I am completely bagged after getting at most 16 hours total combined sleep Thursday night through Sunday night and a jet lagged sleep last night while getting back from Vegas (look for the recap of the whole trip later this week when I have some energy) so this will be disjointed. I will now attempt to recap my thoughts on the Super Bowl that revolved around one question - How in the Fuck did the Colts blow that thing after being an unbeatable juggernaut all year?
1. Looking back on it everyone I was with knew the Colts were in deep shit when the Saints recovered the on-side kick, but in hindsight they were screwed when Garcon dropped the 3rd and 4 pass in the 2nd quarter. At the time T-Bone said "that's the TSN turning point right there". He was 100% right (it is also worth noting that he was the only one of us who had money on the Saints so he must know what he's talking about). I think the Colts would have kept moving down the field, using clock and scored another TD or at least FG. If nothing else they would have pinned the Saints within their own 15 on a punt. Instead they punted, the Saints drove down, got stuffed on fourth and goal but pinned the Colts who went three and out, then punted to the Saints who had enough time to score a FG. All because Garcon dropped the goddamn ball.
2. The Colts play calling when they were pinned at the end of the first half was atrocious. just over a minute left and a couple of timeouts? That is enough for Peyton Manning to at least get you a field goal attempt. How do you call a half assed up the middle run play on 3rd and 1 when you can run 2 yard quick slant passes any time you like? It was ridiculous. And Manning deserves most of the blame on that. He audibles on 50% of the plays and should have here. He knew damn well a slant would have worked but he didn't do it. Manning's legacy started to take a hit on that play (more on that later).
3. The on-side kick was brilliant. Down 10-6 the Saints had to be thinking the Colts are going to get the ball and go up 17-6, we'd better try to stop that. The fact that it worked just made the call even better. And you knew damn well they were going to score.
4. The Colts special teams were terrible. How do you take a kick-ff for yards into your own end zone and not take a knee against the lightning fast Saints? You deserve to only get to your own 11 when you do something that stupid.
5. Peyton looked completely confused the entire second half and you knew things weren't right when he got the game clock wrong and couldn't get a play off to end the 3rd quarter. At this point there were signs of the pre-2007 Manning. But I still believed so I didn't recognize it.
6. Before he threw the pick, Manning nearly got picked off on an awful pass to Reggie Wayne near the sideline a few plays before. That throw was actually worse than the one that did get picked off.
7. When the Colts got the ball 24-17 and over 5 left on the clock I said to Diamond Joe "Here's where Manning proves he is in the top 2 or 3 ever". I was 100% certain they were getting into the endzone on a TD pass, win the coin flip and win it on a Dallas Clark TD reception (that chain of events would have won me my game bet and prop bet that Manning would throw over 2.5 TDs by the way). Then he nearly threw a terrible pick, then did throw a terrible pick. He looked rattled and had those happy feet again and it was ugly to watch. He had a chance to put himself on the Mt. Rushmore of QBs and blew it. I am still completely stunned. Joe Montana would have got in the end zone 100 times out of 100. Tom Brady would of 95/100 and not thrown a pick (which is why he still has to rank slightly ahead of Manning). Brett Favre would have thrown that pick 95/100 and that's why I think he is in the second tier of greatest QBs. And now Manning has thrown that pick. As great as he has been this year, the closer he has become, the chance to win his 2nd Super Bowl, that's why I wanted the Colts to win on Sunday. Manning is now 9-9 in the playoffs. Elway had a losing record in Super Bowls (2-3) but winning 2 gets him in my top 3. I think Manning will get there (they have to be the favorite next year with Saunders back and healthy in the secondary) because he still has at least 5 years of prime left. But is was his for the taking Sunday and he couldn't get it done. And I still can't believe it.
All that said I can't be the least bit upset watching the city of New Orleans get to celebrate a Super Bowl. Or knowing that a guy as special as Drew Brees lead them to it. He has done so much for that city and it has given him so much in return it is remarkable. I think now that Kurt Warner has retired Brees can pretty confidently carry the torch as Greatest Big Name Guy in the league.
