Though many football fans were skeptical, the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts managed to turn in an extremely memorable Super Bowl on Sunday night (February 7), with the Saints prevailing by a score of 31-17. New Orleans, a weighted underdog coming into the match-up in Miami, trailed for a bulk of the game and saw their normally potent offense stifled by the Colts early on. But a few key plays (including a gutsy on-sides kick and an acrobatic two-point conversion care of TK that shifted the momentum heavily in the Saints favor) allowed New Orleans to pull away and ascend to championship status in their very first Super Bowl.
Though the biggest play in the game came courtesy of defensive back Tracy Porter (who intercepted a Peyton Manning pass and took it to the end zone for a score that put the game away for the Saints), quarterback Drew Brees took home the award for Most Valuable Player. It's hard to argue with his statistics: 288 yards passing, a record-tying 32 completions and a pair of touchdowns. He also carried himself with a ton of poise in his first championship game, and he clearly kept a cool head even as the defense kept attacking and his team trailed on the scoreboard. It was an excellent performance from a quarterback who has always been just a little underrated.
When accepting his MVP trophy, Brees said, "Mardi Gras may never end." Indeed, though the official start to Mardi Gras is still eight days away, you can be sure that the city of New Orleans has already started the celebration. Brees will be at the center of the party; for the next few weeks, you can call him the "King of New Orleans." (Thanks, Better Than Ezra!)