The Indianapolis Colts’ loss Sunday night to the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl called to mind several incontrovertible facts of life. Here are three of them: No matter how good you are, there’s almost always somebody better. No one wins all the time. No one is perfect.

The last of these applies to Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who is known in some football circles as “Perfect Peyton” for his attention to detail and precision of play. But Sunday’s game was a reminder that the quarterback position is riddled with danger. There’s always the threat of being smashed by a 330-pound defensive lineman. Then there’s the subtler threat of being victimized by a clever defensive back.

That’s what happened to Peyton. At the most crucial point of the game, late in the fourth period with the Colts trailing, Saints defensive back Tracy Porter (an Indiana University product) anticipated a Manning pass, stepped in front of it and raced to what would prove to be a game-clinching touchdown.

Porter outsmarted Manning on the play, which takes some doing. His interception illustrated the advantage in strategy and tactics the Saints enjoyed throughout the game. Simply put, the Colts were predictable; the Saints creative.

Of course, none of this is of any comfort to Madison County’s Colts fans, who faced a brutally cold Monday in the aftermath of their team’s loss. But look on the bright side: Manning is still young (33) and the Colts organization has been consistently excellent for the past decade.

There’s a lot more winning than losing on the horizon, and the lessons the Colts learned Sunday night will increase their knowledge and resolve to win a Super Bowl sometime in the near future. There’s a lot more Blue to Do before the sun sets on Peyton Manning’s career.