By DAVID MCGUIRT

djm023@latech.edu

 

Reality came crashing down on the New Orleans Saints’ miracle season last Sunday as the Chicago Bears broke ahead with three unanswered, fourth-quarter touchdowns to win the National Football Conference championship 39-14.

The Saints seemed to be keeping pace with the Bears as an electrifying, third-quarter 88-yard dash to the end-zone by Reggie Bush brought the team within two points, 16-14, of Chicago. But from then on, Chicago defense took over.

“There was a point where I felt the momentum shifted a little bit in our favor in the third quarter, but we just couldn’t capitalize on it. There are a number of reasons that ended up hurting us tonight, not just one area,” Saints Head Coach Sean Payton said in a press conference following the game.

It was a cold and bitter farewell, quite literally, to the Saints’ near dream-like season after coming back from a 3-13 losing season after Hurricane Katrina to a winning record and a chance at their first NFC championship.

“Fumbles were a serious problem and probably wouldn’t have happened if they had played in the Superdome, but they played the best they could, given the weather conditions,” Laura Dugas, a sophomore accounting major, said.

Down 16-0 in the second quarter, the Saints redeemed themselves late in the first half on a 29-yard completion to Marques Colston for a first down.

Soon after, Quarterback Drew Brees threw another 13-yard completion to Colston, who ran it into the end zone to finish the half 16-7.

Only 2:40 into the second half and New Orleans had narrowed the score to within two points of taking the lead, only to have the score widened later in the quarter as Brees threw the ball away while under pressure in the end zone, causing a safety.

Temperatures in the mid-20’s and snow starting in the second half of the game seemed to affect the Saint’s offense as three lost fumbles and an interception plagued the team throughout the game.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Chicago’s quarterback threw an end zone-bound pass that receiver Bernard Berrian picked out of the air over the flailing hands of Fred Thomas. The Saints were essentially finished with nearly a quarter left in the game.

The rest of the game held no mercy for the Saints as touchdowns, penalties and interceptions rained down as heavy as the snow they were playing in, leaving the Saints with a runner-up title to the NFC and hopes for a trip to the Superbowl next year.