Saints win first Super Bowl in franchise history

Super Bowl XLIV came to a close Sunday evening with the New Orleans Saints emerging as the victor and champions for the very first time.

The franchise that began in 1967 got off to a slow start unable to manage a winning season through their first ten years in the NFL. But with their victory on Sunday, the Saints put to rest the era of the ‘Aints and are now atop the football world.

Sunday’s game was full of record breaking feats and Super Bowl firsts. It all began when Colts kicker Matt Stover capped off their opening drive with a 38-yard field goal, making him the oldest player to ever play in a Super Bowl at 42 years and 11 days.

The records continued later in the first when the Colts tied the 1985 Chicago Bears for the longest touchdown drive in a Super Bowl. The Colts marched down the field 96 yards ending with a 19-yard pass from Peyton Manning to Pierre Garcon. Ending the first quarter with a ten point deficit, the Saints would have to tie the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.

The Saints first points came in the second quarter when kicker Garrett Hartley hit a 46-yard field goal cutting the lead to seven. Later in the second the Saints would fail on a fourth and goal attempt to try and tie the game before halftime keeping the score at 10-0. With less than two minutes left in the half the Saints regained possession of the ball and were able to get in field goal range. In the closing seconds of the half, kicker Hartley hit his second field goal of the game, this time from 44 yards out.

To begin the second half the Colt had the lead and the ball. But saints head coach Sean Payton exercised his aggressive play calling by starting the third quarter with a surprise onside kick, which is the first time a team has attempted an onside kick prior to the fourth quarter of a Super Bowl. The gutsy call proved to be successful as Saints emerged from the pile with the ball. The official NFL box score records Jonathan Casillas recovered the ball. The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported it was Chris Revis. Either way the Saints onside kick, kicked off their second half comeback.

After gaining possession, the Saints drove down the field taking the momentum of the game and the lead when Drew Brees completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to Pierre Thomas. The touchdown toss gave the Saints their first lead at 13-10. On the ensuing drive the Colts scored on a 4-yard rushing touchdown by Joseph Addai reclaiming the lead at 17-13. This would prove to be the last time the Colts would cross the plane of the end zone. Soon after Saints kicker Hartley set another super bowl record when he successfully made his third field goal of the game from 40-plus yards.

In the fourth quarter, the Saints regained the lead with Drew Brees’ second touchdown pass of the game. They would choose to go for the two point conversion and after what was initially ruled an incompletion to Saints wide receiver Lance Moore, the play was reviewed giving New Orleans a seven point lead.

On the Colts next possession, Peyton Manning marched his offense down the field to what seemed to be a clutch game-tying drive. However, with 3:12 left in the game Manning’s pass to Reggie Wayne was intercepted by Saints CB Tracy Porter and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown. The Colts were unable to manage a comeback making the New Orleans Saints Super Bowl XLIV Champions.

Saints QB Drew Brees was named Super Bowl MVP for his performance. Brees completed 32 passes tying a record for most completions in a super bowl. Brees’ final numbers read 32/39, 288 yards, 2 touchdowns and a passer rating of 114.5.

Sunday’s game will go down in the books as one of the best all time. Along with all the records broken on the field the Nielson Co. announced on Monday that an estimated 106.5 million people watched super bowl XLIV making it the most watched program in television history surpassing the previous record of 105.97 million viewers watched the final the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983.