Saints quarterback Drew Brees (AP)

Related Links

• Sport24 Awards
• Start your own Sport24 blog
• Expert Sport24 opinion

Miami - Inspired by a city still rebuilding from the 2005 devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints captured their first Super Bowl crown on Sunday by rallying for a 31-17 triumph over Indianapolis.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees completed a Super Bowl record-tying 32 passes in 39 attempts for 288 yards and two touchdowns to claim Most Valuable Player honors in the National Football League's championship spectacle.

"We just believed in ourselves," Brees said. "We knew we had an entire city and maybe an entire country behind us. It was all meant to be. It was all destiny."

It was Tracy Porter's 74-yard interception return touchdown with 3:12 remaining that sealed the epic victory, one that had Saints fans in the stands chanting their cajun battle cry - "Who Dat Say Dey Gonna Beat Dem Saints?"

"Other teams have won championships. Our city needed this," Saints rusher Reggie Bush said. "That's what makes it special."

Just 4 1/2 years ago, the Saints' domed stadium became a house of horrors for those trapped by floodwaters and waiting in vain for help or rescue.

"You can't put it into words. The city and region have been through so much. They have been so supportive this whole time," said Saints receiver Marques Colston, who caught seven passes for 83 yards.

"We knew this as going to be a hard Super Bowl but we believed in each other and we got it done. It's incredible."

The Saints' victory touched off the biggest celebration of all in a city nicknamed "The Big Easy" and known for its Mardi Gras party scene.

"New Orleans is back and this showed the whole world," said Saints owner Tom Benson.

"We put this city on our back four years ago and now it's all worth it," Saints safety Roman Harper said.

The Saints, once laughing-stocks that Benson was looking to relocate, had been losers for most of their 43-year history and fell behind 10-0 to the Colts before bouncing back to deny Indianapolis a second title in four seasons.

"Everyone knows what the city has gone through," Saints defender Darren Sharper said. "That's what makes it special. They've wanted it for a long time."

Porter stepped in front of Colts receiver Reggie Wayne, picked off a pass from Indianapolis star Peyton Manning and returned it to the end zone to put the Saints ahead by the final margin.

"He made a great play," Manning said. "Porter just made a great play."

Manning, who had engineered an NFL-best seven victory comebacks in the fourth quarter this season, drove the Colts to the New Orleans 3-yard line but a fourth-down incompletion with 44 seconds to play sealed the Saints' triumph.

"Never got into a great rhythm," Manning said. "We were certainly worse in our final possession. Certainly it was disappointing."

Manning, whose father Archie was a former Saints star, completed 31-of-45 passes for 333 yards and a touchdown but one deadly interception.

Brees went 7-for-7 for 44 yards in marching the Saints 59 yards in 4:57 to give New Orleans the lead for good on a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeremy Shockey with 5:42 remaining in the fourth quarter.

The Saints went for a two-point conversion pass that was ruled incomplete. New Orleans called for a video review and the call was overturned, Lance Moore being credited with possession in the end zone for a 24-17 Saints lead.

Manning entered and had moved Indianapolis to the New Orleans 31-yard line when Porter made the interception that sealed the victory.

New Orleans recovered an onside kick to begin the second half and Brees moved the Saints 58 yards in just six plays for their first lead at 13-10 on a 16-yard touchdown pass to Pierre Thomas only 3:19 into the third quarter.

"That was a bold move," Colts blocker Ryan Diem said. "The element of surprise got us."

The Colts answered with a four-yard touchdown run by Joseph Addai for a 17-13 lead 8:45 into the third quarter, but Garrett Hartley followed with his third field goal, a 47-yard effort, to pull New Orleans within 17-16.

Hartley hit field goals of 44 and 46 yards in the second quarter, pulling the Saints within 10-6 at half-time after the Colts took the lead on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Manning to Pierre Garcon and a 38-yard field goal by Matt Stover, the oldest player in Super Bowl history at age 42.

Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees (AP)