NFL Picks: Super Bowl Sunday is coming

By Rocky Hulne

Published Wednesday, February 3, 2010

As a Packer fan, I must say I felt relieved to see the Vikings fall short last week.

The Saints were struggling, Minnesota had it in the bag and the duo of Brad Childress and Brett Favre worked their magic like no one else could to give the Saints that game.

Normally I don’t toot my own horn, but I have to highlight these two quotes from my blog about the NFC Championship last week.

“With Adrian Peterson being fumble-prone and Favre having a history of costly turnovers I see a major giveaway ending the Vikings’ season.”

“Yes, I am a little bit bitter but I also know Favre to well. Just when you start to buy into him as one of the greatest players of all time he does something mind numbingly stupid that makes you wish you had never trusted him.”

For once, I’d like to say I told you so.

As for the Super Bowl, I think we’re headed for a very good game. I’ve heard a lot about the Colts’ defense being so good, but the teams they’ve shut down in the playoffs have been the Ravens and Jets, two very pedestrian offenses that rely heavily on the run.

With the Saints, they’re up against a totally different animal.

New Orleans doesn’t just run the ball (and they do that quite well), they can also spread it out and fire it down field.

They’ve also been a benefactor of major breaks in about five of their games this season. From the Robert Meachem strip-and-score, to the Redskins missing a game clinching chip shot of a field goal, this team has some destiny in its favor.

I wrote earlier this season that the Saints reminded me of the Chicago Bears team that went to the Super Bowl a few years back:

“Lucky things always seem to happen for great teams and I think the Saints have that luck with them right now. It happened for the Patriots team that went unbeaten in the regular season and it happened for the Bears team that somehow made it to a Super Bowl with Rex Grossman. The bad news for the Saints – both of those teams lost the big game.”

In fact, the Bears lost the Super Bowl to the same Colts team that New Orleans is facing on Sunday.

Peyton Manning is coming off his best game of his career as far as I’m concerned. That second half against the Jets was amazing and it was like he was playing in a video game.

You must also remember the Colts could easily be undefeated had they not rested their starters – which I think was the right move.

It they were still undefeated that’s all they’d be talking about for two weeks, and players don’t need an extra pressure for a Super Bowl. The game brings enough stress already for players.

So my pick is the Indianapolis Colts, with a heart-wrenching 38-35 victory.

I don’t know if he’s healthy yet, but Adam Vinatieri could be involved prominently.

Playoffs: 7-3 (173-80)