Super Bowl Recap!!!!
Super Bowl XLIV
New Orleans Saints at Indianapolis Colts - 34-17 Saints
And thus the 2009-10 NFL season is officially over. But, what a way to end it with Super Bowl XLIV. The New Orleans Saints defeat the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in their first ever trip and QB Drew Brees gets the MVP nod. While I had predicted a 34-28 win for the Colts, I was unabashed in my support for the Saints throughout the game. My prediction was based more on logic than emotion, which subsequently was the tale of the two teams. The Colts played more methodically, quietly, stoically. At times, they seemed robotic, doing what they're supposed to do with little to no emotion. The Saints were quite the opposite; they were gutsy, occassionally reckless, tenacious, scrapping for every extra yard, making the extra hit. Clearly it seemed that despite how good the Colts were, the Saints wanted it more. In the end, their heart willed them to a victory. What a game!
First Quarter
The Saints won the coin toss (which CBS noted that an NFC team has won thirteen times in a row) and go three and out on their first possession. The Colts march down the field but have to settle for a field goal by Matt Stover, 3-0 Colts. The Saints on the ensuing possession fail to garner more than one first down and have to punt again put pin the Colts at their own 4-yard line. Peyton Manning and company then go to work, going the distance, capped off with a TD pass to Pierre Garcon for 19 yards, 10-0 Colts. You can imagine things are getting a little tense for Saints fans. To get behind by two or three possessions is hard to come back from. Another Super Bowl stat, the Super Bowl deficit record is 10 points, set back in 1988 with the Denver Broncos leading against our very own Washington Redskins. The Saints tied that mark yesterday. However, they get on board with a field goal to make it 10-3 Colts and that's how the first quarter concluded.
Pierre Garcon's TD Catch from Manning, Photo by ESPN.com
Second Quarter
The second quarter of play was less eventful, which does not necessarily mean less exciting. The Colts were held scoreless and the Saints on one possession marched down the field late in the quarter that ends with a 4th and Goal attempt (Gutsy call by Coach Sean Payton) at the 2-yard line. Running back Pierre Thomas fails on the attempt to give the Colts the ball back. The Colts respond with a three and out and give the Saints the ball back with about half a minute to score. The Saints move down a little bit to set up the second of three 40+ yard field goal attempts for Garrett Hartley. Hartley makes it and the half is over, 10-6 Colts.
Third Quarter
Best. Onside. Kick. Ever. The Saints surprise everyone by attempting the onside kick, and winning it! What a call by Sean Payton to force the Colts defense's hand. The winning percentage of an onside kick is very low and the risk you take is giving very optimal field possession for the other team. However, Colts wideout Hank Baskett makes contact with the ball making it a live ball. The Saints come up with it at the bottom of the pile. Unbelievable. I'd like to think that Payton had planned on this all along. The Saints offense rides that momentum and Brees throws a short screen to Pierre Thomas who absolutely earned every yard on his way to a 16-yard TD, 13-10 Saints. The Colts, not to be taken lightly, respond quite convincing on a TD drive of their own, this time with RB Joseph Addai punching it in from four yards, 17-13 Colts. The Saints trade a few more points with a short drive ending with the third and final field goal by Garrett Hartley, 17-16 Colts. The quarter ends on that score and sets up what should be a close and decisive fourth quarter.
Joseph Addai punches it in from 4 yards out, Photo by ESPN.com
Fourth Quarter
The Colts start the final quarter with the ball and like clockwork (they do not huddle), they march down the field, but have to settle for a 51 yard field goal attempt to increase their small lead. Stover misses it badly. Some facts about this. Matt Stover is the oldest player to start a Super Bowl at age 42. He was the replacement kicker to an injured Adam Vinatieri. Vinatieri you should remember, was the Super Bowl hero for the New England Patriots, participating in the three Super Bowl victories. He landed the kicker job for the Colts and helped them win the Super Bowl three years ago against the Chicago Bears. Why I am mentioning all this is that Vinatieri, if healthy should be able to make that kick, which could have changed the outcome in favor of the Colts. Nevertheless, the missed kick by Stover gives the Saints the ball.
The Saints ride on Brees' arm, who overall was a whopping 32 of 39 passing, tying a Super Bowl record. He was perfect on all attempts on this drive, with a 2-yard TD pass to Jeremy Shockey. Coach Payton elects to go for the two-point conversion to increase the lead to 7. Brees throws a short quickout to Lance Moore who dives for the end zone. The ruling on the field was a failed conversion. I thought he was in, and of course, the Challenge flag was thrown by Payton. The ruling on the field was overturned as the replays show Moore maintaining possession as the ball was over the line before it was kicked out by the Colts defender, 24-17 Saints.
Lance Moore dives and converts on the 2-point try, Photo by ESPN.com
Now, down by a touchdown with more than five minutes left, no one can doubt Manning's ability to make magic. He's such a student of the game who makes minimal mistakes; every defense in the league respects him. Now, it appears that I'm setting Manning up for a huge letdown, and yes that is the case. This subsequent drive that Manning leads with the hopes of tying the game at 24 a piece, finishes in the worst way possible, a pick six. The scenario, a 3rd and 5 from the Saints 31, 3-1/2 minutes left. Manning in the shotgun, a quick In pass to Reggie Wayne. Saints cornerback Tracy Porter gets a jump on the ball and returns the interception 74 yards for the nail in the coffin score, 31-17 Saints.
Tracy Porter runs back his interception to the house! Photo by ESPN.com
Let me take you through the play a bit more in-depth. The Colts only aimed to get the first down, so the In pattern ran by Wayne was to go 4-6 yards. Austin Collie, initially covered by Porter runs in motion towards the slot position, on the inside of Wayne. He draws Malcolm Jenkins with him as the ball is snapped, Porter backs off Collie and reads Manning's intent to hit Wayne in stride for the first down. Porter mentioned in the post game that he watched film of this very play and anticipated the ball to Wayne for the first.
The game is all but over. Manning attempts to lead the Colts to another score with a long drive, but fall short with a failed fourth down pass. Brees and the offense come back to the field, and all he has to do is kneel down. Saints win! You have to feel for the city of New Orleans and emotions riding on the Saints players for bringing something real good back there. The Saints played a better game than the Colts, whom I can imagine is feeling real bad today, particularly Manning.
Brees hoists up the Lombardi Trophy, Photo by FOXsports.com
Coach Sean Payton celebrates the victory, after being doused with Gatorade, Photo by ESPN.com
Some final thoughts about the game. I think the Saints played the heck out of their hearts last night, for themselves and their city. The Colts on the other hand, downplayed all the attention and I feel that the emotion of "been there, done that" tempered any anxieties and intense energy. They played a good game on many fronts, just could not squeak it out. I fervently believe that Manning will end up becoming the best quarterback in the history of the NFL despite all this, and I argue that his greatness only gets slighted a little bit for losing this game. He and the Colts are perennial favorites to be the best team and I won't be surprised if they get back to the Super Bowl sooner rather than later. Here's to a great 2009-10 season. I will continue to blog about football in general with the hopes of doing more in-depth analysis and stat tracking for the 2010-11 season.
