Superbowl Sunday

Garp · 07-02-2010, 07:34

Superbowl Sunday is upon us again, kicking off at 6:25pm Eastern (11:25 GMT I believe?)

This year it's the New Orleans Saint's in their first ever Superbowl, a huge achievement from a team who's fans not all that long ago would turn up at games with paper bags on their heads rather than be seen to be Saint's fans.
Primarily they've got to the Superbowl on the strength of their Quarterback Drew Brees, who has had an incredible season, and the dynamic duo of Pierre Thomas & Marques Colston (Running Back and Wide Receiver respectively.) With two other solid RBs and WRs Brees has had a good number of targets for his passing.

That said Brees has become considerably more scrappy as the season has gone by. Watching their Superbowl qualifier against the usually sublime Vikings it was hard to imagine they were Superbowl material. They might have pounded Arizona Cardinals the week before, but this was a different, possibly tired team. Almost every throw from Brees was visibly sloppy, wobbling along. As much as their fans might argue, it was more a case of the Vikings having lost the game than the Saints actually winning it.
The Saints defense is rock solid. It's been extremely hard to get anything past them all season, one of the reasons they held such an impressive season record (13 wins 0 losses, and then having ensured their playoffs place they started resting their main players and lost 3 in a row).

Colts have been unbelievable the entire season, ending it 14 wins, and just 2 losses (again like the Saints they rested their decent players for the playoffs). Peyton Manning, their star QuarterBack is in a class of his own. His ability to read and anticipate the opposing defensive team and choose appropriate plays are almost unparalleled (there are 5 or 6 really decent QBs this year) and no defensive coach seems to have figured out the secrets of his hand waving. Even the Colts own defensive team are clueless. Unlike the Saints they've remained solid even through the playoffs.
There has been a bit of fuss in the media about the loss of one of their defenders, but honestly it's a big fuss over relatively nothing. He's a decent guy, but not the be all and end all of the defense.

If the Saints bring their strong game from earlier in the season and Brees starts throwing properly we could be in for one heck of a game tomorrow. Brees and his receivers are an unbelievable force, capable of outfoxing the best of them.
If they're still playing like they were against the Vikings, though, I'm expecting the Colts defense to rip every offensive play to shreds, and Manning to do his usual job of destroying opposing defense.

I've a niggling feeling we'll be seeing the former. I certainly hope so!

loki · 07-02-2010, 12:28

Hoping for a Saints win tonight

Joe 90 · 07-02-2010, 16:50

best night Ever!

didn't know there were any other fans on here! I'm not too fussed about who wins tonight, just looking forward to some good football & a damned good party

LeperousDust · 07-02-2010, 17:15

Google advert debuts too

Garp · 07-02-2010, 18:17

I'm pegging on a Colts win. Peyton and crew are far more consistent than Brees and his bunch.

I wouldn't call myself a fan of American Football, but I'll happily watch it with my family here. I find it hard to really enjoy a game that is so little action (the New York Times worked out recently that an average game contains just 11 minutes of actual playing) but I can appreciate the technical skill involved in the game

edit: the only reason I know so much about this season of football is that I did Fantasy Football with my work colleagues this year (and made it into the playoffs!). Brees was my star quarterback

Creature · 07-02-2010, 21:29

I have a bad habit of picking the team that loses, (Bears, Patriots and Cardinals in the last 3 seasons) so although I really want the Colts to win, I have a feeling the Saints will do it.

divine · 08-02-2010, 00:50

Watching the superbowl for my fourth year, this always sparks an interest in AF for me which I end up quickly forgetting about a few weeks later

PIP ftw

Flibster · 08-02-2010, 02:09

Sad to say - but it's time The Who retired...

Was looking forward to this, very impressive to watch, but Daltrys voice is shot.

divine · 08-02-2010, 03:49

I enjoyed that

Garp · 08-02-2010, 04:32

Saints tidied up their act for sure, but it all came down to that Peyton mistake.

Good game all round

07-02-2010, 07:34	#1
Garp Preparing more tumbleweed Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hawaii Posts: 6,038	Superbowl Sunday Superbowl Sunday is upon us again, kicking off at 6:25pm Eastern (11:25 GMT I believe?) This year it's the New Orleans Saint's in their first ever Superbowl, a huge achievement from a team who's fans not all that long ago would turn up at games with paper bags on their heads rather than be seen to be Saint's fans. Primarily they've got to the Superbowl on the strength of their Quarterback Drew Brees, who has had an incredible season, and the dynamic duo of Pierre Thomas & Marques Colston (Running Back and Wide Receiver respectively.) With two other solid RBs and WRs Brees has had a good number of targets for his passing. That said Brees has become considerably more scrappy as the season has gone by. Watching their Superbowl qualifier against the usually sublime Vikings it was hard to imagine they were Superbowl material. They might have pounded Arizona Cardinals the week before, but this was a different, possibly tired team. Almost every throw from Brees was visibly sloppy, wobbling along. As much as their fans might argue, it was more a case of the Vikings having lost the game than the Saints actually winning it. The Saints defense is rock solid. It's been extremely hard to get anything past them all season, one of the reasons they held such an impressive season record (13 wins 0 losses, and then having ensured their playoffs place they started resting their main players and lost 3 in a row). Colts have been unbelievable the entire season, ending it 14 wins, and just 2 losses (again like the Saints they rested their decent players for the playoffs). Peyton Manning, their star QuarterBack is in a class of his own. His ability to read and anticipate the opposing defensive team and choose appropriate plays are almost unparalleled (there are 5 or 6 really decent QBs this year) and no defensive coach seems to have figured out the secrets of his hand waving. Even the Colts own defensive team are clueless. Unlike the Saints they've remained solid even through the playoffs. There has been a bit of fuss in the media about the loss of one of their defenders, but honestly it's a big fuss over relatively nothing. He's a decent guy, but not the be all and end all of the defense. If the Saints bring their strong game from earlier in the season and Brees starts throwing properly we could be in for one heck of a game tomorrow. Brees and his receivers are an unbelievable force, capable of outfoxing the best of them. If they're still playing like they were against the Vikings, though, I'm expecting the Colts defense to rip every offensive play to shreds, and Manning to do his usual job of destroying opposing defense. I've a niggling feeling we'll be seeing the former. I certainly hope so! __________________ Mal: Define "interesting"? Wash: "Oh, God, oh, God, we're all gonna die"?

07-02-2010, 12:28	#2
loki Vodka Martini Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 871	Hoping for a Saints win tonight __________________ PC & Console LAN 9th-11th July

07-02-2010, 16:50	#3
Joe 90 Absinthe Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Chester Posts: 2,345	best night Ever! didn't know there were any other fans on here! I'm not too fussed about who wins tonight, just looking forward to some good football & a damned good party __________________ 360 Blog \| Join GiffGaff \| Twitter

07-02-2010, 17:15	#4
LeperousDust Bananaman Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Liverpool/Edinburgh Posts: 4,817	Google advert debuts too __________________

07-02-2010, 18:17	#5
Garp Preparing more tumbleweed Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hawaii Posts: 6,038	I'm pegging on a Colts win. Peyton and crew are far more consistent than Brees and his bunch. I wouldn't call myself a fan of American Football, but I'll happily watch it with my family here. I find it hard to really enjoy a game that is so little action (the New York Times worked out recently that an average game contains just 11 minutes of actual playing) but I can appreciate the technical skill involved in the game edit: the only reason I know so much about this season of football is that I did Fantasy Football with my work colleagues this year (and made it into the playoffs!). Brees was my star quarterback __________________ Mal: Define "interesting"? Wash: "Oh, God, oh, God, we're all gonna die"? Last edited by Garp; 07-02-2010 at 18:29.

07-02-2010, 21:29	#6
Creature Crispy Coated Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Gloucestershire Posts: 2,087	I have a bad habit of picking the team that loses, (Bears, Patriots and Cardinals in the last 3 seasons) so although I really want the Colts to win, I have a feeling the Saints will do it. __________________

08-02-2010, 00:50	#7
divine Moonshine Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 3,201	Watching the superbowl for my fourth year, this always sparks an interest in AF for me which I end up quickly forgetting about a few weeks later PIP ftw __________________

08-02-2010, 02:09	#8
Flibster Moonshine Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,388	Sad to say - but it's time The Who retired... Was looking forward to this, very impressive to watch, but Daltrys voice is shot. __________________

08-02-2010, 03:49	#9
divine Moonshine Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 3,201	I enjoyed that __________________

08-02-2010, 04:32	#10
Garp Preparing more tumbleweed Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Hawaii Posts: 6,038	Saints tidied up their act for sure, but it all came down to that Peyton mistake. Good game all round __________________ Mal: Define "interesting"? Wash: "Oh, God, oh, God, we're all gonna die"?