NFL Picks Super Bowl 44
Pro handicapper Cliff Knox gives out his top NFL picks each week during the pro football season. If there are any Thurday picks they will be available at 2pm EST on Thursday. Cliff's early picks are available on Friday at 5pm EST. Make sure to check back for Cliff's gameday selections available at 11am EST on Sunday.
New Orleans Saints (15-3) +6 at Indianapolis Colts (16-2) -6 O/U 57
This Sunday Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints try to win the big game in their first trip to the Super Bowl in franchise history. To do so they'll have to stop MVP Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. This has the making of one of the best superbowl games in years as the 2 top teams square off in sunny Miami. Both of these teams can score at will as this game looks to be a high scoring affair. The Saints and Colts were 2 of the top passing teams in the league but the big question is who will be able to run the ball ?
Most people forget that the Saints finished 6th in the league with 131.4 yards rushing per game. Colts finished 24th in the league against the run. Yes those numbers are a bit skewed allowing 248 to Buffalo and 202 to the jets when resting starters. However, even taking those games out, the Colts were allowing 112.8 per game (17th in the league).
Yes the Saints allowed 122.2 per game, but they are facing Indy's 32nd ranked run offense which gain a paltry 80.9 per game.
Passing attack is about even with Indy finishing 2nd in the league with 282.2 per game. NO finished 4th with 272.2. Manning completed 68.8% (2nd) of his passes... Brees completed 70.6 (1st) On paper the Colts appears to have a big edge in pass D, Indy 14th (PYPG) and NO (26th) however the Saints had many games with 1 or both starting corners out. While neither QB gets sacked much... people have the perception that Freeney and Mathis are a force to reckon with... However, Saints hold the edge in total sacks the regular season at 35 to 34. Saints also have allowed opposing QB's to complete only 57.5% of their passes... good for 4th overall Colts ... 63.8% for 26th spot.
The Colts has played one dimensional teams in the playoffs with passing offenses ranked 18th the Ravens and 31st the Jets. While NO faced two of the top passing QB's in competition percentage. Favre #3 and Warner #6 and 10 out of Indy's 16 games in the regular season were against teams that finished in the bottom half of the league in Pass Offense.
The Saints are 8-0 ATS in their last eight matchups with AFC opponents. Indianapolis is 2-4 ATS in their last six matchups with New Orleans.
The linesmaker at Bodog still have the Colts favored by 6 were many other sportsbooks have them at 4.5 or 5. We think New Orleans have a great shot to win this game straight up. This line is out of whack. Take the Saints +6
Cliff Knox's Pick History For The 2009/2010 Season
Cliff has been red hot going 12-3-1 the last 9 weeks, 4-2 in the playoffs, 25-13-2 on the year, with only 3 losing weeks.
- Super Bowl NO +6 (win) 1-0
- Conference - IND -8 (win) NO -3.5(loss) 1-1
- Divisional - ARZ +7 (loss) 0-1
- Wildcard - NYJ +2.5 (win) DAL -4 (win) 2-0
- Week 17 - PIT -3 (win) 1-0
- Week 16 - IND -4 (loss) PIT -2.5 (win) 1-1
- Week 15 - IND -3 (win) TEN -3 (tie) 1-0-1
- Week 14 - CLE +10.5 (win) WAS -1 (win) GB -3.5 (win) BUF -1 (win) 4-0
- Week 13 - IND -6.5 (win) GB-3.5 (win) 2-0
- Week 12 - GB -10.5 (win) OAK+14 (loss) WAS+9.5 (win) 2-1
- Week 11 - GB -6.5 (loss) WAS +9 (win) NYG-6.5 (loss) 1-2
- Week 10 - SF -3 (win) NE +3 (win) 2-0
- Week 9 - HOU +9 (win) Under 43.5 GB/TB (loss) 1-1
- Week 8 - MIA +3.5 (win) SEA +9.5 (loss) ARZ -10 (loss) Den +3.5 (loss) 1-3
- Week 7 - MIA +6.5 (loss) DAL -4 (win) SF -3 (tie) 1-1-1
- Week 6 - MIN -3.5 (loss) NYG +3(loss) KC +6.5 (win) ATL -(win) BUF +9.5 (win) 3-2
NFL Handicapping
NFL Week 1 Bet Lines
Week one lines are out. Get all the game odds and our early selections against the spread.