With two weeks left until Bears-Colts, every angle and storyline of the game will be dissected inside and out. So I wanted to get there first before it all gets stale.

The clash of coaching friends Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith gives the media a ready-made "Jerome Bettis is from Detroit" storyline, but I'm much more interested in the matchups on the field.

Both teams play the Cover Two defense, so big plays should be hard to come by. Peyton Manning showed great patience all season long by taking the check down pass and leading the Colts on long scoring drives. When the Colts fell behind by 18 points against the Patriots Sunday, they didn't panic. They surgically went up and down the field for three straight touchdowns. That patience will pay off on Super Bowl Sunday.

The Bears defense has tightened up when they needed to the last two weeks, but they have consistently given up big yardage since November. The Colts, who are so efficient on third down and in the red zone, are likely make Chicago pay for that yardage.

Chicago's offense is predicated on the running game and the vertical strike to Bernard Berrian. The Colts defense can match Chicago's speed, so the Bears will have to rely on the running game.

The Patriots played into Indy's hands by running only 23 times despite leading most of the AFC Championship. The Colts have improved at stopping the run in the playoffs, but stopping the other team from even attempting the run has been vital. Chicago doesn't play well from behind, so the ability of Thomas Jones, Cedric Benson, and the Bears offensive line to set the tempo early will be key.

Rex Grossman has survived the playoffs, but patience isn't his virtue. It's hard to imagine him directing Chicago on a bunch of 15-play drives filled with passes over the middle. It also may be tough for Grossman to have enough time in the pocket for big plays when Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis are flying after him.

If the Bears are going to keep up with Indy's offense, the formula will be similar to their effort in the NFC Championship game. They will have to play physical, force turnovers, and give their offense a short field. Devin Hester, if he can hold on the ball, also looms large against a Colts special teams unit that has given up too many big plays.

There will be a lot of talk about the coaches in the next two weeks, but this is a Super Bowl where coaching shouldn't make a big difference. Both sides play the Cover Two defense and rarely add many wrinkles to it.

The best players will win and the Colts have the best quarterback in the NFL. They have shown great mental toughness throughout the season by winning in a variety of ways. It's their time.

If you thought there were a lot of Peyton Manning commercials now, just wait until he wins a Super Bowl.

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal at 11:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As poorly as the Patriots defense played in the second half (and as great as Peyton Manning was), Tom Brady and the Patriots offense still had multiple chances to put the game away.

After the Colts had scored three straight touchdowns, their next three drives were punt, field goal, punt.

Brady and the Patriots were driving inside the 30-yard line, and two questionable throws by Brady led to a field goal to take the lead 34-31. The Patriots defense then stopped Indianapolis three-and-out to get the ball back with good field position with 3:22 left and the lead.

At that point, a first down or two probably wins the game. The Patriots took a ridiculous 12 men in the huddle penalty, then converted two passes for 11 yards, and was stopped on third-and-four.

Peyton Manning's final 30 minutes were nearly flawless. He made a handful of throws no other quarterback could make. He led the Colts on one of the most memorable game-winning drives in playoff history. But the Patriots gave him the opportunity by not playing good situational football.

The Colts won because they had just a little more energy and mental toughness on Sunday. And the better quarterback.

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Win or lose, we'll be talking about this final drive of Peyton Manning and the Colts for a long time.

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Reche Caldwell has dropped two wildly open plays in the red zone. The Patriots managed to score a touchdown after the first one. They weren't so lucky this time. The Patriots have made some key mistakes, like illegal shift penalties, that have cost them points.

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal at 09:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Patriots get their first stop since midway through the second quarter after Reggie Wayne gets tackled by the turf monster and Peyton Manning trips on Joseph Addai's foot.

28-28 fourth quarter, ten minutes to go, the best rivalry in the NFL. Peyton Manning and Tom Brady both slinging. It doesn't get much better than this.

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal at 09:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After three quarters, the Colts have run 17 more plays and held the ball four more minutes than the Patriots, who are playing tired on defense.

Rashad Baker is in at safety for the first time all year for strong safety Artrell Hawkins, who is hurt. Rosevelt Colvin has been in and out of the game, presumably with cramps.

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal at 09:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Ellis Hobbs kick return gave the Patriots a shot of life when they desperately needed one. The long review after Jabar Gaffney's touchdown also gave the New England defense a much-needed break.

Peyton Manning is playing excellent after his slow start and the Patriots defense has shown no ability to slow the Colts offense down the last two drives. We could have a final score in the upper 30's.

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal at 09:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

... between the Patriots and Colts at halftime.

The greatest Saints team in franchise history wasn't good enough to make the Super Bowl.

Facing the most opportunistic defense in the league, the Saints became too one-dimensional. The Bears knew Drew Brees was passing every down and they got to him. The Chicago defensive line beat the Saints up front. The Chicago offensive line pushed New Orleans around, running at will for stretches of the game.

It's trite, but this Saints team will be remembered for generations in New Orleans. There weren't many dry eyes in the Superdome last week, and there probably aren't many as I write this.

I suspect the Saints will still receive a hero's welcome at Louis Armstrong International Airport late tonight or Monday morning. I wouldn't be surprised if they received a parade. In a town conditioned to the worst possible result happening, an NFC Championship loss won't feel so bad.

Note:I won't be liveblogging the Patriots game, but I'll be back for some Super Bowl thoughts after the game. Thanks for checking in and dealing with our technical difficulties.

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal at 06:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Drew Brees safety is an easy one to pick out.

The 33-yard athletic grab from Bernard Berrian put Chicago in complete control.

But I'd like to take it back to an 11-yard run by Saints FB Mike Karney in the third quarter. The Saints were on a roll dialing up the right play calls, down two points, with a first-and-ten and under eight minutes left in the quarter.

The Saints dialed up three straight passes, and the Bears tightened up and stopped each one. If there has been a trademark to these two Bears win, that's it. Chicago's defense will once again give up over 350 total yards. But whenever they needed a stop against the Seahawks, they came up with one.

With the game about to turn against the Saints, they found a way to get a stop. After Rex Grossman went three-and-out to give the Saints the ball back, they scored some points on their own. They would go on to score two more turnovers and fail to give up any more points.

I thought that both of these teams had weaknesses entering today, but that the New Orleans offense was the best side on either team. I was wrong. The Chicago defense had the most playmakers and the best unit. Just like they started the season.

Posted by Gregg Rosenthal at 06:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)