I thought Id negate what the putrid anti Chicago media is trying to tell you: Don't bet on the gobblygook. Defense wins in hockey. Defense wins in baseball ( pitching more then anything) and boys and girls...DEFENSE WINS IN FOOTBALL. That and Rexy will prove why he's the best young QB to be reckoned with. Hot and Cold..but the kid';s a winner. Benson and Jones will balance that attack with a down the throat running attack.
Winner of the game? BEARS.
Tired defenses don't win. Cut off Manning's long-range attack and thats exactly what happens... he picks up 6-7 first downs over about 15 plays in no huddle (which means no defensive substitutions) which means a wore out defense; couple the low-endurance top-heavy nature of the Bears Defense with that; and you've got the making of a slaughter. Which is exactly what happened. Most Bears fans that I talk with seem to think it was a close game or something. Look at the way the Colts moved the ball up and down the field IN THE RAIN (they have a terrible record in bad weather) against this team. It wasnt even close... Manning wasnt going to throw an interception because it was check-down passes all night long then power running until the end.
The rain kept Chicago in the game until the 1st half ended. IF there was no rain, it would have been an utter slaughter... the Colts would have put up over 40pts the way they were playing. Urlacher was playing watchdog on TE Clark all night... the RB was wideopen in the shortpassing and Addai has great hands.
This game isn't as simple as the old stupid adages made years ago in the era of big, powerful, one-dimensional teams. I love how people try to make the game more simple than it is and then analyze statistics to support their claim without regard for intangibles.
Here's an intangible; or at least misreading stats
Much is being made of the Colts superior offence, though interestingly enough the Bears and Colts had the exact same PPG Avg. during the regular season. With that being said, it is undenyable that the Colts have more weapons on O.
Several ways to prove this logic false:
1) Yeah but look at who they played; especially at the quality of defenses. Bears had one of the easiest schedules in the league
2) Check PPG by the offense; not over a game. If a team is only 2 or 3 series out from a score after a turnover, I dont call that an offensive score. Its pts off a turnover (not quite points scored by the defense, which isn't kept either i dont think)
3) In the games over the regular season; if one watched and knew better, they'd know how poorly the Indy D played and therefore affected Manning's on-the-field time. His pts/possession ratio was absolutely incredible. They were losing games that he played PERFECT in. If he isn't given the ball; then that lowers their chance for scoring wouldnt you say?
I'd say the whole Colts O is better at every position than the bears; even with the running backs.
