8:26 - And we’re off. Amazingly, return man Terrence Wilkins of the Colts hangs on to the ball. We start this half without a fumble, maybe this bodes well for the next two quarters in terms of ball security….
8:29 - Does the Elias Sports Bureau keep stats for most check down passes to a running back in Super Bowl history? If so, Manning should be approaching this record by the midpoint of the third quarter.
8:39 - Time to once again question the testicular fortitude of Tony Dungy. Fourth and 2 from the Bears’ 8-yard line, up 16-14 and Dungy goes for the field goal. Honestly, the safe, logic play is to go for the three points, but at this point, a five-point lead isn't that much better than a two-point lead. Go for the first down, if you don’t get it, you have the Bears deep in their territory. Punch it in and you have a nine-point lead. For the second time I’ll say it, if the Colts lose, go back to decisions like this to find out why. Field goal was good, for whatever it’s worth, Colts 19, Bears 14.
8:43 - It may be the Super Bowl, but we’re not immune from the commercial, come back for the kickoff, then back to commercial after ten seconds of action sequence. Even on football’s biggest stage, this asinine setup is a staple of the game. P.S. At this point, the Colts have run 58 plays, the Bears 19. Worth noting…..
8:47 - It took nearly three quarters, but the Real Rex Grossman has showed up. Good ‘ol Rex has been sacked on two straight plays, tripping and falling the first time, then botching a snap and losing 11 yards on the second sack. Feels like the momentum train has left the station for the Bears, it’s rolling downhill, picking up steam, it’s painted blue and white and it’s about to run Chicago over, splat.
8:52 - Phil Simms informs us the Bears have shifted to a defense specifically suited to stop the run…..then Rhodes rips off a 36-yard run deep into Bears territory. An eight-yard run follows, plus a major facemask penalty. Remember that momentum train?…………….
8:54 - Another field goal…….it really is bizarre how Indy has suddenly morphed into a team that cannot find the end zone in the playoffs. But wait, a penalty on the Bears, running into the kicker…..and Indy wusses out, declines the penalty (which would have moved the ball half the distance to the goal, the 1-yard line, still fourth down) and takes the field goal. Another pansy decision, point #3 you will be able to identify as a reason the Colts lost if they choke this one away. No juevos, my friend, no juevos.
9:03 - Grossman scrambles, scrambles…..and throws an idiotic, ill-advised pass late, Jason David of the Colts nearly picks it off but Bears TE Desmond Clark knocks the ball away and saves the Bears. Thankfully, that brings up fourth down, meaning Grossman’s chances to inflict damage on his own team are over for now. A Robbie Gould field goal draws the bears to within five, 22-17. The Colts are gonna need a touchdown if they’re going to win this game, I don’t care if they’re ahead or not.
9:07 - Tank Johnson shoots through the line to make a tackle….c’mon, you appreciate the joke, you know it. A man cannot be arrested for having six unlicensed guns in his house, needs special judge’s permission to travel to the Super Bowl and escape all jokes about his criminal tendencies…..
9:16 - Just checked the weather at the game……97% humidity. And yes, it is the humidity that kills you, trust me. Running a marathon in that kind of humidity was the least fun I’ve ever had in a marathon, and I can say with certainty that it takes so much out of your body, it affects you more than wind, rain and pain combined. So when the announcers lament how tired the players look, there’s good reason.
9:18 - It’s taken him til the fourth quarter, but Jim Nantz finally noticed it. The Colts have outgained the Bears by a 3 to 1 margin in total yards, have run three times as many plays, yet it’s a five-point game and the Bears have a chance to win! That timely, insightful analysis, that’s what they pay you the big bucks for Jimmy. The rest of us noticed that at halftime, but thanks anyhow.
9:21 - Jim hits the obvious again, he’s heating up. He’s finally mentioned the “Moose” chant, with seemingly half the crowd in on the cheer and no possible way to ignore it. Jim Nantz, pointing out what even a deaf, dumb, blind mute man could see and hear.
9:22 - Game over. All of that posturing and vehement defending of Rex Grossman the Bears did the past two weeks, umm, looks like they were wrong. Sexy Rexy floated a horrible pass down the right sideline, intended for Muhammad, and it’s picked off by Kelvin Hayden, who returns the pick for a touchdown. The Bears have been sheltering Grossman all game long, but it’s playmaking time and he’s just been exposed. This touchdown makes it 29-17 Colts, meaning the Bears need two touchdowns to win, and there’s no way that’s happening. Go ahead and start etching Indy’s name on the Lombardi Trophy.
9:26 - The previous play has been challenged by the Bears, who claim Hayden stepped out of bounds. No dice, as this desperate grasp at straws to stay in this game fails. It’s O-V-E-R.
9:30 - Food for thought as the Bears try to mount a comeback drive. They have seven points on a kick return, a field goal when they started near the Indy 40 after a long kick return and penalty….and that’s 10 of their 17 points. Other than that, they’ve done diddly poo on offense, to quote Jim Mora Sr. But they can come back, sure they can……
9:31 - KABOOM! Another Rex Grossman stink bomb goes off. A deep pass to Bernard Berrian floats, flutters and drifts in the rain and wind, and safety Bob Sanders, proving he’s more than a run stopper, comes over and picks off the underthrown ball. The return takes it to the Chicago 40-yard-line, and the Bears’ ship is taking on water faster than the rain-soaked field at this point. I’m almost giddy at the thought of the Bears being forced to answer all of the thinly veiled questions about how much Rex sucks after the game. Last week’s Wilcots-Belichick postgame interview could seem genial by comparison.
9:38 - Now this I agree with. Up by 12, the Colts run a draw on fourth and 18 from the Chicago 37, keeping the clock running. Manning is pissed; he wants to go for it. For once, I agree with Dungy going safe, the clock is nearing the eight-minute mark, and you’ve got Rex Grossman on the other sideline, Peyton, take it easy.
9:39 - The Paganelli brothers, we learn, are the first brothers ever to work the Super Bowl together. I tell you what, when I think of famous brother officiating teams, I think of………never mind. Let’s just hope these two don’t get into one of those stupid, big-fight-over-nothing brawls that all brothers get into. “I threw the penalty flag first!”. “No, I threw it first, you moron!” This might actually be fun, so here’s hoping.
9:42 - Rex Grossman + hurry-up offense. Oh, there’s no way this isn't ending badly.
9:44 - It does, the Bears turn the ball over on downs. Bring on Kyle Orton.
9:50 - You, the fan, can vote for the Super Bowl MVP…..well, you could if the %^^&#$#$@ server wasn’t so jammed up. I’ve tried twice and failed both times in submitting my vote, too many people trying to vote all at once. For what it’s worth, my vote is actually Kelvin Hayden. His pick turned this game totally, it was the death knell to the Bears at a time when a Bears’ touchdown would have given them the lead, all of the momentum and a world of confidence. Instead, it clinched the game for the Colts. That’s what an MVP does, if you ask me.
9:57 - Peyton Manning, Super Bowl champion. It just feels weird, no doubt about it. But in less than two minutes, it’s reality.
9:59 - Nice to see two coaches in a postgame embrace that don’t openly despise each other (that one’s for you, Bill Belichick). Also, very cool of the Colts to bring literally every employee from the team, right down to the janitors, to the game. On the flip side, now would be an optimum time to break into the team facility and headquarters, what with no one being there and all.
10:01 - Can't help but be happy for Tony Dungy, that smile on his face is worth a million bucks. Again, nice to have a coach who can win and NOT be a gigantic ass (see Belichick). Peyton Manning, Super Bowl champion….still feels weird.
10:02 - Final bit of game analysis: early on, the turnover swap went back and forth several times. Ultimately, the Colts were able to stop the bleeding and hold onto the ball. The Bears couldn’t, and two Grossman interceptions sealed their demise. Still, a sloppy Super Bowl, not ranking especially high on the aesthetic scale. Ultimately, though, a champion I don’t actively hate (i.e. the Patriots or Steelers) trumps all of that.
10:10 -The rain keeps falling, the Lombardi Trophy is being presented, and that’s that. I’m out, some 3,800 words, four hours and twenty minutes after this all started. And no, Shannon Sharpe still hasn’t been able to get that gravel out of his mouth. Maybe next year……..
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