Saints Win One for New Orleans

Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy after defeating the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

By Rahul Vaidyanath

Rahul Vaidyanath

Journalist

Rahul Vaidyanath is a journalist with The Epoch Times in Ottawa. His areas of expertise include the economy, financial markets, China, and national defence and security. He has worked for the Bank of Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., and investment banks in Toronto, New York, and Los Angeles.

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February 7, 2010Updated: February 8, 2010

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MIAMI—“It’s all meant to be. It’s all destiny,” said Super Bowl XLIV MVP Drew Brees. The sentimental favorite New Orleans Saints upset the Indianapolis Colts 31–17 in the Super Bowl.

In their first Super Bowl appearance, the Saints came back from an early 10-point deficit to beat the Colts.

“We just believed in ourselves. I tried to imagine what this moment would be like,” said Brees.

Saints fans echoed their quarterback. They seemed to cheer louder for their heroes, not to take anything away from Colts fans. For Saints fans watching their team in their first Super Bowl, it was more than just another game. “Who dat?!” shouted Saints fans.

Early Going

Saints fans did their best to make it difficult for Manning to audible at the line. But Manning established a connection with tight end Dallas Clark early on the Colts’ opening drive that led to a field goal.

The Colts defense started out aggressively, limiting the league’s top offense in the early going.

On the Colts second drive, the AFC champions established their running game. Digging themselves out of a hole at their own goal line, Joseph Addai emerged as the dominant offensive weapon.

On a key third down play, he busted a run for 26 yards, his longest run of the season. Soon after that, Pierre Garcon caught a 19-yard strike from Peyton Manning in the end zone.

New Orleans corner back Tracy Porter read Peyton Manning perfectly and made the game-winning play, a 74-yard interception return. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

To start the second quarter, New Orleans’s offense finally found their rhythm with a good mix of runs and short passes. But on third and 11, the Colts defense sacked Brees for the first time and the Saints settled for a field goal.

But the Saints came right back and continued their second quarter domination. Knocking on the Colts’ door with two shots at the end zone from the 1-yard line, the Colts defense came up big.

On third down, Saints running back Mike Bell slipped and was swarmed by the Colts. Saints coach Sean Payton decided to go for it on fourth down. Brees then handed off to Pierre Thomas who was stuffed by Colts linebackers Gary Brackett and Clint Session.

This was potentially a huge opportunity for the Colts to build on. The Saints were in a position to get points and got nothing and now the master of the two-minute drill, Peyton Manning, would get another chance to widen the lead heading into halftime.

But after their goal line stand, the Colts surprisingly became extremely conservative and went three-and-out. The Saints, who had been moving the ball extremely well all quarter, got the ball back and kicked a field goal on the last play of the half. This was a moral victory for the Saints who were in danger of heading into halftime badly wounded.

Instead the Colts took a 10–6 lead into the locker room.

Onside Kick

The second half started off with a bang after a rousing medley of songs by The Who. The Saints fooled the Colts with the onside kick in a very bold move by Sean Payton.

Building on the momentum, the Saints punched it in with a 16-yard catch-and-run TD from Pierre Thomas. The Saints now had the lead that they should’ve had at the end of the first half.