Last Updated on February 7, 2010 5:00 pm by drew
Saints Defensive Props
The New Orleans Saints are all about offense, but their defense will be the key to a win over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.
The Colts enter the Super Bowl as 5-point favorites over the Saints according to online sports book Brobury Sports. The Over/Under for the game has been at 55.5.
The Saints’ offense has been well documented and is obviously the backbone of the franchise, but the defense will need to make stop in order for the Super Bowl to go in their favor.
On the season, the Saints have allowed 21.3 points and 357.8 yards per-game, which rank in the bottom half of the NFL. They also give up 122.2 rushing yards and 235.6 passing yards per-game, but one thing they do well is force turnovers.
When looking at individuals, the captain of the linebackers is Jonathan Vilma. Vilma has racked up 116 tackles in 17 games this year. He has also deflected 10 passes and picked up four interceptions. Vilma has an over/under of 6.5 tackles for the game. He has failed to reach that in both playoff games, but averages show him at 6.8 tackles per-game. Against the Colts, Vilma will have to patrol the middle of the field and keep Dallas Clark at bay along with the
Another catalyst for the Saints defense is Darren Sharper, who had an amazing season with nine interceptions and three defensive touchdowns for the Saints. Sharper also deflected 16 passes and racked up 84 tackles. The money line for him intercepting a pass in the Super Bowl is +220 for yes and -300 for no. Sharper had five of his nine interceptions come in the first four games, and he had just one interception in his last six games.
Punting wise, Thomas Morstead is hoping he won’t see the field too often, as the more times he kicks, the worse it looks for his team. On the year, Morestead has 69 punts for an average of 44.3 yards per-punt. He has kicked five touchbacks on the season and has posted a kick of at least 52 yards in nine of 18 games.
With this game expected to have a lot of offense, defensive tackle numbers and interception rates are higher than average. The Saints are good at making plays on defense when they have to, so a small bet on a Sharper interception could pay big profits if it happens. The tackle numbers should also be up for most players, especially Vilma, who will have to guard the middle of the field.
For a complete list of New Orleans Saints Defensive Prop Odds, see below:
Total Tackles (Solo + Assisted) for Jonathan Vilma: Over/Under 6.5
Total Tackles (Solo + Assisted) for Scott Shanle: Over/Under 4.5
Total Tackles (Solo + Assisted) for Scott Fujita: Over/Under 4.5
Total Tackles (Solo + Assisted) for Roman Harper: Over/Under 5.5
Total Tackles (Solo + Assisted) for Darren Sharper: Over/Under 5.5
Will Sharper Intercept a Pass: Yes (+220) No (-300)
Will a Thomas Morstead Punt Result in a Touchback: Yes (+200) No (-260)
Longest Punt for Morstead: Over/Under 51.5 yards
Shorts Punt for Morstead: Over/Under 35.5 yards
Posted: 2/7/10 5:00PM ET