I’ve previewed this game in every way possible. You’ve got the X’s and O’s courtesy of last week’s position-by-position previews, and you’ve got more fun fluff than you could get from a month’s worth of Entertainment Tonight.

It’s time to actually make a prediction.

I’m picking the Saints. And it’s not even something I struggled to arrive at.

Just look beyond the hype for Peyton Manning and it’s obvious to me: New Orleans is a better football team than the Colts.

The Saints have Drew Brees to counter Manning, a better running game, more stars on defence, fewer injury concerns.

After all, Dwight Freeney’s ankle injury is massive. Freeney, who didn’t practice all week and is being called questionable, is the most game-planned-for defensive player in football. I’ve been watching him limp gingerly to and from podiums all week. If he plays,  he’ll be extremely limited, which changes the entire game.

Robert Mathis is a great player, but he feeds off the attention opposing offensive lines give to Freeney. With Raheem Brock getting the majority of the snaps on the other side, Mathis will have a much tougher time chasing down Brees.

Manning may be the league’s MVP, but he did show this year that he’s susceptible to making more mistakes than the media would have you think. With guys like Darren Sharper and Jonathan Vilma lurking in coverage, and with Manning forced to rely on an inexperienced — good, but inexperienced — group of receivers, the Colts are more likely to make a big mistake or two.

Go through the rosters and the depth charts and the positions and look at the stats, then throw in the injury factor, and it’s clear as can be that the Saints are the better football team.

My pick: New Orleans 30, Indianapolis 20