And to the city of New Orleans, never has there been a better home for the Lombardi Trophy. As anyone who would dream of reading this will have watched the game, and being I wrote a book of a preview, I will limit the length of my Super Bowl recap. However, after reading that book of a preview, one might ask: "APT, why did the Saints win and the Colts lose, when you felt so strongly the opposite way?". This would be a very fair question. Feel free to send in similarly fair questions to the blog using the link to the right (even unfair questions) as it gives me something to write about. Anyway, I will try to answer. Here are, let's go with 6 reasons that the game went the way it did.
1. Sean Payton's mindset. Although many (especially now) would argue that this was certainly not the case, Payton had his Saints come in feeling like big underdogs. This was reflected brightly in the way he played the game: Discarding APT's advice of establishing the run (which I still think was the right move, especially with the fortitude that Pierre Thomas was playing), not taking points in a 10-3 game, opening the second half with an onside-kick, limiting routes deep down the football field. The Saints played like everything had to go right, and they did it in seemingly contradictory ways. They had to play their strength (the air), but at the same time not go wild down the field. They had to be careful in their in-play decision-making, but still take chances in the grand scheme of the game. All the credit in the world to Payton as it turned out gold.
2. The ineffectiveness of Robert Mathis. Dwight Freeney gave the Saints all they could handle in the 1st half. That was not to be expected. One would think, based on that, Robert Mathis would be even more effective than APT predicted (which was already shooting high). However, the front side pressure was bottled up by Jonathan Stinthcomb, even at points when the Saints were forced to double Freeney.
3. Garrett Hartley. Hartley put forth a memorable Super Bowl Performance. After the incredibly efficient Drew Brees, Hartley was the clear MVP for the Saints. He kept them in a first half that could have been dominated by the Colts, hitting 2 40+ yard FGs, adding another one in the 2nd half.
4. Jabari Greer. The Bolt has been touting Greer's cover abilities since it's January inception. Greer has now secured his place as the most underrated cover corner in the league. Despite one blown spot, which, luckily, Pierre Garcon didn't capitalize on (could have been a whole reason in itself), Greer was great again, as Reggie Wayne made very little noise all game, mostly thanks to Greer's services.
5. The Colt Mindset. Everything that Sean Payton and the Saints brought to the table, it seemed the Colts countered antithetically. It has been pointed out, and is noticeably true that the Indianapolis Colts have always lacked a killer mentality. They don't win a lot of games big. They can control a game, and you may not be able to tell by the scoreboard. You saw that lack of killer instinct in this game. After a huge momentum shift, in the form of a goal line stand late in the 1st half, the Colts gave the ball right back to the Saints, running into the line 3 times, including 2 carries by the infrequently used Mike Hart (Go Blue!). Indy had a chance to carry that momentum down the field and into the locker room up 13-3 or 17-3. Then, pending Payton's kick-off decision, could have gotten the ball right back and put this game away. Again, later in the game, the Colts tried a FG that, although the kick did have a fair amount of leg, was well out of Matt Stover's comfortable range at this age. It would have been a long 4th down to try, but one has to think that the Colts have as good a chance at making the 4th and 11 as Stover booting it through.
6. It was the Saints year. This is not meant to take away anything from an outstanding season. The Saints are deserving champs and played great throughout the year and spectacularly yesterday. However, sometimes you can just get a feel of it being a team's year to win. You got it with every win as they climbed to 12-0, with every ball that dropped out of a Vikings arms, every tackle that Pierre Thomas miraculously shed (sometimes 2 at once), every ball that bounced off a Colt receiver's fingertips (or Hank Baskett's face), and just in the atmosphere in the buildings that the Saints played in. They have great fans, and they turned so many more to Saint's fans on this run, blatantly audible in the crowd that filled Sun Life Stadium last night.
So once again, Congratulations to New Orleans, a fitting end to the year of the Saints.
APT
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