Super Bowl Defense Betting Odds – Breaking Down The Defenses
The Super Bowl defense betting odds aren’t exactly the main course for this Super Bowl and really, the story of the day will be which defense can hang on for dear life the best. With Super Bowl line setting total of 56.5, this won’t be a defensive showdown. Nonetheless, defense will be key. Here is a breakdown of both defensive units:
Super Bowl Defense Betting Odds: Defensive Line
Contrary to popular belief, neither defensive line is particularly good. The Colts get the edge because of their two ends in Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis, but if you subtract their sack contributions, the rest of the team had just 11 sacks while that tandem combined for 23.
For the Saints, online betting cappers should be aware that this team blitzes more than anyone in the NFL. But even with all of that pressure, they only had 35 sacks. To contrast, the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that is known for blitzing regularly, had 44 sacks on the year.
Freeney and Mathis are Pro Bowlers, which is why the Colts have the advantage here.
Edge: Colts
Super Bowl Defense Betting Odds: Linebackers
The linebacking matchup is also close and it is similar to the matchup on the line. The Colts may have the better overall unit but the Saints have a Pro Bowler in the middle: Jonathan Vilma.
Scott Shanle and Scott Fujita are mediocre for the Saints but with Vilma in the middle, this unit is respectable.
The Colts unit is underrated, though, and while they don’t have a Pro Bowler, Gary Brackett and Clint Session are close. Session finished the year with 101 tackles, half a sack, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a touchdown. Believe it or not, those numbers are not far off from Vilma’s.
The Saints have the best linebacker on the field but the Colts have the better unit.
Edge: Even
Super Bowl Defense Betting Odds: Secondary
Sportsbook odds makers know that both secondary are going to get lit up but the one that holds on best will get their team the win.
The Saints may have more names at defensive back with Jabari Greer, Tracy Porter and Randall Gay, but they only finished with seven interceptions between the three of them. The strength of this secondary is the two Pro Bowl safeties in Roman Harper and Darren Sharper, who finished with nine interceptions.
Even so, there is Darrelle Revis-type of shutdown cornerback that the Colts will have to worry about.
The Colts cornerbacks aren’t better and both Jacob Lacey and Jerrod Powers are inexperienced. Just like the Saints, the Colts secondary strength lies with the safeties. Antoine Bethea is a Pro Bowler and Melvin Bullitt is an underrated playmakers as well.
Edge: Saints
Super Bowl Defense Betting Odds: Turnovers
The two defense have a contrast in styles. While the Saints unit is all about the high risk and high rewards, the Colts are more steady-Eddie.
The Saints had 26 interceptions this year and recovered 19 fumbles. Their +11 turnover ratio was the third-best in the NFL.
Meanwhile, the Colts were just a +1 because their focus is more to avoid giving up big plays than to give them up themselves.NFL betting cappers should note that they recovered just nine fumbles all year long while the Saints forced five in the NFC Championship Game.
If the Saints win the turnover margin, they will have a great chance to win.
Edge: Saints
Overall:
The Saints feed off big plays while the Colts are more conservative. The Saints focus will be to force turnovers while the Colts focus will be to hold the Saints to some field goals instead of touchdowns.
Overall, the defensive matchup is very close but the Saints big plays get them the edge here.
Overall Defensive Edge: Saints
