When Peyton Manning threw the fateful interception to seal the win for the New Orleans Saints, I saw his reaction and felt a little sorry for him. Manning was always known as a quarterback that never chokes under pressure. Manning’s ability to lead his team down the field when the game is on the line is uncanny, but during Super Bowl XLIV he was the total opposite.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not completely blaming the Colts’ loss on Manning. Some of the Colts’ defensive line played horrendously during the second half. If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought they were thinking more about post game parties than going after Drew Brees. Dwight Freeny was injured and he dominated the first half, but in the second half of the game, he disappeared. After Manning through the ‘game sealing’ interception he had a facial expression that I’ve never seen him make. I couldn’t help feeling sorry for the guy. He had a sad, pitiful, shocked look on his face that I will never forget. Until the Super Bowl game, I had never seen Manning play that way under pressure.

Was the interception really a game changer? You bet it was. Not only did Manning throw a costly interception, during the last two minutes, he could have inched the Colts closer, but failed to get the ball in the end zone. It was a disastrous fourth quarter for not only Manning, but the Colt’s team as well. Joseph Adai was completely disappeared in the fourth quarter and Reggie Wayne couldn’t get open the way he did in the first half.

The question now remains. Did Manning choke under pressure? Yes he did. If you are the MVP of the league and you throw an interception towards the end of the game that costs your team a W, there is only one word to describe it: CHOKE. If you fail to get your team in the end zone to try and rally your team back, CHOKE. Manning’s place in history won’t be tarnished, but his Super Bowl interception will certainly be remembered.

Can Manning get back to the Super Bowl and win? I don’t know, but it will interesting to see what Manning will do to redeem himself.

- John A. Roberts

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Tags | Football, New Orleans Saints, Peyton Manning, super bowl 2010, Super Bowl XLIV