Saints at Dolphins: An Epic Comeback for a Historic Season in 2009

In 2009, it was 44 years for me to live and watch Hail Mary's, botched kicks, and unbelievable plays rule against the New Orleans Saints franchise. As a kid and adult, it would be a lie to tell you I did not have tears of frustration and bewilderment like the next fan. Watching Saints games were challenging. It didn't matter if it was at home or inside the Superdome, you never were extremely confident in a Saints win until the final horn sounded in the 4th quarter.

The 2009 season changed things for me.

The 2006 team gave us a positive glimpse of what a winning franchise could look like in New Orleans. Three years later, the high-expectations finally arrived in 2009. Thankfully for Saints fans, Fox 8 will rebroadcast four of those epic games of the New Orleans Saints' recent history. I want to share my memories of those games, plays, and iconic players with you.

The four games are the Saints vs. Dolphins (2009), Saints vs. Cowboys (2006), Patriots vs. Saints(2009), and of course, Super Bowl 44 against the Colts in 2010. A fifth game could easily be in this classic broadcast line-up, the 2010 NFC Championship Game versus Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings.

DOLPHINS GAME

The 5-0 Saints were hot and surprising everyone in the NFL. Miami came into the contest on a 3-game winning streak behind solid performances from QB Chad Henne and former Saints RB Ricky Williams. Williams was handling the Wilcat formation for the Dolphins and was eager to face his old team.

It was a sunny day at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, and Fox Sports was calling the game. I assumed my usual position on my couch. I had my 8-ounce bag of Cool Ranch Doritos and the green bottle of Canada Dry's 2L Ginger Ale ready for the game. My son just ravaged my of Chips Ahoy cookies, but I couldn't get mad at a 4-year-old, they were tasty cookies. The Saints were down 24-3 to the Phins. I was worried.

Then, Darren Sharper forces a fumble on Miami's RB Best, and the Saints take over within the 50 with less than a minute remaining before halftime. I could sense something brewing. Brees drives the team and connects with Colston with .05 on the clock in what appears to be a touchdown, but he was short of the crossing the goal-line. Timeout. Brees and Payton talk. It was a memorable scene where over the next decade, you will see Brees to talk Payton into going for it on the goal line. Nervous, I was. (Mimicking Yoda) Payton shook his head and sent Brees back onto the field. The ball Goodwin snaps the ball to Brees, and he leaps. TOUCHDOWN SAINTS! New Orleans is 14 points down, 24-10 with a half to play.

Miami received the football after halftime. Henne tossed a pass to WR Ted Ginn, Jr., Ginn bobbled the football, Tracy Porter tipped it in the air, and Darren Sharper intercepted. I recall leaping off my couch and running towards my Mitsubishi 60 inch big screen and tripping on my son's legos! Sharp, weaving through the Miami offensive players, got crucial blocks along the right boundary and scored a touchdown. A thing of beauty. It was the spark the Saints needed, and fans were breathing better. Miami 24, Saints 17.

After a couple of turnovers by both teams, Miami increased their lead to 27-17. Brees was sharp on the next drive. He found Colston in the back of the endzone to close the gap to 27-24 with little over one minute left in the 3rd quarter. You can see the Miami players and fans getting worried.

I felt the momentum turning. Yet, there was something different about this team. They were resilient, like New Orleanians rebounding from Hurricane Katrina. The same spirit and determination were now with these Saints. Remember, the team was down 21 points on the road, and mounting a comeback would be a minor miracle. But these guys believed. Many Who Dats did as well.

Ricky Williams, in the Wildcat formation, gave the Saints' defense fits all game. He scored his third touchdown and expanded the Phins lead to 34-24. Again, the Saints would respond and shake Joe Robbie Stadium off its foundation.

The "Fleur-de-Leap" is the most memorable play of that game. Reggie Bush's iconic 6-yard leap into the endzone off of a double-reverse from Marques Colston was beautiful. The next day, Sports Illustrated immortalized the image for its magazine cover for millions to witness one of the greatest plays in Saints history. However, I could not forget how one significant play set up Bush's touchdown.

Brees connected with tight end Jeremy Shockey down the seams for 15 yards. In my mind, I could hear ESPN's Chris Berman saying, "look at that big man rumble!" Shockey turned a short pass into a 66-yard burst of determination and grit. He re-ignited the team and brought them back into scoring position. As the night went on, Shockey put on a "tight-end clinic" against the Dolphins in receiving and blocking.

The next play was the double-reverse to Bush. I saw it coming. Again I stood to my feet and saw Drew Brees block and take-out the defensive tackle to spring Reggie for the "Fleur-de-Leap." Wow! What a play.

After Reggie's touchdown, the tension mounted like the hot, steamy, and thick humidity in Miami air that evening. The players were sweating, and I was out of Ginger Ale. The Saints were down 34-31.

New Orleans got the ball back in the 4th quarter. Brees again turned to Shockey and guided his team to Dolphins' 3-yard line. Sneaky Brees. He ran the football behind his mammoth center Goodwin, took a hit from a linebacker, and scored his second touchdown. It was a great call by Payton. To punctuate the TD, Drew dunked the football over the goal-post. Brees had "hops" in this wild game. Instead of leading by four, the Saints' reliable kicker John Carney missed the extra point. I thought, would this come back to haunt them. The Saints captured the lead, 37-34, with 8:35 left. Carney redeemed himself later to extend the lead to 40-34.

Tracy Porter may have been the "Unsung Savior" for the Saints in 2009. Time and time again, he made a big play in vital games at crucial times that season. Porter got his hands on another Henne pass, intercepted, and returned the football to score the Saints' final touchdown. New Orleans won 46-34.

THE FINAL CALL

Credit the Saints as a team. Their players and coaching staff did not allow the pressure of trailing the Dolphins to affect them negatively. Instead, they were determined and continued to apply pressure on Miami in the second half. The offensive line should be commended as well.

After the comeback in Miami, I truly believed the 2009 Saints were the Super Bowl-caliber team we dreamed of in New Orleans. The spirit of this game embodied the team's resilience, tenacity, and determination in 2009. Those were contagious traits. I'm still unsure if the Saints fans and Gulf Coast residents' spirit rubbed-off onto the team or vice versa. Nevertheless, the Who Dat Nation had a winner. This one game was a tale of an epic comeback, for a historic season.