Super Bowl XLIV: Saints and Colts Comparison by Position
 

You can't help but see the similarities in the statistics for both Indianapolis Colts Peyton Manning and the New Orleans Saints Brees this season as they did end up finishing first and second respectively in the NFL MVP race. Now my opinion is that the final result should not have been nearly as far apart as it ended up being but that is neither here nor there. Looking at their numbers is one thing, but you've got to stand back and just see everything else both of them bring to their teams. Confidence. The ability to make everyone around them better. Leadership.


Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are only small cogs in the big machines that are the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts though. Let's take a look at the season stats for the rest of the starters and a few of the most important back-ups. Stats aren't everything of course, but they do go to show just how good all of the players in the Super Bowl truly are.


All numbers are for the 2009 season. Numbers are taken from those two or three that are most productive at their positions so all numbers may not equal out to other positions associated with them.


Quarterbacks



Peyton Manning Vs. Drew Brees

Peyton Manning: 571 attempts, 393 completions, 4,500 yards, 33 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 99.9 QB rating

Drew Brees: 514 attempts, 363 completions, 4,388 yards, 34 touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 109.6 QB rating

Running Backs



Joseph Addai, Donald Brown, Chad Simpson Vs. Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell, & Reggie Bush

Colts: 312 attempts, 1,211 yards, 3.9 yards per carry, 15 touchdowns, 2 fumbles, 1 lost

Saints: 389 attempts, 1,837 yards, 4.7 yards per carry, 16 touchdowns, 5 fumbles, 4 lost

Wide Receivers



Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon, & Austin Collie Vs. Marques Colston, Devery Henderson, & Robert Meachem

Colts: 207 receptions, 2,705 yards, 13.1 yards per catch, 21 touchdowns, 1 fumble, 0 lost

Saints: 166 receptions, 2,600 yards, 15.7 yards per catch, 20 touchdowns, 4 fumbles, 3 lost

Tight Ends



Dallas Clark & Tom Santi Vs. Jeremy Shockey & David Thomas

Colts: 108 receptions, 1,213 yards, 11.2 yards per catch, 10 touchdowns, 2 fumbles, 1 lost

Saints: 83 receptions, 925 yards, 11.1 yards per catch, 4 touchdowns, 0 fumbles, 0 lost

Offensive Lines



Charlie Johnson, Ryan Lilja, Jeff Saturday, Kyle DeVan, & Ryan Diem Vs. Jermon Bushrod, Carl Nicks, Jonathan Goodwin, Jahri Evans & Jonathan Stinchcomb

Colts: 10 sacks allowed for a loss of 74 yards

Saints: 20 sacks allowed for a loss of 135 yards