New Orleans Saints have won the Super Bowl by beating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17. Drew Brees crowned MVP.

By Pallavi Reddy

Here's some team news:

The most analyzed ankle this week: Dwight Freeney was at the team warmup.  For about 10 minutes, he ran and tested his ankle running zig-zags.  No limping afterwards, but can't be back in his usual form. But his contribution can't be underestimated.

Inactives for the Colts: DE Ervin Baldwin, TE Colin Cloherty, WR Samuel Giguere, DT John Gill, DT Fili Moala, G Mike Pollak, OT Michael Toudouze, K Adam Vinatieri 

Inactives for the Saints: Chase Daniel (third quarterback), WR Adrian Arrington, TE Darnell Dinkins, RB Lynell Hamilton, TE Tory Humphrey, G Jamar Nesbit, DE Paul Spicer, LB Anthony Waters

Click here for Pre-game pics!

7:07AM: And so it begins.  The pre-game show, that is. And you can't have a pre-game show without the sappy montages of how the teams got here.  I always love hearing the commentators' ridiculous reactions to the touchdowns.  It goes without saying, but it's been a good season for both teams.

7:17AM: Brian Waters (Kansas City Chiefs) wins Walter Payton award for community service contributions.

7:18AM: An earpiece-less Queen Latifah semi-botched "America the Beautiful." It never ceases to amaze me that the people who produce these pre-game shows don't do proper sound checks.

7:21AM: Carrie Underwood sings a great a capella version of the US National Anthem. Definitely saw a few massive football players crying.

7:23AM: Cue the fighter jets over Sun Life Stadium. Minutes from the kick off of what should be the greatest show on turf.

7:26AM: Coin toss with a massive "special" coin.  Emmitt Smith tosses it.  Saints call heads and win. According to history, the team that wins the coin toss has won the big game 20 times and last 23.

7:29AM: Cute girl with the football.

7:31AM: KICK OFF!

7:34AM: Brees' first drive fails. Peyton Manning is out of the field and already an 18-yard pass.

7:41AM: Failed 3rd and 5 brings out  Matt Stover for the 38-yard field goal.  It's good! Stover is now the oldest person to play in the Super Bowl and the oldest to score.

Score: Colts 3 - 0 Saints

7:50AM: Wow. What a time to not be concentrating. Marques Colston drops a pass when he is WIDE open. Takes it 3rd and 7... And now the Saints punt... AGAIN.

8:01AM: Manning has moved to a running offense now.  And Joseph Addai is not a bad go-to guy.  Good drive from bad initial field position.  And Manning throws an amazing 19-yard touchdown pass to Pierre Garcon.

Score: Colts 10 - 0 Saints

8:08AM: End of first quarter

Drew Brees and the Saints' offense is a bit off surprisingly. Maybe the third drive's the charm? Manning and company are staying on course.  Nothing new there.

8:17AM: Lots of action in this drive for the Saints. They are back in the groove and finished it off with a 46-yard field goal. For the Colts, Dwight Freeney may not be 100%, but gets his first sack to force the field goal. But it was an incredible one-handed sack.

Score: Colts 10 - 3 Saints

8:25AM: Woops! Garcon couldn't gets his hands around a pass.  Colts punt.

8:32AM: The Colts' defensive coordinator must be angry.  The Saints have finally got it together and playing like true champions.  And I gotta tell you, I can hear the Saints' fans from oceans away.  And of course there's commericial break as soon as the Saints are on the verge of a touchdown...

8:40AM: 4th and goal and Mike Bell slips! And another commercial break.

8:42AM: 4th and goal. Saints go for the it. OH NO! Colts defense SHUT DOWN the run game. Wow... Will this be the decision haunting Sean Payton after the game?

8:46AM: Colts punt.  Saints have a chance to get in field goal position with savior: Garrett Hartley. Henderson makes a spectacular catch.  And the Saints offense is all about being efficient with their time. 

8:48AM: 11 seconds left. Put Hartley in, Coach! Nope. Going for 3rd and 4. 5 seconds left. Hartley makes the long 44-yarder.

8:50AM: End of second quarter.

Score: Colts 10 - 6 Saints

The theme of the second quarter is missed opportunities for both teams. The Colts hit their stride from the get-go, but it took Brees and the rest of the Saints to get their heads out of New Orleans and in Miami. After the Saints' Coach Sean Payton decided to take the game out of Brees' hands at the 1 yard line and into Thomas' (who had slippery feet), Manning's drive was just a few feet short of a crucial 4th down. Lucky break for the Saints.  New Orleans should be making a statue for Hartley. His kicks got the Saints to the Super Bowl and now he's keeping them in the game of their lives.

9:00AM: Let the halftime show begin! THE WHO!

So my first reaction is: these guys are really old. But I guess that was expected.  They put on what looks to be an amazing show with a medley of their best including "Who are you".  But why must something always go wrong at the Super Bowl? Seriously, I don't get it.  The audio was a solid 10 seconds early for a while. Really messes with your head where you hear no one singing but see the oldies are singing their hearts out. Sad.

9:15AM: Already sick of the montage of this NFL season. Show me the SUPER BOWL.

9:21AM: Better than a Mardi Gras parade with this start to second half.  The on-side kick was great and unexpected.  But WHAT A MESS trying to unravel that pile-up. Looked like a rugby match for a second.  Peyton Manning will have some more time to sit and wait.

9:27AM: FINALLY. Literally jumping out of my chair.  That on-side kick was stellar. Good call, Coach Payton! Henderson stumbling through and makes it to the endzone.  TOUCHDOWN SAINTS. Cue crying Saints' fans. Do I need to say it? Ok, I will... First touchdown for the Saints in ANY Super Bowl.

Score: Colts 10 - 13 Saints

9:37AM: Peyton Manning did not look happy when starting this 76-yard drive.  He was a man on a mission.  Addai got it done for his captain with a beautiful run into the endzone. TD Colts. Mission accomplished. This game is just as emotional and ridiculous as I expected. Manning is going for run offense more than ever before. I guess that's what the Saints' defence brings out of him.

Score: Colts 17 - 13 Saints

9:49AM: I really like the swagger in Brees' step. I really adore this "short" 6-foot quarterback. Every time the Saints suffer a setback, he deals and moves forward.  Good drive for the Saints, but just short.  It's Hartley time.  A third 40+ yard field goal? No problem.  This guy is good... One point game!

Score: Colts 17 - 16 Saints

9:58AM: End of third quarter.

10:00AM: Think of American football what you want.  You can say that this sport isn't entertaining.  You can criticize that the players don't need the pads and helmut.  But what is undeniable at this very moment: THIS is an epic game of football.  Two excellent teams with the most accurate quarterbacks leading them are current in a tight battle. It has the story line of a great Hollywood sports movie. There's the emotional element.  The rebuilding city of New Orleans rallying behind a football team that is finally doing well.  Peyton Manning, a legendary quarterback with 4 MVP awards, has been a Saints fan since his father was a quarterback there.  Manning's family is THE NFL family.  It doesn't get much better than THIS game. Forget about the pads or the fact that there is so much drama surrounding this game. The game itself is hard-fought, wrought with emotion, desire, and good ole competition. This is American football at its best.  This is sport at its best. Ok, back to the game.

10:05AM: Matt Stover 50-yard field goal attempt... NO GOOD.  Saints still down by 1. Truth? He's not Hartley.

10:13AM: I'm elated. Absolutely elated. I can hear the Saints' critics hitting their palms to their foreheads. This is the heart and soul I'm talking about when it comes to the Saints. They try, they rally, they fight.  And look what we have here... Yes, ANOTHER touchdown. Does not look like the team from the first quarter at all. Fantastic Jeremy Shockey 2-yard TD pass. And what does New Orleans do? They want the two-point conversion. The more I watch this team, the more I absolutely love the all-or-nothing nature they have.  Ref on the ground (who was 2 feet away and right on it) says that Lance Moore did not have control of the ball.

10:15AM: Sean Payton challenges the call... waiting...

10:18AM: Challenge is GOOD! Payton has been right all night! Two-point conversion is GOOD! Really. Can this get ANY better? Well, yes, it can.  Brees has tied Tom Brady with a record 32 pass completions.

Score: Colts 17 - 24 Saints

10:24AM: Before you get too excited.  I mean, before I-- I get too excited, I have to remind us all that the Saints are still facing the same Colts team that have come back to win 7 games in the regular season when trailing in the fourth quarter. He is a monster.  And he doesn't like losing. Unlike another veteran QB, he does not choke.

10:29AM: It got a lot better for Saints fans like me.  I want to be in New Orleans right now.  I can't even imagine what the celebrations are like on Bourbon Street right now. I mean... the street is called Bourbon...  Tracy Porter intercepted Peyton's pass (WOW! Does that ever happen?) and brought it home to the endzone-- a whopping 72 yards. Laissez les bon temps rouler! WHO DAT!?! You heard it here: Never underestimate the power of emotion... and talent.

Score: Colts 17 - 31 Saints

10:44AM: The Colts are in a hurry and the Saints are oozing confidence.  Less than two minutes to go.  And believe it or not there's a flag on the play in the endzone.  Interference against the OFFENCE-- against the Colts on a receiver Pierre Garcon. Never before have I seen Peyton Manning, yes, THE Peyton Manning so out of sorts. He is definitely rattled. I can't even imagine how Drew Brees feels right now.  Last chance for Indianapolis LOST.  Reggie Wayne could not get his hands on it. WOW. In shock right now. Really. This game is O.V.E.R., kids. OVER.

10:45AM: If I was the crying kind, I would. But let's face it. This win is not for me.  It's for the city of New Orleans, the state of Lousiana, the fans that lined the roads after every game cheering on the team. This is a win for heart, emotion, and comebacks. The comeback city of America is New Orleans. Honestly, there are no losers in this game. But in this Super Bowl, this trophy, this title, means so much more than just words and a metal block. Cue music. End scene.

WHO DAT?

Final score: Colts 17 - 31 Saints