Super Bowl XLI will be held in Miami and features a match up between the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts. Like every other person with an opinion this week, I have my own take on who is going to win. My research is now complete and I present you with my case for the winner of the biggest sporting event of the year.
KEY MATCH UPS:
Colts Offense v. Bears Defense: The Bears who are known for being one of the top three defenses in the league, have an amazing defense that features an awesome combination of power and speed – when at full strength. That being said, they aren’t with key injuries to defensive tackle Tommy Harris (who does a great job at stopping the run) and safety Mike Brown. It seems everyone thinks that the Colts shouldn’t have much of a problem scoring this week against the Bears because quarterback Peyton Manning does an excellent job of handling the blitz, given his ability to read defenses and make adjustments before the snap. Furthermore, running back Joseph Addai does a good job blocking, especially for a rookie.
One interesting factor will be the status of second tight end Ben Utecht, who was injured in the Conference Championship game. When he is in the game, his blocking skills take the pressure off the offensive line and allow Dallas Clark to roam in the secondary. Without Utecht, the Colts might not be able to move the ball as easily as everyone expects.
Another thing to watch is to see which Indianapolis wide receiver is going to have the big day. It is rare that the trio of Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison and Dallas Clark - who now lines up in the slot since Brandon Stokley is on injured reserved with a ruptured Achilles tendon - all have big days. Peyton Manning will be keying on one match up to exploit the Bears, and my guess is that Reggie Wayne will have the biggest day since Clark will likely be neutralized by Brian Urlacher and Marvin Harrison hasn’t performed well in his last 10 playoff games. If Wayne can stretch the field and Addai is able to run effectively, the Colts should win this match up.
Colts Defense v. Bears Offense: It’s amazing to see how much difference one player can make to a defense. In this case, ever since safety Bob Sanders of the Colts has returned from injury, the defense has transformed from being inadequate to solid. His speed and solid tackling abilities not only punch up the defense, but also allow everyone else to go back to their normal positions and play the way they were designed to play. After seeing the Colts slow down the Chiefs, Ravens and the Patriots it’s apparent that their defense isn’t the pushover it appeared to be.
It will be interesting to see how the Bears handle the Colts defensive line which features Dwight Freeney, Anthony McFarland, and Robert Mathis - all players who excel at their respective positions. If the Colts can get to quarterback Rex Grossman - who has a penchant for either being really good or really bad – early in the game, this could stall the Bears offense. However, if the Colts allow Grossman to get comfortable in the pocket and take shots downfield to his wide receivers, they could get burned, by speedy Bernard Berrian and veteran Mushin Muhammed.
Another key factor will be the Colts ability to tackle. While the Bears don’t necessarily have any gamebreakers on offense, the Colts have trouble when they overshoot their gaps and tackle poorly. If that happens in this game look for the Bears to have some breakout plays similar to what happened in the NFC Conference Championship game against the Saints and the Bears getting the edge in this match up.
X-Factors: Special Teams will play a huge role in this game. Bears kicker Robbie Gold showed against Seattle in the playoffs that he can hit the game winning field goal but he isn’t Adam Vinateri of the Colts, who has consistently shown the ability in the past to win the big game. The other factor to watch will be Devin Hester, the elusive punt/kick returner for the Bears who can give Chicago the edge in the important battle for field position. If Hester has an impact on the game that will take pressure off of Grossman and possibly allow him to have one of his good games.
Some other factors to think about are the effect that the weather and the conditions will have on the game. The Colts defense is built on speed that has an advantage when played on artificial turf. This game is being played on grass which could play slower because of the rain showers that are expected this weekend. If the Colts aren’t quick to the ball in their Cover 2 scheme, then look for Grossman to try and exploit them down the field.
Vdawgg’s Take: I’m not going to make a prediction on the score of the game, but I like the Colts because I think they will be able to move the ball effectively against the Bears defense. I think the Bears offense will be better then expected, largely because I think the Colts have trouble tackling on both special teams and on defense, but in the end Peyton Manning should bring home his first Super Bowl ring.
Vdawgg is a columnist for RGX Sports and will have a sports blog that will start posting in the near future. Any comments or emails can be sent to vdawgg_rgx@yahoo.com.
