• By LES EAST
• Special to The Advocate
• Published: Feb 8, 2010

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MIAMI — The New Orleans Saints pieced together their 31-17 Super Bowl XLIV victory against Indianapolis on Sunday night by using familiar elements that were staples of their record-setting season.

Quarterback Drew Brees was as democratic as he was during his Pro Bowl regular season, using eight receivers while tying a Super Bowl record with 32 completions (in 39 attempts), and compiling 288 passing yards during an MVP performance.

“He just played so well, so efficient,” coach Sean Payton said. “I thought we blocked (for) him pretty good, gave him time.”

There were other aspects of the performance that had been seen throughout the season. The New Orleans defense, which led the NFL in takeaways, took it away just once, but it was one for the ages: Port Allen native Tracy Porter’s interception and 74-yard touchdown return that completed the scoring with 3:12 left in the game.

Just two weeks ago, Porter intercepted Minnesota’s Brett Favre at the end of regulation with the Vikings on the verge of being able to try a potential game-winning field goal in an NFC Championship game that the Saints won on the first possession of overtime.

“You knew it was going to come,” guard Jahri Evans said. “Our defense has been making big plays all year, and they came up with a huge play at the end of the game.”

Payton, who’s not afraid to go against convention, did so and it paid off with rookie safety Chris Reis’ recovery of an onside kick to start the second half.

Payton also had a Midas touch on a replay challenge that yielded a reversal that gave the Saints a seven-point lead instead of five midway through the fourth, as well as a timeout before a third-down stop late in the second quarter that ultimately led to a Garrett Hartley field goal as time expired in the first half.

Hartley, whose picture-perfect 40-yard field goal sent the Saints to the Super Bowl for the first time, set a Super Bowl record by making three field goals of more than 40 yards, and didn’t miss an attempt.

As they did in come-from-behind wins against the Dolphins, Panthers, Redskins, Cardinals, and Vikings, the Saints overcame early adversity (a 10-0 deficit), righted the ship, and got the job done.

“We’ve done that other times,” Payton said of the turnaround. “We had a lot of poise — the quarterback, the defense. We got some key stops in the second half. Those proved to be pivotal.”

These are all attributes New Orleans showed in bolting to a franchise-record 13-0 start, establishing itself in October as the team to catch in the NFC, then never being caught.

The Saints got it going just enough for Hartley to kick two second-quarter field goals that got New Orleans within 10-6 at halftime.