MKRob Sports

In their first trip to the Super Bowl in franchise history, the New Orleans Saints came away with a Super Bowl Championship after defeating the Indianapolis Colts Sunday night.

Drew Brees connected with Jeremy Shockey for the go-ahead two-yard touchdown pass with 5:42 left in the fourth quarter, lifting the Saints to a 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV.

Tracy Porter then sealed the fate of the Colts, picking off four-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning and returning the ball 74 yards for a touchdown with 3:12 left, thwarting Indianapolis’ chance for a second title in four years.

The Saints rallied from a 10-0 deficit behind a sparkling performance from Brees, who tied a Super Bowl record with 32 completions, going 32-of-39 for 288 yards and a pair of scores. The Saints outscored the Colts, 15-0, in the last quarter. They also took advantage of a surprise onside-kick to start the second half.

“We just believed in ourselves. We knew that we had an entire city, maybe an entire country behind us,” Brees said. “I’m trying to imagine what this moment would be like for a long time. It’s even better than expected.”

Manning finished 31-of-45 for 333 yards with a TD and the costly interception. Dallas Clark had seven receptions for 86 yards, while Joseph Addai accounted for a big portion of the Colts’ offense. He had 13 rushes for 77 yards and a TD and caught seven passes for 58 yards, but Indianapolis couldn’t gain a second title in four years after topping Chicago following the 2006 season, in this same stadium.

“We just didn’t play well in certain times and certain phases,” Manning said. “The Saints definitely deserve the win.”

Instead, Brees, the MVP of the game, became a hero to the city of New Orleans and its fans who suffered through an incredible amount of pain, losing 10-plus games from 1996-1999. He tied Tom Brady’s mark for completions in a Super Bowl game.

“It was all meant to be. It was all destiny,” Brees said.

Garrett Hartley kicked three field goals, all better than 40 yards, for New Orleans.

Indianapolis’ Matt Stover was barely wide left on a 51-yard field goal try with 10:39 left in regulation as the Colts failed to build on a 17-16 lead.

Brees then guided the Saints with precision passing, completing all seven of his throws during a nine-play, 59-yard march. He had 10 straight completions through that drive, finishing it with a quick two-yard strike to Shockey, who got in front of defensive back Jacob Lacey to make the scoring grab on a slant pattern.

Brees’ two-point conversion pass to the right side for Lance Moore was initially ruled incomplete, but reversed after a challenge from the Saints. Moore reached for the ball and made a diving grab, while stretching the ball backward, across the plane of the goal line – all while his helmet was planted in the grass. Lacey then knocked the ball away with his legs as the Saints wide receiver was on the ground.

Manning moved the Colts to the New Orleans 31, but on 3rd-and-5 Porter jumped in front of wide receiver Reggie Wayne and darted the other way, passing the Colts QB on the way for the fourth-longest interception return in Super Bowl history.

“He made a good break on it and just made a heck of a play,” Manning said of Porter.

“They just came up with a great game plan that second half,” said the Colts’ Dwight Freeney, who started despite an ankle injury. “I can’t say they necessarily surprised us. They executed their game plan in the second half better than we did.”