Henderson: Saints in a tight one and other thoughts
 

Henderson: Saints in a tight one and other thoughts

05:40 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 4, 2007


Jim Henderson / WWL-TV Sports Director

There are some similarities. Both offenses are built around good quarterbacks, who get out of bad situations, minimize mistakes and are good leaders. Both are very accurate and are coming off stellar seasons.
I think the Saints have an advantage at running back with their combo of Deuce and Reggie. I think Joseph Addai is very talented for the Colts, but there is almost no depth behind him.

The Colts have more experienced receivers in Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison and steadier play at tight end.

On defense the Colts got better all last season against the run and they’ve improved even more this preseason. I think strong safety Bob Sanders is a key for them with the run D. However, their defense is smallish and built for speed, so I think the Saints will try to pound Deuce against them.
More Notes

- I don’t think Sean Payton will have any special ‘rah-rah’ speeches for this game. I think this team has a quiet confidence – they expect to win. There’s great character on this team.

- When people say the AFC is stronger than the NFC, I think they are speaking of depth mostly. I think the best NFC team can stay with the best team in the AFC, but I think the AFC goes deeper with teams that could win the Super Bowl.

- There have been a lot of looks back at the Colts 55-21 pasting of the Saints in 2003, but there is no reason to compare the two. This team’s defense is much stronger than that one, and even that team had a bevy of players missing on defense that game.

- I don’t think Manning will put up 55 points in this one, though he may put up 34.

- There will be no comparison between the emotion of this game for the Colts, getting their rings and raising a banner, and the Saints return to the Superdome last year. I don’t think any atmosphere will ever match that game back in the Dome. Perhaps the Saints game against the Giants in New York the week after 9-11 may have been close. I was at both games and there was no one that was going to beat the Giants that week and no one who would beat the Saints in last year’s home opener.

- My prediction for this game? 28-23 Saints.
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