'Aint's' no more: Saints rally for Super Bowl win
- Source: Global Times
- [23:25 February 08 2010]
- Comments
Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts reacts after a play during Super Bowl XLIV Monday. Photo: AFP
Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy Monday. Photo: AFP
Inspired by a city still rebuilding from the 2005 devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints captured their first Super Bowl crown Monday by rallying for a 31-17 triumph over Indianapolis.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed a Super Bowl record-tying 32 passes in 39 attempts for 288 yards and two touchdowns to claim Most Valuable Player honors in the National Football League (NFL)'s championship spectacle.
"We just believed in ourselves," Brees said. "We knew we had an entire city and maybe an entire country behind us. It was all meant to be. It was all destiny."
It was Tracy Porter's 74- yard interception return touchdown with 3:12 remaining that sealed the epic victory, one that had Saints fans in the stands chanting their cajun battle cry – "Who Dat Say Dey Gonna Beat Dem Saints?"
The Saints, once laughingstocks that owner Tom Benson was looking to relocate, had been losers for most of their 43-year history and fell behind 10-0 to the Colts before bouncing back to deny Indianapolis a second title in four seasons.
Porter stepped in front of Colts receiver Reggie Wayne, picked off a pass from Indianapolis star Peyton Manning and returned it to the end zone to put the Saints ahead by the final margin.
Manning, who had engineered an NFL-best seven victory comebacks in the fourth quarter this season, drove the Colts to the New Orleans 3-yard line but a fourth-down incompletion with 44 seconds to play sealed the Saints' triumph.
Manning completed 31-of- 45 passes for 333 yards and a touchdown but one deadly interception.
