Comments
Email
Print
Rate:
3/4 (10 Votes)
Presented by
Saints win Super Bowl
Type: Latest News
08 February 2010 4:39 AM - Henry Hodgson
The New Orleans Saints overcame a slow start to capture their first Super Bowl victory in franchise history on Sunday, defeating Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in yet another thrilling Super Bowl finish.
Put away those paper bags forever: Drew Brees and the Saints are NFL champions, rallying to beat and the Colts after falling behind 10-0 early in the game.
"We just believed in ourselves and we knew that we had an entire city and maybe an entire country behind us," said Brees, the game's MVP. "What can I say? I tried to imagine what this moment would be like for a long time, and it's better than expected."
Saints quarterback Drew Brees tied a Super Bowl record with 32 completions, the last a 2-yard slant to Jeremy Shockey for the winning points with 5:42 remaining. The Pro Bowl quarterback was chosen Super Bowl MVP.
New Orleans' lowly ranked defense made several key stops, an onside kick sparked their second-half comeback, and Tracy Porter's 74-yard interception return on a pass from Manning, of all people, clinched it.
Manning gave chase, but fell awkwardly as the cornerback raced by. The four-time NFL MVP forlornly walked to the sideline as the Big Easy celebrations began. Who would have thought the biggest mistake of the game would have come from Manning?
"It's time for the Saints to celebrate," Manning said. "It's their field and it's their championship."
An NFL embarrassment for much of their 43 years, the Saints' football renaissance, led by Brees and coach Sean Payton, climaxed with Shockey's touchdown and Lance Moore's 2-point conversion catch. The conversion pass originally was ruled incomplete, but Payton challenged the call and won.
Porter's pick, just as dramatic as his interception of Brett Favre's pass to force overtime in the NFC title game, was the game's only turnover. It's one Manning will forever regret.
The Saints (16-3) won three postseason games this winter after winning only two in the previous 42 years. They beat Arizona, Minnesota and Indianapolis (16-3) - all division winners - for their first title, scoring 107 points and allowing only 59.
The championship came 4 ½ years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, making the Saints nomads for the 2005 season. There even was some doubt they would return, but the NFL refused to abandon the Big Easy. The Superdome was rebuilt and the Saints won the NFC South in '06, their first season with Brees and Payton.
That was the season Manning won his only Super Bowl. He had the Colts in front for much of this one, but New Orleans' league-leading offense, which scored 510 points this season, outscored Indy 31-7 after falling behind 10-0.
Share WithIn Demand
Loading...
Latest comments
Post a Comment | View All Comments
Post a Comment | View All Comments