Dr. Sports Likes it Close. The Coach Likes Colts by Two Touchdowns.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — There is an old story about former Dallas Cowboys linebacker Thomas (Hollywood) Henderson (there were a lot stories about Henderson), who played in three Super Bowl games.

Henderson was at a Cowboys practice in 1978, the year Dallas whipped Denver 27-10, when he turned the tables on the media.

"Hey, you guys," he summoned. "Why do they call this the ultimate game? They're going to do it again next year."

It's true. The winner of the Saints-Colts battle at Sun Life Stadium, just down the road in Miami Gardens on Sunday night, will only be champion for a year. This is, after all Super Bowl XLIV (44, for those who are tired of Roman Numerals). There will definitely be another one next year.

However, in order to keep up with the experts, we've called in Dr. Sports to pick us a winner. But as you'll see, we don't necessarily agree…

NFC Champion New Orleans Saints 15-3 vs. AFC Champion  Indianapolis Colts 16-2 (-5.5)

By Dr. Sports and The Coach

We'll be shocked if the Saints come up with any way to contain Peyton Manning. He's just on a completely different level right now. We've both been watching the NFL for more than 30 years (in the Coach's case, more than 50 years) and we can't remember any quarterback playing this well.

Making matters worse for the Saints, if they even figure out how to befuddle Manning for even a couple of series, they're still going to have to worry about the run. New Orleans has surrendered at least 4.6 yards per carry in each of its past four games. Indianapolis, meanwhile, actually outrushed the Jets in the AFC Championship. If the Colts can get their running game going again, they won't be punting much on Sunday.

There is a wild card in this game though. Scott Green is the head official on Sunday. He is the same crooked official from last year’s shady 11-10 San Diego at Pittsburgh game. Letting Green run this thing, is like letting Bernie Madoff invest your hard-earned cash.

For those who don't remember, that game was one of the shadiest NFL games in league history. Pittsburgh, favoured by five, was up 11-10 when it kicked off to San Diego with a few seconds remaining. The Chargers, desperate to make a play, tried a few laterals. Troy Polamalu subsequently picked up a loose ball and ran it into the end zone, which would have covered the spread for Pittsburgh. As the players were running off the field, with the score 17-10, someone upstairs called for a review. The corrupt official then went to the replay “hood”.  When he finally emerged, he ruled that one of the laterals was an illegal forward pass even though it was clear that the lateral in question didn't go forward, actually it went backwards by about seven yards (the NFL admitted as much afterward) which, according to him, meant that the play was dead and the points came off the board. I'm willing to bet - and I'm dead serious here - that someone from Vegas (or another outfit that had major interest in San Diego covering) told the official to leave the game as an 11-10 final.

What are we trying to say? Don’t trust the spread here.

Dr. Sports: Colts to win, but they won’t cover.

The Coach: (I don't trust officials at all, but I don't think they're capable of fixing this one) Colts to win and cover — by two touchdowns.

The Doc went 169-97 overall on the season and 140-126 against the spread. The Coach finished 166-100 straight up and 142-124 against the spread.