NFL Betting - Colts and Bears Super Bowl XLI
by: Betus.com
With the Super Bowl matchup
finally set, it is time to once again take an
in-depth look at each team and examine both their
strengths and weaknesses, as well as make a prediction
on the outcome of the game, the point spread and
over/under line.
So, without further adieu,
here goes nothing.
Indianapolis Colts (15-4)
After years of being frustrated,
usually at the hands of the New England Patriots,
the Colts have finally reached the 'Big Game'
under Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning's leadership.
After a roller coaster ride
of a regular season that saw the Colts field the
league's worst run defense, becoming the first
team in 22 years to yield 100 yards rushing in
every game, Indianapolis has somehow transformed
themselves into a team that knows how to win in
other ways besides just outscoring their opponents,
as they showed with their ugly 15-6 win over the
Baltimore Ravens in the AFC divisional round.
Offensively, the Colts will
try to do what they do week in and week out -
let Manning win them the game with his rocket
right arm and, more importantly, his superior
quarterbacking mind - not to mention just enough
running from elusive rookie rusher Joseph Addai
and veteran, Dominic Rhodes. The Colts will, however,
have their work more than cut out for them against
an outstanding Bears defense.
In order for Manning to be
effective passing the ball, and to stop the Bears
from blitzing him like crazy, Indy will need to
run the ball with some effectiveness. This will
allow Manning to use play-action passes with more
effectiveness.
If The Colts can't run the
ball effectively, Manning's job will be much tougher.
The first order of business
for the Colts, defensively, will be to continue
their stellar play this postseason against the
run. If the Colts can stop Chicago's rushing attack,
then they should be able to unleash their formidable
pass rush, featuring defensive ends Dwight Freeney
and Robert Mathis, on Chicago’s often shaky
quarterback, Rex Grossman.
If the Colts can't figure
out a way to stop the Bears two-headed rushing
attack of Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, they
will be in a lot of trouble no matter how many
points Manning puts on the board.
Chicago Bears (15-3)
The Bears appear to be firing
on all cylinders after their emphatic win over
the New Orleans Saints in the NFC championship
game. However, the Colts won't be quite as easily
to conquer as were the valiant, but overmatched
and inexperienced, young Saints.
The first order of business
for the Bears will be to continue their often
overpowering rushing attack led by severely underrated
veteran Thomas Jones and his highly touted backup,
first-round pick, Cedric Benson.
If the Bears can't run the
ball effectively, which they have done pretty
well all year long, quarterback Rex Grossman,
could end up buried beneath a landslide of Indianapolis
blitzes or hurried into some of the ill-timed
throws that almost cost him his starting job earlier
this season.
The Bears, even without all-world
defensive tackle, Tommie Harris and Pro Bowl caliber
safety Mike Brown, are still one of the top defensive
units in all of football and feature several other
genuine playmakers, like cornerbacks Nathan Vasher
and Ricky Manning Jr., not to mention sideline-to-sideline
ballhawk, middle linebacker, Brian Urlacher.
If the Bears can effectively
stop the Colts from running the ball, it will
help in their tall task of stopping Manning and
his overly talented receiving core, headed up
by future Hall of Famer, Marvin Harrison.
Even if the Bears do
manage to contain Addai and Rhodes to a certain
degree, they
will still face the best
quarterback on the planet in Manning, who will
just take what the Bears defense gives him until
they make a mistake he can capitalize on.
The Line: Chicago + 6.5 At
Indianapolis Over/Under 48.5
My Superbowl XLI Pick:
To be totally honest about
it, I have been on a roll of nearly epic proportions
since the playoffs began and I expect another
cover in this game as well. I think this matchup
is going to be one of the best Super Bowls we've
seen in the last half-decade and another down-to-the-wire
finish. However, I firmly believe that Manning
will somehow find a way to win his first Super
Bowl championship, while Grossman may succumb
to the pressures of the biggest game in his career
with a two-interception game that even the Bears
overpowering defense and rushing attack won't
be able to overcome.
Let's not be foolish though
- the Bears should cover the insanely high point
spread and, in the process, send this game well
over the 48.5 over/under line. Let's call this
game, Indianapolis 31 Chicago 27
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Eric Williams is a sports
columnist for the Philadelphia Sunday Sun, and
Sr. NBA analyst for basketball.com as well as
a nationally syndicated freelance writer for both
print and online publications. To contact Eric,
e-mail, [email protected].
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Posted on 1/29/2007 5:17:24
PM
NFL Betting - Colts and Bears Super Bowl XLI
By Eric Williams
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