NFL Championship Picks: The Remington Super Bowl

I don't think I've agonized as much on any games as these two games. Here we go, with help from my (imaginary) editor:

New Orleans at Chicago: I've gone round and round on this one. At first thought, I was less than impressed with Chicago's defense against Seattle. That performance, plus a few down the stretch, led me to conclude that the Bears' D was overrated. So I was leaning toward the Saints until...
I realized that this is a dome team on the road in a Championship team. No dome team has ever won a Championship game outdoors on the road. Are the Saints really that good to overcome that jinx? And how would that offense perform outdoors? I just can't see the Saints scoring many points outside. So that leads me to pick...

(ed: um, Eric?)

Yes?

(ed: what about that 42 point game at Dallas on Dec 10?)

That doesn't count. Texas Stadium is very much like a dome.

(ed: OK - what about that 31-7 win over the Giants at the Meadowlands on 12/24?)

That doesn't count either. It was team implosion, the Giants.

(ed: Ok - but they scored 31 at Pittsburgh on Nov 12)

That was when Pittsburgh was sucking.

(ed: Are you going to ignore all the evidence?)

OK - let's see what teams shut the Saints down this year on the road? It was:
- Carolina in week 4, who limited the Saints to 18 points in a must win game for the Panthers, and
- lookee here! Cleveland in week 1, who held the Saints juggernaut to only 19 points.

(ed: Must you always bring the Browns into your playoff game preview?)

Of course!

(ed: But the point stands - not since Oct 1 have the Saints scored less than 20 points on the road).

No matter! I just cannot, cannot see the Saints getting more than 20 today. If they can't, they lose, since the Saints D is not good enough to completely shut the Bears down.

Bears 23, Saints 14.

New England at Indy: I never had a game where I could see a blowout on either side, or a close game on either side. Indy is more talented, by far. And week 9 where Indy dominated NE is exhibit A for the Colts. But I have this nagging feeling that Belichick deliberately held something back that game, anticipating a future rematch like this.

But I just can't see how the NE secondary can stop Peyton and all his weapons IN THE DOME. How in the world do the cover Harrison, Wayne, Clark, Utecht, etc.? I can't answer that.

(ed: Eric?)

Oh boy. Yes?

(ed: So, just to recap, you are betting against Belichick and Brady for the 2nd week in a row?)

Yes, but

(ed: And you realize that bettors don't have success going against them?)

I know, but

(ed: And you are asking Peyton to cover in a big game, the same Peyton who hasn't won a big game since, oh, the 1990 JV Championship for Isidore Newman HS?)

Well...

(ed: it's your money...)

Indianapolis 31, New England 20.


And that brings us to the Remington Super Bowl. You thought I meant Remington, like the razor and Victor Kiam? No - be prepared for two weeks of the heated Chicago-Indianapolis rivalry. Ground Zero in this rivalry is the small town of Remington, IN, located exactly between Chicago and Indianapolis on I-65. I'm sure Bob Costas, Mike Greenberg and Gus Johnson will visit this town before February 5.

(PS - I-65 is just off the map to the west of the satellite photo shown here)

Best bets:
Last week: Eric 2-4, overall 145-129-8
Derek: 1-2; overall: 126-133-1.

We'll pick all 4 today:
Bears -3
Bears/NO under 43
Indy -3.5
Indy/NE Over 47