| January means a lot of things to a lot of different | | | | Manning lead a masterful drive down field and on |
| people. It's the post gluttony reality check of the | | | | a running play, a testament to the Colt's ability to |
| holidays, a time to make and break the vast and | | | | diversify the playing field under the strength of |
| quickly falling good intentions of your resolutions | | | | their quarterback, took the lead with one minute |
| from the time of drunken revelry. But, it's also a | | | | left. And with an interception on the last play of |
| time for football. For the bone crunching, end zone | | | | the game, secured Manning's rightful place in the |
| seeking desperation of 12 teams in the NFL trying | | | | big game with his NFL forerunners. |
| to make it to the big game, the biggest night in | | | | He's been mocked, belittled and declared a failure |
| professional sports, the Super Bowl, January is | | | | at getting his team to the big game for years |
| heaven. But not as much heaven as that first | | | | now. But, don't forget John Elway or Brett Favre, |
| Sunday in February when all that fluff flakes aside, | | | | two of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play |
| the wannabes and could have beens lying in the | | | | the game who took years to lead their team into |
| dirt, licking their wounds. | | | | the limelight, playing beautifully every year only to |
| The two teams still standing take two weeks off | | | | fail under the pressure of that big game. Well, |
| and prepare for that biggest of all big games to | | | | now Manning can join them in the ranks of those |
| duke it out for the Lombardi trophy. This year, | | | | that overcame the stigma of their playoff |
| for the first time in a few years two long time | | | | records. |
| absentees will make it back to the big game, and | | | | Of course, there's one more game to play. If he |
| fulfill the promise and wonder of more than one | | | | can't win the big one, the Super Bowl, what |
| big name. | | | | difference does it make if he finally made it |
| On the NFC side, the underdog Bears come in | | | | there? And buried in the morass of subplots is the |
| after one of the most surprising seasons in the | | | | little tidbit about each team's head coach - Lovie |
| NFL, a team that learned how to be great again, | | | | Smith was the first black head coach to reach |
| and then almost forgot under the leadership of | | | | the Super Bowl, and only a few hours later, Tony |
| their young quarterback Rex Grossman. They | | | | Dungy followed suit. The two men, old friends and |
| barely escaped a surging Seattle Seahawks team | | | | colleagues will be one of the many spotlights in |
| under similar strains and veritably crushed the | | | | the coming two weeks of Super Bowl hype, along |
| Saints this weekend, showing once and for all the | | | | with Peyton Manning's shortcomings and |
| strength of the Bears of September and October. | | | | accomplishments, the Bear's underdog status, and |
| It's been 21 years since the Bears were in the | | | | the viability of their young quarterback to finish |
| Superbowl, the last time in 1985 after the oft | | | | the job. But, what about the game itself? |
| poked fun at Super Bowl shuffle crew. The years | | | | Who, of these two gridiron giants, stands the |
| have not been kind to the Bears, but finally after | | | | best chance of winning in February? The big |
| nearly 2 decades, they're back to form and | | | | money's on Indianapolis. But, barely. The odds are |
| promise and the Chicago faithful are feeling the | | | | in the Colts' favor, with a seven point spread |
| tickle of what might be. This isn't the powerhouse | | | | going into February 4th in Miami. The variables are |
| Ditka helmed juggernaut that took apart the | | | | numerous and the questions even more so, but |
| Patriots in '85 though. This is a weaker defense, | | | | here are a few things that can't be forgotten. |
| an untested and unpredictable quarterback, and no | | | | The Bears defense is mediocre at best. They've |
| expectations of glory. This is an underdog team in | | | | been in the middle of the pack all year, and barely |
| every sense of the word. | | | | pulled out the win against Seattle, a team whose |
| In Indianapolis, the feelings are similar, except this | | | | offensive output has been abysmal this year. |
| Colts team is a great team. In fact this Colts | | | | However, their display against New Orleans on |
| team has been great for years. Under the | | | | Sunday was impressive. If the same unit can |
| leadership of Peyton Manning, they've reached the | | | | show up in Miami, they'll stand a decent chance of |
| playoffs every year for the last five years, and | | | | doing something against Peyton Manning's potent |
| every year they've suffered something of a | | | | offense. As one of the most prolific quarterbacks |
| collapse, a last minute breakdown of their | | | | of this decade, Manning has the immediate edge |
| quarterback. Against the Patriots in the playoffs, | | | | against any defense with a history of problems. |
| Peyton Manning before Sunday was 0-3 on 25 | | | | He showed that he can break his playoff curse, |
| drives with 1 touchdown and 9 turnovers. That | | | | and now with the bonus of Brady's crew behind |
| won't win games. Not even a little bit. And it | | | | him, he can set his sights on Chicago's secondary. |
| wasn't looking any better this weekend, or last | | | | Indianapolis has the edge here, but everyone |
| weekend for that matter. Vinatieri has kicked 10 | | | | doesn't show up to play, it's anybody's game. |
| field goals in the playoffs so far, a new NFL | | | | And what about Rex Grossman? His late season |
| record. They still have a game to play. And the | | | | breakdown is infamous now, a testament to his |
| first half of Sunday's game against the Patriots | | | | youth and the frailty of this Bears team. But, |
| was more of Peyton's woes, and the Patriots | | | | when he plays well, he plays extremely well. And |
| inescapable playoff dominance of the Colts. At | | | | when a team is hot, they can score on the Colts |
| one point, down 21-3, the Indianapolis home crowd | | | | quickly and mercilessly, as the Indianapolis fans |
| was stunned, disbelief roiling through the stadium | | | | know all to well from Sunday's first half. Peyton |
| in the form of awed silence as the Colt's defense | | | | Manning will assuredly be ready to play, and play |
| folded repeatedly against Tom Brady and his | | | | to win. He's waited to long not to. I'd like to say |
| offensive line. | | | | the defense will win this game, but that's entirely |
| But something happened in the second half. | | | | dependent on which Grossman shows up to play. |
| Manning woke up, his team woke up and they | | | | If it's the Grossman of this weekend against the |
| came back. In one of the most exciting games of | | | | Saints, this could be quite a game. If not, Tony |
| the playoffs this year, the Colts came back to tie | | | | Dungy's boys will be hoisting that trophy high and |
| it at 21, while New England repeatedly went back | | | | mightily over their heads in Miami. |
| ahead only to be tied again. With 2 minutes left, | | | | |