The Colts path to Super Bowl 2010

Peyton Manning and the Colts revitalized their spread busting ways in the playoffs by stuffing the Baltimore Ravens and then outpacing the New York Jets. Now they’ll face their counterparts from the NFC at Super Bowl 2010. It’s been very difficult to nail down what the Super Bowl line should be, but looking back on the Colts’ run through the playoffs may illuminate some details.

When the Baltimore Ravens clashed with the Colts, they were a one-dimensional offense that had no passing attack. Ray Rice was targeted 25 times throughout the game, earning 13 carries for 67 yards while catching 9-of-12 passes for 60, but he was the only reliable weapon Baltimore had. As reliable as Joe Flacco had been throughout the season, he simply hadn’t evolved in to a game changer and the Colts steamrolled the Ravens 20-3.

When the Jets came to town, it was expected to be more of the same with yet another running team highlighted by rushing the ball and a scary defense. But Mark Sanchez had different thoughts in mind throwing 17-of-30 passes for 257 yards and 2 touchdowns, exposing the Colts’ defensive secondary. Yet despite Sanchez’s heroics, it was Peyton Manning who was the hero of the game ending with 377 yards and 3 touchdowns.

So what did we learn? In terms of offense, we learned that not even the stingiest defenses in the league could slow down the Colts. Defensively we saw that the Colts are better at stopping the run than we believed and very suspect in the secondary. That’s not good news for the Super Bowl line of -4.5 for the Colts when they face the pass-happy attack of the New Orleans Saints and Drew Brees. As far as Super Bowl predictions go this year, the Colts are getting narrow Super Bowl odds. Decisive spread victories notwithstanding, the Colts have yet to be tested by an aerial offense as potent as the Saints’.

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