Jan. 30, 2007

By Dan Fornek

The Chicago Bears have faced many obstacles in order to get to this point of their season. They have played extremely well, they have played some games poorly, but mostly, they have done everything it takes in order to win (especially compiling and NFC best 13-3 record). However, the Bears face their biggest challenge with the powerful Indianapolis Colts offense on the biggest stage. The following are reasons the Bears will win the Super Bowl and the way they got where they are now.

How the Bears got to Super Bowl XLI
The Chicago Bears got to Super Bowl XLI through superb play by their defense, inconsistent play by Rex Grossman, and the best special teams in the league.

Grossman had one of the most inconsistent years a quarterback could possibly have, yet the Bears find themselves playing in the biggest game of the season. Grossman was second in the NFL in games with a passer rating of over 100, but also led the league in games under 40, including a game in which he registered a 0.0. Even with the sporadic play, Grossman was able to throw for 3,193 yards and 23 touchdowns, but also 20 interceptions.

Wide receiver Bernard Berrian proved to be a deep threat for Grossman, constantly burning his defenders and averaging 15.2 yards per catch and six touchdowns. Also, the tandem of Cedric Benson and Thomas Jones were able to help Grossman run the Bears offense successfully. The two running backs styles complimented each other perfectly, with Jones using his shiftiness to gain 1,210 yards on 296 carries for an average of 4.1 yards per carry and six touchdowns. Benson ran for 647 yards on 157 carries for an average of 4.1 yards a carry and also six touchdowns.

However, when Grossman was having judgment lapses, the Bears defense and special teams were able to support him and help them win games (most memorably, the Monday Night Football game against the Arizona Cardinals). The Bears defense registered 44 turnovers, one of the best marks in the league. By having a lock down defense led by middle linebacker Brian Urlacher, the Bears were also able to rush quarterbacks and gather numerous sacks. Rookie phenomenon Mark Anderson registered a team-high 12 sacks and was the perfect speed compliment to other ends Alex Brown and Adewale Ogunleye.

The Bears have been missing two crucial components to their defense for quite a while now. Safety Mike Brown provides deep coverage and also another sack threat, but has been out of the lineup since the game against Arizona with a broken foot. Also, defensive tackle Tommie Harris, one of the key players that takes up double teams that allow the linebackers and other defensive lineman to get to the quarterback, suffered a season ending knee injury against the Minnesota Vikings.

Finally, the Bears special teams proved to be some of the most dangerous in the league, thanks to kicker Robbie Gould and return specialist Devin Hester. Both of these players were elected to the Pro Bowl, mainly due to Gould's consistency (32/36 on field goals and 47/47 on extra points) and Hester's ability to always make big plays (NFL leading six returns for touchdowns including a 108 missed field goal return).

In the playoffs, the Bears squeezed by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round, using extremely strong defensive showing and Gould's leg to win 27-24 to survive and move on to play the New Orleans Saints. In the next round, the Bears faced the Saints, who boasted the leagues best offense and also offensive weapons in Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, and surprising receiver Marques Colston. The Bears defense showed up again, forcing four turnovers against the best offense in the NFL and handily winning 39-14 in order to advance to the Super Bowl.

What the Bears need to watch out for
The Indianapolis Colts have probably the best quarterback in the NFL on their team in Peyton Manning. Manning is one of the smartest players in the league and is able to pick apart any defense that he plays against seemingly with ease. The Bears will need to watch out for the various wide receiver sets that the Colts deploy by using the linebackers and safeties to cover all the wide receivers and allow the defensive lineman to reach Manning and pressure him into mistakes.

The Bears also need to be careful for the deep pass, because if they start to lose confidence, this could be a long game that Manning can control. The front seven need to get pressure on Manning and force some sacks so that the Bears offense can get the ball back and control the clock. Urlacher will have to use his speed to cover the seam routes run by tight end Dallas Clark, one of Manning's favorite targets when his primary receivers are covered by the cornerbacks.

On offense, the Bears need to protect Grossman so that he can set his feet and find his open wide receivers. When Grossman is able to set his feet, he becomes one of the most effective and powerful passers in the league with a tendency to make huge plays. However, if Grossman feels pressured, he usually loses his head, rushes his throws, and becomes extremely prone to turnovers and mistakes. That being said, the Bears have to guard defensive end Dwight Freeny, because he is one of the premier speed rushers in the league. Freeny was constantly faced with double teams over the season and many offensive game plans were tailored to stopping him so the offense could get moving. The Bears need to contain Freeny by any means necessary, because if they are able to stop him, there is a very good chance that Grossman will keep his confidence and composure and deliver victory for the Chicago Bears.

Key Players and Match Ups
Bears Offensive Tackle John Tait versus Colts Defensive End Dwight Freeny
Tait is going to have to do his best to defend Freeny so Grossman can have the proper time to find his targets. Freeny is one of the best at what he does, and it will definitely be a challenge to try and slow him down so that Grossman can make precise passes. This match up will be huge because if in fact Tait is able to guard Freeny to his best abilities, the Bears will be able to open up their offense much more and challenge the Colts downfield.

Devin Hester
Hester will play a huge role in the Super Bowl for various reasons. The NFL record holder for most return touchdowns in a season (6) will look to use his explosive speed and shifty moves to exploit an extremely weak Colts special teams. Hester averaged the second most yards per return in the NFL, and the Colts special teams are notorious for allowing below average specialists have great games against them (this nearly cost them their playoff game against the Patriots). Also, watch for Hester to try and have a breakthrough game because Miami is his alma mater and hometown, so he will be looking to impress all his friends and family.

Cedric Benson/Thomas Jones
The Bears will need their running backs to have great games against a weak Colts run defense. If the backs are able to successfully exploit and break off big runs against the Colts defense, they will be looking for the run more and that will give Grossman more time to deliver passes. Also, if the running game gets off the ground, the Bears will be able to run the play action well and get the deep ball to their threats.

Peyton Manning vs. The Bears D
Finally, the biggest match up of the game will be the Bears Defense against Peyton Manning. The Bears will need to put pressure on Peyton Manning to make him rush some throws so that they can hopefully generate turnovers. If the Bears are able to stop him like they did the New Orleans Saints, the Bears will have a much better chance than people give them credit for. Also, the Bears need superb play from Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher to contain the Colts wide receivers. Urlacher will have to control the middle of the field so that Manning will be forced to make some difficult passes. All in all, this game will come down to how well the Bears are able to control the tempo of the game on defense.