Superbowl XLIV: Indianapolis Colts vs. New Orleans Saints @ Sun Life Stadium

[cincinnati chili]

I'll repeat my earlier sentiment, boo Saints.

This had to be one of the more boring Super Bowls in recent memory though. It just seemed to kind of plod along most of the time.

This post proves you can't please everyone. Other than a blown coverage here and there and a Manning interception at the very end this game was impeccably played and will go down among the best Super Bowls in history.

Anybody heard from Sandy D. Did she make it out of the sports bar alive?

[Caveat Emperor]

This post proves you can't please everyone. Other than a blown coverage here and there and a Manning interception at the very end this game was impeccably played and will go down among the best Super Bowls in history.

Anybody heard from Sandy D. Did she make it out of the sports bar alive?

Agreed -- very few penalties, very few blown up plays or missed assignments. In terms of execution, it was one of the cleanest and best played games I've seen in a while.

Great coaching, great plays, great players -- what more could you ask for in a Super Bowl?

[kaldaniels]

I'll repeat my earlier sentiment, boo Saints.

This had to be one of the more boring Super Bowls in recent memory though. It just seemed to kind of plod along most of the time.

Yeah...I don't get your take. Colts driving for the tying score in the final minutes when Manning gets pick-6'ed. Now of course that makes the scoreboard look like the game was anticlimatic...but the 2nd half had that tense feeling throughout that the last team to have the ball would win. Granted it did not turn out that way, but as a game...it was a good one. Not a great one, but very entertaining.

[kaldaniels]

I've never seen such intensity on a fumble recovery as I saw on that onside kick. Hard to tell what the bottom of that pile was like.

[cincinnati chili]

I've never seen such intensity on a fumble recovery as I saw on that onside kick. Hard to tell what the bottom of that pile was like.

I agree (and assume you mean the onside kick?). 500 zillion cameras and there was no way to tell who came up with the ball.

[Deepred05]

I thought the first half was boring. But that onside kick to start the second half sure livened things up. Manning seemed tentative to me, I don't remember the man throwing so many two yard passes during the regular season. Must of been a great defensive scheme by New Orleans.

That goal line stand at the end of the first half should have sealed New Orleans. You have to take your hat off, they didn't get down and salvaged the points anyway.

[KoryMac5]

I jumped on the Saints pick as soon as I saw that Freeney had torn an ankle ligament. He was pretty effective in the first half but having it tighten up on him in the 2nd half was a game changer. Brees sure looked comfortable in there without any rush coming. Nice to see a kicker make a few big ones in the playoffs too, yes I am talking to you Shayne Graham.

Good game overall.

[bucksfan2]

Never have liked Manning so I was happy watching the game. I did think the first half was kind of boring, but overall it was a very good football game. The onside kick was a gutsy call and probably the game changing play in that super bowl. Drew Brees played a great game and deserved the MVP. I think as the game wore on and the score was closer Manning started to get happy feet and started to lock onto Wayne. On the pick 6 I thought it was going to Wayne and on the last play of the game thought it was going Wayne's way.

[oneupper]

I don't know where you've been, but I think most of the recent SBs have been very entertaining for about 10 years now.

I was thinking of this post-season, which had been dull except for 2 or three games. (Ari-GB, Minn-NO, maybe another.).

[Chip R]

Agreed -- very few penalties, very few blown up plays or missed assignments. In terms of execution, it was one of the cleanest and best played games I've seen in a while.

Great coaching, great plays, great players -- what more could you ask for in a Super Bowl?

It was. Only one turnover, hard hitting and only one replay which the call was overturned. Great Super Bowl.

[Sea Ray]

I wonder how Phil Ivey feels today, who is a professional poker player. He apparently put down $2 million on the Colts to win. I'm no expert in this area but if I understand it correctly it was a straight bet on the Colts to win, no point spread. If the Colts won then he'd not double his money but he'd win his bet back plus a third of it. So he's risking $2mill in order to win about $700K. I would think losing two mill would be painful even to a guy like this. Interesting story:

http://www.bigleague...he-colts-to-win

[Eric_the_Red]

Sad end of a season being a Colts fan, but I am happy for Brees and New Orleans. If there was one team to lose to, the Saints would be at the top of that list.

A few observations:
After stopping the Saints on 4 and goal, I thought the Indy playcalling was awful. Almost 2 minutes left and 2 timeouts should be good enough to at least get into FG position. But they go 3 and out and NO gets the late FG.

The onside kick was ridiculous. First, what an amazingly gutsy call by Payton. However, the officials did a terrible job in sorting out that scrum. It took too long- who knows how many times the ball changed hands? The competition committee should take a look at possibly giving delay of game penalties to players that don't back up after being pulled off the pile.

The two-point conversion replay. I'm still not sure there was enough evidence to overturn that call, but then again, I am viewing it through Colts blue glasses.

I was dissappointed in the Colts D. I think they gave way too much space to the receivers in an effort to stop the long ball, and Brees ate them up.

Oh well....next year.

[Sea Ray]

I agree with the 2 pt call. I thought it was a "judgement call" and as such the call on the field should have stood. I'd say the same thing if the call on the field was TD.

I also thought Peyton did the Saints a favor by running the ball 3x at the end of the first half. Definitely a superior coaching job by the Saints

[kaldaniels]

I agree with the 2 pt call. I thought it was a "judgement call" and as such the call on the field should have stood. I'd say the same thing if the call on the field was TD.

I also thought Peyton did the Saints a favor by running the ball 3x at the end of the first half. Definitely a superior coaching job by the Saints

Yeah I agree. I almost feel like it was overturned because the HD camera shot was just "too good" if you know what I mean. Sure there is one or two frames where it appears he might have possession before the ball was knocked out...but what is that...1/20 of a second or even less with those slow-mo replay shots?

[bucksfan2]

The onside kick was ridiculous. First, what an amazingly gutsy call by Payton. However, the officials did a terrible job in sorting out that scrum. It took too long- who knows how many times the ball changed hands? The competition committee should take a look at possibly giving delay of game penalties to players that don't back up after being pulled off the pile.

I think its that way on a scrum. I think especially so in the Super Bowl. It did take a while to clear the pile but I didn't see anything wrong with it.

The two-point conversion replay. I'm still not sure there was enough evidence to overturn that call, but then again, I am viewing it through Colts blue glasses.

I dislike the rule but under the goal line rule the call was correct. Once possession is gained and the ball crosses the goal line it is a TD, or in this case a 2 pt conversion. What the replay showed was the Saints receiver gained possession and had his body on the ground (which counted as his two feet) with the ball across the goal line.