MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Aints aren’t the Aints anymore. It took 43 years but the New Orleans Saints are finally champions of the football world. And to think, Mardi Gras starts in just eight days…
Drew Brees played brilliantly, the Saints defence came up big when it had to and cornerback Tracy Porter returned an interception 78 yards with just a little more than three minutes to play as the Who Dats upset the favored Indianapolis Colts 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV.
With the score 24-17 and the Colts rallying, Porter picked off the great Peyton Manning on the Saints 22-yard line and returned it untouched to the end zone as the NFC champion Saints shocked the football world.
It was an amazing victory considering the Saints were lucky to beat the Minnesota Vikings 31-28 at home in the NFC championship game. Even though the Vikings had five turnovers, the Saints still needed overtime in the din of the Superdome to get to Miami for Super Bowl XLIV.
Then, last night in New Orleans, the Saints fell behind 10-0 in the first quarter, 10-6 at the half, and still stormed back to win going away.
Heading into the game, the Colts were five-point favourites, but many, including both The Coach and Dr. Sports here at www.rivercitysportsblog.com, believed the Colts had far too much firepower for the Saints and their No. 25-rated defence.
However, it was a timely defensive play that ultimately gave the Saints the victory.
“The interception was a result of great film study,” said Porter after the game. “We knew that on third-and-short they stack, and they like the outside release for the slant. It was great film study by me, a great jump and a great play.
“This means so much for New Orleans and the Saints organization. Words can’t describe how much this means for New Orleans. I’m a Louisiana native and this is big.”
The game MVP was, obviously, Brees and what a return to glory this was for the Saints QB. Given up by the San Diego Chargers three years ago, Brees joined the Saints and after putting up huge numbers for the past three seasons, he finally won a championship.
In the biggest game of his life, Brees went 32-for-39 for 268 yards, two touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer’s rating of 114.5.
“I always kind of dreamed of this moment,” said Brees, as he accepted his MVP award. “I believed it would happen and I knew that if we played as well as we could, we were prepared to be successful. This is so big for the community and for me and my family, I can barely put it into words.
“This means everything to New Orleans. We’re here because of their strength and everything they fought for the past few years. They’ve given us so much support, we owe it to our fans.”
The Colts put up more yardage (432 to 332) and had more first downs (23-20), but also had more penalties for more yardage (five for 45 yards as opposed to three for 19 for New Orleans) and Manning threw that one dagger-through-the-heart interception.
Manning finished 31-for-45 for 333 yards, one touchdown, one INT and a passer’s rating of just 88.5.
“I know how we felt three years ago when we won,” said a disappointed Manning afterward. “We’re disappointed but this is their night. This night belongs to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints. It’s their field, they deserve the victory and they should be proud of what they’ve done.”
It was also another big game for Saints kicker garrett Hartley. The man whose field goal beat the Vikings in OT, became the first kicker in Super Bowl history to kick three field goals of plus-40 yards in a single Super Bowl. He had three-pointes of 46, 44 and 47 yards.”
There were 74,059 spectators inside Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, about 25 miles north of Miami, and the vast majority of them were Saints fans. Amazingly, four hours before the game, as Saints fans walked the final three miles to the Stadium in a huge congregation, all you could hear was the cheer: “Who Dat?! Who Dat?! Who Dat Who Say Dey Gonna Beat Dem Saints!?”
After the game, it was a din, sheer bedlam, as New Orleans fans basked in the Saints first championship in 43 years of existence.
“This is a blessing to the City of New Orleans,” said Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma, who also had family caught in the recent earthquake devastation in Haiti. “I am so happy we were able to bring it to them.
“It is a dream come true. I cannot express what it means to win this game. It is absolutely a dream come true.”
Must admit, it was great just being in Sun Life Stadium (BTW, why doesn’t a Canadian company like Sun Life ever sponsor sports in Canada?), watching history.