Which team will win Super Bowl XLI?

[DaveMage]

It all comes down to Grossman. If he has a good game, Bears can win.

I think Manning will be average, because that's what he's been the last few weeks. Marvin Harrison has been virtually invisible in the playoffs - averaging about 4 catches a game.

Plus, all the pressure's on Indy - most are picking them to win.

 

[Dr. Harry]

And why?

I'll be cheering for the Bears, but I picked the COlts -- because they don't have Rex Grossman.

 

[kenobi65]

I'll be cheering for the Bears, but I picked the COlts -- because they don't have Rex Grossman.

Though, they used to:
http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=GROSSREX01

(Rex's grandfather, Rex Grossman Sr., played for the Colts in 1948 through 1950.)

 

[drothgery]

bah - i heard the same sort of talk last year during the world series, and look who won - the Cardinals. people were saying up and down that no National league team should be beating an American League team in the WS, especially not a team with a record barely above .500. but they did it anyway, and well!

so, we'll see.

MLB Baseball is somewhat more random than NFL football; inferior teams win any one game far more often (a .750 winning percentage in MLB is a 120-win historically great season; in the NFL it's a routine division championship that's rarely the best regular season in the NFL for the year); and while a best of seven series mitigates this somewhat, it doesn't do so completely. NBA basketball is slightly more random than NFL football (but far less random than MLB Baseball), so inferior teams very rarely win playoff series, especially since, unlike baseball, they play best of 7 in all rounds.

Still, it's certainly possible the Bears will win; very bad NFL teams have beat great NFL teams before, and do every season. And this is just a good NFL team (the Bears would probably be a 10-6 borderline playoff team in the AFC) playing a better NFL team (the Colts were not the best team in the NFL this year, though if they had their playoff defense all year -- and their regular season/2nd half of Pats game offense -- they would have been). If the playoffs had ended up with a Seahawks - Chargers Super Bowl, the Bolts would be two touchdown favorites, rather than the one touchdown Indy's getting over the Bears.

 

[BOZ]

It all comes down to Grossman. If he has a good game, Bears can win.

yes and no... last week, Robbie Gould and Thomas Jones scored enough points between them to outscore the Saints - Grossman's TD pass was just gravy.

we just need the defense to be "on" enough that it's not too much of a challenge for the offense and ST to do something with it.

and another return TD from Devin Hester never hurt. in some games this year, the D/ST almost (or not even almost...) outscored the offense!

so yes, the team needs to play more like they did last week and they should be able to do it.

 

[DaveMage]

yes and no... last week, Robbie Gould and Thomas Jones scored enough points between them to outscore the Saints - Grossman's TD pass was just gravy.

we just need the defense to be "on" enough that it's not too much of a challenge for the offense and ST to do something with it.

and another return TD from Devin Hester never hurt. in some games this year, the D/ST almost (or not even almost...) outscored the offense!

so yes, the team needs to play more like they did last week and they should be able to do it.

Thing is - the Colts have been stopping the run. If they stop the Bears from running, it will be up to Grossman. Grossman will have one advantage in that Freeney will be somewhat slowed since he's outside the dome.

I do think the Chicago defense will have some opportunities for turnovers, so that could make the difference. However, Indy plays good pass defense in general, so that may cancel the defenses out.

Special teams will certainly be a key. Both teams have return men that can go the distance.

It's gonna be fun.

 

[BOZ]

i won't be too torn up if the bears don't win - they just need to make it a good game. if they lay over and play dead, that's fun for no one.

 

[FickleGM]

i won't be too torn up if the bears don't win - they just need to make it a good game. if they lay over and play dead, that's fun for no one.

Well, almost no one.

 

[Dr. Harry]

Though, they used to:
http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=GROSSREX01

(Rex's grandfather, Rex Grossman Sr., played for the Colts in 1948 through 1950.)

Well. Live and learn. Funky.

 

[kenobi65]

Well. Live and learn. Funky.

And Rex had an uncle, Terry Cole, who was a running back for the Colts in Super Bowl III.