FORT LAUDERDALE – All season, the Indianapolis Colts rallied, and all season, they came through in the most dramatic, difficult situations.

Until the biggest game of all.

Tracy Porter, a cornerback from Indiana University, returned an interception 74 yards for a touchdown with 3:12 remaining in the fourth quarter, a play that essentially clinching a 31-17 victory for the New Orleans Saints (16-3) over the Colts (16-3) in Super Bowl XLIV at Sun Life Stadium Sunday.

“Any time you lose the last game of the season, it’s difficult,” Colts Head Coach Jim Caldwell said. “Particularly on this stage, in this particular game, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.”

The loss ended one of the Colts’ most successful seasons in franchise history in disappointing fashion. The Colts won their first 14 regular-season games, finished with the AFC’s best record, and won the AFC South title for the sixth time in seven seasons.

They also stretched their NFL-record regular-season winning streak to 23 games, finishing the decade of the 2000s with more victories – 115 – than any team in any decade in NFL history.

“I felt like we played well this postseason,” said Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who completed 31 of 45 passes for 333 yards and a touchdown with one interception. “We played well in our first playoff game, played well two weeks ago, and at times, we made some plays against the Saints.

“Obviously, we didn’t make enough plays. We just didn’t play well enough to win.”

The Colts, after leading, 10-6, at halftime, fell behind 13-10 early in the second half, but rallied to lead, 17-16, entering the fourth quarter.

That was when the Saints took control.

First, after Colts kicker Matt Stover missed a 51-yard field goal, the Saints drove 59 yards on a nine-play possession, taking the lead with 5:42 remaining when Saints quarterback Drew Brees – the game’s Most Valuable Player – threw a two-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jeremy Shockey, a play that made it 22-17.

A two-point conversion, initially ruled incomplete, was reversed to push the lead to 24-17.

Manning drove the Colts 39 yards on the next possession, but on 3rd-and-5 from the Saints 31, the Saints blitzed and Manning threw to wide receiver Reggie Wayne,

Potrter intercepted and scored to push the lead to 14.

“We’ve been able to do a lot of things all season from behind and we just weren’t able to capitalize,” Colts tight end Dallas Clark said. “We weren’t able to execute and you’ve got to give them credit for making plays.”

The Saints took the lead early in the third quarter after an emotional, momentum-changing swing to start the second half.

The Saints, trailing 10-6 at halftime, recovered an onside kick that bounced off the hands and helmet of reserve wide receiver Hank Baskett. After an extended scramble, officials ruled that New Orleans had recovered.

“That play didn’t help us out at all,” Colts wide receiver Pierre Garcon said of the onside kick.

New Orleans moved 58 yards on the possession, with a 16-yard screen pass from Brees to running back Pierre Thomas giving the Colts their first lead.

But the Colts on the ensuing series moved 76 yards, with running back Joseph Addai’s four-yard, tackle breaking run giving the Colts a 17-13 lead on a drive keyed by a crucial, accurate pass from Manning to Clark.

The Saints then cut the lead to one on a 47-yard field goal by Garrett Hartley, then outscore the Colts, 15-0, in the fourth period to win the first Super Bowl in franchise history.

“This is a tough feeling,” Colts linebacker Clint Session said. “You let the city down. We let ourselves down. We let the staff down. They’re not playing. We’re out there playing.

“I don’t know, many. It’s tough. It’s a tough loss.”