Clayton News Daily

Brian Paglia

Sports Reporter

Colts 30, Saints 20

Be mindful of the forces at work in this game. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning grew up in New Orleans, where his father, Archie Manning, was arguably the worst quarterback in NFL history. He was 35-101-3 as a starter. No quarterback with at least 100 starts was worse.

Some sort of justice happened to give Archie a son many are beginning to consider the best quarterback in NFL history. Peyton has shed the "can't-win-the-big-one" label, and it probably took him a day to figure out how he'll dissect the Saints defense.

Not that it would be hard. New Orleans had the 25th best defense in the regular season and was 26th against the pass. They are ripe for the picking.

No one's better equipped to do that than Peyton Manning. This game is over by the third quarter.

Derrick Mahone

Sports Reporter

Colts 45, Saints 17

Several magical storylines are at work here in this game. New Orleans first-ever Super Bowl appearance a few years after one of the worst natural disasters in American history. The Saints have been the feel-good story in American sports since Hurricane Katrina hit the area.

Indianapolis will be trying to make Jim Caldwell the first rookie head coach to win a championship ring. Caldwell, who learned under championship coaches Joe Paterno and Tony Dungy, was a bust in his only previous head coaching job at Wake Forest.

This time, Caldwell has one of pro football's biggest weapons in league MVP Peyton Manning. The Colts should cruise in making this a Super Bowl bore.

Doug Gorman

Sports Editor

Saints 35, Colts 28

Before you call the men with the straight jackets to come and take me away, I haven't lost my mind.

I think it' s the Saints' year to shine. Yes, I was born in New Orleans (albeit I only lived there for six months before my Dad's company G.E. transferred him), yes I'm an NFC man, and yes the city deserves a break after the nightmare it went through with Hurricane Katrina, so maybe I'm just being sentimental, but if quarterback Drew Brees has the type of game he is capble of playing, and the Saints' defense finds a way to shut down Payton Manning, and maybe force the MVP into throwing an interception or two, the Lombardi Trophy might just find its way to the Crescent City for the first time ever.