Super Bowl XLVI
Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored three goals as the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia 5-2 on Saturday for their seventh straight win over the Flyers.
Buried on the bench a little more than a week ago, the Knicks' Jeremy Lin is now the toast of New York.
Beyond the Arc: No. 14 UNLV's 65-63 victory over No. 13 San Diego State adds spice to the Mountain West Conference race.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
Move over, Hollywood and NFL types, golf's two real A-listers take center stage Sunday at Pebble Beach, both in need of a win.
The United States swept favored Switzerland out of the Davis Cup on Saturday when Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan beat Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Luis Suarez's refusal to shake hands with Patrice Evra overshadowed Manchester United's 2-1 win over rival Liverpool that lifted the defending champions to first place in the Premier League on Saturday.
Marlies Schild of Austria won her sixth World Cup slalom of the season Saturday after overall leader Lindsey Vonn and defending champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch crashed out in the opening run on the windy Pyrenees course.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
AP file
|
Both teams have been propelled by offenses that defenses usually have had no answers for. On the one hand, there is Peyton Manning, arguably the best quarterback in history, and on the other, there is Drew Brees, a spectacularly efficient player.
If every team could duplicate what the Saints and Colts have built offensively, they would. But they can’t. Their offense is their magic, and they have patents on it.
What the offenses share is continuity.
The Colts have had their offensive system, as well as their quarterback in place for a dozen years now. No other NFL team comes close to enjoying that kind of continuity. The team’s offensive coordinator Tom Moore and Manning have been in place for three Colts head coaches.
When offensive mastermind Sean Payton became head coach of the Saints in 2006, one of the first things he did was sign Drew Brees to quarterback his team. The Saints offense has gotten progressively better every year since.
With two outstanding offensive systems, two excellent play callers and two of the best quarterbacks in recent history, the Colts and Saints have been able to maximize the abilities of other players on their offenses.
The Saints, for instance, are led in rushing by Pierre Thomas, a player who wasn’t even drafted. Their leading receiver, Marques Colston, was a seventh round pick. Another player who was thought of as a bust prior to this season, wide receiver Robert Meacham, has scored eight touchdowns and become a vertical threat.
As for the Colts, Manning has two very talented players to throw to in tight end Dallas Clark and wide receiver Reggie Wayne. But Anthony Gonzalez has been out all season, and Manning has made the most out of two players no one outside the organization had any expectations for — 2008 sixth round pick Pierre Garcon and rookie fourth round pick Austin Collie.
That’s why Colts president Bill Polian believes this season could be Manning’s best ever.
“He’s really doing a heck of a job, breaking in new receivers and having to do it almost from the get go,” Polian said. “It’s been a struggle for him but he’s done a great job with it. The offensive line play has been not as clean as it was in the past. The injuries just compound that …. He helped everyone else to be better. That’s what great players do.”
Manning and Brees make their offenses very difficult to defend because they play so intelligently and they can take advantage of any defensive deficiency. One of Brees’ best attributes is his decision making.
“Brees can find the open receiver,” said an NFC pro scout. “He finds mismatches. He has a lot of weapons to work with, and he uses them all. He is as smart as anyone. He throws with great timing and anticipation, he finds throwing lanes and windows in coverage. He’s great in the pocket.”
It also helps that the Saints trot out a different personnel package on virtually every down. The run the same plays out of different personnel packages, which makes them very difficult to defend.
There isn’t anything they can’t do. They have a power run game with Thomas and Mike Bell. They can run draws and screens and create mismatches with Reggie Bush. They can work the underneath zones with Colston and tight end Jeremy Shockey. And they can get downfield with Meachem and Devery Henderson.
“What they do better than probably anyone is keep you off balance,” the pro scout said. “Payton is a really good play caller and they are more versatile than any offense in the league. You can’t key on anyone against them.”
The offenses of the Colts and Saints make it look so easy. But it’s only easy because of some special people and some special circumstances.
Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
 | Video |
 |
Week 16's key matchups PFT Daily: Bengals need a win, Dawkins returns to Philly and the Jets are on life support. |
 | Slideshow |
 | Super Bowl XLVI shots See the best moments before, during and after the Giants' win over the Patriots more photos |
 | Video: Football from NBC Sports |
 Getty Images |
| Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
Phil Pressey's first 3-point attempt went in off the glass. The sophomore guard, known more for flashy, no-look passes than his outside touch, took that sketchy success and ran with it.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
The United States swept favored Switzerland out of the Davis Cup on Saturday when Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan beat Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
