Drew Brees vs. Colts' Secondary
By Brian Edwards
As we continue to break down Super Bowl XLIV let’s take a look at one of the most important matchups of Sunday’s game. I’m talking about New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees vs. the Indianapolis secondary.
**Drew Brees**
We begin this conversation with Brees, who signed with the Saints as a free agent in 2006. The Purdue product was coming off a career-threatening shoulder injury that required the surgical skills of Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham. When you’re set to enter the free-agent market, you don’t want to have visited Dr. Andrews anytime recently.
Brees had just two suitors – Miami and New Orleans. But the Dolphins and Nick Saban were more bullish on Daunte Culpepper, whereas new head coach Sean Payton made Brees and his family feel wanted. Therefore, he accepted a six-year, $60 million deal to join the Saints, who also added explosive USC running back Reggie Bush to the mix with the No. 2 selection in the draft.
The results have been magical. For the first time in franchise history, New Orleans advanced to the NFC Championship Game in 2006 before losing at Chicago. In 2007 and 2008, the Saints were in the hunt for a playoff berth, only to come up just short both seasons.
But 2009 has been different. The Saints won their first 13 games and then beat Arizona and Minnesota at the Superdome in the playoffs.
After the horror of Hurricane Katrina, Brees has New Orleans in its first Super Bowl. At this time four years ago, the futures of both Brees and the city were in peril.
The veteran signal caller threw for 4,388 yards in 15 regular-season games, producing a 34/11 touchdown-to-interception ratio. In the playoffs, Brees has six TD passes and no interceptions. In his last eight games, he has a remarkable 22/2 TD-INT ratio.
He distributes the wealth without bias, as evidenced by seven Saints with 35 receptions or more. Like the quarterback for the Colts, Brees gets through his progressions as well as any signal caller in the league. Opposing defenses never know when he’s going to look downfield for WRs Marques Colston or Devery Henderson, hit tight end Jeremy Shockey over the middle or check down to the dangerous Reggie Bush.
Payton and Brees are like Dan Fouts and Don “Air” Corryel. They are simply the perfect match. During four seasons together, they’ve produced 122 TD passes in 63 regular-season contests.
**Colts’ Secondary**
This unit has had to make do without its leader this year. All-Pro safety Bob Sanders played in just two regular-season games before going on injured reserve. This forced third-year man Melvin Bullitt into the starting lineup.
Bullitt teams with Antoine Bethea at the safety positions. Bethea covers a lot of range and has 95 tackles this year. He also has four interceptions, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
Kelvin Hayden is Indy’s best cover corner. He has just one interception, but Hayden missed a lot of time with injuries this season. However, he’s healthy now and it will be critical for Hayden not to get burnt deep.
Jerraud Powers has enjoyed an outstanding rookie campaign at CB for the Colts. But he missed the AFC Championship Game with a foot injury and is “questionable” this week. With Marlin Jackson on IR, this leaves Tim Jennings and Jacob Lacey in crucial roles.
Lacey has three interceptions this year, returning one for a touchdown. The rookie from out of Oklahoma St. has 13 passes defended. Jennings, a University of Georgia product in his fourth NFL season, has a pair of picks and 57 tackles.
If Powers can’t play and Indy’s best pass rusher Dwight Freeney (questionable, ankle) isn’t on the field or isn’t at full speed, the Colts’ secondary will be under even more pressure to perform against New Orleans’ vaunted aerial attack.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
This is the highest total (56-57 range as of Monday) in Super Bowl history. The highest previous total was 54 ½ two season ago in the Giants’ upset win over New England. In 1995, the San Diego-San Francisco total was 54.
Colston is Brees’ favorite target. The Hofstra product, who was drafted 2006 and made a huge impact immediately, has 70 receptions for 1,074 yards and nine TDs. Colston has a 15.3 yard-per-catch average.
New Orleans tight end Jeremy Shockey is “probable” with a knee injury that’s slowed him in recent weeks. Shockey had three receptions for 36 yards and one TD in the win over the Cardinals in the NFC semifinals. Shockey, who played his college ball at Miami, is returning home after just one catch for nine yards against the Vikings.
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