Super Bowl Prediction

Yin and yang. Thats sort of the theme for this Super Bowl, because the teams seem to be complete opposites.

In the Indianapolis Colts, we have a great offensive team. They are balanced and lethal, able to score on 1 play or shove a 15 play drive right down your throat. Peyton Manning seems poised to break all sorts of QB record by the time he retires, Joseph Addai is getting better and better as he gains experience, and the WR corps (led by Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne) may be the best in the NFL (right next to Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce.) But they aren't the '99-'03 Greatest Show on Turf St. Louis Rams by any means.

In the Chicago Bears, we have a great defensive team. They are fast and relentless, able to bring the pressure or drop back and force you to make a bad throw. They are led by their MLB, Brian Urlacher, who will go down as one of the GOAT. They pressure the QB, their secondary makes great plays, and everyone just swarms to the ball.

So we know what we’re going to get from these two units. Which means that for the most part this game will be decided when the Bears offense is on the field. The Bears offense has been consistently inconsistent all season, led by Rex Grossman. Through a quarter of the NFL season Grossman was the NFL MVP. By the last quarter of the season fans were about split on whether or not he should still be the starter. He has physical tools, but he’s still a young guy and gets rattled and forces things when pressured.

The Colts defense was much maligned all season long but has come to play in the playoffs. In the first 2 rounds they were nearly impenetrable, and in the Conference Championship they made stops when they had to. Led by Dwight Freeney, they are a fast and athletic unit, but they have been pushed around at times.

So what does all of this mean? Well, I think the QB matchup will tell the tale. Peyton Manning has been historically good in his career while Rex Grossman is one of (if not the) worst Quarterbacks ever to make a Super Bowl. I expect the Colts fast front 7 to get to Grossman and put pressure on him, forcing him to make bad throws and get rid of it before he has to. Then I expect Manning to capitalize on those and score enough on the Bears stout defense to bring the Super Bowl to the Indianapolis, officially getting the monkey off of Peyton Manning’s back.

I've been a pretty strong Grossman basher all season, and I still don't think he's very good. They're in the Super Bowl, but it's mostly because of the great defense and special teams, and the fact that they've found the running game here in the playoffs in a big way. If I'm wrong and Grossman wins the Super Bowl, I'll be eating my words on Monday, and you Chicago Bears fans will have all the right in the world to taunt me. However, I don't think I'll be having to do that.

Colts 29-17 (You know, everyone is picking 17, and while I thought I would pick a unique number. 17 just sounds right for the Chicago Bears. I'm going to hop the number 17 bandwagon to look cool. No, really, the Bears will score only 17, and the Colts may return an interception for a touchdown off of Grossman. The only legit passing touchdown I think the Bears will have a shot at is to Mushin Muhammad. Why? He has the Super Bowl experience, and is kind of like the way Michael Irvin played in the playoffs; making great plays, and doing it well. The Colts FTW.

MVP: The choker, Peyton Manning. I know, I've criticized him in my writing throughout all of his career (you have too. Don't lie.) but it's scripted up for him to win MVP. If it isn't him, it's going to be Joseph Addai, and I don't see them wanting to give a rookie Running Back that award, so they're going to give it to the future hall of famer and try to put him in the class of Tom Brady, already. Nice ones, NFL.

And hell, if it's not Manning or Addai, then it will be none other than Adam Vinatieri, that's my sleeper/homer pick.

If New England, San Diego, or Baltimore were playing on Sunday, they would be able to defeat Chicago. Lets give some props to the Bears, and especially to Lovie Smith, though. What a season for these guys to make it to the Super Bowl. Just good luck to them on making a run at the tough Indianapolis Colts. This is not your Grandfather's NFL. You have to have at least a decent offense to win the big game.