Drew Brees-Sean Payton: Perfect Partners

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.-- We saw Drew Brees on Sunday night hold his son Baylen on the field and whisper to him after winning Super Bowl XLIV and the game's most valuable player award. There was a twinkle in his eyes that set everything around him aglow

And then on Monday morning in his news conference here, Brees cradled his MVP trophy much like he had his son. The glow from the silver prize illuminated his face. The stars on the trophy reflected to form a line of stars on the ceiling above him.

Saint Brees.

That is how New Orleans Saints fans now regard him. It is how his coach, Sean Payton, in some ways considers him. And for Brees, the feeling is mutual.

Brees and Payton reminded every NFL team that if you want to get where they just reached, you had better develop an encompassing head coach/quarterback relationship that colors your team. The head coach and quarterback garner much of the credit and much of the blame in any NFL city. That duo's aura -- or lack of it -- sets the template for the entire roster.

You are going nowhere in this league if first you do not have a franchise quarterback. And accompanying it a quarterback/head coach relationship that sets the standard for team-wide relationships.

"With Sean, it's like ESP,'' Brees said. "We have trust, faith and confidence. I feel like I know the play that's going to be called.''

Brees said that this Saints team "will walk together forever'' even though there certainly will be roster changes next season.

But this Brees-Payton connection looks solid for the next few seasons. And that is great news for both. And for Saints teams to follow.

HURRY UP AND WAIT

Payton here on Monday morning discussed his decision to attack the Indianapolis Colts Cover 2 defense that played deep and insisted on preventing big plays over the top. Payton was content having Brees throw short and intermediate passes to his receivers for nearly all of Super Bowl XLIV.

This required immense patience and rigid discipline.

The Saints during the regular season completed 58 passes of 20 or more yards and 11 of 40 or more yards. In the Super Bowl no Saints pass was completed for 40 or more yards and only two receivers (Marques Colston, below, and Lance Moore) made a catch of 20 or more yards.



"That's what the Colts want you to do, try to force it into the teeth of their deep coverage,'' Payton said. "That is where they get turnovers and Peyton Manning gets the ball back and here they go. We decided we were not going to allow that. And when you are throwing into tight spaces underneath, you have to have a quarterback who gives you accuracy. Drew is accuracy.''

Brees completed passes to eight different receivers.

"We felt we could have our way with that defense underneath,'' Brees said. "We continued to earn it, earn it, earn it.''

They did through 39 Brees passes, most of them quick-and-short-hitters, without a turnover.

THE "AMBUSH''

That was the play-call of the Saints successful on-side kick that began the second half of that stunned most, especially the Colts.

Payton said the Saints saw in preparation for the game that the right side of the Colts' kickoff return unit had a penchant for peeling backward for blocks too early before the ball was actually kicked.

So, he decided before the game the Saints would employ their "ambush.'' The question was, when? The answer proved riveting.

It jolted the Colts.

They thought, after building a 10-6 halftime lead, they would get the ball first in the second half with a chance to extend the lead. Instead, the Saints recovered the kick and drove for a touchdown and their first lead, 13-10.


"The whole time inside the locker room (at halftime), we were just talking about getting the ball back and scoring and getting some points on the board, kind of putting them in a hole a little bit,'' Colts receiver Reggie Wayne said. "They get the onside and it kind of takes the wind out of our sail a little bit. It definitely caught us by surprise, but that's the way it goes. You gamble and you get it or not. They did a good job of getting it.''

And did Wayne admire Payton's call?

"It's not my decision, man,'' Wayne said. "I'm the one that's over there with my lip puffed out so, apparently, it was a good call.''

HOPE KEPT ALIVE

An NFL stretch from 1987 through 1996 featured the Giants, Redskins, 49ers or Cowboys as Super Bowl champions in those 10 consecutive title games.

Since, six different franchises have won their first Super Bowl. Eleven have made their initial Super Bowl appearance. And from the NFC, 12 different Super Bowl entrants have consecutively emerged.

This should give the four franchises -- Detroit, Cleveland, Jacksonville and Houston -- that have been shut out of the big game hope that their time can arrive.

"We just proved it is possible for anybody if you get the right people as much as players first and then work together for that goal,'' Brees said. "None of those franchises have had any harder times than we have. And look at us now.''

LET'S DO IT AGAIN

The Saints have huge decisions to make about continuing the contracts of several players, particularly running back Reggie Bush and safety Darren Sharper.

Payton said that he and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis will enjoy this championship over the next 48 hours and then begin to address those issues.



He said he mentioned to his team after they had won the championship on Sunday night that the next Super Bowl will be played in Dallas "in one of the greatest stadiums in our league.'' And no one among the Saints needs reminding that the 2013 Super Bowl will be played in their New Orleans dome.

"You got it, you want it again,'' Payton said. "You can't get enough of them. There is something that burns within you to repeat this feeling even more.''