Super Bowl XLIV: Decided by Special Teams?

In a game with so many variables, special teams play has had a huge role in Super Bowl history. And this Sunday, February 7th at Super Bowl XLIV where the Indianapolis Colts will face the New Orleans Saints, special teams play as big role as ever in deciding your bet. Whether you choose to bet on the Colts or to bet on the Saints, check the prop bets at both Bodog.com and Bookmaker.com, two of the best reviewed sportsbooks on Sportsbook Review. Special team or no special team, you can bet with confidence by choosing your sportsbook here.

Despite the fact that the Colts ranked 18th overall in kick returns and the Saints ranked 4th overall, there isn’t much separation between the two teams. The Colts had 84 kick returns for 1,370 yards while the Saints had 80 returns for 1,393 yards. Both teams, somewhat surprisingly, managed just one kick return TD all season. Courtney Roby (NO) and Chad Simpson (IND) both scored on a kickoff return. With Reggie Bush and over half of the Saints offense playing on Special Teams we give the Saints a slight advantage here.

Place Kickers are the Rodney Dangerfield’s of the NFL. We don’t see this game falling into the hands (foot) of the PK from either team but they both have interesting stories.

The Colts had “an idiot kicker” until they lured Adam Vinatieri away from the Patriots. At 37 years old, the leg pop has faded and Vinatieri has been sidelined since Week 6 with a knee injury. The Colts brought in 42 year-old PK Matt Stover after the Baltimore Ravens (13 years) cut him lose.

All Stover has done is go 14 of 16 on FGA and a perfect 38 of 38 on PATs. Once he hits the score sheet, Stover will be the oldest player to ever play in the Super Bowl (NYG PK Feagles – 41).

The Saints had issues during the season at PK as well. Young gun Garrett Hartley missed the first four games because of a steroid’s suspension (insert joke here). The Saints went with 45 year old and long time Saint PK John Carney through the first 12 weeks. Hartley regained the kicking duties and has been the stud they expected him to be. The Saints then cut Carney but, to avoid the wrath of Karma, resigned him as a coaching assistant.

And with all of this info before us, we’re still ultimately left guessing the outcome of this Colts vs Saints Super Bowl XLIV big game. But we’re not complaining. It’s not often that sportsbooks like BetUS offer prop bets on on whether or not Kim Kardashian will be wearing a Colts or Saints jersey, who the winning coach will thank first or what song The Who will open up with first during the halftime show. Happy Betting!

http://www.betus.com/sportsbook/lines.aspx