It’s that time of the year once again. All the pain, all the sweat, all the ups and downs of the season lead to this final game, the Super Bowl XLIV.

The two best teams of the season by a long shot are going to bang their heads together in Miami this weekend. The New Orleans Saints vs the Indianapolis Colts, Drew Brees vs Peyton Manning.

One of the key matchups will be between Saints WR Marques Colston vs. Colts CB Kelvin Hayden. Colston led the Saints in receiving during the regular season, but he caught just two passes for 22 yards in the NFC Championship Game vs. the Vikings. He’s a physical receiver with good size and height and deceptive speed. He also has very good jumping ability. When the Saints are in the red zone, look for Drew Brees to try to connect with Colston on a high throw.
Hayden is in his fifth season, his third as a starter, with the Colts. He played wide receiver at the University of Illinois for three years before moving to cornerback. He’s a very good zone corner, with read-and-react ability and excellent quickness for the position. He has good burst to the ball in man coverage. Like Colts safety Antoine Bethea, Hayden is a low-block tackler.

It’s also a given fact that the Colts are very dependent on Joseph Addai, who had 219 carries and rushed for 828 yards in the regular season. The Saints have more options in their running game with Pierre Thomas ( 147 carries for 793 yards) and Mike Bell ( 172 carries for 654 yards). On the receiving end the Colts have the upper hand. Reggie Wayne made 10 touchdowns and received for a total of 1264 yards. To show you the balance of the team, Dallas Clark has had almost identical numbers so far this season. He combined for 1106 yards and 10 touchdowns also. The Saints aren’t far behind though. So far this season Colston has had 70 receptions for 1074 yards and 9 touchdowns. Devery Henderson made 51 receptions for 804 yards and 2 touchdowns.

A running team vs a passing team, I’m not going to bet on either teams but my gut feeling is telling me that this game is going to be REALLY close. I’m hoping Brees and his crew can pull this one off, but I think Peyton and Mr Wayne won’t give up on this one so easily. Either way, it’s going to be an AWESOME game!

Once again, a very tragic death has been reported, one of so many in the last couple of weeks. Former NFL quarterback Steve McNair was found dead late saturday afternoon, shot multiple times, including once in the head, at a Nashville, Tennessee, condominium.

Police said they found McNair and a woman identified as Sahel Kazemi shot to death after receiving a phone call about an injured person. McNair’s body was found seated on a living room sofa, authorities said. Kazemi sustained a gunshot wound to the head, authorities said. Police also said a pistol was found near her body.Asked whether the shooting was a murder-suicide, Don Aaron, spokesman for the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department, said investigators have not classified the incident . He said investigators have not ruled out anything but added that they were not “actively looking at suspects” Saturday night.

Although Aaron described Kazemi as McNair’s “friend,” a law enforcement source close to the investigation said that the woman is McNair’s girlfriend and that the residence is her condominium in downtown Nashville.

Witnesses said McNair was a frequent visitor at the condominium. Police could not provide details about the circumstances of the shooting.

Michael Jackson, Billy Mays, Jade Goody, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon and now Steve McNair. What is going on people?