Indianapolis Colts' Keys To Winning the Super Bowl

As the Super Sunday countdown is at 11 days, I have come up with some keys to victory for the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts should match up very well with the New Orleans Saints, and it should make for an epic Super Bowl XLIV.

First off, the Colts need to be able to utilize the passing game. The Saints are coming into the Super Bowl with the 26th ranked passing defense, and this couldn't be better for Indianapolis. Manning's pass-happy game play has helped the Colts to a 14-2 season, and has led them to an NFL record 23 consecutive regular-season wins, a streak that ended earlier this season.

Secondly, Indianapolis has to get the running game going early.

With the worst-rated rushing attack in the league, it should be a bit of a surprise for the Saints if the Colts utilize their backs, who started to show life in the last four weeks of the season.

I look for second- and third-down backs Donald Brown and Mike Hart to be the difference makers in the red zone, but Addai to be a bigger difference maker in Colts' territory.

Next, they need their young defensive secondary to step up. With young guys in the defensive backfield, it could be a bit of a concern.

Powers is the biggest concern, as he is a rookie this season, but other young faces include Melvin Bullitt and Tim Jennings. Bethea and Hayden should be fine, as they were a part of Super Bowl XLI and played great.

Fourth, they need Freeney and Mathis to be on their game. Shouldn't be a problem for Mathis, but Freeney is a different story.

He suffered a pretty bad ankle sprain late in the AFC Championship game, and while the extra week off will help, that ankle should still be pretty tender. If they can both perform as they should, they will draw some double-teams to open gaps for linebackers Clint Session and Gary Brackett to penetrate the line.

Finally, they need Peyton Manning to be Peyton Manning. The 2009 season has arguably been Manning's finest season in his career.

In his first two playoff games, he has achieved some pretty sickening stats, averaging 311 yards a game with four touchdowns, only one interception, and a passer rating over 100.

He needs to continue to make his brilliant play calls, and find his open man down the field. This sounds kind of redundant from the beginning, but it needs to be. This is the most important part of a victory on Feb. 7, and a win here could vault Manning from one of the best ever, to the best ever. 

So there we have it folks, my keys to an Indianapolis win in the Super Bowl. If all things go correctly, we should still see a shootout, but a victorious one for the people going for the Blue and White.

My prediction—Colts 31, Saints 24