The New Orleans Saints won the Victory Bowl, defeating the Indianapolis Colts with a score of 31-17. The game, which was played between the Saints and the Colts, determined the champions for the 2009 season. Super Bowl XLIV took place on February 7, 2010.
Initially, the Saints seemed to be losing the match, but after a thrilling second half, they emerged victorious.
The Saints made it to their inaugural Super Bowl in the team’s 43-year history and concluded the season with a record of 13-3, securing their place.
The Colts were looking to repeat their success from Super Bowl XLI. They earned their second trip to the Super Bowl in four years. The Indianapolis Colts finished the season with a record of 14-2.
Indianapolis Colts (American Football Conference)
Manning led the Colts once again, with 10 touchdowns and 821 rushing yards. Running back Joseph Addai contributed with 7 touchdowns and 60 receptions, while Austin Collie had 6 touchdowns and 47 receptions. The reliable targets also included tight end Dallas Clark, who had 10 touchdowns and 100 receptions, and wide receiver Reggie Wayne. Manning, the league’s lowest sacked quarterback this year, only allowed himself to be sacked 13 times. He passed for 4,500 yards, with 16 interceptions and 32 touchdowns. The offensive line, led by Jeff Saturday, played a key role in Manning’s success.
The secondary was led by safety Antoine Bethea, who recorded 70 tackles and 4 interceptions. Clint Session and Gary Brackett formed a formidable defensive line behind them. The defense was spearheaded by defensive ends Robert Mathis, who tallied 9 sacks and 5 forced fumbles, and Dwight Freeney, who notched 13 sacks.
New Orleans Saints (National Football Conference)
In the 2009 season, the Saints offense excelled in scoring and emerged as the top team in the NFL. Drew Brees played a pivotal role in leading the team with impressive statistics of 4,338 passing yards, 34 touchdowns, and only 11 interceptions. The team’s wide receivers, including Marques Colston with 70 catches and 9 touchdowns, Devery Henderson with 51 receptions, Robert Meachem with 45 receptions, and tight ends Jeremy Shockey with 48 catches and David Thomas with 35 interceptions, provided Brees with numerous viable options. Additionally, Reggie Bush significantly contributed to the running game with a total of 390 rushing yards.
Smith Will led the team with 13 sacks as a pass rusher. Johnathan Vilma, the linebacker, also had 3 interceptions and 87 tackles. Darren Sharper led the secondary with 9 interceptions and 3 touchdowns.
What Set This Super Bowl Apart
The global viewership expanded further as the match would also establish another record for Super Bowl viewership. The two top-ranked teams confronted each other in the Super Bowl, marking the first Super Bowl since XXVIII.
The game had been played on the Sunday after the Super Bowl. This would also be the beginning of the Pro Bowl. This game also marked the first year of the Pro Bowl. Instead of being played in Honolulu’s Aloha Stadium in Hawaii, the Pro Bowl would be played in different venues.
Highlights from the Game Day
In present-day currency, the game would be priced at $1,183, which supporters paid $1,000 per ticket for. Approximately 74,059 supporters once again greeted fans on February 7, 2010 at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. This marked the most recent date for a Super Bowl to this day.
Jennifer Hudson and Jordin Sparks had performed in the previous two games. It was the third consecutive year that Jennifer Hudson, an American Idol alumna, had sung the national anthem. Carrie Underwood sang the national anthem afterwards. The pregame show featured Queen Latifah singing “America the Beautiful”.
The coin flip ceremony was carried out by fellow 2010 inductee Emmitt Smith for the match, prior to which Hall of Famer Jerry Rice was introduced to the audience to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the San Francisco 49ers.
The Saints elected heads and emerged victorious in the coin toss, opting to accept the ball.
Initial Portion
The Colts scored 10 points in the first quarter, with Pierre Garcon completing a 19-yard pass for a touchdown. This drive tied the Super Bowl scoring record with a 96-yard completed drive. The Saints were forced to punt and were stopped when Bush’s 16-yard pass backfired. The Saints then became the oldest player to compete in the Super Bowl when Matt Stover kicked a 38-yard field goal to end their drive. The Colts took possession of the ball at their own 27-yard line. The Saints’ first possession ended with a punt on 4th down and 3 yards to go.
The Colts were unable to run the ball into the end zone but were able to force the Saints to punt with time still left on the clock. The Saints got the ball at their own territory and attempted to run the clock down with their running game. However, the Colts were able to stop them at the goal-and-1st line-yard. The Colts then allowed the Saints to drive deep into their territory and forced the Colts to punt. Pierre Garcon dropped a pass by Drew Brees, resulting in a 10-3 score. The Saints settled for a field goal and on third down, Brees was sacked at the Colts’ 22-yard line. The Saints opened the quarter with a drive.
Halftime
During halftime, the British rock band The Who performed a medley of several of their hits, including “Pinball Wizard”, “Baba O’Riley”, “Who Are You”, “See Me, Feel Me”, and “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. No fans were crowded around the stage for this first show.
Latter Half
The first quarter ended with Hartley bringing the score to 17-16 at point one with a 47-yard goal field. The Colts answered with their own 76-yard touchdown drive, regaining the lead at 17-13. New Orleans took the lead at 13-10 when Pierre Thomas took the ball into the endzone with a pass. After recovering the ball on the 42-yard line, the offense stormed down the field with a 58-yard drive, never facing a 3rd down. This play, known as “Ambush,” changed the momentum of the game for the Saints. The third quarter began with a surprise onside kick by the Saints.
Head his rolled and touched the ground before stretching the ball into the endzone, giving the Colts a chance to win with a last-minute touchdown by Lance Morris. Instead, the Saints chose to run a two-point conversion, giving the Colts a chance to win. The drive ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass to Schokey. Then Brees ran a series of plays, chewing up clock and yardage with both passing and running. The Saints put the ball at the Colts’ 41-yard line, but Stover missed the kick. Indianapolis opened the final quarter with a 51-yard field goal attempt, setting up a drive to the Saints’ 33-yard line.
Lacey Jacob kicked the ball from his hands and it was ruled as incomplete. The ruling was overturned when Sean Payton, the coach, challenged after Lacey kicked the ball on the ground as Morris was overturned. The Saints now lead 24-17.
Brees secured the Saints their inaugural Super Bowl victory by kneeling with 0:44 left in the game, reclaiming possession. The Colts failed to execute a play to achieve a touchdown but managed to advance to the Saints’ 3-yard line. At the 3:12 mark, the lead expanded to 31-17 when Tracey Porter intercepted a pass from Manning and returned it for a 74-yard touchdown.
Most Valuable Player of the Super Bowl
It was no surprise when Drew Brees was chosen as the MVP for Super Bowl XLIV, given his ability to utilize his offensive team and leadership skills.
Details of the Broadcast (Ratings, Audience Size, & Broadcasting Network)
CBS served as the venue for Super Bowl XLIV. The game was witnessed by a staggering 153.4 million individuals across the globe, earning it a remarkable 45.0 Nielsen rating. Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Steve Tasker, and Solomon Wilcots formed the broadcasting crew for the event.
LaBron James and Dwight Howard engaged in a cordial game of H-O-R-S-E in a modernized rendition of the famous 1990s advertisement by McDonald’s starring Micheal Jordan and Larry Bird. Dorito’s garnered a favorable reaction for once again showcasing fan-created ads during the Super Bowl. One of the Dr. Pepper commercials showcased the Rock Band kiss. Coca-Cola and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group capitalized on the absence of their competitors by airing their own advertisements. Both Pepsi and FedEx made the decision to not air any ads that year, marking Pepsi’s first absence in their 23-year partnership with the NFL. Returning commercial partners Anheuser-Bush INBEV and Career Builder secured 8 and 2 commercial spots, respectively.
Betting, Odds, & Payouts
The final score was 31-17 with the Saints winning the game. The Saints, who were considered the underdogs, pulled off an upset against the Colts who were the favorites by 5 points. The game ended with a total of 57 points, which was under the predicted over/under.
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Conclusion
The Colts were unsuccessful in their hunt for another Super Bowl win, as their quarterback did not finish. The Indianapolis Colts, in an upset, saw the record-setting crowd witness the Saints upset them to win their first Super Bowl title. Super Bowl XLIV closed out the first decade of the 21st century with a phenomenal game.