Saturday, February 3, 2007

super bowl-my god, i've seen them all!!!

So this is my XLIst Super Bowl and included in that is the great game in person with family and friends at the Rose Bowl when the Giants beat the Broncos 39-20 with Simms going 22 for 25 and my Giants finally winning the Lombardi Trophy (first of two! remember Scott Norwood?). I love this match-up - anytime you have the #1 offense going against the #1 defense you have the makings of a great game. Amazingly, when this has happened in Super Bowls past, 4 or 5 times I think I read, the #1 DEFENSE has always won. I actually think it has a good chance of happening again. And here's why:
The Bears are going to play the Colts the same way that Giant team beat the Bills once upon a time. Sadly, the rules prevent them from mugging Andre Reed, I mean Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne, downfield, but they will use their Cover 2 and rely on Urlacher downfield to watch Dallas Clark. I actually like the Bears two-headed running back, Jones/Benson, better than Addai/Rhodes of the Colts right now. They run very hard, very strong. And the Colts will not be able to stop them for the entire game. While I feel the Bears D will be able to stop Addai and Rhodes. If Manning throws 40 times, Bears win. The Bears rotate defensive ends, have the two best linebackers on the field (Urlacher and Briggs), Harper has the high-ankle sprain, Bob Sanders is dinged, Devin Hester is the X-factor providing field position on punts and kickoffs, and the pressure is all on Peyton to win. The Bears can just play as full touchdown underdogs, both teams have great kickers, although Vinatieri is special, and Grossman, as lame as he has been, does not make his team lose. And he is back in Florida where he played college ball. I think there are so few expectations of him that if Hester gives him a short field two or three times Sunday, Grossman and the running backs will come through. I look for a 2 or 3 point game, hopefully decided at the end. And don't be surprised if it ends up Bears 26, Colts 24. And even though he isn't the coach any longer, as they used to say on SNL, Ditka'd find a way!
BTW, congrats to Thurman Thomas, who almost beat the Giants himself back in that Norwood game, on making the Pro Football Hall of Fame. To Roger Wehrli, a great DB back when the Cardinals always had an interesting white guy back there - Larry Wilson, Wehrli, Pat Fisher - congrats, Charlie Sanders, great tight end for the Lions back in the day, always liked him on those Thanksgiving games, congrats. Gene Hickerson, you blocked for the best, Jim Brown, and then for Leroy Kelly. Congrats. And Bruce Mathews, all those years, all those positions, all those consecutive games. Wow. Congratulations.

No comments: