The biggest weekend in sports is set to go down, and there is only one question you need ask yourself: Do I have the correct hot sauce to ranch ratio?

The two teams heading bettors are evaluating on the Super Bowl 2010 odds couldn’t be more different – the Colts come into this game off a which saw not only Peyton Manning but the entire team rise to the occasion on a consistent basis. The Saints on the other hand are a remarkable comeback story – one which parallels that of the city they represent. While the Saints may be the sentimental favorite, it is certainly not that way with the bookmakers, as Indianapolis is coming in as a -5.5 favorite.

Because the Colts aren’t known for running the ball, expect New Orleans to focus on the pass – something that should work to the underdogs’ advantage. While its obvious the Saints are going to have to pressure Peyton Manning, they’re going to have to get physical to do it – no easy feat given the Colts’ offensive line. The Saints are also going to have to constantly be on the lookout for every opportunity. You have to believe Gregg Williams will continue his emphasis on exploiting any opportunity to turn the play around.

Indianapolis, however, has to stop the Saints offence –
New Orleans has dangerous accuracy when it comes to throwing the ball, and the
Colts can’t give them an inch. Making sure that Brees doesn’t have the physical
space to get his throws off is critical and will ensure the Colts stave off the
upset.

The bottom line? Without a serious defense to stop him, Peyton Manning will run game on the New Orleans Saints, capturing himself and the Colts another championship title. Look for Indianapolis to slowly pull away from a close contest in the first half of the game to put a stamp on things in the 3^rd and particularly 4^th quarters.

While most people are only looking at the Super Bowl odds, there is plenty of other NFL news being released that is flying under the radar.

LaDainian Tomlinson Likely Done In San Diego

A contrite LaDainian Tomlinson spoke to the media once again after the NFL season and it looks like he has come to terms with the facts. Tomlinson, no longer the player he once was, is likely to be released soon. For the first time, we heard Tomlinson talk about expecting his release, which should come within a month. His agent is talking to the team to expedite the process.

Donte Stallworth To Be Reinstated

Donte Stallworth is about to be reinstated in the NFL this Sunday. Stallworth had been suspended indefinitely after killing a pedestrian in the offseason, will get his chance to get his life back in order and join an NFL roster next year. It’s very likely that the Browns will cut him shortly as the new season starts at the end of the month. They have no plans to keep him.

Michael Irvin Charged With Rape In Civil Suit

It seems like Michael Irvin just can’t keep his nose clean. On Friday, he was charged with rape in a civil suit by a woman who claims she was sexually assaulted by him.

Irvin was fired from his cushy gig at ESPN for a drug charge and now he might be on the hot seat at the NFL Network after his latest incident.

Super Bowl MVP odds are out for Sunday’s big game between Indianapolis and New Orleans, and even though the focus will be on Colts’ quarterback Peyton Manning and his Saints’ counterpart Drew Brees, each team has to have a secondary player step up if they want to win. Here’s the best choices for each team.

Austin Collie, Indianapolis (+1800)

Collie, from Hamilton, Ontario, was a fourth-round pick out of BYU last year, and he was worked into the offense, ending the regular season with 60 catches for 676 yards and seven touchdowns. However, his coming-out party came in the AFC championship game, catching seven passes for 123 yards and a touchdown as the Jets tried to take away Dallas Clark, the Colts’ slot receiver/tight end. Collie could still fly under the radar on Sunday.

Darren Sharper, New Orleans (+2500)

The Saints’ defense will have a big problem trying to stop Manning and the Colts, but Sharper will have a hand in trying. Sharper came to New Orleans this year and was tied for the league lead in picks, returning three for touchdowns. Then in the playoffs, he recovered a fumble in the Saints’ rout of Arizona, and he was in Brett Favre’s face all day against Minnesota in the NFC championship game, along with a team-high 11 tackles. Sharper will have the same role against Manning that he did against Favre. He has to play his free-safety position to help the New Orleans cornerbacks on the Colts’ receivers, but he’ll also have to blitz because the Saints know they can’t let Manning just sit back there and pick them apart.

The Super Bowl line is up and while the story of the day will be the offenses, the defense that plays best will truly be the key. Here is a breakdown of the defensive matchups:

Defensive Line:

While the Indianapolis Colts would normally have the edge, there is an opening for the New Orleans Saints to match up a little more evenly if Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney is unable to play.

There is some concern about a sprained left ankle, which could limit him. If he’s healthy, the Colts have the edge. For now, that’s an unknown so this is an even matchup.

Advantage: Even

Linebacking Corps:

The linebacking matchup is an even one and another one that is tough to pick.

The Saints have the best player of the bunch with Pro Bowler Jonathan Vilma, and he’s flanked by a couple of steady players in Scott Fujita and Scott Shanle.

Meanwhile, the Colts have more balance and Clint Session and Gary Brackett are very good players overall and Philip Wheeler is also up-and-coming.

This is close, but we’ll give the edge to the Saints.

Advantage: Saints

Secondary:

While the first two areas are tight, the secondary is a much different story. The Saints have two Pro Bowl safeties in Darren Sharper and Roman Harper while the Colts have just one. Also, the Saints have far more experience at cornerback as the Colts starters Jacob Lacey and Jerrod Powers are rookies.

Advantage: Saints

The Super Bowl spread is all over the industry right now, and while New Orleans are the sentimental favorites in this one, you have to take the team that has been here before.

Saints vs Colts odds – Sunday, February 7, 6:20 PM ET

The Saints have lived off turnovers all season, and they forced five against Minnesota in the NFC championship game. However, the explosive New Orleans offense struggled to move the ball in the second half and overtime, and their defense is facing an offense that will protect their quarterback better than the Vikings did with Brett Favre.

The Colts have done what they’ve done all season: make a gameplan, and execute. Peyton Manning has been deadly as he looks to cap his fourth MVP season with another Super Bowl victory, and sportsbook players should note that he won the Super Bowl MVP in 2006.

The Colts are a 5.5-point favorite in this contest, and while the Saints are explosive, they can be contained, as Minnesota showed, and the Colts have a lot of speed on defense. Offensively, we’re not sure if there’s a defense that can slow down Manning and company, as he makes adjustments better than anyone in the league. Also, they won’t be afraid of the big stage, as they’ve been in plenty of pressure games in Manning’s career.

NFL picks: Colts -5.5

Now that the Super Bowl line is up we can start handicapping the matchup and both sides of the equation. The big game is still more than a week away but here is a breakdown of the two offenses:

Quarterbacks:

We’re pretty much splitting hairs between Drew Brees and Peyton Manning but the reality is that Manning has the edge in experience. Talent-wise, these two are similar but you can’t deny the fact that Manning has a ring on his finger and Brees does not.

Running Backs:

The Saints have an edge in this category not necessarily in talent, but in productions. Joseph Addai and Donald Brown are decent backs but the Colts just don’t run it very well. Meanwhile, the Saints are effective with Pierre Thomas and they have the most explosive player of the bunch with Reggie Bush. The edge here goes to the Saints.

Wide Receivers & Tight Ends:

Both teams have excellent receiving units but again, the edge slightly goes to the Colts.

Reggie Wayne is better than Marques Colston, Pierre Garcon is better than Robert Meachem and Austin Collie and Devery Henderson are about even.

At tight end, the Colts have a Pro Bowler in Dallas Clark while the Saints have Jeremy Shockey, who could be a Pro Bowler, but has been battling a knee injury.

Overall:

As the betting tips have indicated, this will be an offensive showdown but the Colts have the better unit slightly.

The Super Bowl line is favoring the AFC`s Indianapolis Colts, but it`s a different story in the Pro Bowl betting line, which is tipped towards the NFC. Here`s a couple of players to keep an eye on next Sunday.

AFC vs NFC Odds – Sunday, January 31, 7:20 PM ET

Chris Johnson, Tennessee – The Offensive Player of the Year led the league by a mile in rushing yards with 2,006, and he had a league-high 22 runs of 20 yards or more. Johnson also had only three fumbles in 358 carries to go with 14 touchdowns, and with the AFC`s injuries under center, he could see the ball a lot.

Sidney Rice, Minnesota – The wide receiver flourished with Brett Favre in Minnesota, finishing fourth in the NFL in receiving yards, and he was a constant big-play threat with 19 catches of 20 yards or more.

Miles Austin, Dallas – Like Rice, Austin came out of nowhere and finished third in the league in yards, with 21 catches of 20 yards or more. With his quarterback, Tony Romo, in the game, Austin could be in line for a huge day.

Verdict: There is little to no defense in this game, so look for the team with the better offensive players, and that is the NFC, who won`t pull off a Super Bowl odds upset, but they`ll take the Pro Bowl.

Super Bowl odds are just around the corner, and the two teams that should participate in the big game are New Orleans and Indianapolis, the top two seeds in the NFL. Here’s what both teams would need to do on February 7^th.

The Saints would probably be the underdogs according to sportsbook, thanks to the Colts’ experience, but the Saints have a lot of weapons that the Colts haven’t seen before. They have a decent running game, but the x-factor is Reggie Bush, who destroyed Arizona. Drew Brees and the Saints’ offense could run wild on an Indy secondary that has had trouble stopping the pass against a good quarterback.

The Colts have no running game to speak of, which allows New Orleans to be aggressive with the pass rush, and safety Darren Sharper can help out on wide receiver Reggie Wayne. The key for the Colts will be tight end Dallas Clark, who caught 100 passes and offers a lot of matchup problems. Defensively, the secondary needs to be at their best.

Manning and the Colts always have a chance, especially late in the game, but the New Orleans defense doesn’t get the credit they deserve, and they’ll hold up in a close win for New Orleans.

NFL picks: New Orleans

NFC Conference Championship

Minnesota Vikings @ New Orleans Saints

Super Bowl Odds: Saints +215, Vikings +465

Bookmaker Odds (Bookmaker Reviews): Saints -3.5, O/U 52.

The Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints were the two best teams in the NFC this year and on Sunday, they’ll square off in their most important game of the season. It’s win or go home time for both teams and at this point, winning means you get to play for all the marbles in a couple of weeks in Miami and going home means you’ll be sore for about six months thinking about what you missed.

The Vikings have the taller order in this game because they have been tough to beat at home this year but very easy to topple on the road. So far this year, the Vikings have yet to lose at home in nine tries but on the road, they have won just four of eight contests.

The biggest reason for that has been that running back Adrian Peterson has not been himself recently. Sure, he finished the season with 18 rushing touchdowns but at closer look, his yards per carry were not so hot.

Over his last eight games, Peterson failed to top the 100-yard rushing mark in any game and on the season, Peterson has just three such games. For the Vikings to win on the road this weekend, they’ll need to run the ball successfully, control the clock and keep that potent Saints offense on the sideline.

That’s what the game boils down to. If Peterson can run well and the Vikings can dictate the pace, they’ll win. Otherwise, the Saints will likely run away with it in a different manner.

The Saints have one of the best passing offenses in the NFL and the Vikings pass defense is not so hot. If those two are left on the field more than necessary, the Saints will run away with a double-digit win.

Pick: Saints -3.5

The Super Bowl odds will be a little clearer after this weekend but for now, let’s deal with what is in front of us. Here are some picks for this weekend:

Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints

Experience is a factor for a second straight week as the Cardinals upend the Saints. By the way, Saints haven’t won at home since November 30th.

Pick: Cardinals +7

Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts

This is your blowout of the week. The Indianapolis Colts beat the Baltimore Ravens on the road in Week 11 and now, they’ll serve them some home cooking. Ravens won’t run, Ravens won’t pass, Ravens won’t come close to winning or covering.

Pick: Colts -6.5

Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings

Brett Favre and Tony Romo are very similar. This weekend, though, the teacher will outplay he student. Vikings were a perfect 8-0 at home this year and didn’t score less than 27 at home. Cowboys won’t score enough.

Pick: Vikings -2.5

New York Jets @ San Diego Chargers

The Jets are the biggest underdog in the sportsbook (us sportsbook reviews) this weekend but their game plan should work. They’ll run the ball and play defense, which won’t get them the win but they’ll cover. Take the Jets plus the points or the Chargers moneyline.

Pick: Jets +7.5, Chargers To Win