SAINTS AT 50: The Top 5 Moments of Super Bowl XLIV

 #4. Pierre Thomas Screen Pass For the Score

Feb 7, 2010 ; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas (23) dives across the goal line for a touchdown in the third quarter of Super Bowl XLIV at Sun-Life Stadium. The Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31-17. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons – US PRESSWIRE

On the Saints first possession in the second half, (following another big moment on this list) the Saints scored their first touchdown of the Super Bowl.

It came on a 16 yard pass from Drew Brees to Pierre Thomas. The play was the culmination of a masterful drive from Drew Brees, who delivered right when his team needed it the most.

This drive and pass are often overshadowed by the play that led to it, but if the Saints had squandered this opportunity, there’s no way they would have ended up as Super Bowl champions.

The screen pass is one of the Saints most potent weapons offensively, and they used it masterfully on this play.

“It was a masterful run, one that perfectly highlights the grit and resilience that made Thomas a fan-favorite.”

They lined up in the power-I formation, with Pierre Thomas in the backfield. Brees did a hard play-action fake, which allowed the right side of the offensive line to leak out to set the screen.

Brees then calmly flipped the pass to Thomas, who caught it at the 20 yard line, then promptly took care of the rest.

Thomas patiently set up his blocks and then violently exploded with successive cuts to the inside, making two Colt defenders miss.

From there, he accelerated with deceptive speed, cutting inside to break one last tackle, before capping off the epic catch and run with a superman dive across the goal-line.

When Thomas caught the pass, he was outside the numbers. By the time he hit paydirt, he was dead center in the middle of the field.

It was a masterful run, one that perfectly highlights the grit and resilience that made Thomas a fan-favorite.

Next: Did He Catch It?