by Matt Frost

Created on: February 03, 2007   Last Updated: October 31, 2008

With the big game less than 48 hours from kickoff, the experts at ESPN, Yahoo Sports, and the Sporting News have little doubt who they think will win the Superbowl. Bucking the recent trend, they have decided than an explosive offense will overtake a stifling defense with 7 points being the margin of victory. That's correct, the same Colts who gave up an average of 173 rushing yards per game are going to stop a team who rushed for 190+ in the NFC Championship game.

To their credit, the Colts rush defense has been spectacular in the playoffs, but the question begs, does 3 games of dominance erase 16 games of horrific play? The Colts, who were torched by Ron Dayne face an even tougher task when they take on the two headed rushing attack of Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson. It seems as though people forget that Peyton Manning can't play defense, or least doesn't. Take nothing away from Peyton, he's the best quarterback in the league and will retire as one of the best this world's ever seen, if not the best. The defense has more holes than a Michael Bay movie and their coverage teams are sub-par.

So we have a Chicago team that has a very noticeable advantage in 2 of the 3 phases of the game, yet the "experts" predict a double digit loss. The Bears offense isn't exactly weak either, they averaged the same amount of points per game (26.7) as the Colts. Fortunately for the Chicago Bears, they are not a team that cares what the media prognosticators have to say. The Bears weren't even supposed to be hear. They were going to get blown out by the New Orleans Saints, and the week before they were going to lose the Seattle Seahawks. The Bears were able to overcome, they hung on against the Seahawks and down right dominated a team that has as many weapons as the Indianapolis Colts.

I'm not predicting a 39-14 game in the Bears favor, nor anything close to it, but this misconception that the Chicago Bears can't play with the Indianapolis Colts is dangerous if you are the Colts. The Chicago Bears have thrived all year on people telling them they couldn't contend, people telling them they are over-rated, and people telling them they only did well because they played a weak schedule. The Bears are a physical presence on the field and Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne would rather drop the football than get hit. The game the Bears play is a power, in your face type of game, while the Colts play a finesse style. On the big stage which style will prevail? It's going to be the Chicago Bears 27-20.

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