It still doesn’t seem real does it?
Frankly, I find it hard to do any work between recovering from my “reporting” after the game, reliving the Hartley field goal via fan videos on You Tube, and wonderful messages online.
Ah yes, Monday has been a day to enjoy and live in the moment. A moment that had adults crying, releasing 43 years of frustration for many, for others it was just the culmination of being a part of something magical.
When you look at the stats, the Vikings were the better team, outgaining the Saints by 218 yards, and picked up 31 first downs to the Saints 31 to 15. In all honesty, the Saints 31-28 win was destiny. Minnesota turning the ball over five times when they had done so just 18 times all season. A game that had to be decided in overtime by a kick heard around the bayou.
It’s still surreal to say it, hear it, much less type it. The Saints are going to the Super Bowl.
A day after the historic win, the Saints were excited, yet were quick to say that there was still work to be done. “We know that we have a huge challenge up for us, with Peyton Manning and those guys. They’ve been doing a great job with comeback victories, and putting games away. So we know we have a huge challenge up for us,” said Saints cornerback Tracey Porter a day after his game changing interception.
The game in two weeks indeed will be analyzed, talked about, and hyped in the coming days, in the time being it was about putting into words what happened on Sunday.
“I think having been in this game before and coached in this game, I think this is the goal. We set it yesterday. We were excited about the win yesterday. What it did was it gives us an opportunity to play in this next game, which when you get into coaching or playing, your goal is to someday win a Super Bowl championship, said Saints head coach Sean Payton Monday. “I think the challenge is winning a championship, and understanding that we’re playing a great Indianapolis team. It’s been a long time since you look at the Super Bowl and here sit the two No. 1 seeds. The two teams that were unbeaten for 90% of the season until the end, here they are with an opportunity to play for the championship, so that’s exciting.”
The Saints earned their ticket to Super Bowl 44 in Miami by being resilient and never giving up, despite the many times where it seemed as if the Vikings couldn’t be stop. The difference however was taking care of the football.
“It was a game that went back and forth with momentum swings. It had a lot of effort by both teams. You tip your hat to Minnesota. They played lights out with a lot of heart. The turnovers ended up being a big stat in this game. Without that swing in turnovers, we probably don’t come up on the winning end of this game. The turnover at the second quarter right before halftime was significant. Certainly the turnover at the end of the game prior to overtime was significant. And then we made enough plays in overtime to win the game. Pierre Thomas’ kick return was big, for him to jump in that role, which is normally been where Courtney’s played, and get us good field position. And we make just enough plays to give our kicker a chance to win the game and he does. All of that ended up being pretty special.”
So after 43 seasons, the Saints are finally in the big game. In their way, a native New Orleanian who’s being talked about as the greatest to ever play his position, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. Go figure. A local who captured his first championship four season ago down in Miami, will either be apart of a game that gives the Saints their long awaited championship, or keeps his home town team from winning one.
The task is daunting. Manning led Indianapolis to a 30-17 win over the New York jets with a typical performance. 26 of 39 for 377 yards and three touchdowns to go with zero interceptions.
“Peyton does such a good job at the line of scrimmage, really taking advantage of the whole time allotted and putting his offense into a variety of different plays. He does a great job with the snap count. He’s got a great grasp of the offense,” said Payton of Manning’s ability to dissect defenses. “You see the improvement throughout the course of the year that they’ve grown with young players at the receiver position, obviously, a veteran offensive line, a veteran player in Dallas Clarke, and guys like Reggie Wayne. He’s got a great grasp as to what he’s seen. And I think throughout the course of the game that becomes in itself a challenge. As to his ability to really in his experience to direct traffic and put them in the best place possible, I think he does that better than anyone. ”
WHERE’S BELL?
Have you wondered where is Saints running back Mike Bell lately? Bell hasn’t been listed on the injury report this post season, but in the team’s two games he has a total of six runs. Bell had zero touches against Minnesota, and had just six carries for 11 yards. What’s the deal?
“Just the way these games unfolded. Certainly that wouldn’t ‑‑ I don’t know that I’d read anything into that other than just the way we were in a lot more nickel two weeks ago against Arizona with the injury to (Dominique-Rodgers) Cromartie and what we were wanting to do. They were banged up in the secondary. But he’ll have his touches and his opportunities certainly this week in practice and in the game next week,” Saints head coach Sean Payton said on Monday, adding that he contemplated on using Bell on the key 4th and 1 in overtime, but felt it wasn’t smart to make that play Bell’s carry of the day.
WORK WEEK
The Saints, who spent the day lifting and running, will enjoy Tuesday and Wednesday off. Thursday the Black and Gold return to practice, and will do so through Saturday. On Monday the team will depart for Miami to meet up with those Saints that will leave Sunday morning to be introduced at Sunday’s Pro Bowl game.
