Bltizing Drew Brees Will Be No Easy Task for Colts Defense

Most of the banter Super Bowl week has been how the New Orleans Saints defense will attack Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

Many observers believe the worst thing the 25th rank unit should do is throw multiple blitz packages at Manning, who has been a master of exploiting the strategy throughout his career.

Well, the same message can be directed at the Colts defense as they attempt to slow down Drew Brees and the Saints' No. 1 ranked offense.

Brees was actually more efficient against the blitz in 2009 than his counterpart Manning to the tune of a 71 percent completion percentage, 10.2 yards per pass, seven touchdowns, and only three interceptions.

Manning, who featured a quarterback rating well over 100 in the postseason against the blitzing defenses of the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets, finished second behind Brees during the regular season completing 68 percent of his passes, 10 touchdowns, and four interceptions.

Blitzing Brees will pose difficult challenges for the Colts on several fronts. Going after him plays right into the hands of Brees who is already adept at quickly distributing the ball to playmakers like Marcus Colston, Devery Henderson, and speedster Reggie Bush who are all dangerous in open space.

Left to cover those receivers will be productive, but inexperienced defensive backs Jacob Lacey and Jerraud Powers (who replaced injured starters Bob Sanders and Marlon Jackson, respectively, for most of the season) to batten down the hatches in the secondary.

Saints head coach Sean Payton has become a czar at using multiple formations and personnel groupings allowing one of the NFL's decisive and accurate passers to dissect defenses without much resistance even when the kitchen sink is thrown at him. 

Better believe Payton will try to create mismatches if he anticipates the Colts will bring heat.

Following their 38-17 Week 12 loss to New Orleans in October, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick admitted Brees' 371-yard, five touchdown performance humbled the once imposing championship defense.

"I can't think of too many teams—I can't think of any really—that are any more explosive than this team is. I've talked about the Rams, I've talked about the Chargers in the early '80s. But these guys can run with anybody," Belichick told the press after the Monday night defeat.

With the prospect of Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney not being able to play due to a severely injured right ankle, the Colts won't be able to rely on the front four in the Cover-2 system to create pressure on their own.

It will more than likely force Indianapolis Colts head coach Jim Caldwell to bring extra rushers probably more often than he would like exposing the middle of the defense. A classic pick your poison scenario to say the least.

“You’re going to have to find a way to contain them," Caldwell said after the AFC Championship Game.

That will be no easy task come Super Bowl Sunday.