New Orleans Saints overcome early deficit, stop Colts late to seal Super Bowl victory 31-17

story by ESPN
written by Greg Garber
photo of the Brees' by US Presswire

MIAMI -- Burn those bags. Put the S back in front of those Ain'ts. These Saints, finally, are Superb.

New Orleans cornerback Tracy Porter gathered in Peyton Manning's pass and sprinted 74 yards toward the goal line with 3:12 left in Super Bowl XLIV to give the Saints an insurmountable lead on their way to a 31-17 victory on Sunday.

After falling behind 10-0 in the first quarter, the Saints soared back on the arm of quarterback Drew Brees. At one point completing 10 straight passes, he finished 32 of 39 for 288 yards and two touchdowns to tie the Super Bowl record for completions on his way to wining MVP honors.

For a city savaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Saints have been a symbol of New Orleans' perseverance. Some 700 miles away from Sun Life Stadium, the French Quarter rocked with something approaching Mardi Gras intensity.