Super Bowl XLIV: The Indianapolis Colts Ground Themselves

Much like two weeks ago, an errant throw against the Saints by one of the icons of the league appears like it will dominate postgame discussion, moving most to ignore some critical sequences that helped swing the game in favor of the Saints.

The onside kick will receive its proper due. It was an unconventional gamble that led to a touchdown and the Saints' first lead. The last two minutes of the second quarter, however, may have been just as important in shifting momentum over to the Saints' side and setting the stage for the second half.

Timeout. It was the two minute warning, and Indy treaded precariously with the Saints one yard away from capping a six minute Peyton-free segment with seven points. For the Saints, the score would complete their recovery from a 10-point deficit and put Lady Momentum squarely in their corner.

At this crucial moment, though, the undersized and oft-maligned Colts run defense held its ground. Well, don't give them too much credit on the first play. Mike Bell simply slipped on the grass (amazing, they're still playing with that stuff in a Super Bowl) trying to make a cut. Colts timeout with 1:55 remaining. 

The second play, however, was a great team effort by the linebackers and line as Pierre Thomas' multiple efforts were stopped cold at the one yard line. With that, it looked like Indianapolis would go into the second half with momentum and the rock in Peyton Manning's thus far unblemished arm. 

With 1:49 on the clock, Indy took over at their own one yard line holding onto their seven-point lead. Up to this moment in the game, the Colts had moved the ball consistently with their only unsuccessful drive stalled by a Pierre Garcon drop.

The first play of the drive was a sensible run for Mike Hart to move the Colts out of the shadow of the end zone. The run also afforded Indy the opportunity to run down the clock to around a minute.

At this critical point, the Colts went vanilla, seemingly content with their seven-point lead and the assumption that they would get the ball back at the start of the second half. Indianapolis called for two straight runs from their league's worst running attack against a Saints defense that stacked the middle in the hopes of getting the ball back.

It would be asinine to fail to note that the strategy almost worked at preserving the status quo—the second down run nearly picked up the first down, and if it had, Indy subsequently could have kneed out the half. The third down play, though, was not even close with Mike Hart sandwiched by Saints defenders a full yard short.

Yes, against a Saints team with two timeouts, excellent field position, and a hot kicker the Colts leaned on the third-string running back from the league's worst rushing group in an obvious rushing situation(third and one). Not to mention, the ball was taken out of the hands of Peyton Manning, perhaps the most prolific quarterback in league history.

The clock situation made little sense as well, adding more mystery to the decision. With around a minute to go before the third down, the run/pass clock situation likely had little to no bearing on the Saints' drive. Even if the Saints retained their second timeout following an incomplete pass, they would have to drive 50 yards with 50 seconds and two timeouts. For a team that had no big plays nor any successful plays down the sideline all game, "settling" for three would likely have been the case, anyhow.

Additionally, it was the Colts that stopped the clock on the Saints' prior possession. With the most dynamic quarterback the league has to offer in the last two minutes of halves at the helm, the decision made sense. While the timeout surely was intended primarily for the scenario of a Saints touchdown, the Colts had driven the ball 96 yards earlier in the game.

After their first down play, they had one minute to go and around 60 yards for a field goal with two timeouts. That type of drive was not out of the realm of possibility. Had they rushed to the line following the first down play they could have saved another twenty seconds. 

With the potential to take a 13-3 lead with the ball coming back in the second half, presumably, and momentum firmly on their side following the goal-line stand, rolling the dice made a lot of sense.

Instead, Indianapolis did not even pass on third down and gave the Saints the football back with a very short field. Any points would partially atone for their goal-line failure just minutes before. New Orleans jumped on the opportunity and got three points to cut the lead to a manageable four. With that, the Saints seized the momentum back and entered their locker room without a sour taste in their mouth. 

The Colts, of course, should have known the pitfalls of taking a shrinking four-point lead into the half against an offense that was heating up. After all, the roles were reversed just two weeks before when the Colts offense had reawakened at the end of the first half and cut the lead to four against the New York Jets and then dominated the second half.

The song remained the same, and with only a four point deficit to start the second half the Saints were likely more inclined to attempt the game-altering onside kick. Had the score been 10-3 or 13-3, the Saints' risk would have been heightened. An unsuccessful onside kick with that deficit would likely lead to a two possession deficit against a great front-running team that had methodically moved the ball all game. Instead, the Saints pulled off the onside kick with gusto and, well, we all know the rest.  

The Tracy Porter pick six, and the onside kick will receive their proper due, but without the Colts' missteps at the end of the first half, perhaps none of it would have happened.

The team that both stockpiled points at the end of halves and passed the ball as well as any other team, attempted to do neither in the most important game of the year. And in a game that rewarded risk, that type of conservative play is enough to keep a team's Super Bowl hopes firmly on the ground.