Super Bowl XLIV

I know my football blogging has been non-existent this year, aside from my preseason predictions (New England vs. Atlanta in the Super Bowl... pfft). But, today is a special day, so felt called to post and state my prediction for this year's big game. This year features two #1 seeds in the game for the first time since the 1993 season. The New Orleans Saints have never been here before, and with how awful of a program they've been historically, this is especially exciting. Peyton Manning already is arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and if the Indianapolis Colts win tonight, I feel that by the time he retires, he WILL go down as the best. If he wins two more, there is no question. This game should be high scoring, tightly played, maybe with a little slop from the Colts at the start. Here are a few predictions:

- For the first time since I had begun watching Super Bowls (which was when the Dallas Cowboys annihilated the Buffalo Bills for the first time after the 1992 season), I love both teams, and will be happy no matter who wins. I'm rooting for the Saints a little more due to exactly how special this season was for them, and since they've never gone this far. However, I think the Colts will win 38 to 35.

- Peyton Manning will throw for at least 350 yards, maybe even 400. He will throw four touchdown passes, one to each of his top four receivers: Dallas Clark, Austin Collie, Pierre Garcon and Reggie Wayne. This will obviously lead him to the Super Bowl MVP award. Joseph Addai will run a touchdown in, but also will cough up the ball to the New Orleans defense, leading to a defensive score.

- Drew Brees will throw for 300 and three touchdowns, one to Marques Colston, one to Robert Meachem and one to Jeremy Shockey, if he's playing. If he's not, then it will be to Reggie Bush. Pierre Thomas will also run a touchdown in.

- The game will be tied at 35 with two minutes or less left, with the Saints driving well into Indianapolis territory, when Brees will throw a crucial interception. Manning will heroically and easily drive the Colts down the field into easy field goal range, where the game will be decided by a field goal. This will be the perfect way to end this decade full of some of the best Super Bowls of all time.

Obviously, none of this matters whatsoever, all of these specifics will probably be way off. It's fun to picture all of this happening in my head, though.

Enjoy this wonderful, bittersweet day of football. Eat, drink and socialize well. I'm already looking forward to next year, when the Pittsburgh Steelers make a triumphant return, defeating the Green Bay Packers in a violent, incredibly well played Super Bowl to kick off the new decade in the greatest game on earth.