Manning’s sin hands Saints Super Bowl title

Why the Saints won the title ...

1 Porter does it again — This game came down to whichever defense was going to make the big play. For the second straight game, Tracy Porter sealed a win with an interception.

2 Brees is a baller — Once Drew Brees caught fire he just couldn’t be stopped. Trailing by 10 in the second quarter, Brees completed 12 of his final 14 passes in the first half to cut the lead to 10-6.

Even after the Saints turned the ball over on downs inside the Indianapolis 2-yard line, Brees regrouped and got points on the ensuing drive.

3 Balls to the wall — Payton was superior to Peyton on this day. Sean Payton never dropped the gusto that got him to Miami in the first place. After going for it on fourth-and-goal late in the first half and coming up short, the dynamic Saints’ head coach came out with an onsides kick in the second half. The Saints recovered and kept momentum.

Why the Colts lost ...

1 Sinner — Peyton Manning went toe to toe with Drew Brees until the game was on the line. Tracy Porter jumped a route and returned an interception 74 yards for the game-clinching touchdown. It put the Saints up 31-17 with 3:12 left.

2 Dropping the ball — Up 10-3 midway through the second quarter, the Colts held all the momentum and could have been on their way to a blowout. Pierre Garcon, though, dropped a third-down pass that opened up hope for the Saints. New Orleans outgained Indianapolis 143 to 15 in the second quarter. That just doesn’t happen to Manning-led teams.

3 No pressure — Dwight Freeney and his ankle looked fine in the first half and recorded the game’s only sack. Drew Brees, though, just had too much time to throw. The biggest mismatch all game was the Saints receivers against the Colts secondary. And in the end, Brees exploited that to perfection.

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