It's taken 43 years of NFL play to get there, but the New Orleans Saints, following a thrilling 31-28 overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game, find themselves headed to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history. Despite a history of disappointment, the hard-luck Saints also find themselves potentially on the verge of their first NFL championship.
The disappointment Sunday night belonged instead to the Vikings, a franchise that knows a little about heart-sinking losses as well, having been on the losing end of all four of their Super Bowl appearances. In this contest, quarterback Brett Favre took a beating, but ultimately the Vikings killed themselves with turnovers at critical junctures.
All told, the Vikings committed five turnovers. They fumbles six times, losing three, and Favre threw two interceptions. Minnesota's turnovers seemed to come at critical times as well. A fumbled exchange between Favre and running back Adrian Peterson ended a chance to capitalize on a major miscue by the Saints -- a muffed punt by Reggie Bush at New Orleans' 10-yard line -- and end the first half with a score as well as momentum. Later, a Percy Harvin fumble gave the ball to the Saints at the Vikings' 12-yard line, setting up a quick go-ahead touchdown early in the fourth quarter. And then, on Minnesota's very next possession, wide receiver Bernard Berrian fumbled after a reception inside the 10-yard line as the team was driving for what could have been the tying score.
Despite all the miscues, the Vikings tied the game on a two-yard Adrian Peterson touchdown run with just under five minutes remaining, and then unbelievably found themselves with the ball and a chance to win the game with just over two-and-a-half minutes left on the clock. But with seven seconds left in regulation and the Vikings on the cusp of field-goal range, Favre dished up what proved to be the most costly error of the day by throwing back across the middle after rolling to the right on a third-and-15 play, getting picked off by cornerback Tracey Porter.
The play effectively sent the contest to overtime where the Saints, following the opening kickoff, marched down the field to set up a game-winning 40-yard field goal by Garrett Hartley.
The win sets up a contest between each conference's No. 1 seed as New Orleans advances to Super Bowl XLIV to face the Indianapolis Colts, who beat the New York Jets earlier in the day.
Comments