7 Bold Predictions for Super Bowl XLIV

From the offseason to training camp to preseason games to the regular season to the playoffs, this has been a typically exciting NFL season. Tonight, another season comes to a close with the Greatest Spectacle in Sports (and Television), the Super Bowl.

The best team from start to finish in the AFC, the Colts, will face the best team from start to finish in the NFC, the Saints. With both teams staying relatively quiet this week – the only real bulletin board material has come from the Colts’ former coach – there is only thing left to do on Super Bowl morning: take a stab at predicting what will happen.

Here are seven predictions for what we will see tonight in Super Bowl XLIV.

1. Reggie Bush will have more receiving yards than Austin Collie.

I have no statistical data to back this one up. Collie had more receptions and yards during the regular season as he should since his job is to catch the ball and run with it. This postseason Collie is averaging 5.5 catches per game for 87.5 yards while Bush has averages of three catches for 28.5 yards.

There is just something about this as I type it that feels right. It is much like the feeling I had last weekend when I said that DeSean Jackson would win Pro Bowl MVP. He finished with 101 yards on eight catches and two touchdowns, and if his team would have scored more points I would have been right. I’m all about the small victories in life, and my DeSean Jackson pick was one of those.

2. Alexander Ovechkin will have the same number of goals as Drew Brees touchdown passes.

I am not what one would call a hockey fan. I know zero hockey players under the age of 40 not named Crosby or Ovechkin unless they attended the University of North Dakota. I don’t like to give hockey much credit on anything, but it’s time has come. Congratuations NHL, you did it.

Scheduling Penguins vs. Capitals on the afternoon before the Super Bowl was genius. By the time the game will start the NFL Network will have lost another analyst due to criminal charges and Cris Carter will have pulled a Bert Blyleven over on ESPN and everyone will be scared for the final 217 hours of pregame coverage. Even Stu Scott’s fake eye will be looking straight. Hockey will seem like such a great idea that Tony the Tiger will have an aneurysm trying to explain how happy he is to have a break from pregame coverage.

I really hope all of the above happens. By the way, go Penguins. I don’t like Russian hockey players. They are the reason I can’t follow the sport. Way too hard to pronounce their names, let alone remember them.

3. At the end of the game, I will have as many sacks as Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.

Freeney is not healthy and will not be a factor. I don’t care what any report says. Robert Mathis will be healthy and will also not be that much of a factor. The media is extremely fixated with Peyton Manning not getting sacked often, but what about Drew Brees?

The Vikings led the league in total sacks this year and managed to get only one sack against the Saints two weeks ago. I’m not an expert on the Colts defensive front, but I have confidence saying that it is not as good as Minnesota’s. A lesser line and the best player on said line being injured does not equal Drew Brees going down. Not in my book anyway.

4. Darren Sharper will have more sacks than interceptions.

Yes, I am fully aware this is the second straight prediction involving sacks.

Two weeks ago the Saints ran a lot of safety blitzes on the Vikings. Sharper never got a sack, but sure did get to see Mr. Favre up close a few times.

I think Sharper will get his sack within the first two possessions, because if it doesn’t happen then, it probably won’t happen. According to ESPN Peyton Manning is a good quarterback and is also pretty smart. The Saints won’t have all game to get in his head.

5. At least one member of Jersey Shore will be shown during the telecast.

I don’t like it either, but there HAS to be at least three of them in Miami right now right? Hopefully they don’t make their way into the actual stadium and get some lame interview from the stands where JWoww is just staring at the JumboTron seeing if there is an angle on earth that make her boobs look good while Snooky is looking for a juicehead carrying around a jar of pickles.

For some reason Darren Rovell has been going crazy over the prop bet involving Archie Manning shots during the game. Does anyone really care what Archie is up to? I was more interested in Prince during the Vikings game than I am about Senor Manning. The O/U is 4.5 by the way. Insane.

6. The Colts will win and cover the spread.

I would really like to see the Saints win but I just don’t think it will happen. Peyton Manning is in beast mode and I just don’t see any way that the Colts will be in a position at the end of the game where they can’t win. If there is time on the clock, Peyton will find a way to score. He has done it all year and he will do it again on Sunday if need be.

While writing this I was trying to think of some good predictions, so I asked one of my friends who is notorious for giving strange opinions on football. His answer? 3-2 Colts.

I disagree. 34-22 Colts. Everyone loves a good two point conversion.

7. Peyton Manning will NOT win MVP.

I should probably have another name to throw out here. I’ll go with Donald Brown. He’ll bust a long +40 yard touchdown run in the second quarter and score on a screen play in the fourth to seal the deal.

Now it’s your turn. What is your prediction for tonight’s game?

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