The last time the Indianapolis Colts went to the Super Bowl was in 2010 for Super Bowl XLIV where they faced, and eventually lost to, the New Orleans Saints. This was the Colts’ second Super Bowl appearance in four seasons and it was the Saints’ first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history (43 years). They were due for a victory.
Both teams brandished a phenomenal regular season records. The Saints had 13 wins and 3 losses while the Colts sat comfortably at 14 wins and 2 losses. Both the Colts and the Saints had offenses lead by a great quarterback, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees, respectively. Both defenses were some of the best in the league at the time. The game was supposed to be very close.
In the beginning the game unfolded as planned and the Colts came out strong and got an early 10-0 lead in the 1st quarter. The Saints did not put a single point on the board until late in the 2nd quarter. The Colts went to the locker room with a 10-6 lead and at half there was only a 4-point deficit. Half time was definitely the turning point in the game; the Colts came out very lethargic and were outscored 25-7 in the second half, for a final score of 31-17. No one expected this type of over powering victory from the Saints.
The Colts offense was a force to be reckoned with. Having Peyton Manning guiding the talents of Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, who both recorded over 100 receptions and 10 touchdowns on the season, and Joseph Addai in the backfield. In addition, their offense wasn’t the Colts’ only impressive attribute. Their secondary defense was spectacular and the tag team of Robert Mathis and Dwight Freeney on the outside made their pass rushing nigh unstoppable and put a lot of pressure Brees.
Despite facing a great defense, Brees managed to have an incredible game and proved why he had the highest QB rating in the NFL (109.6). The saints drove down the field late in the second quarter to put their first points on the board, they then recovered a surprise onside kick to start the second half which set them up for Pierre Thomas’ 16-yard touchdown reception from Brees. With the Colts on their heels, the Saints continued to push and used their momentum to capitalize on the Colts’ mistakes and the Colts could not catch a break. Maybe they will have better luck this year!
This year to Colts are looking very promising for this upcoming season with a lot of offensive firepower surrounding Quarterback Andrew Luck. They picked up Phillip Dorsett, a receiver from Miami, in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft. Also, despite letting go of veteran Reggie Wayne, the receiving core is looking impeccable with the combination of T.Y. Hilton, veteran Andre Johnson, Duron Carter, and Donte Moncrief. Not only that, but Vick Ballard will be healthy and under the guidance of Frank Gore in the backfield.
The defense looks pretty good as well. The secondary will be strong under the leadership of Vontae Davis and Greg Toler. That being said, there is a potential weakness with pass rushing and stopping the inside run. With Robert Mathis being questionable, there is a big question of who is going to fill that role. Outside of that, the defense is looking pretty stout.
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