2009 Season Game Reviews
Super Bowl XLIV
by Jody Jamieson
10/2/2010
 
Saints 31 Colts 17
 
The Super Bowl is different than any other NFL week in many different ways. That goes without saying. Many people will watch the game that have never shown any interest before, and probably won’t tune in until the next year’s big game. My house was no different. Since early September I’ve watched the 2009 season alone in peace. For Super Bowl Sunday I had a houseful. I unfortunately got stuck next to the girl who believed it to be extremely important to judge everyone on the screen by their looks. “I’m going to America to get a Super Bowl man” was one of the more interesting comments. Luckily when the game started everyone piped down and enjoyed the festivities.
 
Courtney Roby took the opening kickoff to the 23 yard line, but the Saints quickly went three and out and Thomas Morstead punted away. Scott Shanle got matched up in coverage with Dallas Clark on the opening Colts play which didn’t end well as Clark caught a 20 yard pass from Peyton Manning. This looked like a matchup that the Colts would exploit, but Clark was kept rather quiet for the rest of the day. Indianapolis drove deep into Saints territory, but couldn’t capitalise fully and Matt Stover kicked the first points of Super Bowl XLIV with a 38 yard field goal.
 
Courtney Roby looked to have fumbled the kickoff, but he was luckily ruled down by contact. New Orleans were looking very conservative on their second drive with Brees throwing underneath a lot. Brees hit Reggie Bush underneath on 3rd and 6 and he took it for 16 yards and their initial first down of the game. Marques Colston made a bad drop two plays later which ultimately killed the drive and New Orleans punted from midfield to the IND 4. The Colts did an excellent job getting off their goalline with a completion to Donald Brown and two good runs by Joseph Addai. Addai came up big again on 3rd and 1, scampering for 26 yards to give them a first down on the NO 22. A 3rd and 6 just inside the redzone was a huge chance for the Saints to hold the Colts to another field goal, but Peyton Manning found Pierre Garcon for the touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
 
New Orleans moved the ball well on their third possession with a Colston catch, a Reggie Bush run and a late hit out of bounds aiding their cause. Before they could get into the redzone however Brees was sacked on third down by Dwight Freeney. Garrett Hartley nailed a 46 yarder to make it 10-3. Indianapolis went three and out on the next drive when Garcon dropped a very catchable ball on third down. New Orleans were driving down the field comfortably, but a Devery Henderson end around caused a seven yard loss and looked to have killed the drive. Brees was having none of it and fired a bullet over the middle to Colston to set up first and goal at the three yard line.
 
The first play after the two minute warning was a third and goal running play from the IND 1. Unfortunately Mike Bell slipped and lost half a yard. The Saints went for it on fourth and goal, but Pierre Thomas was stacked up at the line as the Colts defense made an excellent hold. Indianapolis tried to run the clock out, but were stopped on 3rd and short and had to punt to Reggie Bush with 46 seconds on the clock. Bush returned it to the IND 46, and a completion to Devery Henderson put the Saints in field goal range. Hartley kicked a field goal to make it 10-6 at the half. No-one even considered defenses being on top in this one.
 
The second half started off with an unbelievably gutsy call by Sean Payton. They attempted an onside kick and when Hank Baskett failed to recover, Chris Reis jumped on it. After what seemed like forever the refs finally signalled Saints ball and the risk was rewarded. It took the Saints six plays, but they took the lead for the first time when an inside screen pass to Pierre Thomas was taken for a 16 yard TD and a 13-10 New Orleans lead. Indianapolis however were not going to be rattled by Payton’s trickery. They took the ball down the field easily mixing the run and the pass. Addai in particular was running hard and breaking tackles, and when he broke two tackles at the line of scrimmage on first and goal, he went in for the 4 yard touchdown and a 17-13 lead with 6 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter. The Saints ended up kicking a field goal to make it a one point game as we approached the last 15 minutes. Chad Simpson could only return the resulting kickoff to the 10 yard line to give the Colts a long way to go.
 
Indianapolis made good strides on the drive, but a poorly executed wide receiver screen ruined the drive and left Matt Stover to attempt a 51 yard field goal. Stover missed wide left to give the Saints superb field position. Brees was majestic on the drive, throwing accurate passes to keep the chains moving and finished it off with a 2 yard pass to Jeremy Shockey on a quick slant to make it 22-17. The two point conversion was no good when Lance Moore seemed to have dropped a difficult ball, but after review it was determined he had possession for long enough and the Saints took the seven point lead with less than six minutes to play.
 
The Colts were on the edge of field goal range with a 3rd and 5 at the NO 31 with what felt like the biggest play of the game. It turned into the biggest play in the Saints history. Manning went back to an old favourite, trying to hit Reggie Wayne on a quick slant. Tracy Porter spotted it quickly, jumped the route and took the interception back 74 yards to the house. Turnovers were always going to be key in this game, and the lone turnover of Super Bowl XLIV was the play that clinched New Orleans first ever World Championship. The Colts were in desperation mode when they had first and goal from the NO 14 (after an offensive pass interference penalty) and it came down to fourth and goal from the 3 yard line. The Colts had to score to keep any faint hope alive, but the ball slipped through Reggie Wayne’s hands and fell incomplete.
 
For the city of New Orleans, the Saints are the only show in town. After the dreadful Saints teams of the 70’s and 80’s the real devastation came in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit and caused mass loss of life and billions of dollars worth of damage to the city. The recovery continues on but for Saints fans, the wait is finally over. Any neutral fan will have been delighted to see this city finally catch a break, and Saints fans are overjoyed that their heroes brought the Vince Lombardi Trophy back to the State of Louisiana for the first time. Congratulations to the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints!