Super Bowl XLI - Chicago Bears vs Indianapolis Colts, February 4th

In My Humble Opinion
21

[QUOTE=Omniscient]
I don’t personally think the two back head coaches angle is very meaningful. While it is a first, it doesn’t feel like it’s breaking any barriers. Back when Doug Williams became the first black QB in a Super Bowl there was a fair number of moderate people who didn’t think a black QB could play the QB position. It was important when he won that game. Now, I don’t think there are very many people, blatant racists aside, who doubt that a black head coach can do the job. Everyone accepts that they are equals. So in that way, having a black head coach in the big game is just a matter of bookkeeping at this point. It was a foregone conclusion that it’s happen eventually.

Seems like a non-story beyond simple trivia.
[/QUOTE]

Oddly enough, Williams really wasn’t that good of a quaterback. He had an amazing game that day however.

The NFL is a pure business now. Coaches pick the players who will win and franchises pick the coaches who will win. End of story.

22

[QUOTE=Kiros]
I say a prayer for Good Rex every night before I go to bed.
[/QUOTE]
Hee hee…is there a patron saint of football I could appeal to, I wonder?

23

Looked it up…apparently not, but St. Sebastian is the patron saint of athletes. Maybe he can help!

24

Omni, make sure you carry or wear something distinctive so we can see you on TV. And tell us where you’re sitting so we can spot you.

My pick? I’d love Chicago to win, but I don’t think it’s their year. Indy by 14.

25

I think it looks like a great game full of entertainment possibility, and it’s the first Super Bowl I’ve actually decided to watch in recent years, as opposed to taking the “meh…if I’m around and bored, and in the living room, and not in the mood to do something else…I might flip over to that channel” approach.

The Bears may not have the iron-clad defense they had earlier in the season, but they sure do have an aggressive one that will try to pry the ball out of someone’s cold, dead fingers. And the colts are a truly distinctive offensive team. Even if you don’t like Manning or their style of play, you can at least appreciate them for having an identity.

I’m openly pulling for the colts because I hate having to listen to rote repetition of the “Manning/Dungy can’t win the Big One” assumption over and over again. Any outcome that will trigger a shift to a new sound bite ideology among announcers and sports writers is fine by me. I don’t expect originality from pundits, but I can at least hope for a fresh cliche now and then. :smiley:

26

[QUOTE=Omniscient]
People forget that Good Rex isn’t just decent, he’s really, really good. He posted seven Passer Ratings over 100 this season (and another 98.6 game) which is the same number that Manning posted. Each are tied for most in the NFL this season. Of course Bad Rex is equally bad, if not worse, but if Good Rex shows up the disparity between the two isn’t very wide. The Bears have been running the ball better than anyone this post-season and they have a big edge in the return game.

I think this match-up is a hell of a lot more compelling than people have been giving it credit for in the media.
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I heard that Grossman was second in games with a passer rating over 100 behind Marc Bulger of the Rams,but I can’t find the stat anywhere.

27

Comparing Rex to Peyton? Are ya kidding me? You have to be a real Bears fan to even think they are in the same class. This is Rex’s first full year as a starter, and yes he did make it to the “show” but come on, the Bears play in the NFC north for pete’s sake!

the Bears first 8 games:

Packers
Lions
Vikings
Seahawks (no Alexander and Hasslebeck was hurt)
Bills
Cardinals
49ers
Dolphins

Ohhhh… tough schedule!

The Colts first 8:

Giants
Texans
jacksonville
Jets
Titans
Redskins
Broncos
Patriots

So yes, Rex played well against some very weak teams. Good for him. But to even say he is as good as Peyton is just silly. Peyton is a HoF easily, and the only (I believe) QB who still calls his own plays in the huddle. No stupid arm band for him.

Now the Bears may win this game, but not because they are a better team, but because it just happens to be their day. But I doubt it. Colts take this one by 10.

28

[QUOTE=MadTheSwine]
I heard that Grossman was second in games with a passer rating over 100 behind Marc Bulger of the Rams,but I can’t find the stat anywhere.
[/QUOTE]

I heard that he tied for the lead in games wtih 100+ ratings, and had the most games with an under 40 rating.

No cite.

29

[QUOTE=MadTheSwine]
I heard that Grossman was second in games with a passer rating over 100 behind Marc Bulger of the Rams,but I can’t find the stat anywhere.
[/QUOTE]

Oops. You are correct sir! Bulger did post 8 plus-100 rating games this season. Manning and Grossman trail with seven apiece.

30

[QUOTE=Dob]
Comparing Rex to Peyton? Are ya kidding me? You have to be a real Bears fan to even think they are in the same class. This is Rex’s first full year as a starter, and yes he did make it to the “show” but come on, the Bears play in the NFC north for pete’s sake!

the Bears first 8 games:

Packers
Lions
Vikings
Seahawks (no Alexander and Hasslebeck was hurt)
Bills
Cardinals
49ers
Dolphins

Ohhhh… tough schedule!

The Colts first 8:

Giants
Texans
jacksonville
Jets
Titans
Redskins
Broncos
Patriots

So yes, Rex played well against some very weak teams. Good for him. But to even say he is as good as Peyton is just silly. Peyton is a HoF easily, and the only (I believe) QB who still calls his own plays in the huddle. No stupid arm band for him.

Now the Bears may win this game, but not because they are a better team, but because it just happens to be their day. But I doubt it. Colts take this one by 10.
[/QUOTE]

Calm down there big guy. Nowhere did I attempt to imply that Grossman is in Peyton’s class. I was simply pointing out that the gulf between them isn’t that large, and Rex isn’t even in the ballpark of “worst Super Bowl QB ever”. He’s had some awful games, but he’s had some truly great games too. Grossman has been better than Manning in this postseason and the Bears offense can be as dominant as any on a given day.

Also, Hasselbeck sure as shit wasn’t hurt in their game against Seattle (either time!) and Grossman outplayed Hasselbeck in both.

Rex had his 100+ rating games against the 25th, 16th, 7th, 26th, 28th, 8th and 19th passing defenses. Manning had his against the 22nd, 14th, 23rd, 21st, 32nd, 22nd (again), and 5th. So how exactly is Rex’s sampling so much worse than Mannings?

Look, Manning is great, a HOFer etc. But if you think Rex is Trent Dilfer you’re sadly mistaken.

31

Heh. Bears Inspire A City Still Reeling From Great Chicago Fire Of 1871

Goddamn that’s funny. Low and crass, but funny.

32

I will not calm down! Whats the point of trash talking Football in a nice, polite, educated way? :slight_smile:

Rex:

54% completion rating
Sacked 21 times
20ints/23 TD
73.9% QB Rating

Peyton
101 QB Rating
31TD’s/9 INT
65% completion rate
14 sacks
over 4,100 yds passing

You’re right, the “gulf” isnt that large… assuming you mean the Gulf of Mexico…

Because the Bears had a deffense that actually helped out the offense. Put Rex on the Colts this year and they would have been a 8-8 team if they were lucky.

33

The Bears’ defense has been very suspect lately. In the four games before the NFC championship, they gave up an average of 25 points per game, and three of those games were against the Bucs, Lions and Packers. As for that Saints game, true, they did hold one of the best offenses in the league to just two touchdowns, but the Saints are an indoor team. Their offense is built on speed, and the turf on Soldier Field that day had worse footing than in any other game I watched this season.

I know their defense is very good at full strength (why Brian Urlacher has been named the most overrated player by other players is beyond me), but they’ve been without Tommie Harris and Mike Brown for several weeks and will be again this week. It definitely shows.

Good Rex has shown up in a couple other big games this season, and I think he’ll be back for this one. The Bears have run the ball well so far this postseason, but the Colts, despite their regular season problems, have been very good against the run in their last three games. I can’t really see the running games dictating how this game turns out, and if it comes down to Peyton vs. Good Rex, I gotta stick with Peyton.

Indy 27 - Da Bers 24

34

[QUOTE=Dob]
Rex:

54% completion rating
Sacked 21 times
20ints/23 TD
73.9% QB Rating

Peyton
101 QB Rating
31TD’s/9 INT
65% completion rate
14 sacks
over 4,100 yds passing

You’re right, the “gulf” isnt that large… assuming you mean the Gulf of Mexico…
[/QUOTE]

You’re misrepresenting my point. If you take the seasons on the whole it’s a no brainer. My point was that Good Rex played well enough to be compared to Manning. Unfortunately we don’t have a very good idea of what kind of QB Rex Grossman is because his highs have been through the roof and his lows have been downright subterranean. I’m not sure we’ve seen Typical Rex yet. So, based on that premise, hoping that Good Rex shows up, we will have ourselves one hell of a matchup of QBs.

35

[QUOTE=Omniscient]
You’re misrepresenting my point. If you take the seasons on the whole it’s a no brainer. My point was that Good Rex played well enough to be compared to Manning. Unfortunately we don’t have a very good idea of what kind of QB Rex Grossman is because his highs have been through the roof and his lows have been downright subterranean. I’m not sure we’ve seen Typical Rex yet. So, based on that premise, hoping that Good Rex shows up, we will have ourselves one hell of a matchup of QBs.
[/QUOTE]
I remember pointing this out in another thread, but I’ll say it again here.

During his initial run of terrible games, the boys on NFL Live dissected his play with game film. Their analysis showed that Rex was playing the exact same way in his bad games as he was in his good ones; throwing into triple coverage, etc… The only difference was that the defenses he faced in the beginning of the season were spectacularly incompetent, plus the fact that his receivers were making crazy circus catches.

I’m reminded of last night’s Federer-Roddick debacle. The commentators repeatedly made the point that for Roddick to win, two players had to perform. He had to play his absolute best, and Federer had to have a bad match. (Federer had a decent match, thus he beat poor Roddick into the dirt.)

Good Rex isn’t really Rex at all; it’s a combination of bad defense and great play by his receivers. Rex has been the same guy all along.

Peyton Manning, OTOH, earned his high ratings fair and square with consistently exceptional play. I’m rooting for the Bears all the way in this one, but you are seriously deluding yourself if you think that on his best day Rex could even carry Peyton’s jock.

36

[QUOTE=Ellis Dee]
During his initial run of terrible games, the boys on NFL Live dissected his play with game film. Their analysis showed that Rex was playing the exact same way in his bad games as he was in his good ones; throwing into triple coverage, etc… The only difference was that the defenses he faced in the beginning of the season were spectacularly incompetent, plus the fact that his receivers were making crazy circus catches.

Good Rex isn’t really Rex at all; it’s a combination of bad defense and great play by his receivers. Rex has been the same guy all along.
[/QUOTE]

I usually agree with most of what the NFL Live guys do, but speaking as a person how watched every single one of Rex’s snaps this season I’ll tell you with as much certainty as a person can have that Rex’s good games were not the same as his bad games. It wasn’t just poor defense and acrobatic catches.

When Rex is confident and dealing he steps into his throws and puts the ball on a spot. When he’s off and uncertain he chucks it off his back foot and the ball sails on the WRs. When he has adequate time he puts the ball into gaps in the zone, when he’s struggling those throws come a step too late when the receiver is past the window in the defense and it goes right into coverage.

Anyone can cherry pick a couple plays where he throws into coverage and is successful versus other times when he’s not. It’s true that he has a little bit of Brett Favre in him, he’ll try and force the ball when he doesn’t need to. But those good games, taken on the whole, were superior performances. It wasn’t simply a matter inept defenses. He wasn’t getting lucky break after lucky break. He was throwing the deep ball into the bucket consistently.

At his best he’s not Manning, I understand that, but he’s pretty fucking good.

37

Colts Colts and more Colts!

The Hoosiers will prevail by 3

38

I have an odd question … which jerseys will the teams wear? Neither one is at home. They are both “away.” So who wears what? And how is that decided?

Thanks!

39

[QUOTE=Avarie537]
I have an odd question … which jerseys will the teams wear? Neither one is at home. They are both “away.” So who wears what? And how is that decided?

Thanks!
[/QUOTE]

Da Bears are the designated home team and, I think, have the option to pick which jersey they want to wear.

40

[QUOTE=Avarie537]
They are both “away.” So who wears what? And how is that decided?
[/QUOTE]
Both teams’ season ticket holders get equal access to tickets for the Superbowl, so it isn’t a normal home/away situation.

However, the home/away distinction still applies to who gets to pick which jerseys they want to wear and who calls the coin toss(es). The conferences alternate being home each year.

Assuming MadTheSwine is correct, last year the AFC team was home, this year it’s the NFC, next year the AFC, etc…