2006/07 Superbowl Preview

The word was that Colts head coach Tony Dungy couldn’t win the big one. His protégé Lovie Smith, head coach of the Bears, was starting to hear the same sort of stories after his team folded at home in the playoffs last season and then stumbled badly down the stretch of the regular season this year. But both are now standing in the spotlight as the first African-American head coaches to coach in the Super Bowl.

However, neither of them was carrying a primate as big as the gorilla that has been hanging on Peyton Manning’s back. King Kong is hanging on by his fingernails now as the former league MVP has finally gotten to the one game that has eluded him. Manning orchestrated a late game-winning drive to beat the rival Patriots in the AFC Championship Game last week, washing away years of playoff frustration and a sub-par postseason performance this year that had many thinking Manning might never reach the big game.

In Chicago, the season started with a seven-game winning streak led by QB Rex Grossman, who was one of the hottest passers in the league in September and October. But his game completely fell apart as the season progressed, and though the Bears still finished with a 6-3 record over the second half, it was the running game and the team’s dominating defense that carried the load. But injuries have hit that defense hard, and some still think that the Bears are in Miami more because of the poor play and mistake-ridden football of their opponents in the NFC playoffs than because of their own ability.

Can that defense answer the call one more time? Can Grossman overcome his shortcomings to lead his team to the title? And what about Manning, will the championship game Manning show up, or the Manning that threw five INT in his first two postseason games? Can the Colts defense continue to hold up against the run? While the explosive Colts offense and the dominating Bears defense will grab the headlines, expect the Indy defense and Chicago’s offense to make the difference in this game.

Manning showed last week that he still has the ability to make plays in the big spot and can put the Colts on his back and win the game when his team needs him to. But the key difference is the play of his defense, which despite its’ shortcomings, has the ability to keep Grossman in check and make enough plays against the run to give Manning and Dungy a chance to finally get the postseason monkey off their backs. Colts 30, Bears 24.

Here’s a look at some of the impact players for both teams:

Indianapolis Colts

OFFENSE

WR Marvin Harrison- Still a great WR who continues to be Peyton Manning’s go-to guy in the passing game. However, he has not produced in the playoffs as teams have worked hard to take him away with double teams.

TE Dallas Clark- He is the answer to all coverages that overplay Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison, which is the reason he is the leading receiver in this year’s playoffs.

RT Ryan Diem- An underrated OT who has to deal with more pass rush situations than most players at his position because of his QB. He occasionally needs help, but can stand on his own when needed.

RG Jake Scott- Inside run game has improved dramatically in playoffs due to the play of Scott and the interior linemen. Moves his feet well and is very quick off the snap, and also moves well laterally, making him an ideal blocker for the Colts stretch play in the run game.

C Jeff Saturday- A technically sound player, both as a run blocker and in pass protection. He is smart, tough, and durable, but sometimes struggles as a single blocker against bigger DT’s.

LG Ryan Lilja- Very athletic, smart, and tough, which makes him a perfect fit for the Colts zone blocking scheme. He moves well and can adjust on the fly.

LT Tarik Glenn- A terrific pass blocker, but only an adequate run blocker. He will struggle with a bigger, more physical defender, but the Bears don’t pose that threat, making this a good matchup spot for the Colts.

WR Reggie Wayne- Wayne is the only #2 WR in the NFL who is really a #1. He normally aligns to the left on the opposite side of the formation from Marvin Harrison, and has become the bigger deep threat and more of a “go-to” guy as coverages have shifted towards stopping Harrison.

QB Peyton Manning- He has a lot of ghosts in his closet when it comes to playoff football, and it’s been worse this year than most. He has thrown more INT than TD and has struggled with perceived pressure. But the defense is finally backing him up. He doesn’t have to do it all on his own anymore.

RB Joseph Addai- An explosive back who is much better in the open field than between the tackles and the back more capable of the big play. He is also an accomplished receiver. But he seems to have hit the rookie wall and is struggling with a chest injury. He also struggles in pass protection, so look for more of Dominic Rhodes in the Super Bowl.

RB Dominic Rhodes- Runs with more power than most people expect from a 5-9, 210-pound back. Showed in the game against the Ravens that he is capable of being the go-to guy in crunch time. He is not as good a receiver as Addai, but he is a much better blocker.

PK Adam Vinatieri- Simply put, the best kicker in the history of the NFL. His number compare favorably with Jan Stenerud, the only pure kicker in the Hall of Fame. He has made 8 FG in these playoffs, five of them over 40 yards.

Third WR

WR Aaron Moorehead- When in game, Wayne in slot and Moorehead outside. Peyton not afraid to go to him in single coverage. Has speed. Spot intended for Ricky Proehl. Done nice job filling in.

Two-TE

TE Ben Utecht- A steady, reliable check down receiver who lacks the strength to be a factor as a blocker in the run game.

PR-KOR

KR-PR Terrence Wilkins- Handles kickoff returns and punt returns. Had a career year with 52 KOR for 1,272 yards and a 24.5-yard average. Has excellent speed and open field running ability and had four returns of 40 yards or more.

DEFENSE

LDE Robert Mathis- A completely undersized pass rusher who is asked to play over the OT at 235 pounds. But because protection is constantly shifted towards Dwight Freeney, he gets his chances.

LDT Anthony McFarland- Was obtained by the Colts in a trade this season to fill the vacancy left by Corey Simon and Montae Reagor. He has come on late in the season and is a big reason the Colts are allowing just 3.4 yards per carry in the playoffs.

RDT Raheem Brock- A natural DE who moved inside to DT due to injuries. Though he has improved against the run in the playoffs, he is a better player off the edge.

RDE Dwight Freeney – Is coming off a sub-par season where he was almost non-existent at times. He has gotten his moves back though and is playing better in the playoffs. His speed creates mismatch problems for every OT and almost always requires double teams.

SLB Rob Morris - The Colts intended for him to be a backup this season, but inconsistent play by the defense this season forced him into the lineup. A smart player who lacks ideal athleticism.

MLB Gary Brackett – An undersized player who won the job from Morris because he does a better job of dropping into coverage in the Tampa Two scheme. Struggles against the run and compensates by over-committing and will get burned by play action pass.

WLB Cato June – His play was very inconsistent early in the season, but he is very athletic and can excel in coverage against WR’s and as a blitzer.

LCB Nick Harper - Harper is a solid player who was maligned during the season, but as the pass rush has improved, so has his play. He can play some man coverage if needed.

News Source: New York Jets