Running up the Score

Which team will run better on Sunday

Indianapolis boasts the 24th-ranked defense against the run. And while injured Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney is primarily known as a pass-rush specialist, he’s also deceptively tough against the run and his presence would be missed there as well. That could open the door for the Saints, who actually possess a strong running game.

When most people think of the Saints, the first thing that typically comes to mind is Brees and the team’s multifaceted aerial attack. But New Orleans had the sixth-best rushing offense in the league during the regular season, running for 131.6 yards a game behind the three-headed monster of Pierre Thomas, Mike Bell and Bush. And they apparently plan on taking full advantage of that advantage Sunday.

“When we get the ball in our hands, it’s our job to set the tone, and we’re going to have to do that on Sunday,” Bush said. “We can’t allow the Indianapolis Colts to slow down our running attack, because we need a balanced attack to win this game. If you look back, the teams who have won the Super Bowl, they ran the ball well. When the Steelers won it, they ran the ball well. We have to run the ball well if we want to even have a fighting chance to win this game.”

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