Super Bowl XLIV - Colts Aim for 5th Championship

Super Bowl XLIV - Colts Aim for 5th NFL Championship

By Dean Micheals, NFL Writer

Super Bowl XLIV - February 7, 2010, New Orleans Saints vs Indianapolis Colts
Super Bowl XLIV - Saints vs Colts

Taking aim at a fifth championship for one of the most storied franchises in the NFL, the Indianapolis Colts, 16-2, meet the New Orleans Saints, 15-3, in Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, February 7,2010, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Colts Team Rankings

On offense during the NFL 2009 Regular Season, averaged 26.0 points per game (3rd in the AFC and 7th in the NFL); 363.1 total yards per game (4th in the AFC and 9th in the NFL); and 282.2 passing yards per game (2nd in AFC and NFL).

The Colts ranked 1st in the NFL in least sacks allowed per pass play, allowing only one sack per 47.2 attempts (13 sacks, 614 attempts).

The Colts offense ranked 1st in the AFC and 2nd in the NFL in touchdown efficiency inside the red zone, scoring a touchdown 66.0% of the time (35/53). The Colts scored a TD on 19 of their last 24 red zone opportunities (79.2%).

On defense, the Colts ranked 9th in the AFC and 18th in the NFL in yards allowed per game (339.2); and 5th in the AFC and 8th in the NFL in points allowed per game (19.2); 8th in the AFC and 13th in the NFL in TD% inside the red zone, surrendering a TD 49.0% of the time (25/51).

Since 2002, the Colts have ranked in the top 10 in scoring defense six times.

The Colts allowed six of 19 4th-down conversions (31.6 percent), ranking 1st in the AFC and 2nd in the NFL.

The Colts pass defense allowed only 6.23 yards per pass attempt, 4th in the AFC and NFL.

Peyton Manning Yet Another MVP Season

NFL 2009 Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning Yet Another MVP Season

Peyton Manning was named the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player for the NFL 2009 regular season.

It is Manning's fourth career MVP honor, surpassing Brett Favre for the most citations of the award. Manning shared the award with Steve McNair in 2003, then won in 2004 and 2008. He aims to become the 11th NFL MVP to help lead his team to a Super Bowl title.

During the NFL 2009 regular season, Peyton Manning Manning threw for 4,500 yards and 33 touchdowns and led the Colts to seven fourth-quarter comeback wins.

The NFL MVPs to help a team to the NFL title:

Bart Starr, Green Bay, 1966, defeated Kansas City in Super Bowl I, 35-10; Terry Bradshaw, Pittsburgh, 1978, defeated Dallas in Super Bowl XIII, 35-31; K-Mark Moseley, Washington, 1982, defeated Miami in Super Bowl XVII, 27-17; LB-Lawrence Taylor, New York Giants, 1986, defeated Denver in Super Bowl XXI, 39-20; Joe Montana, San Francisco, 1989, defeated Denver in Super Bowl XXIV, 55-10; RB-Emmitt Smith, Dallas, 1993, defeated Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVII, 30-13; Steve Young, San Francisco, 1994, defeated San Diego in Super Bowl XXIX, 49-26; Brett Favre, Green Bay, 1996, defeated New England in Super Bowl XXXI, 35-21; RB-Terrell Davis, Denver, 1998, defeated Atlanta in Super Bowl XXXIII, 34-19; Kurt Warner, St. Louis, 1999, defeated Tennessee in Super Bowl XXXIV, 23-16.

There are four additional Associated Press NFL Most Outstanding Players/Most Valuable Players who won NFL Championships: Norm Van Brocklin (Philadelphia, 1960); RB-Paul Hornung (Green Bay, 1961); RB-Jim Taylor (Green Bay, 1962); QB-Earl Morrall (Colts, 1968).

Colts - Saints: Worthy Super Bowl Candidates

The combined 27 regular-season wins by the Colts (14-2) and New Orleans (13-3) ranks as tied for the 3rd-most combined wins by two Super Bowl teams (29 wins, San Francisco (15-1) vs. Miami (14-2), 1984, SB XIX; 28 wins, Denver (14-2) vs. Atlanta (14-2), 1998, SB XXXIII; 27 wins, New England (14-2) vs. Philadelphia (13-3), 2004, XXXIX; 27 wins, Washington (14-2) vs. Buffalo (13-3), 1991, SB XXVI).

Peyton Manning (4,500) and Drew Brees (4,202) combine for the 2nd most passing yards (8,702) passing yards of two Super Bowl quarterbacks facing off in NFL history. Dan Marino (5,084) and Joe Montana (3,630) combined for 8,714 yards in the season leading up to Super Bowl XIX.

Brees (34) and Manning (33) have combined for the 3rd-most TD passes (67) of two Super Bowl quarterbacks in NFL history. Marino (48) and Montana (26) combined for 76 TD passes leading up to Super Bowl XIX, while Tom Brady (50) and Eli Manning (23) totaled 73 TD passes prior to Super Bowl XLII.

While homefield advantage throughout the playoffs is a coveted prize, it has been no guarantee of a trip to the Super Bowl. And like so much about the NFL, an unpredictable result is seemingly the only predictable outcome. Since the NFL adopted the 12-team playoff format in 1990, only 18 of the 38 (47.4 percent) No. 1 seeds have advanced to the Super Bowl, with eight No. 1's being crowned champions (21.1 percent).

Super Bowl XLIV marks the first time that both top conference seeds have advanced to the Super Bowl since when the Dallas Cowboys defeated the Buffalo Bills, 52-17.

The Colts are the designated home team in Super Bowl XLIV.

In 2009, the Colts set an NFL record with 23 consecutive regular-season victories (21, New England, 2006-08). The streak was the sixth 10+ game regular-season winning streak in Colts franchise history (23, 2008-09; 13, 2005; 11, 1964; 11, 1975-76; 11, 1999; 10, 2005-06), the fourth since 1999.

In earning the AFC's top playoff seed for the second time since 2005, the club produced a 14-0 start to the season, marking the 3rd in league history (16-0, New England, 2007; 14-0, Miami, 1972). The 13-0 start was the second for the club in the past five seasons (13-0, 2005).

Colts - Saints Series Notes

The Colts and Saints have met but 10 times since 1967 and not since the 2007 season. The series between the two is squared at five wins apiece.

The teams last met in the regular season on September 6, 2007. Scoring on five consecutive drives, the Colts turned a 10-7 deficit to a 34-10 lead on the way to a 41-10 conquest of New Orleans.

Indianapolis scored on its first four second-half possessions behind Peyton Manning (18-30- 288, 3 TDs), Joseph Addai (23-118, 1 TD rushing) and Reggie Wayne (7-115, 2 TDs), while the Indianapolis defense forced three takeaways to fuel the offensive burst.

Manning hit Wayne on 28t and 45t plays, while Addai's 2t rush and DB-Matt Giordano's 83t interception return pushed the Colts to victory. Manning also hit WR-Marvin Harrison on a 27t pass to open the scoring, and the Indianapolis defense yielded only a field goal to the Saints. The 31-point victory margin was the largest in club history for opening-day.

Colts NFL Playoff Review

AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS: COLTS 20, BALTIMORE 3

Breaking a 3-3 tie with 14 points in the final two minutes of the second quarter, Indianapolis produced a 20-3 victory over Baltimore. The Colts and Ravens traded field goals on their first possessions in a game where touchdowns were a premium.

Peyton Manning was 30-44-246, 2 TDs/1 int., teaming with WRs-Austin Collie (4-52, 1 TD; 10t) and Reggie Wayne (8-63, 1 TD; 3t) for the scores that gave the Colts a cushion.

Collie's score broke the tie, while Wayne's scoring reception came with :03 left in the first half as the Colts built a 17-3 lead. K Matt Stover opened the game with a 44-yard field goal, and his 33-yard boot early in the fourth quarter provided the final points. Indianapolis forced four takeaways in the second half to earn the win. Indianapolis limited the potent Baltimore rushing attack to 87 yards. Indianapolis controlled the ball for 33:58 of the contest.

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: COLTS 30, NEW YORK JETS 17

Erasing an eleven-point second-quarter deficit by scoring the game's final 24 points, Indianapolis earned a 30-17 victory over the New York Jets in the AFC Championship Game.

The Jets bolted to a 17-6 lead the Colts cut to 17-13 just prior to the half, then Indianapolis tallied 17 second-half points to produce the victory.

Peyton Manning was 26-39-377, 3 TDs, teaming with WRs-Pierre Garcon (11-151, 1 TD; 4t) and Austin Collie (7-123, 1 TD; 16t) on the majority of his completions. TE Dallas Clark (4-35, 1 TD) tallied on a 15 pass midway through the fourth quarter to give the club a 10-point lead, and the final of three K-Matt Stover fields goals (25, 19, 21) with 2:29 to play marked the game's final points.

Manning produced his 7th career 300+ playoff game, setting the NFL record (6, Joe Montana; 6, Kurt Warner). Manning's playoff yardage total of 4,831 ranks 4th in history (5,855, Brett Favre; 5,772, Montana; 4,964, John Elway). This marked the 4th time the club had two 100+ receivers in a playoff game.

Jim Caldwell became the 5th rookie head coach to reach the Super Bowl, and he hopes to become the 3rd to emerge victorious (Don McCafferty, Colts, 1970; George Seifert, San Francisco, 1989). The attendance of 67,650 set a franchise record. The Colts qualified for their fourth Super Bowl (III, V, XLI, XLIV), with all four of those contest played in Miami.

Colts NFL Championship History

The history of the Colts stands proud in NFL annals with four prior NFL championship titles -- most recently Super Bowl XLI.

Indianapolis defeated the Chicago Bears on February 4, 2007 in Super Bowl XLI, 29-17, in Dolphin Stadium. In addition to winning Super Bowl XLI, the Colts also played in two of the first five Super Bowls, losing 16-7 to the underdog New York Jets on January 12, 1969 in Super Bowl III, before topping the Dallas Cowboys, 16-13, on January 17, 1971 in Super Bowl V.

Both games were played in Miami's Orange Bowl. The game against the Jets was orginally billed as the Third World Championship Game, but was later renamed Super Bowl III. In avenging the loss to the Jets by topping Dallas two years later, the Colts pulled off then the latest game-deciding score in Super Bowl history.

K-Jim O'Brien's 32-yard field goal with five seconds remaining capped a zany game and brutal defensive battle that housed eleven turnovers. The outcome gave the franchise its third title. The first two Colts championships helped imprint the NFL on the American mindset.

The Colts topped the New York Giants on December 28, 1959, 23-17 in overtime at Yankee Stadium. It was the first overtime affair in league history. Baltimore Head Coach Weeb Ewbank and 12 players from the game eventually became NFL Hall of Famers, while the contest became known as, "The Greatest Game Ever Played." The Colts repeated as champions a year later defeating the Giants again by a 31-16 margin.

Super Bowl XLI was played in steady rain and 67-degree temperatures in Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The Colts overcame a 14-6 second-quarter deficit in posting the victory. Led by QB Peyton Manning (25-38-247, 1 TD/int.), a rushing attack that produced 191 yards and a defense that produced five turnovers, the Colts out-scored the Bears, 23-3, over the game's final 41 minutes. Manning earned Most Valuable Player honors, becoming the first Colts Super Bowl MVP. RB Joseph Addai (10-66) set a Super Bowl reception mark for a running back.

The Colts are one of 13 franchises to make four or more Super Bowl appearances (8, Dallas; 7, Pittsburgh; 6, New England, Denver; 5, Los Angeles/Oakland, Miami, San Francisco, Washington; 4, Colts, Buffalo, Green Bay, Minnesota, New York Giants).

Colts Recent Playoff Success

The Colts are only team to make the playoffs 10 times in the past eleven years.

Indianapolis won the AFC Eastern Division championship in 1999, then won five consecutive AFC South championships (2003-07), the best divisional-title streak in club history. The 2000, 2002 and 2008 clubs made the playoffs as a non-division winning Wild Card team. Indianapolis won the AFC South in 2009 by posting a 14-2 record.

The Colts advanced to Super Bowl XLIV with a 20-3 Divisional Playoff win over Baltimore and a 30-17 AFC Championship Game victory over the New York Jets. Standing in the Colts' path to the Super Bowl XLIV title are the New Orleans Saints.

The Saints reached Super Bowl XLIV following a 45-14 Divisional Playoff home win over Arizona and a 31-28 NFC Championship Game home victory in overtime over Minnesota.

The Colts have earned their league-best eighth consecutive playoff berth, and a 10th such accomplishment in the past 11 seasons. The club's streak of eight consecutive playoff appearances spanned Tony Dungy's tenure in Indianapolis and includes the first season under field general Jim Caldwell. Caldwell hopes to join Adam Walsh (Cleveland Rams, 1945), Paul Brown (Cleveland Browns, 1950), George Wilson, Sr. (Detroit Lions, 1957), Lou Rymkus (Houston Oilers, 1960), Wally Lemm (Houston Oilers, 1961), Don McCafferty (Colts, 1970) and George Seifert (San Francisco 49ers, 1989) as the only rookie head coaches since 1933 to win the league championship.

Colts Regular Season Success

The Colts are the only team ever to have three 9-0 starts in a five-year span (also 9-0 in 2006). The Colts have had four 6-0 starts in the past five seasons (14-0, 2009; 13-0, 2005; 9-0, 2006; 7-0, 2007). Indianapolis extended its NFL record as the only franchise to win seven or more consecutive regular-season games in six consecutive seasons (8, 2004; 13, 2005; 9, 2006; 7 and 6, 2007; 9, 2008; 14, 2009). Additionally, the Colts posted their eighth consecutive 10+ victory season, setting the 2nd longest such streak in NFL history (16, San Francisco, 1983-98; 7, Dallas, 1975-81). Indianapolis earned its seventh consecutive season with 11+ victories, surpassing the NFL record it had shared with Dallas (6, 1976-81). The Colts extended their league mark to seven consecutive seasons (2003-09) with 12+ victories. The Colts produced 115 victories for the 2000-09 decade, surpassing the league record of 113 by San Francisco from 1990-99. It marked the 12th time in NFL history a team topped 100 regular-season wins in a decade.

The Colts are owners of the NFL's best regular-season record (128- 48) since the start of the 1999 season, while being the only team to earn 10 playoff appearances in the last eleven seasons, including a league-best eight consecutive post-season berths. Indianapolis has won 73 of its last 89 regular-season games. Since 2002, during the regular season, the Colts are 51-13 at home and 48-16 on the road. The Colts own a 98-28 record (counting the playoffs) since the start of the 2003 season and are 84-23 since 2004.

From November 16, 2003 to December 13, 2009, the Colts produced a regular-season record of 81-19, tying New England (2003-09) for the NFL's best 100-game regular-season mark. Indianapolis' winning ways include a 38-10 record in AFC South play, while the club has owned or shared the lead in 112 of 136 weeks of the division's existence. The Colts won five AFC South championships from 2003-07, the best divisional title streak in club history. The Colts were wire-to-wire divisional leaders during the 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009 seasons. The Colts had six division crowns in the 2000-09 decade, two short of the NFL record set by Minnesota (8) in the 1970s. The club's nine playoff berths in the 2000- 09 decade tied the NFL record set by Dallas (9) in the 1970s. In 2009, the Colts joined San Francisco (1997), Philadelphia (2004) and New England (2007) as the only teams since 1990 to clinch their divisions by the 11th game of the season. Indianapolis is the only team since 2002 Realignment to tally double-digit victory totals and earn playoff berths each season.

Head Coach Jim Caldwell

JIM CALDWELL was named head coach of the Colts on January 13, 2009, and this marks his eighth season with Indianapolis.

Caldwell joined the club in 2002 as quarterbacks coach before adding the title of assistant head coach prior to the 2005 season. Caldwell was promoted to associate head coach with the club prior to the 2008 season.

From 2002-09, Caldwell has been a part of Colts teams that produced 10-6, 12-4, 12-4, 14-2, 12-4, 13-3, 12-4 and 14-2 records. Indianapolis is the only team to earn 12+ victories in seven consecutive seasons, setting the NFL's all-time standard. Indianapolis has had eight consecutive 10+-victory seasons, setting the second-longest streak in NFL history (16, San Francisco, 1983-98; 7, Dallas, 1975-81), and the Colts have surpassed Dallas (1976-81) as the only franchise to earn at least eleven victories in seven consecutive seasons.

In 2009, Caldwell helped produce the 19th 10+ victory season in franchise history, and he is one of five Colts head coaches to earn double-digit victory totals (7, Tony Dungy; 4, Don Shula; 3, Ted Marchibroda; 2, Don McCafferty; 2, Jim Mora; 1, Caldwell). Caldwell joined McCafferty (11-2-1, 1970, Super Bowl champion), Marchibroda (10-4, 1975, Divisional Playoffs) and Dungy (10-6, 2002, Wild Card Playoffs) as the only Colts head coaches to earn a double-digit victory total and a playoff berth in the first year with the club

Caldwell became the first Colts head coach to win his first five games (4, Infante). Caldwell joined Chuck Knox (L.A. Rams, 1973), Red Miller (Denver, 1977), Mike Martz (St. Louis, 2000) and Josh McDaniels (Denver, 2009) as the only rookie head coaches in the Super Bowl era to start 6-0. He became the fourth coach ever to start 6-0 when succeeding a head coach who won 100+ games (Blanton Collier, Cleveland, 1963, succeeded Paul Brown, 111 wins; Jack Pardee, Washington, 1978, succeeded George Allen, 116 wins; Josh McDaniels, Denver, 2009, succeeded Mike Shanahan, 146 wins; Caldwell, Colts, 2009, succeeded Tony Dungy, 139 wins).

Caldwell hopes to join Adam Walsh (Cleveland Rams, 1945), Paul Brown (Cleveland Browns, 1950), George Wilson, Sr. (Detroit Lions, 1957), Lou Rymkus (Houston Oilers, 1960), Wally Lemm (Houston Oilers, 1961), Don McCafferty (Colts, 1970) and George Seifert (San Francisco 49ers, 1989) as the only rookie head coaches since 1933 to win the league championship.