Who dat? Who dat? Who dat didn’t believe the Saints could bounce back?
An early 10–0 deficit to the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV was nothing compared to the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina that nearly wiped out New Orleans and its favorite team in 2005.
As they’ve done so often over the four-plus years since the storm -- and especially since the well-timed arrival of coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees three seasons ago -- the Saints persevered to knock out the favored Colts, 31–17, at Sun Life Stadium in South Florida.
“We played for our city. We played for the entire Gulf Coast region. We played for the entire Who Dat nation that has been behind us every step of the way,” said Brees, who signed with New Orleans as an injured free agent from San Diego in 2006.
“Four years ago, whoever thought this would be happening? Eighty-five percent of the city was under water. Most people left not knowing if New Orleans would ever come back, or if the organization would ever come back.
“We just all looked at one another and said, ‘We’re going to rebuild together. We are going to lean on each other.’ That’s what we’ve done the last four years and this is a culmination in all that belief.”
En route to earning Super Bowl XLIV MVP honors, Brees completed 32-of-39 passes -- tying Tom Brady’s Super Bowl record for completions and ranking second all-time to Phil Simms in Super Bowl completion percentage (82.1) -- for 288 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions in victory.
The effort was a fitting end to one of the great playoff performances. Brees completed 72-of-102 passes (70.6 percent) for 732 yards, eight scoring strikes and zero interceptions in wins over the Cardinals (45–14), Vikings (31–28) and Colts (31–17). Only Hall of Fame former 49ers Joe Montana and Steve Young have thrown more touchdowns without throwing an interception during a single postseason.
With The Who providing the soundtrack, the leader of the Who Dat nation was singing “My Generation” after cementing himself as one of the best passers of his era. Meanwhile, Archie Manning’s son, New Orleans native Peyton, could only hum “Teenage Wasteland (Baba O’Riley)” after No. 18 threw a game-deciding interception intended for receiver Reggie Wayne with 3:12 remaining in the fourth quarter.
For the second straight game, Saints cornerback Tracy Porter made his biggest play when it mattered most. After picking off what may or may not be Brett Favre’s final NFL pass to force overtime in the NFC title game, the Port Allen, La., native who played college ball at Indiana jumped Wayne’s route and sprinted 74 yards to pay dirt, giving New Orleans a 14-point lead it would not relinquish.
Porter’s pick was one of several dramatic plays in Super Bowl XLIV, none bigger than Payton’s decision to start the second half with an onside kick. After a perfectly executed kick by specialist Thomas Morstead and a butter-fingered attempt at a recovery from Colts receiver slash reality television husband Hank Baskett, the Saints recovered the ball and regained momentum after entering the half trailing 10–6.
“All week long we practiced that onside kick,” said Payton. “At halftime, I just told those guys, ‘You got to make me look right here.’”
The Saints made Payton look right all night long. And after 43 long years, the Saints -- a franchise whose fans once wore paper bags over their heads to jeer on the “Aints” -- are Super Bowl XLIV champs, becoming the ninth franchise to win it all in their first trip. But the early Mardi Gras celebration in the French Quarter is for more than just a football game; this was also a symbolic victory.
“New Orleans is back!” celebrated owner Tom Benson, as he raised the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the game. “This shows the whole world. It’s back!”
