Super Bowl XLIV Gameday Thread: Saints vs. Colts

[MTK]

Back on the game for a sec I loved how aggressive Sean Payton was.

[skinsfan_nn]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Back on the game for a sec I loved how aggressive Sean Payton was.

If it weren't for that gutsy play calling. You know start of second half on side kick (BIG MOMENTUM) shift.

The outcome could have very well been different. The D was also in attack mode all game, Gregg was sending the kitchen sink.

[Longtimefan]

NFL Network is now anointing the Saints "America's Team" with none other than Michael Irvin leading the charge. Is he forgetting that team he used to play for or what?

I'm really happy for the Saints, but it's amazing the things people will say after a big win like yesterday, praise comes from everywhere from some of the most unlikely sources. I too give it up for the Saints, no team more deserving.

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Back on the game for a sec I loved how aggressive Sean Payton was.

Coaching was key in this game and Sean Payton won hands down. I was disappointed the Colts sent Stover out for the 51 yard FG. He's not very good from long distance anymore and I thought the Colts would have been better off going for it or punting for field position.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by 44Deezel

No they didn't. Brady didn't play for the 86 Bears or the 2000 Ravens. His Defenses were good, not great. AND Manning has had WAY MORE talent around him, yet he consistently under-achieves. As a matter of fact, if it weren't for Brady's pathetic Receivers (future hall of famers, Troy Brown and Jabar Gaffney) dropping passes, last night would have been Manning's first Super Bowl. Manning is this generations Dan Marino. Brady is this generation's Joe Montana. Manning has 29TDs and 18INTs in the playoffs. AVERAGE!

Manning is Brady's bitch!

With all due respect, particularly to the 2006 Patriots, the better Brady's offense has gotten around him, the MORE dominant Manning has been in the head to head series.

In the time frame between 2001-2005, New England's defense was the best overall defense in the time range. They may never have had a single year where they could be in the "greatest defense of all time" debate, but you'd have to put the early-decade Patriots in the same class as the great Titans defenses from earlier this decade and the Steelers defenses from more recent times, and the mid-decade Bears as the best defensive unit of the last ten years. No defense has been better longer since the Patriots.

And Brady hasn't won anything since his defenses were relevant. He's 2-2 in his last four playoff games, and 5-4 in his last nine. We can rip Manning for his overall playoff record being out of line with his regular season record, but he hasn't been a worse (or better) quarterback in the postseason than Brady. Saying otherwise is ignoring the evidence.

It's 2010 now. You need a new narrative.

[wilsowilso]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Back on the game for a sec I loved how aggressive Sean Payton was.

I think if someone said that onside kick was the gutsiest call they had ever seen in their entire lifetime I don't think I would be interested in arguing with them. It is just insane how much of a risk/reward calculation that play call was.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

Coaching was key in this game and Sean Payton won hands down. I was disappointed the Colts sent Stover out for the 51 yard FG. He's not very good from long distance anymore and I thought the Colts would have been better off going for it or punting for field position.

Yeah I don't think the Colts did anything to match NO's aggressiveness, and they clearly needed to in some spots. Stover doesn't have the range anymore for 50+, I thought they should have gone for it.

[GTripp0012]

Now, if you want to argue that Drew Brees is a better quarterback in the postseason than either of them, there's only limited evidence on him, but he's actually 4-2 in the postseason since first reaching it in 2004, and has very comparable numbers to his regular season stats. You'll need like 3 more seasons on him before conclusions can be reached, but he was marvelous last night.

[SmootSmack]

The Saints made another "bold move" toward the end of the 1st half by going for it on 4th down and the Colts D stuffed them. Indy blew it by going 3 and out deep in their own territory right after that. Colts had a huge chance to make something to end the first half after a 4th down goal-line stand and then start the 2nd half with the ball. That seems to have been forgotten

[wilsowilso]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

We can rip Manning for his overall playoff record being out of line with his regular season record, but he hasn't been a worse (or better) quarterback in the postseason than Brady. Saying otherwise is ignoring the evidence.

I call "bullshit" on this post. Only because it's absurd to suggest that Manning is in Tom Brady's league in playoff performance.

He absolutely is not.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Longtimefan

NFL Network is now anointing the Saints "America's Team" with none other than Michael Irvin leading the charge. Is he forgetting that team he used to play for or what?

I'm really happy for the Saints, but it's amazing the things people will say after a big win like yesterday, praise comes from everywhere from some of the most unlikely sources. I too give it up for the Saints, no team more deserving.

Well it could be easy to call them America's Team because over half the citizens live of our tax dollars.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

The Saints made another "bold move" toward the end of the 1st half by going for it on 4th down and the Colts D stuffed them. Indy blew it by going 3 and out deep in their own territory right after that. Colts had a huge chance to make something to end the first half after a 4th down goal-line stand and then start the 2nd half with the ball. That seems to have been forgotten

Yeah that 3 and out was big, no doubt. I guess they just didn't want to risk a turnover but it was odd to not see the Colts come out in attack mode like they usually do.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by wilsowilso

I think if someone said that onside kick was the gutsiest call they had ever seen in their entire lifetime I don't think I would be interested in arguing with them. It is just insane how much of a risk/reward calculation that play call was.

It was insanely ballzy, but it's more insane that it hadn't been used in any of the prior 43 super bowls. A surprise onside kick, so long as it hasn't been used so often as that it is not surprise, offers a chance to risk 30 yards of field position (expected point value of 1.4) for what is essentially a turnover (expected point value of 3.0) at a near even rate. That's a great play to take the risk on.

I'd imagine that coaches shy away from it only because of media criticism and the fear that the other team might be well coached enough as to be prepared for it. But Payton is clearly oblivious to what people think about him, which is one of the primary qualifications of a great head coach.

[NYCskinfan82]

Very happy for the Saints well deserved, a little jealous to when will the SKINS get back there hopefully soon.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by wilsowilso

I call "bullshit" on this post. Only because it's absurd to suggest that Manning is in Tom Brady's league in playoff performance.

He absolutely is not.

Says who?

Tom Brady Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Peyton Manning Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Each has 18 playoff starts. Manning has a QB rating 87.6, Brady has one of 85.5. QB rating is not a nearly accurate enough statistic to judge anything conclusive from that, or to say one is better than the other, but 18 football games is a lot of data, and that's a nearly identical performance--generally speaking.