Dat's all Colts!!
New Orleans clinches first-ever Super Bowl win
Two weeks ago people in Louisiana learned that pigs could fly, that snowball fights occur in hell and that what was once considered impossible was possible. Sunday night they learned that Saints have a great, no make that Super, football team.
The New Orleans Saints exorcised 43 years worth of frustration with a little voodoo aided by the surgical, precision passing of Drew Brees, Tracy Porter’s second game-changing interception in as many weeks and the gutsy play calling of head coach Sean Payton as they defeated the highly-publicized Indianapolis Colts 31-17.
“Not only did this organization come back and the city come back, we had a core group of players that came in that year as free agents and we all looked at each other and said ‘We’re going to rebuild together,” said Brees, who was the Super Bowl MVP after completing 32-39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns. “And that’s what we’ve done for the last four years. This is a culmination of all that belief and all that faith. This one’s for you New Orleans.”
The game began as most of the prognosticators thought it would. With the Colts shooting out to a 10-0 lead, most people would be lying if they didn’t admit to thinking that this game could get ugly. The Saints, however, as they have all season, fought back in dramatic style in only allowing one more score the remainder of the game.
In the second quarter, it became obvious that Brees had rid himself of any butterflies and was beginning to heat up. He led the Saints to two second quarter field goals by kicker Garrett Hartley, who became the first kicker with three field goals of 40+ yards in the big game.
The Saints went into the locker room trailing 10-6. Payton, the NFL’s premiere play-caller, already had his first play of the second half drawn up.
“As soon as I got into the locker room, coach pulled me aside and said ‘We’re going to run it’,” said Saints kicker Thomas Morstead. “I kind of wish he would have waited to tell me about it until we went back on the field. I had to think about it all through that extended half. I was excited and terrified at the same time.”
The ‘it’ Morstead was referring to was an onside kick to start the third quarter. It will possibly go down as the gutsiest call in Super Bowl history. After about four minutes of under the pile ‘antics’ the officials signaled that it was Saints ball. The game’s complexion changed completely after that play.
Brees took over and methodically drove the ball downfield, punctuating the drive with a 16-yard touchdown pass to running back Pierre Thomas.
The Colts responded with a nice drive of their own, which ended in a 4-yard touchdown run by former LSU running back Joseph Addai to give them a 17-13 lead. They wouldn’t score again for the rest of the game.
Following the third field goal by Hartley, the Saints defense buckled down and stopped the Colts on their next drive. The Saints then retook the lead on another long drive by Brees which ended in a two-yard touchdown pass to fan favorite Jeremy Shockey. The Saints then went for two with Brees hitting receiver Lance Moore for the conversion.
Lumps began to fill the throats of Saints fans as they knew that the Colts would be getting the ball back with over five minutes to go and the newly anointed ‘best quarterback in league history’ at the helm.
Peyton Manning drove the Colts past midfield and appeared to be ready to tie the game with his trademark, last minute drives. Cornerback Tracy Porter, who sealed the NFC Championship game with his interception of Brett Favre, had other ideas. As Manning dropped back to pass, he spotted Pro Bowl receiver Reggie Wayne to his left. When he threw the ball Porter made a tremendous read, and broke on the ball well before Wayne had a chance. He then raced down the field and into the hearts of Saints fans across the world with a 74-yard interception return to give the Saints a two touchdown lead.
After stopping the Colts final drive, the Saints sideline, the French Quarter, and every Gumbo-cooking home in America exploded in celebration. The team that once had fans wearing paper bags over their heads were now world champions.
Four years, four months and forty days after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans and the gulf coast there was one aspect of the evening that was reminiscent of the aftermath of Katrina. For nearly an hour after the game, cell phone service in south Louisiana was hard to come by.
“The Who Dat nation allowed us to be here,” said Brees. “What you did was give us the courage and strength to know that we could do it.”
GAME NOTES
– After watching The Who’s halftime performance, is it possible that they could change their name to The Was?
– The crowd in Miami was decidedly supporting the Saints as they tried to do their best Superdome impression by making it loud every time the Colts got the ball.
– Drew Brees had tears in his eyes and was holding his infant son when he was named the game’s MVP.
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