Saints march into history

MIAMI – Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints became Super Bowl champions after rallying to beat Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17, on Sunday in one of the NFL’s most thrilling title games.

Brees equaled a Super Bowl record with 32 completions, the last a two-yard slant to Jeremy Shockey for the winning points with 5:42 remaining. The Pro Bowl quarterback was chosen Super Bowl Most Valuable Player.

“We just believed in ourselves and we knew that we had an entire city and maybe an entire country behind us,” Brees said. “What can I say? I tried to imagine what this moment would be like for a long time and it’s better than expected.”

A surprise onside kick sparked the Saints’ second-half comeback. Their 25th-ranked defense made several key stops, and Tracy Porter’s 74-yard interception return on a pass from Manning, of all people, clinched it.

Manning gave chase, but fell awkwardly as the cornerback zipped by. The four-time NFL MVP forlornly walked to the sideline as the Big Easy celebrations began. Who would have thought the biggest mistake of the game would have come from Manning?

“It’s time for the Saints to celebrate,” he said. “It’s their field and it’s their championship.”

An NFL embarrassment for much of their 43 years, the Saints’ football renaissance, led by Brees and coach Sean Payton, climaxed with Shockey’s touchdown and Lance Moore’s two-point conversion catch. The conversion pass originally was ruled incomplete, but Payton challenged the call and won.

Porter’s pick, just as dramatic as his interception of Brett Favre’s pass at the end of the National Football Conference title game that forced overtime, was the game’s only turnover. It’s one Manning will forever regret.

The Saints (16-3) won three postseason games this winter after winning only two in the previous 42 years. They beat Arizona, Minnesota and Indianapolis (16-3) – all division winners – for their first title, scoring 107 points and allowing only 59.

The championship came 4 1/2 years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, making the Saints nomads for the 2005 season. (AP)