ESPN'S Trent Dilfer Asks When It Comes to the Colts, Where's the Beef?

Just when you though they couldn't get any worse, ESPN's Mike and Mike sank to a new journalistic low on Friday morning when in 10 minutes of Super Bowl analysis they failed to mention the name Drew Brees once.

On Monday morning, they will quite regret that mistake.

Probably explains why their ratings have been rock bottom for nearly a decade now in New Orleans. Not too many people in the town value what they have to say and justifably so.

By contrast, Trent Dilfer is a 'breath of fresh air' and delivered the best Super Bowl breakdown of the entire week on Friday afternoon.

Dilfer, who quarterbacked the Baltimore Ravens to a 34-7 Super Bowl XXXV victory over the New York Giants in 2001, told ESPN Radio's Colin Cowherd Friday, "I think the Saints are licking their chops. I think they're sitting back and loving the fact that everybody is banging on them. They love the fact that they're underdogs and they're sitting back going, '(The Colts) can't stop us.'"

Dilfer is known for his assiduous film study as an analyst for ESPN. He says after breaking down the tape, he likes the New Orleans Saints chances.

"My issue with the Colts is that they did not play a very difficult schedule and I started looking at the teams they played. Especially looking at their defense, who their defense played...they didn't play any balanced offenses and the balanced offenses they did play torched them. They (the Colts) just got torched."

Dilfer says Reggie Bush matches up well against this suspect Colts defense and he expects him to return to the type of form he displayed against the Arizona Cardinals in the divisional round.

"I think you're going to see Reggie Bush the performer. I really do. I think you're going to see the Saints be very multiple. This is a Colts defense that if you spread them thin, meaning you get them to cover a lot of ground.....everybody says (the Colts defense) is fast but they're not gap sound as you spread them thin and Reggie can be that player."

"You know the thing that kills speed is speed," says Dilfer. "It's very hard to assimilate Reggie Bush's speed, his explosiveness, in practice. So, I think that's the thing that can match the Colts' defensive speed."

Dilfer says the Saints biggest advantage lies in the Colts sub-par defensive secondary.

"I think the Saints are going to take advantage of that, of the entire (Colts) secondary. Colts free safety (Antoine) Bethea is a heck of a player. Outside of that, I'm not a huge fan of anybody else in the Indianapolis secondary."

Dilfer says despite the Saints late-season slide, there is no escaping they are the league's elite team.

"They are really darned good, The Saints are really good," says Dilfer. "They're an excellent offense and I still say they are the best offense I've seen because they're so complete.

"I think their offensive line is dominant, especially their inside three. Their special teams are really good and their defense compliments their offense. It's a big play defense. It creates some problems. It's a headache."

"Peyton (Manning) can say whatever he wants. I know Peyton. I know how he studies. I know the people he studies with. He's in the film room tonight still trying to figure out some keys to what the Saints defense is doing so he doesn't get confused on Sunday."

Dilfer says he believes New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams will make good on his "Remember Me" shots promise on Manning.

"I don't think the Saints care if they sack him. They want to dictate where the ball is thrown. They want to bring the pressure, make sure the ball is thrown a certain way, so that they can be in that place and tackle.

"They don't want Peyton to be able to dissect the entire defense. They want to force him to throw the ball in a particular area and make the tackles or strip the ball free after the catch."

According to Dilfer, the Saints are on the verge of turning the sports establishment on its head.

"The Saints are thinking to themselves the Colts can't stop us. I think they have that mentality, 'we are going to score touchdowns everytime we touch the ball, not only are we going to score touchdowns, we're going to hold the ball.

"It's not going to be big plays. The Saints are going to be marching the ball, frustrating the Colts and getting Peyton over their with his baseball cap on getting more and more frustrated everytime he gets on the field.

"I think the Saints offense can absolutely control this football game."

Randy's prediction: Saints 38 Colts 24

The Saints win their first Super Bowl in franchise history by torching an outmanned Colts defense. Marcus Colston and Robert Meachem both have 100-plus yard receiving days. Brees torches Colts secondary for four TD passes.

McCray delivers a "Remember Me" shot on Peyton. Reggie proposes to Kim. In a final encore performance as a Saintsation, Suzette does cartwheels onto the field, takes back all those nasty things she said about Randy and, then, proclaims, "Keith and I are going to Disney World!"