With the Super Bowl odds up and a total set of 56.5, nobody is thinking that this year’s Super Bowl will be a defensive showdown. Even so, here’s a position-by-position breakdown of the two Super Bowl defenses:

Defensive Line:

Hard to argue in this case as the Indianapolis Colts have two Pro Bowlers on the edges while the New Orleans Saints really only have one good rusher.

The Colts have Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney while the Saints have Will Smith. The edge goes to the Colts in this battle.

Linebackers:

This one is a bit tougher to gauge. While the Saints have the best playmaker of the bunch, the Colts have the best trio.

The Saints have Jonathan Vilma, who is a playmaker and a Pro Bowler, but the Colts have Clint Session and Gary Brackett, which gives them the better threesome. Scott Shanle and Scott Fujita leave much to be desired in the Saints linebacking corps.

Secondary:

The edge in the secondary has to go to the Saints because of their Pro Bowlers. They have two (Darren Sharper and Roman Harper) while the Colts just have Antoine Bethea. The Saints also have the better cornerbacking crop while the Colts employ a couple of inexperienced players.

Overall:

Most betting tips say this is going to be an offensive showdown but the defense that can slow the other team down will win. In this category, the Saints have the edge.