Super Bowl 41 Preview and Pick

Super Bowl 41 Preview

After 256 regular season games and 10 Playoff games have left two great teams standing. The Bears and Colts look to take that final step into football immortality Sunday with a win. I had the opportunity to meet Chuck Foreman who was a running back for some of the great Vikings teams of the 70s he proudly wears his NFC championship ring from 1976 on his right hand and it is plenty big. I also have a school chum that worked in the front office of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers he got a ring and it is huge. The winning super bowl team gets a ring that is worth about 20 large. Never mind the $78K that each player on the full roster gets think of the words 49ers RB Johnny Davis after they beat the Bengals in Super Bowl 16, “The money’s nice but that will get spent, the ring lasts forever.” Knock so-so QB’s likeTrent Dilfer, Mark Rypien, Bernie Kosar and Brad Johnson all you want. The only way that they get to Canton is to pay their own way. But they have what Dan Marino, Jim Kelly and Fran Tarkenton wish they had… “the ring” (Kosar got his as a backup to Troy Aikman in Super Bowl 28) I don’t care what nice sound bite you hear from the hall of fame QB’s. I bet they would trade their stats and screaming yellow Hall of Fame blazers to have one of those rings, even if like Kosar it was in a backup role. Players like Butkus, Sanders, Sayers, and Dickerson who never even got to the Super Bowl look longingly at players like Matt Suhey, Golden Richards and Clint Didier who not only played and scored in a super bowl but also won. It’s the ring that the players are chasing, that part of history.
In any case, you have two outstanding teams squaring off, who has the edge? I’m glad you asked…lets look at each teams dossier

Indianapolis Colts (15-4)-American Football Conference Champions
Coach: Tony Dungy 60-20 record in 5 seasons in Indianapolis 114-62 overall in 11 regular seasons with Tampa Bay and Indianapolis 8-8 in playoffs 122-70 total
Regular Season Record: 12-4 AFC South Champions (#3 seed)
Road To Miami: Defeated Chiefs 23-8 in wild card round at home, AFC North champ Ravens 15-6 in divisional round in Baltimore and AFC East Champion Patriots 38-34 in AFC Championship.

Chicago Bears (15-3) National Football Conference Champions
Coach: Lovie Smith 29-19 record in 3 seasons in Chicago, same overall 2-1 in playoffs 31-20 total
Regular Season Record: 13-3 NFC North Champions (#1 Seed)
Road To Miami: 1st round bye, defeated NFC West Champ Seahawks 27-24 in divisional playoffs and NFC South Champ Saints 39-18 in NFC Championship

When The Colts Have the ball:

Key Offensive Players: QB Peyton Manning (4397 yards 31 TDS) WR Marvin Harrison (95 receptions, 1366 yards 10 tds) WR Reggie Wayne (86 Receptions 1310 yards 8 tds) WR Joseph Addai (1084 yards rushing, 7 tds)

Key Defensive Players: MLB Brian Urlacher (142 tackles) DE Mark Anderson (12 Sacks) LB Lance Briggs (134 tackles, 113 solo) CB Charles Tillman 5 Ints 10 Passes defensed, Ricky Manning Jr. 5 Ints, 14 passes defensed)

Breakdown: The irresitable force meets the heretofore immovable object. Urlacher, cut in the mold of the long line of legendary LBs has great range can drop into coverage and hits hard he needs to be accounted for on every play. Anderson is underrated as a speed rusher and the wild card is Tank Johnson who is a space eater and gives Urlacher more freedom to roam and cause havoc. The Colts offense needs no real introduction. Peyton Manning is the most prepared QB in the game, he’s not terribly mobile but can move enough to keep out of trouble. His sniper-like precision and ability to adjust on the fly makes him a nightmare to prepare for. He has elite targets in Harrison and Wayne. The redoubtable Harrison is the antithesis of the flashy WR of the day, but he gets open rarely drops passes and has a sneaky speed that has earned him consistent all-pro honors and respect of opposing DB’s. Wayne is a good compliment on the opposite side, and a scoring threat from anywhere on the field. Addai has had solid rookie season and filled in capably for departed free agent Edgerrin James. Addai can get that extra yard and has an underrated toughness. Lots of weapons on the offensive side.
Edge:Indianapolis

When the Bears have the Ball:

Key offensive players: QB Rex Grossman (3193 yds 23 tds) RB Thomas Jones (1210 yards 6 tds) Mushin Muhammad (60 receptions, 863 yards 5 tds)

Key defensive players: Cato June (142 tackles, 3 ints) Robert Mathis (9.5 sacks), Dwight Freeney (5.5 Sacks) Bob Sanders (20 tackles in 5 games), Mike Doss (2 ints 5 passes defensed,

Breakdown: The Bears have tried to not put as much on much maligned QB Rex Grossman. To be fair, Grossman has the tools and talent to be great, but he forces the ball often. Thomas Jones is a silky RB who isn’t shy about taking a hit. Muhammad is a cagey veteran who can make a spectacular grab, but Grossman too often tries to force the ball to. The Colts were derided for their glaring weakness in run defense but have shut down three of the better running teams in the AFC to get here. This further spotlights the impact of Bob Sanders who big hits and general mayhem have made the Colts much better defensively
Mathis and Freeney both operate better in space and complement each other well.
Edge:Indianapolis

Special Teams
Colts: K Adam Vinatieri 25/28 FG 38/38 XP -113 Pts P Hunter Smith 44.4 Avg/35.3 Net
Bears KR/PR Devin Hester 26.4 yds KR Avg -2 TDS (includes an NFL record 108 yd return on missed FG) 12.8 yds PR avg. 3 TDS

Bears K Robbie Gould 32/36 47/47-143 pts P Brad Maynard 44.2 avg/37.6
Colts KR/PR Terrence Wilkins 24.5 Yds KR Avg, 9.2 Yds PR Avg. 1 TD

The Colts improved their kicking game immensely with the big game tested Adam Vinatieri who gets cooler as the game situation gets hotter. Robbie Gould has a decently strong leg, but has yet to try a kick longer than 50 yards. Hunter “The Punter” Smith is a vet and is capable, but pales beside Brad Maynard whos booming punt set up the Bears rugged defense in solid position consistently
Edge: Even

Coaching:
Both coaches are well respected. Dungy has been known as a defensive coach and has made the Colts consistent double digit winners. Smith has made the Bears feared again. Both are known to have their teams well prepared and are reflective of their coaches’ cool demeanors. Dungy is fast shedding his label of one that can’t get his team ready to win. Smith is making other teams rue their decision to pass on picking him as their coach.
Edge:Even

Analysis:
Both teams have their strengths and liabilities. Don’t get the idea that this is an Indy walkover. The Bears are a dangerous defensive team and can create opportunities to score with a short field. Indy’s defense has gotten better going through the playoffs but the question remains can they stay on this roll? Rex Grossman will be the key, he has not forced things and has taken what has been given by opposing defenses. As a result the Bears gutted out a tough win over the Seahawks and buried the Saints late. As in previous games if Grossman and the Bears can utitlize Jones and Cedric Benson to pound the Colts suspect run defense and get more frequent single coverage on Muhammad and underrated wideout Bernard Berrian and Desmond Clark the Bears could keep it tight and could steal the game. But Peyton Manning has suddenly gotten sharp, he shook off two so-so performances in the wild card and divisional round and a 21-3 deficit in the AFC title game to shine when the money was on the line. That and the Bears defense has yet to face an efficient offense like the Colts bring, with so many ways to beat you. Look for the Colts to start fast, the Bears rallying to make it interesting into the 2nd half. Grossman has been living a charmed life in the playoffs and I think he’s overdue for meltdown, not a colossal one but one that his team can ill afford at a critical juncture. Manning will drive the Colts to a clinching score late and finally shake the cant win the big one tag for good. The game won’t need Vinatieri’s heroics in this Super Bowl, but it won’t be a blowout.

Pick- Colts 31 Bears 21

Playoff Tally 8-2
Overall 163-103