Fbkid's Super Bowl Predictions

Unfortunately, there is only one game left in the NFL season and it is the one we have all been waiting for. Coming into the season, the Colts replaced Tony Dungy with Jim Caldwell and with Peyton Manning at quarterback haven’t missed a beat. The Saints led by quarterback Drew Brees will be playing in their first ever Super Bowl and it should be an emotional game for both the team and the city of New Orleans. Here is my Super Bowl prediction along with my key to victory and x-factor for each team.

Saints:

Key to victory: Defensive play calling: The Saints have always had a very explosive offense but much of their success wouldn’t have been possible without their improved defense. Jabari Greer has been excellent this year and might even be the most underrated corner in the league while Darren Sharper is playing like he is in his 20’s. So far in the playoffs the Saints have faced off against Kurt Warner and Brett Favre but will meet their toughest challenge yet in Peyton Manning.
Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams likes to blitz the quarterback but with Manning’s quick decision making and weapons, this game plan could make or break the Saints chances.

X-Factor: Devery Henderson WR: Quick, name the Saints leading receiver this postseason. Is it Marques Colston? Jeremy Shockey? Reggie Bush? The correct answer is Henderson who is mainly used as a deep threat but has played like an every down receiver this postseason. For his career, Henderson averages an astounding 19.7 yards per catch so it wouldn’t be surprising if he has at least one big play on the game’s biggest stage.

Colts:

Key to Victory: The offensive line: Other then Jeff Saturday, most football fans couldn’t name another starter on the Colts offensive line but this unit has played very well this year. The Saints (Bobby McCray in particular) have laid some very hard and sometimes dirty shots to opposing quarterbacks this postseason. Some of us have already seen the Curtis Painter experience and nobody would like a second viewing especially under these circumstances.
The line also needs to open some holes in order for the running game to get going. For the postseason the Colts are averaging less than three yards a carry and with the Saints offense the Colts offense needs to be on the field as much as possible.

X-Factor: Raheem Brock DE: While it is expected that Dwight Freeney will play in the game, he will not be at full strength and will be more of a decoy than anything else. If Freeney does end up missing the game, Brock will take his place. Brock is an experienced player who is solid in all aspects of the game. Even though Brock starting would mean the Colts lose a speed rusher coming at Drew Brees’ blindside, they still have Robert Mathis opposite him who has had his fair share of sacks over the years as well.

Prediction: This has all the makings to be a shootout and most think it will end up being one of the better Super Bowl’s of all time. While the Saints road to the Super Bowl along with everything they have done to give the city of New Orleans hope is fantastic, the end to their season might not have a story book ending. Peyton Manning (who if you haven’t heard grew up in New Orleans watching his dad Archie start at quarterback for the Saints) can tear apart the blitz which the Saints do heavily. In a game featuring two of the league’s most explosive offenses, there is a chance this game could come down to the defenses. My prediction is Saints 26 Colts 34.

Pro Bowl Experience Day Two

Through the Jaguars, my dad and I were fortunate enough to win a contest where we got to attend the Pro Bowl after explaining in 100 words why we deserved to attend. The trip included hotel accommodations, tickets to the game and a meet and greet with Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew who was there for his first ever Pro Bowl selection. This along with a part one that has already been posted originally appeared on Jaguars.com.

Yesterday was game day and my dad and I had another awesome experience.

In the morning we visited South Beach. ESPN and the NFL Network had their temporary stages set up but not much was going on then. We walked around and took a few pictures before heading back to Ft. Lauderdale.

At the player hotel I ended up meeting Jared Allen, Logan Mankins, La’Ron McClain, Josh Cribbs, Johnny Knox and Mike Jenkins. Jenkins and I talked about USF as that is one of the colleges I am considering and he is the school’s first ever representative at the Pro Bowl.

The player busses left around 4:30 PM and we headed to the stadium as well. It is a good thing we headed out early as the traffic around the stadium for parking was terrible. Eventually we along with many others parked at a dog track that was a “nice” walk from the stadium. Crowd control was also a hassle as everyone had to walk through a huge serpentine line in order to get to the security checkpoint. This was a huge wake up call from the easy access we have at Jaguar games.

Around 20 minutes before kickoff, we eventually made it to our seats and they were awesome. They were on the 50 yard line 15 rows behind the NFC bench. After player introductions and an F-18 flyover the game was underway.

The scoring started right away as three minutes in Texans quarterback Matt Schaub found his favorite regular season target Andre Johnson wide open in the corner of the end zone. Later on in the quarter Schaub hit Brandon Marshall for a touchdown which gave the AFC a 14-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.

At the half the score was all tied at 17 and the Bethune Cookman marching band performed. They have played at Jaguars games before and they always put on a great show for the fans.

David Garrard and Maurice Jones-Drew made most of their contributions in the second half. Garrard played very well as he was distributing the ball downfield and was hitting receivers in stride. This was evident on his 48 yard touchdown pass to Vincent Jackson as he found him over the middle and Jackson did the rest. While there wasn’t much running in the game, Jones-Drew made the most of his opportunities running for 30 yards and a touchdown. While he still hadn’t decided what end zone celebration he would do in the game when we met with him, Maurice ended up going with the “crying Mariucci”. For those who didn’t know he was spoofing NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci’s reaction to each Brett Favre retirement.

Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson is one of my favorite players but after seeing him play in person for the first time, I came away even more impressed. He scored in each half on a wide receiver screen play and attempted a long pass as well. He’s a threat to score every time he touches the ball and Jaguars fans are in for a treat when he comes to town next year.

The AFC ended up winning the game 41-34 and Schaub was the game’s MVP. Overall my dad and I had a great time at the game and had a father son experience that we will never forget.

Pro Bowl Experience Day One

Through the Jaguars, my dad and I were fortunate enough to win a contest where we got to attend the Pro Bowl after explaining in 100 words why we deserved to attend. The trip included hotel accommodations, tickets to the game and a meet and greet with Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew who was there for his first ever Pro Bowl selection. This along with a part two that will be posted originally appeared on Jaguars.com.


My dad and I have now finished Day 1 of our Pro Bowl experience and it was a day that we will never forget.

Around 11:00 AM we arrived at the players’ hotel. The AFC team was about to return from practice and the lobby was packed with sports writers. While waiting I had a chance to talk about the upcoming draft with Pete Prisco who covered the Jaguars for years but now writes for CBS Sports.

When the players stepped off the bus they were still in their red and white practice jerseys. Bengal receiver Chad Ochocinco accessorized his uniform with a stylish sombrero. Jaguar QB David Garrard was accompanied by his son. After spending time with the media they all went up to their rooms to relax and clean up.

A short while later the lobby began to look like a real life fantasy football team. To the left was Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams talking to fans. At my right were Titans running back Chris Johnson and Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall talking to their peers. At this time I managed to get an autograph from Ochocinco and also took a picture with Chargers tight end Antonio Gates. The hotel however was trying to limit autograph and photos so we decided to head out to lunch until we got to meet Maurice Jones-Drew later in the day.

After a traditional lunch of Buffalo wings with a side of college basketball we headed back to the hotel to meet Maurice. We were met by Renzo from the Jaguars staff who walked us to the beach where Maurice was relaxing with his family. Maurice then greeted us and took pictures with everyone. We talked about football and I asked about his end zone celebration plans (still a secret) and if he will be on the cover of next year’s Madden. He asked me about my school plans for next year. He signed autographs for us including the Pro Bowl shirt with his name on the back that I will be wearing to the game.


When our visit ended, I tried to meet some more players. I managed to obtain autographs from Texans quarterback Matt Schaub, Patriots safety Brandon Meriwether, Giants receiver Steve Smith, Broncos left tackle Ryan Clady and 49ers running back Frank Gore. We knew it was time close-up shop when my dad knew all the security guards by name. My “walk-off shot” was Bronco cornerback Champ Bailey who signed by the elevator as we left the hotel.

We chilled out at our hotel and watched the end of the Senior Bowl. Some of my favorite prospects in the game include Marty Gilyard, Kyle Wilson, Brandon Graham and Sean Witherspoon. These guys would look very good in teal.

Overall it was a very exciting day for me and the city is in full swing. The game is tomorrow night so we have some things planned for the day. I’ll let you know what we end up doing and look forward to sharing some observations from the game.