NFC Championship Title Game – 
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New Orleans Saints running backs Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush have formed a one-two punch and become the backbone of the Saints offensive attack that even the talented Chicago Bears defense might have a problem stopping when the teams tangle at Soldier Field in Chicago on Sunday.
The betting lines opened with the Chicago Bears as the -3 point favorite. Once the money started coming in, the line quickly changed. Offshore sportsbook giants Nine.com and VIP.com still offer great value on the underdog. Bet the New Orleans Saints +2 1/2 now. The line is at +2 at BetUS.com and -1 1/2 at Bodog.com. Bettors thought twice before laying lots of money on the home team favorite. If there is a question mark, it has to be surrounding the Bears ability offensively to keep up with the multi-dimensional Saints backfield.
Coming into the season the biggest question raised regarding the Saints was how would Reggie Bush respond playing alongside the veteran McAllister? It didn’t take many games before the fandom in the Big Easy realized they had something special.
McAllister and Bush combined for 399 rushes for 1622 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2006. Individually McAlister tallied the most yardage on the ground , 1057 yards to 565 for Bush, but the former USC Trojan was the Saints No. 3 receiver pulling down 88 catches for 742 yards giving him over 1,300 all-purpose yards on the season. Bet the New Orleans Saints +2 1/2 at VIP.com to receive cash bonuses!
Bush said McAllister has influenced him just by the way he plays the game. “Just seeing him and seeing how he plays the game and how he carries himself.” Bush said. “Deuce has been a great role model for me. I couldn’t ask for a better person to help teach me and to help guide me in my first year as a rookie in the NFL.”
Fans don’t have to remember to many years back when McAllister was thrown into the same situation as Bush was this season. McAllister was the 23rd overall pick in the NFL draft in 2001 by the Saints who already had Ricky Williams, the overall top pick from the 1998 draft.
McAllister was expected to be a mentor to young Bush as Williams was for Deuce. McAllister considers himself a young player but not to young to mentor.
“I still consider myself young, but I’m going to try to help him as much as possible, just because some of the things he’s going through,” McAllister said. “I kind of went through myself with Ricky (Williams) when he was here. I didn’t want him to feel like I did sometimes when I was involved and when I was trying to learn the game as a professional as I did when I was a rookie.”
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The weather situation on Sunday could force the Saints backfield duo into a greater role if an expected snow situation limits the passing game. The forecast for Sunday’s NFC Championship game calls for snow beginning in the morning and lasting through the afternoon with an accumulation up to two inches.
“I wouldn’t worry about that,” Bush said talking about potential weather problems. “You know, I’m just going to play football. You know, cold weather is not going to bother me. You know, it’s still a football field. Its still 100 yards. It’s still a football. It’s not going to change.”
McAlister chimed in on the weather question too. “We’re going to try to stay as balanced as possible, regardless of the weather,” McAlister said. “ Unless it gets to a point where we can’t throw the ball, that’s where we’ll rely heavily on the running game, but we’re going to try to stay as balanced as possible. It’s going to work in both teams’ favor. If we can’t run it, then we want to be able to take away their run as well. Elements won’t just affect us. They’ll affect both teams.”
