The New Orleans Saints, one of the most beleaguered franchises in all of sports, are now the champions of the National Football League. Prior to their 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, the Saints had done virtually nothing since their inaugural season in 1967. It took them a whopping 21 years to experience both a winning season and a playoff season, and it wasn't until 2000 -- with a 31-28 triumph over the Rams -- that they actually won a postseason game. Like the Arizona Cardinals, who pushed the Steelers to the limit in last year's Super Bowl, the Saints were playing in a game unprecedented in their franchise's history, but unlike the Cardinals, who lost in the final minute, the Saints closed strong and ended the contest with an interception of Peyton Manning and a game-clinching stop on fourth-and-goal.

Some other records and historical tidbits of Super Bowl XLIV:

• Sean Payton's onside kick was not only the first recovered onside kick outside of the fourth quarter, it was the first onside kick ever even attempted outside of the fourth quarter in Super Bowl history.
• By coming back from a 10-0 first quarter deficit, the Saints tied the 1987 Washington Redskins for the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.
• The NFC team has won the coin flip to begin the game a miraculous 13 times in a row. Interestingly enough, prior to the Saints, the team that had won the opening coin flip had lost 10 of the last 13 Super Bowls.
• Peyton Manning threw for 333 yards, an INT and a TD while completing 31 of 45 passes. While his an enormous fourth quarter interception may have cost his team a chance at victory, Manning did become the fourth quarterback to amount 5,000 career postseason passing yards, joining John Elway, Joe Montana and Brett Favre. Manning is now 9-9 in playoff games.
  
• Drew Brees had one of the greatest Super Bowl performances ever. By completing 32 of 39 passes while collecting two touchdowns and 288 yards, Brees tied a Super Bowl record for most completions in the big game. He tied Tom Brady, who threw for 32 catches in Super Bowl XXXVIII.

   

  (more after the jump...)