather intact except for some missing pieces here and there, but just as proficient. If they were to not win on Sunday, no-one would look at them and consider the team a failure or incapable of winning the big one because we all know that they'll probably be close, if not in, to this game again next season. What the Colts are trying to show is that Tony Dungy is gone and Marvin Harrison is gone...so can they win without them? Of course they can because they've gotten replacements that are more then capable and this team will be relevant for years to come.

Coming from a New Orleans native such as myself, it's hard to see that there is a lot of pressure on the Saints either. The city is so incredibly proud and excited that the team has made it as far as they have and it is a guarantee that there will be no disappointment if they don't come away with the victory in Miami. We are all going to be proud of our boys and know that they'll be back next season to try for their first title or try and defend their championship. It's odd in a way because the franchise doesn't have a ring yet. Hell, this is the franchise's first trip to the big game ever yet people know that this season has already been a success no matter what happens. Do I want them to win? I surely do but I would never put any pressure on them because they're already winners in my eyes. The eyes of millions more in the Who Dat Nation as well.

2) The Saints have an up-temp attack that seems based on speed. How have they fared against quick defenses and how could they fare against the Colts, perhaps the NFL's quickest defense?

Quick defenses aren't really a problem for the Saints and people don't necessarily realize that. Dallas came into the Superdome and destroyed the team for three quarters before the Saints woke up, played one full quarter of New Orleans' football, and lost by only seven. The biggest problem in that game is the Saints were expecting DeMarcus Ware not to play because of his neck injury so therefore they did not prepare for him and it bit them in the end. They can not, and will not, make that same mistake this week in regards to Dwight Freeney. Prepping for Freeney whether he plays or not is of vast importance and his presence cannot be taken lightly no matter if he is there on the field the whole time or only 50 percent of the time.

One of the things this season that's different from years past with Saints' teams is that there is back-up. Look at what Minnesota did to the Saints in the NFC Championship game. That defense came to town and held the number one offense in the NFL to under 300 total yards while Brett Favre and company carved up the defense for almost 500 yards. Yet there was a back-up plan and it was called, "Turnovers." There are now players on both sides of the ball that can make plays instead of just one or the other and it provides opportunities. The Saints' offense couldn't get rolling for long drives against the VIkings so our offense provided Drew Brees with plenty of short fields and made scoring easier against that incredible defense. I feel the same could possibly happen against the Colts with the defense stepping up and helping out by giving a leg up to the offense.

3) If you're a Saints fan, what's the one thing that makes you nervous three minutes before kickoff?

Peyton Manning. Peyton Manning, Peyton Manning...Pey-ton Man-ning! There is no question that guy is just dangerous and can throw a dagger straight through your heart no matter where he is on the field. I look at the Divisional Round against Baltimore as an example even though there are plenty to choose from. The Ravens were just destroying the Colts without question in that first half and no-one watching knew what to really think about it. Then Peyton Manning came in and led two very quick touchdown drives at the end of the first half and single-handedly turn that game around into a Colts' blow-out. He is a player that knows this game and everything about it and he is able to just make players around him better. That is a scary trait for those standing on the opposite side of the field. If you need proof then just look at Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie who often times look like Jerry Rice and Steve Largent thanks to Manning. Not to knock the talent of those young kids, but there are not many quarterbacks in history that could make those guys as good as they are as quickly.

4) Totally unbiased answer here if possible: Two minutes left. Down by six. Eighty yards to go. Who do you want leading your offense down the field and why...Peyton Manning or Drew Brees?

I'll be honest and totally unbiased here, but I'm going with Drew Brees. The cool and collected demeanor that he steps onto that field with is just unwavering at all times and that oozes out to the rest of the offense. He is able to keep them calm and together so that they are always on the same page and that every single second is not wasted. You can't help but look at week 13 against the Washington Redskins when the Saints' almost had their undefeated season ended by an incredibly underachieving team. Brees and the Saints got the ball back with under two minutes to go and eighty yards of field ahead of them in their opponent's stadium and no timeouts to try and tie this game. What to do?

Brees dissected the Redskins' defense as if they weren't even on the field. A short 4-yard pass to Pierre Thomas began the drive and didn't seem like much. Next up was an 11-yard pass to Devery Henderson before an incompletion went Marques Colston's way. Then there was a 12-yard pass to Robert Meachem before he caught a 53-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field to tie the game. 5 plays...80 yards...touchdown...33 seconds. Calm, cool, collected. Easy Breesy.

5.) What is the one big thing the Colts must do quickly and well in order to pull out a victory against the Saints?

In order for the Colts to win this game then they need to get to Drew Brees without question. It's not an easy task to get inside Brees' head or even shake him up so it will take the Colts' defense just playing perfectly to make it work. Apply pressure and force quicker throws out of Brees who is famous for getting the ball out quicker then most quarterbacks in history anyway. Stay on the all the weapons the Saints have on offense so they can not get free in space and let Brees get into a groove. Keep him cold and force a few punts or even better, a few three-and-outs very early on in the game.

With a quarterback like Peyton Manning leading your offense then the Colts need to make sure their defense gets the ball out of Brees' hands and does not allow that explosive offense to get rolling. If it does then the Colts do have the weapons to keep up, but I don't think that a shoot-out is what they really want or need here. A victory is going to require a lot from the Colts' defense and keeping the league's number one offense from getting off to a quick start and finding a groove that scored over 40 points 5 times this season and over 30 points 11 times.

Cox's Prediction: Saints 34 - Colts 28

For Cox's questions on the Colts, be sure to read his article.