The Saints Came Marching In
Turns out that whole "team of destiny" thing might have been true for the New Orleans Saints, your 2010 Super Bowl Champions. The team overcame the odds and the favored Indianapolis Colts to complete its season of firsts in the best way imaginable: winning the franchise's first NFL Championship. Yes, you may be quick to remind me that I picked the Colts to win if Dwight Freeney played. Well, Freeney played, and the Colts lost. I give all the credit to Saints, and its not like they were a huge underdog in the first place.
The Saints hung tough behind a decidedly favorable crowd at Miami's
First of all, I disagree with Sean Payton's 4th and goal call to get a touchdown. This is the Super Bowl, not Week 8 against the Lions: if you have a better-than-not chance to get points, you take them. They should have gone for three. Even if you do go for it, at least mix up your play calling a bit. Payton went away from his bread and butter passing attack in favor of two identical draw plays that the Colts immediately sniffed out. If I have the Saint offense at my disposal, and I'm going for it on 4th and goal, I'm going to turn the ball overthrowing it to Marques Colston in the end zone, not Pierre Thomas on the ground. I recognize the opposing argument that its only 3 points, doesn't change the amount of possessions to tie the game, and handing the Colts possession from their own 1 yard line. I still think it was dumb, and 9 out of 10 times, a coach will pay for that mistake. Fortunately for Payton, this did not cost his team.
The ensuing Colts drive was absolutely perplexing to me. Manning, the greatest 2-minute drill sergeant in the history of football, took the ball with roughly 100 seconds remaining and 2 timeouts. I don't care if he's outside the stadium, he has a high probability of scoring in that situation every time. The Colts run a couple plays with success, picking up about 25 yards. But it didn't look like they could possibly care less about scoring, as evidenced by the poor clock management and sudden conservative playcalling. I suppose the robotic Jim Caldwell was satisfied with a 7 point lead and the ball to start the second half.
You know the story. The Saints force a punt, drive it 35 yards, and get an immaculate kick from Garrett Hartley to cut the lead to 4 and absolutely hijack all momentum that the Colts had. The 3 points are less important to me than the shift in momentum, which completely dictated the course of the second half.
They say that fortune belongs to the risk-takers. In the case of Sean Payton's decision to onside kick to start the third quarter, this rang true. The Saints went onside, Hank Baskett saw it coming, screwed it up, and the Saints recovered. Momentum score: Saints 2, Colts -1. The Saints went half a field for a touchdown, capped by an impressive 16 yard run after catch by Pierre Thomas on a screen play. Now the Saints had the lead and the momentum, and a perennially-underrated quarterback starting to roll in the biggest game of his life.
Manning answered right back with a touchdown drive to quell the New Orleans onslaught. Had the Colts not scored on that drive, the Saints may have been unstoppable for the remainder of the game. The Saints got another booming field goal from 47 yards by Hartley, who became the first kicker in Super Bowl history to hit at least 2 field goals from 40 yards out. Hartley made 3.
Manning began another one of his textbook drives to in the fourth quarter: short slants, off-tackle runs, perfectly delivered balls--all without a huddle. It looked like he was set to lead yet another brilliant scoring drive and carry his team to the mountaintop yet again. This is what we expect from Peyton Manning. Something was a little off, though, and you could tell when Manning missed Reggie Wayne deep on a 2nd and 12 play early in the quarter. The drive continued, even after a gutsy 4th down conversion, but the earlier miss was a sign of things to come.
The drive stalled, Robot Caldwell called on Matt Stover from 51 yards, which missed, and the wheels started coming off for Indy. Brees got the ball with a short field, and a chance to make history. The result: 7 completions on 7 attempts for 45 yards and a go-ahead touchdown to Jeremy Shockey. After a magnificent grab by Lance Moore for the two-point conversion, the Saints led 24-17 with just 5:42 left. Peyton's turn. I thought for sure at this point this game was destined for the first ever overtime in Super Bowl history.
Manning began his typically methodical march down the field, with a handful of first down darts. He looked perfectly in form. It was clear that after not being able to hook up with Reggie Wayne for most of the game that Manning was looking for his go-to-guy on this drive. He threw to him 3 times for two completions, and was determined to stay that direction. After an incompletion and a delay for a Saint injury, Manning looked to his left on a slant to Wayne from the New Orleans 31 yard line. This play is a staple in the Colt playbook, one that Manning has made a transcendent career out of, and one that he and his offense probably make in their sleep. Saints cornerback Tracy Porter knew this, and said as much after the game when recalling his film study of Manning's offense. Porter read the play, jumped the route, intercepted the throw, and returned it 74 yards for the game-clinching touchdown. Saints fans, rejoice! Were it not for an untimely Reggie Wayne slip on his cut, the play may have been completed, or at least broken up. Who knows, funny how the chips fall.
Gatorade splashed, the clock expired, streamers fell, and the Saints had an unlikely Super Bowl victory. Drew Brees was magnificent all game long, throwing 32-39 for 288 and 2 TD. He was named MVP of the game, and it couldn't have happened to a better guy. A class act who never runs his mouth, never puts himself before the team, works hard, and has quite possibly the most adorable child on earth.
Super Bowl XLIV answered many questions, but it created a few more. What happens to Peyton Manning after the interception? Is Drew Brees better than everyone besides Manning? What is going to happen in the offseason with the impending expiration of the league's collective bargaining agreement? Will the players lockout and refuse to play next season?
An entertaining and crucial offseason will bear these questions out in time. One thing we know for sure: the New Orleans Saints are Super Bowl Champions. Congratulations to the team, the fans, and the city.
