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Super Bowl MVP Brees pulls upset of Manning and Colts
By Barry Wilner
Associated Press
Published on Monday, Feb 08, 2010
MIAMI, FLA.: Who Dat won the Super Bowl? The New Orleans Saints, that's who.
Ain't kidding.
Put away those paper bags forever: Drew Brees and the Saints are NFL champions, rallying to upset Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 Sunday night in one of pro football's most thrilling title games.
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.
''We just believed in ourselves and we knew that we had an entire city and maybe an entire country behind us,'' Brees said. ''What can I say? I tried to imagine what this moment would be like for a long time and it's better than expected.''
A surprise onside kick sparked the Saints' second-half comeback. Their 25th-ranked defense made several key stops, and Tracy Porter's 74-yard interception return on a pass from Manning, of all people, clinched it.
Manning gave futile chase, but was blocked by a New Orleans defender and fell awkwardly as the cornerback raced by. The four-time NFL MVP forlornly walked to the sideline. Who would have thought the game's biggest mistake would come from Manning?
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 was ruled incomplete, but Payton challenged the call and won.
Porter's pick 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 41/2 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.
Before many of the 74,059 fans got settled following the Who's halftime show, the Saints worked a little voodoo.
Garrett Hartley's onside kick was touched by the Colts' Hank Baskett, then recovered by Chris Reis at the New Orleans 42. Looking like the NFL's most potent offense, the Saints seized the opportunity to take their first lead. It came on Pierre Thomas' brilliant 16-yard run with a screen pass, capped by a dive into the end zone.
Manning simply shrugged, found Dallas Clark for 45 yards on a 76-yard drive, and Joseph Addai used a spin move to score from the 4.
But that was it for Indy.
Hartley, the hero of the NFC title game with his 40-yard field goal in OT, made a 47-yarder later in the third period. After Matt Stover was wide left on a 51-yarder early in the final quarter, Brees led the biggest drive in Saints history.
Manning looked sharp on the Colts' first two series, taking them 53 yards to a 38-yard field goal by Stover, at 42 the oldest player in Super Bowl history. Then Manning led a 96-yard, 11-play drive that looked almost routine, even though it tied the longest march in a Super Bowl. Addai rushed for 53 yards on the series, and Manning found Pierre Garcon (Mount Union) behind backup cornerback Usama Young (Kent State) for the 19-yard score on third down.
New Orleans couldn't match that, but did get a 46-yard field goal by Hartley to make it 10-3.
Then Indy's defense, ranked 18th during the season but staunch in the playoffs, really showed some power. After the Saints marched 71 yards, including 40 yards on two receptions by Marques Colston, New Orleans had third-and-goal at the 1. Mike Bell slipped running right behind All-Pro guard Jahri Evans, and Thomas was stacked up at the line by Gary Brackett and Clint Sessions on fourth down.
The Colts went against type and ran three times, leaving 35 seconds for the league's most prolific offense to get in position for Hartley's 44-yard field goal and a more manageable 10-6 halftime deficit.
Shootout? More like a slowdown. Indy had two three-and-outs and New Orleans had one.
But the points came quickly after halftime — mostly for the Saints.
MIAMI, FLA.: Who Dat won the Super Bowl? The New Orleans Saints, that's who.
Ain't kidding.
Put away those paper bags forever: Drew Brees and the Saints are NFL champions, rallying to upset Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 Sunday night in one of pro football's most thrilling title games.
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.
''We just believed in ourselves and we knew that we had an entire city and maybe an entire country behind us,'' Brees said. ''What can I say? I tried to imagine what this moment would be like for a long time and it's better than expected.''
A surprise onside kick sparked the Saints' second-half comeback. Their 25th-ranked defense made several key stops, and Tracy Porter's 74-yard interception return on a pass from Manning, of all people, clinched it.
Manning gave futile chase, but was blocked by a New Orleans defender and fell awkwardly as the cornerback raced by. The four-time NFL MVP forlornly walked to the sideline. Who would have thought the game's biggest mistake would come from Manning?
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 was ruled incomplete, but Payton challenged the call and won.
Porter's pick 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 41/2 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.
Before many of the 74,059 fans got settled following the Who's halftime show, the Saints worked a little voodoo.
Garrett Hartley's onside kick was touched by the Colts' Hank Baskett, then recovered by Chris Reis at the New Orleans 42. Looking like the NFL's most potent offense, the Saints seized the opportunity to take their first lead. It came on Pierre Thomas' brilliant 16-yard run with a screen pass, capped by a dive into the end zone.
Manning simply shrugged, found Dallas Clark for 45 yards on a 76-yard drive, and Joseph Addai used a spin move to score from the 4.
But that was it for Indy.
Hartley, the hero of the NFC title game with his 40-yard field goal in OT, made a 47-yarder later in the third period. After Matt Stover was wide left on a 51-yarder early in the final quarter, Brees led the biggest drive in Saints history.
Manning looked sharp on the Colts' first two series, taking them 53 yards to a 38-yard field goal by Stover, at 42 the oldest player in Super Bowl history. Then Manning led a 96-yard, 11-play drive that looked almost routine, even though it tied the longest march in a Super Bowl. Addai rushed for 53 yards on the series, and Manning found Pierre Garcon (Mount Union) behind backup cornerback Usama Young (Kent State) for the 19-yard score on third down.
New Orleans couldn't match that, but did get a 46-yard field goal by Hartley to make it 10-3.
Then Indy's defense, ranked 18th during the season but staunch in the playoffs, really showed some power. After the Saints marched 71 yards, including 40 yards on two receptions by Marques Colston, New Orleans had third-and-goal at the 1. Mike Bell slipped running right behind All-Pro guard Jahri Evans, and Thomas was stacked up at the line by Gary Brackett and Clint Sessions on fourth down.
The Colts went against type and ran three times, leaving 35 seconds for the league's most prolific offense to get in position for Hartley's 44-yard field goal and a more manageable 10-6 halftime deficit.
Shootout? More like a slowdown. Indy had two three-and-outs and New Orleans had one.
But the points came quickly after halftime — mostly for the Saints.
Comments
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Posted 07:26 AM, 02/08/2010
I'm glad they won - it's nice to see a team that has never won finally do it- they'll be dancing in the streets in New Orleans!
Posted 09:17 AM, 02/08/2010
I agree with that Linda. Last year the Cards, this year the Saints, both in the Super Bowl, one of which one the thing. Browns? You listening?
Akron, OH
Posted 09:21 AM, 02/08/2010
Alright now let's get one in Cleveland
Vatican, Oh
Posted 10:18 AM, 02/08/2010
GReat game!!!!! Eat it Manning!! hehehe..
The best part of the game is when Brees was holding up his son showing him the stadium ,with that big tear in his eye!Gave me one too!!
Precious!
Posted 10:54 AM, 02/08/2010
Yes Brees with his son was awesome. I figure maybe if the Saints can pull it off and win a Super Bowl maybe there is still some hope for the Browns.
akron, oh
Posted 11:32 AM, 02/08/2010
Yes, it was lovely the Saints won.
Green, Ohio
Posted 11:42 AM, 02/08/2010
Yes it was great to see.
Let us all hope that as New Orleans celebrates, that the people of New Orleans keep there composure and do not trash their own city. After all the did quite a bit of looting after Katrina.
I wonder if their terrible mayor, will take credit for this win. He didn't take any credit for NOT saving his own people and city, but instead put the blame fully on FEMA and Bush.
Green, Ohio
Posted 11:51 AM, 02/08/2010
Anytime a father and son and or daughter, spend any moment together is a joyful experience.
This should be a lesson to any father who does not care for or spend time with his kids, he is missing out on one of the most if not the most precious and rewarding parts of life. Your children are the most important treasures in life.
Posted 01:27 PM, 02/08/2010
The AP or this writer need a fact checker. The onside kick was not by Hartley the Saints place kicker, he only kicks field goals and extra points. The kickoff was by Morestead.
Good game by the Saints, some real gutsy calls by Sean Peyton. Had those calls completely backfired (no FG at end of 1st half, lose onside kick and Colts score a TD) the calls may have been considered stupid.
Very good job by the Saints defense, holding the Colts to 17 points. And the interception returned for a TD was huge. Missed FG by the Colts also swung the momentum some.
Posted 01:37 PM, 02/08/2010
Portagelakesguy
Please try to keep your political rants in stories that are at least somewhat relevant.
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 02:25 PM, 02/08/2010
I'm so glad I got to see that pedophile Pete Townshend perform. I'm glad CBS is playing hall montior for our protection.
barberton, oh
Posted 11:39 PM, 02/08/2010
Nice win for a team that should have lost the NFC finals.
akron, oh
Posted 06:46 AM, 02/09/2010
WHO DAT!? as a life long saints fan, this was the sweetest victory of all. i never thought, back in the early 80s, that i would live to see the day that the Saints would be IN, let alone win, the super bowl. sure, there are haters and detractors (WW, i'm looking at you) who will try to minimize the saints achievements this year...number one defense, home field throughout the playoffs, extremely balanced offense, upgraded defense...but we're standing on top. we beat the best (patriots, vikes and colts) with hall of fame qbs (brady, favre and manning). add all those achievements on the field to the achievements that the city has made since the disaster and this is a story for the ages. i'm proud to say i'm a saints fan! GEAUX SAINTS!!!
