Reggie Wayne deflects blame for Manning's pick-6 in Super Bowl XLIV

Peyton Manning came up excruciatingly short in his quest for a second ring back in Super Bowl XLIV, as a pick-6 from Tracy Porter ended the potential game-tying drive and put the New Orleans Saints up 31-17.

After years of hearing that he should have run a more precise route on the play, former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne is setting the record straight.

Wayne, making an appearance on NFL Network's "GameDay Morning" ahead of Sunday's conference title games, said the pick-6 had more to do with the predictable play call than a mistake on his part.

"Let me tell you something about that," Wayne said. "We ran that play about four times that game. (Porter) was waiting on it. He sat on it and he waited. He broke before I did. I didn't help, I slipped a little bit. But he got there before I did. If I would have run the perfect route, I think he still would have got there before me."

While Wayne didn't exactly point the finger at Manning, it's clear that he doesn't believe that the game-sealing play was his fault.

Manning, now in his fourth season with the Denver Broncos, would need a win over the New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon to get one last chance at a second title before he's widely expected to call it a career.