<P> Their opponent in the NFC Championship Game was the Minnesota Vikings, led by 11 - time Pro Bowl quarterback Brett Favre, who had thrown four touchdown passes in their divisional round win over the Dallas Cowboys . Even though the Saints' offense could only muster 257 total yards, their defense made up for it by forcing five turnovers . Additionally, the Saints outgained the Vikings in punt and kickoff return yards 166 to 50 . The key play of the game occurred late in the fourth quarter with the score tied 28--28 and the Vikings driving for a potential game - winning field goal . With less than a minute left, they reached the Saints 33 - yard line . But after two runs for no gain and a penalty that pushed them back to the 38, Porter picked off a pass from Favre to send the game into overtime . After New Orleans won the coin toss, Pierre Thomas's 40 - yard kickoff return set up a 10 - play, 39 - yard drive that ended with a game winning 40 - yard field goal by Hartley, sending the Saints to their first ever Super Bowl . </P> <P> Indianapolis' first opponent was the Baltimore Ravens, a 9--7 squad that had advanced to the divisional round by defeating the New England Patriots 33--14, forcing four turnovers from their All - Pro quarterback Tom Brady . Against the Colts, however, all they could manage was a field goal on their opening drive . Indianapolis built up a 17--3 first half lead with a Matt Stover field goal and Manning's touchdown passes to Wayne and Collie . In the second half, the Colts survived two interceptions from Baltimore safety Ed Reed on one drive, one of which Reed fumbled, and the other which was called back by a penalty . Stover, who spent 18 years with the Modell franchise, finished the drive with his second field goal to make final score 20--3, as their defense put the game away by forcing two consecutive turnovers . </P> <P> Their next opponent was in the AFC Championship Game against the New York Jets, who had made the playoffs in part due to Caldwell's decision to bench his starters in their Week 16 meeting . This time, the Colts would have to mount a comeback, as New York built up a 17--6 first half lead . Yet Indianapolis would step up to the challenge, scoring 24 unanswered points . First, Manning completed three passes to Collie for 80 yards, the last one a 16 - yard touchdown completion to cut the score to 17--13 at the end of the half . Manning added two more touchdown passes in the second half, one to Garçon and one to Clark, and Stover added a 21 - yard field goal to close out the scoring . Manning finished the game with 377 passing yards and three touchdowns, while Garçon and Collie had over 100 receiving yards each . </P> <P> This is the first Super Bowl matchup in which both teams had a first - round bye since Super Bowl XXXIX . All four of the Super Bowls in - between had one team that played all three rounds (two of which were wild card teams), with three of those teams (including the Colts in Super Bowl XLI) winning it all . </P>

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