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The New Orleans Saints where a bad team for the majority of their existence. Founded in 1967, the team were perennial losers. It wasn't until the 1979 season that they broke .500. And in 1987, 20 years after being founded the team had its first winning campaign under Jim Mora, going 12-3 in the strike shorted season, before losing their first ever playoff game against the Vikings 44-10. Under Mora the next decade proved to be a mixed bag, until 1996 the team started horribly only winning 2 out of their first 8 games. This lead to Mora resigning and being replaced by Rick Venturi until the end of the season.

At end of the season the Saints finished with a record of 3-13. In order to change their fortunes the team hired Mike Ditka, a coach who had already won the superbowl twice, once as a player with the Cowboys and the other as a the coack of the 85 Bears. Despite this however, Ditka's first season was his worst ever only winning 2 games and finishing with a record of 2-14. Still Saints owner Tom Benson decided against firing Ditka. Many today speculate both men colluded together so that they would be in prime position to draft Peyton Manning first overall in 1998.

Draft day came in 1998, with the Saints possessing the first overall pick, and despite the news papers churning their rumor mills, everyone knew the Saints would draft their hometown boy over the Cougar from Washington State. The NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue confirmed this. Peyton was officially a Saint. With Peyton now on the roster, the team felt comfortable enough to trade away both Billy Joe Hobert and Billy Joe Tolliver.

Ditka's second season was a huge improvement, the 1998 saints finished 8-8, Manning started all 16 games for the team, completing 345 passes out of 563 attempts with a passing percentage of 61.2, passing for 26 touchdowns and interceptions and 3766 yards. With a highly touted QB, the Saints signed freeagents, Ashley Ambrose, Tommy Barnhardt, Qadry Ismail and Wally Williams and also resigned Sean Dawkins after his fine first season with Peyton.

The 1999 season saw the Saints enter the playoffs for the first time in 7 years, finishing the season 10-6. The Saints were ranked 4th in the NFC seedings. Peyton had a fantastic year, completing 369 passes out of 577 attempts with a passing percentage of 63.9, passing for 31 touchdowns and 13 interceptions and 4123 yards. The Saints hosted 5th seeded Minnesota Vikings at the Superdome. The game was a close one for the first 3 quarters, Peyton was unable to get into the game and the Saints only scored a TD when Aaron Craver went on an impressive 68 yard run. Despite having the 1998 seasons Offensive Rookie of the Year Randy Moss, the industries Saints defence kept the vikings to only 3 field goals. With the score static 7-9, Vikings QB was picked off by newly signed Ashley Ambrose on the saints 31 yard line. With 2:14 left in the game and with both teams out of timeouts, Peyton drove the Saints 60 yards and after a spike with 3 seconds on the clock, Saints Kicker Doug Brien won them their first ever playoff game with a 21 yard field goal.

After their win the Saints went to Saint Louis to face the 12-4 Rams led by Kurt Warner. The game would start out disastrously or the Rams, after 1:45 Warner was picked off by Ambrose at the saints 11 yard line, his second interception in the post season. Running toward Ambrose to stop a return TD, Warner was blocked by Saints Linebacker Chris Bordano, who delivered a hard hit. The Rams prevented a reutn TD by bringing down Ambrose at their 44, but Warner was badly injured, breaking 3 ribs. Warner left the field and was taken to hospital. With their signal caller missing the Rams turned to rookie back up Joe Germaine. Demoralized the Rams folded like a pack of cards, the Saints ran away with the game 28-6, with Manning throwing 4 TD's.

The next week the Sainst hosted the NFC championship playing Dallas Cowboys the 6th seed, who beat the Redskins and Buccaneers. Despite an 8-8 season, 2 pick by a resurgent Deion Sanders, meant the experienced Cowboys sailed to the Superbowl winning 24-10. Becoming the team with the worst regular season record to go to the Super Bowl. And weeks later became the lowest ranked team to win it beating the Titans 31-28 after the Titans kicker missed a last second field goal to tie the game, thus making the Cowboys the first team to win 6 Super Bowls and the team of the 90's.

All in all despite all circumstances the season was deemed a success by the Saints. Many fans and observers were excited for the new millennium.
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