AP Photo/ Getty Images found at espn.com
Last Tuesday, ESPN's TMQ talked about the contrasting styles of the Saints and the Colts. Well that was the whole story.
In a game where defense was not going to win the day the Saints's defensive game plan was a microcosm of their season. They played one defense for a a half, they played 3rd quarter defense, then they mixed everything up in the 4th. It was the only way to beat Manning. He is just too smart. The Jets showed that a good game plan only works for a half before he will figure it out. Gregg Williams did his homework and constantly changed on him.
But it was also the Colts' inability to truly adapt that hurt them. As Mr. Easterbrook pointed out in his column, the Colts ran the same plays from the same formations all year. And that was their downfall. On what should have been a game tying drive in the 4th quarter it was Peyton's predictability that cost him the game and brought back talk of choke-artist. The entire Saints D knew what routes were going to be run on that key 3rd down and they took advantage. Terry Porter, who made the game sealing pick, talked about how it felt like he was watching film. The Colts finally found a team that could stop what they knew was coming.
It couldn't have been more of the opposite for the Saints offense. Once they hit their rhythm, and wore out/ doubled Dwight Freeney they couldn't be stopped. It took them a quarter to get the jitters out but Sean Payton did an excellent job of getting the team loose and sticking with what got them there: unpredictability. Everyone talked about how huge a gamble the onsides kick was at the start of the second half. It would only be a gamble if the odds were 50-50 or less; when onsides kicks are not expected, then their odds of success are much more than 50-50, probably in the 60-70% range. But it was plays like that, or the 4th down on the goal line that inspired the Saints. They had a goofy, devil-may-care attitude about them the whole season and it won them a Lombardi trophy (and we got to see the return of the Manning face as a result). It was awesome.
I also couldn't believe how heavily the Colts became the favorites. There really was no other possible outcome when you look at it in retrospect. The Saints not only had the "No One Believes In Us" factor, but also they were playing for a city that was rocked by tragedy. Sorry Pierre Garcon, Hati doesn't count since you don't live there and Jonathan Vilma also had family there; that karma canceled itself out. Also factor in the fact that the Saints have been an emotional team from the start and the Colts are truly robots and I can't believe I thought anything other Saints victory.
In a year where teams I strongly dislike have won championships (Yankees, UNC Basketball, Lakers, Manchester United) it was nice to see the Saints win. The loveable losers are losers no more. Nothing was greater than to see Drew Brees holding his infant son (who smartly was wearing earphones) on the verge of tears as confetti rained down on him. This was a great story that has made me a Saints supporter for life (I won't say fan because I will not be a sports bigamist or renounce my Redskins' heritage no matter how tempting it may be). This will probably be one of my fondest Super Bowl memories along with 1992.
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