Saints/Bears and Colts/Patriots with spreads (your picks)

Don't think that Idy Defense canstop the SaintsOffense. Too many weapons forBrees to utilize

 

Before I left Vegas, I placed a parlay on the Saints and the over, as well as the Colts.

 

Ya know, I love the Saints story, and I think they're a great team, but if the spread goes under 3, i might take the Bears. It's supposed to be coooold in Chicago. Then again, if the Saints can chew up the clock and make a few plays on the other side against Little Sexy, that could equalize the weather factor.
IN the AFC, I think this is Indy's year. They're grinding out wins like a Super Bowl team now. Seems to be a prereq nowadays. Sorry Cap'n Sweatshirt. Keep the cutoff for cleaning out the carhole.

 

If sweatshirt does win (even just one more game), I think it is safe to call the Patriots the most impressive dynasty in league history.

To do this in a true salary-cap era, and really have discarded so many key players in their primes... just incredible.

 

Rematch of 1986!

Patriots 34, Colts 31
Bears 16, Saints 6

 

Prior to the playoffs, I picked the Saints to go to the Super Bowl and they haven't given me any reason to jump off the bandwagon. Saints, 20-14.

I'm not picking Manning to beat Belichick and Co. until he shows he can do it. He has never done anything to lead me to believe he can and his performances in the last two playoff games don't give me one either. The defense has played well, but it was against the lackluster offenses of the Chiefs and Ravens. Pats, 34-21.

Saints win the Super Bowl as heavy underdogs (think 2001 Patriots, complete with inspiring storyline), 27-24.

 

That would be the fourth time the road teams have swept the title games to get into the Super Bowl.

 

Picks

The Colts/Pats thing reminds me of the 70's Raiders/Steelers thing where Pittsburgh owned Oakland, which had trouble winning AFC title games against everyone including Miami and denver. Finally, the Raiders broke through when Pittsburgh had no running backs due to injury. But these Patriots still have a nice trio of runners to go with a big-game team and coach.

People say the Colts are grinding games out, they were counted out entering the postseason, and gee, rising from a low seed reminds you of last year's Steelers, doesn't it? Therefore, it must be their year, right?

Except all these things apply to the Patriots too, and they have the experience and the proven ability to frustrate Manning in big games. His regular-season wins against them are nice and all, but honestly, he's been mediocre this postseason. He has never won a big game in his life, on any level. Now people expect him to all of a sudden flip the switch with the Super Bowl on the line? Against a team that has continually frustrated him?

If Manning finally wins the first big game of his career, then good for him. But my guess is he won't.

(Yes, I know he won the SEC once in college and led the band in a rendition of Rocky Top. Florida still humbled him).

As for the Saints and Bears: The Bears win it, at home in the cold. I just think Grossman really shows up this time, and that defense is gonna be on fire all day. If it's a shootout, the Saints win, but these Bears won't allow a shootout.

Bears over Patsies in Super Bowl.

 

That's the only thing that bothers me about it. I never like to have both underdogs go and there's almost always one No. 1 seed (which, obviously, leaves Chicago as the logical pick to win).

I just don't like what amounts to a first-year starting QB to take a team to the SB, especially one as shaky as a Grossman, and as I said, I'll believe Manning can beat the Pats in the playoffs when it happens.

 

The first football game I ever saw was the '86 game -- so I love the Bears. But I can't root against the Saints.

I'm rooting for the NFC.

I think that the Colts will run all over the Pats. I just don't think it's their year.

I'd pick the underdog in the NFC game. It's just too close.

 

I'm in this boat too, though I'll be pulling for the Bears.

 

Indy wins by 3, 24-21

Saints knock off the Bears 21-13