So I guess I really got this one wrong. Congrats New Orleans Saints, you really did deserve this win.
In my last article, you could say I went on a rant about how great Peyton Manning is and how the Colts would win convincingly.
While I was watching the game, I was not watching the same Colts that I grew to love over the regular season and post season up to the point.
I blame the Colts loss solely on head coach Jim Caldwell.
I have watched and listened to the repetitive coverage of the Super Bowl and I have not heard one person blame Caldwell.
You know why the Colts lost, because Caldwell played 75 percent of the game like a scared, conservative baby.
Honestly, every time the Saints did something good he looked like a deer in headlights on camera.
And I say 75 percent for a very specific reason. It seemed like within a blink of an eye the Colts were up 10-0 on the Saints.
I thought this might turn into a blowout quicker than anticipated.
After the first quarter, where Peyton Manning was moving the ball down field with ease, he didn’t pass the ball for another 70 minutes. Are you kidding me?
When the Colts failed to run out the clock in the second half, they should’ve been putting the pressure on the Saints by marching down the field and at least making it a two score game going into halftime.
Peyton is so effective in the two-minute drill; I just couldn’t understand why they thought the run was the best option.
The Saints made them pay by coming down the field, kicking a field goal, and making it a 10-6 game at the half.
I know that Drew Brees won Super Bowl MVP, but the real MVPs of the game, yes plural, have to go to Kicker Garrett Hartley and rookie Punter Thomas Morstead.
Never in a million years would I have thought two special teams’ players were deserving of the Super Bowl MVP award.
Both Hartley and Morstead performed two Super Bowl firsts.
Hartley is the first kicker in Super Bowl history to make three kicks of 40 yards or more.
Mind you he is used to kicking indoors for the most part and it is only his second year in the league.
And Thomas Morstead arguably was responsible for the execution of the biggest play in the game; maybe one of the gutsiest plays in Super Bowl.
To start the second half, head coach Sean Payton, had the onions to call an onside kick. The perfect call for the moment.
It caught the Colts, and I’m pretty sure all of America, off guard.
For those who don’t know, Morstead is a rookie kicker.
This was the first time an onside kick had been performed outside of the fourth quarter of a Super Bowl.
Regardless of all that, Morstead kicked the ball with perfection off the tee and in one of the most passionate scrums for the ball the Saints came out victorious with the ball in hand.
Overall, the game was a complete success.
The Saints seem to be America’s new team and the whole experience was one big feel good story.
I still stand by my statements from before that Peyton Manning is the greatest quarterback of all time, but it is apparent that Brees is climbing up the ranks as well.
I think we will see more good things from the Saints in the future, possibly another Super Bowl in the next couple of years.
Sam Gerb can be reached at sgerb@gmail.com