THE MORNING AFTER SUPER BOWL XLI

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Fran The Fan - THE MORNING AFTER SUPER BOWL XLI

The Bears proved to be a sham, Grossman = Boller, the better team won...

Posted On: 2/5/07

Written By:

Fran "The Fan" Vojik

Morning-After Thoughts…..

· I never saw such a poorly played first half in a Super Bowl. It reminded me of SB V, also in Miami, when the [Baltimore] Colts defeated the Cowboys. I couldn’t wait for the commercial breaks.

· On the other hand,

o I thought the SB XLI advertisements were, overall, rather mediocre.

· The weather was supposed to be the great equalizer. Are you kidding me? If field conditions were dry the Colts may have won by 30 points. I can think of five AFC teams beside the Colts who could have handled the Bears.

· I don't want to hear any excuses about rain or wet balls. Not only couldn't the Bears run effectively or pass when they needed to, their tackling was atrocious. Brian Urlacher did not make me forget Ray Lewis.

· Be honest:

o Poorly thrown passes, fumbled snaps. Tripping over his own feet. Tell me that Rex Grossman’s play didn’t remind you of Kyle Boller.

· Grossman’s QB rating for the game was 68.3% and I think that’s generous.

· Devin Hester took one to the house as I predicted, but then the Colts wised up and made sure he didn’t touch the ball without six Colts around him. If the Horseshoes had done that on the opening kickoff, it’s 29-10, as in rout.

· I bet this is the last time Rex Grossman ever calls out the media for being critical of his play. Jay Mariotti (ESPN) for one, tore him a new a-hole Monday morning in the Chicago Sun Times. And you know the rest of the media folks in Chi-town will never let him forget this performance.

· Ditto for the national guys, who have long, long memories. Many of the national scribes have never forgiven Brian Billick for his “I know your job better than you do” rant 6 years ago.

· Something you’ll never hear:

o Tony Dungy, ala Dennis Green, saying “They’re as bad as we thought they were!!!”

· There’s something to that two-back set that Indy runs so well. I think the Bears were seriously hampered when Cedric Benson went down. Thomas Jones couldn’t handle it all. Did you see that, Ozzie and Brian?

· Along that line,

o Dominic Rhodes won himself more than just a huge ring. Today he wakes up as an UFA who’s due for a big payday. Wouldn’t he look good in purple and black, teaming with Mike Anderson?

· Bottom (and final) line:

o The better team won (Sorry, Colts haters). But I it think should be a Purple Point of Pride that the Ravens were the only team to hold Indy to no TDs and only 15 points during their SB run. Now if Steve McNair had only played better 3 weeks ago.......Woulda, coulda, shoulda……..