Bears-Lions Preview

The inactives are in, and it doesn't look good. The entire opening day secondary will be out today, as SS Adam Archuleta and CBs Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher will all sit. LB Lance Briggs is also out. DT Tommie Harris is apparently active, but it's not known how much he will play, if any. The Bears get a break with Lions WR Calvin Johnson also being inactive, but the kids in the secondary (Kevin Payne, Corey Graham, Trumaine McBride) will definitely have their hands full today. Chicago's front seven must get consistent pressure on Lions QB Jon Kitna, or this could get ugly in a hurry. On offense, expect more even ball distribution from new starting QB Brian Griese. Rex Grossman had his radar locked onto Bernard Berrian, but now Muhsin Muhammad and TEs Desmond Clark and Greg Olsen should get more looks. Cedric Benson must come up big and hold on to the football, because the Bears have to control the clock and keep the high-flying Lions off the field. This is a virtual must-win game for the Bears, and I think they'll pull it off, but not by much.

Bears 27, Lions 24

Bears-Cowboys Preview

In a game that may eventually decide home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, the Bears host the Cowboys tonight on Sunday Night Football. All the talk has been about the high-octane Cowboys offense and the Bears' inability to score, but the Bears thrive on being doubted, and I expect a strong showing from the home team tonight under the lights. The offense finally gets rookie TE Greg Olsen in the lineup, and his size and speed should help draw defensive attention away from Bernard Berrian. Also look for Devin Hester to finally get his first touches on offense. Cedric Benson doesn't have to be spectacular, but he has to move the chains. I think this could be the game that defines Rex Grossman's career, his career in Chicago anyway. If he plays well and leads the Bears to victory, he might finally be on the right track. If he struggles again and the Bears lose, I think a move to Brian Griese might only be a week or two away. With all of his weapons available and a Cowboys secondary that has given up more TD passes than all but two teams, there is no reason for him not to succeed tonight as long as the offensive line and backs can pick up blitzes against the Cowboys' 3-4 front. The media can't wait to put Tony Romo in the Hall of Fame (some already have), but he hasn't seen a defense like this yet. The linebackers have joined the sack party now, with Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs each recording one last week against the Chiefs, and new defensive coordinator Bob Babich has this unit playing more aggressively than it ever has. Charles Tillman, a corner with above-average size, may be matched up one-on-one with Terrell Owens. The Bears also must keep an eye on TE Jason Witten, who is basically Romo's #2 target. People conveniently forget that Romo fumbled more times than Grossman did in fewer games last season, and if Romo starts running around too much, he may get hit and cough the ball up once or twice.

Bears 27, Cowboys 16

Bears-Chiefs Preview

I saw a lot of overreacting after last week's loss to the Chargers. The biggest loss for the Bears wasn't the game itself, it was losing free safety Mike Brown for the season yet again, this time with a torn ACL. That defense just isn't the same without him, no matter how much Danieal Manning may have improved in the offseason. The defense really can't afford to lose any more of its star players. Rex Grossman was expected to struggle last week, and he wound up with a so-so game. The notion that he wasn't capable of rallying the team to victory is ridiculous, because the Bears had only one offensive possession in the second half where they didn't turn the ball over (Grossman had nothing to do with any of those turnovers). Today, he is expected to light up the Chiefs like he lit up many opponents in the first half of last season. If he doesn't, the Bears might have a problem. Cedric Benson should be running harder than ever after Shaun Phillips' diss a few days ago. Look for him to do his best Larry Johnson impression. Speaking of LJ, the Bears must make sure to wrap up when tackling him. With Eddie Kennison out, Johnson and Tony Gonzalez are the two players that the Bears can't let beat them. I think that Grossman looks better today and hooks up with Bernard Berrian for a TD or two. Benson scores at least once too. And Damon Huard will run for his life.

Bears 27, Chiefs 6

Bears-Chargers Preview

The big offensive key to this game will be protecting Rex Grossman. Most of the Chargers' defensive stars are in their front seven. Give Grossman time to look downfield, and he can hit Bernard Berrian deep and Desmond Clark over the middle. If Grossman sees Shawne Merriman and Co. in his face too many times, it could be a long day. I don't expect Cedric Benson to have a big day, but he has to get what he can against that tough Charger front and make sure he picks up blitzes. On defense, the key will be focusing on limiting LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates. Those are the two players on that offense that you can't let beat you. Make Philip Rivers, who also had a shaky finish to last season, beat you. Bring constant pressure on him and force him into quick decisions. I think the Bears' defense can hold the Chargers' offense down; it's a matter of whether the Bears can score enough on the Chargers. Not having rookie TE Greg Olsen will hurt, but I think the Bears can pull this out if they can win the turnover battle.

Bears 17, Chargers 16

2008 Season Preview

Here we go, another new season. A season of the highest expectations for the Bears since, well, maybe 1986. Going into last season, some people thought the Bears might be able to go to the Super Bowl. This year, anything less than a return trip would be a big disappointment. The defense is there, and looks even better than last year's unit. The special teams lost good contributors like Todd Johnson and Cameron Worrell, but the main key players (Devin Hester, Robbie Gould, and Brad Maynard) are still there. Going into training camp, I said that this season hinged on one player: Cedric Benson. After Rex Grossman's occasional preseason misadventures, I'm more concerned about Grossman than I was a few weeks ago, but I still think he will show improvement. Even if Grossman regresses, Brian Griese is waiting in the wings. If Benson doesn't have a great year or gets injured again, the Bears would be in big trouble. Questions about Adrian Peterson's ability to carry a full load and rookie Garrett Wolfe's size make runningback the Bears' most vulnerable position. Media types around the country are looking for reasons why the Bears won't make it back to the Super Bowl, but if key players on both sides of the ball stay healthy and Grossman and Benson play to their capabilities, the Bears will be playing in Glendale, AZ on February 3rd, 2008.

Super Bowl XLI Preview: Bears vs. Colts

Here we go, the last day of the season. Which Rex Grossman will show up? Is it Peyton Manning's time? If the Colts win this game, it would be because they played better for 60+ minutes, not because it's Manning's time or because the AFC is "superior". If the Bears win this game, it would be because they were able to dominate the line of scrimmage with their offensive and defensive lines. As usual, the "experts" are mostly against the Bears, and many fans want this to be Manning's coronation. After all the hype and the hoopla, we're down to one game, one dream. Without further ado, here is my in-depth preview of Super Bowl XLI:

Offense
Bears Gameplan
The single biggest factor in this game will be the Bears' running game. Can the Bears run the ball successfully against a much-improved Colts run defense? They'll have to if they want to have any chance of winning this game. The Bears will come out trying to pound the ball down the Colts' throats. We'll see Thomas Jones to start the game, but Cedric Benson, who usually comes in for the game's third series, may come in as early as the second series in an effort to start wearing down the Colts' defense. The Colts' run defense has obviously improved in the playoffs, allowing only 73 yards per game (as opposed to 173 per game during the regular season). Part of this is because of the return of free safety Bob Sanders, and part of it is simply better execution (tackling, positioning, etc.). However, this doesn't change the fact that their defensive line is undersized and can be overpowered like it was at times late in the regular season. Even if the Bears don't have success running early on, they must stick with it as long as they can. The Chiefs, Ravens, and Patriots all gave up on the run too early. Chiefs RBs only ran the ball 14 times, Ravens RBs only 19 times, and Pats RBs only 20 times. The target for the Bears should be at least 35 carries, preferably at least 40. Another reason to run the ball early and often is to try to wear down Colts DEs Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis so they're not as effective in their pass rush. If/when the Colts sell out to stop the run by stacking the line and bringing Sanders as the eighth man in the box, it will be time for Rex Grossman to go to the air via play action and find Bernard Berrian deep. TE Desmond Clark has done a stellar job blocking during the postseason, but he'll likely have to become more of a pass-catching presence for Grossman to be successful. As I've said all season, this offense is at its best when Grossman is finding Clark over the middle and down the seam. There should be opportunities down the seam against the Colts' Cover-2 scheme. WR Muhsin Muhammad, one of the few Bears who have Super Bowl experience, also needs to become more of a factor in the passing game. Moose has just four catches in the Bears' two playoff games. As crazy as it sounds, I think the Bears should not limit Grossman in terms of playcalling. When Rex is repeatedly told to not make mistakes and just manage the game, he tries to be too cautious and doesn't make his throws accurately, often underthrowing or overthrowing his receivers. That's partially why he was only 3-12 in the first half against the Saints. When he has full confidence, he bounces around and zips the ball where it needs to go without hesitation. He also checks down to his RB and FB when there's nothing downfield. That's the Rex you saw in the first half of the season, and that's the Rex that would give the Bears a good chance to win this game.

Watch out for...
The Bears to try double moves off common routes, like the slant and go or out and up. Don't be surprised to see Devin Hester in some kind of trick play on offense, like a reverse. WR Rashied Davis has made clutch catches all season, and WR Mark Bradley (who missed the NFC Championship Game with a sprained ankle) has the best run-after-catch skills of any Bears WR. One or both of them could make a game-changing play. Their offensive line must come up big. The Bears could try to go after rookie safety Antoine Bethea and gimpy CB Nick Harper.

Colts Gameplan
The Colts will also likely try to establish the run with Joseph Addai early. If they have success, it would open up play action for Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark, and that would not be good for the Bears. If Addai does not have success early, the Colts would likely turn to Dominic Rhodes, who is more of a power back. One constant about the Colts' offense over the past several years is the stretch play, a play where Peyton Manning makes a long handoff to the RB while the entire offensive line slants in one direction. I don't think this play will be as effective against the Bears, whose linebackers like Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs can run sideline-to-sideline with the best of them. If the Colts are to have success running the ball against the Bears, I think they will have to run right at Urlacher to minimize his speed and force him to take on a blocker head-on. In the passing game, Manning will do what he always does: bring his team to the line quickly, make his pre-snap reads, change the play/protection (by yelling and making a series of funny hand/arm/leg movements) depending on what he sees, and then finally snap the ball. If Harrison is double-covered, he will gladly throw to Wayne or Clark. If no one is double-covered, he'll just throw it to the WR he thinks is open. Much has been made of Harrison's lack of success in his postseason career, but Manning will not force the ball to him just to make him happy. The Colts may use Wayne in the slot to try to create a mismatch. Clark has more speed and athletic ability than most TEs, and he could be a factor down the seam.

Watch out for...
The Colts' no-huddle offense. If the Bears' defense can't make plays to get off the field, it could wilt in the Miami heat in the second half. Also look for Manning to try to attack the Bears' safeties, particularly rookie Danieal Manning.

Edge
The Colts have the better QB. The RBs are about even. The offensive lines are about even. The Colts have the better receivers. The edge goes to the Colts here.


Defense
Bears Gameplan
The first thing the Bears must do to stop the Colts is stop their running game, particularly with their front seven. If the Colts are able to run on the Bears, that would open up play action for them, and the Colts' offense is at its deadliest when Manning is hitting Harrison, Wayne, and Clark downfield for big gains. The next thing the Bears must do is get pressure on Manning with their front four. Defensive ends Adewale Ogunleye and Alex Brown must not only continue their improved play in the playoffs, they must take it up a notch. If they can't, and they are forced to blitz, that would increase the likelihood of Manning finding someone for a big gain. Penetration, especially up the middle from Tank Johnson and Ian Scott, will be important in disrupting both the running game and Manning. The third thing the Bears must do on defense is stay disciplined. Manning will do his best to confuse the Bears with all of his various gestures. If the Bears start to panic and get out of their gaps/zones, that would leave some area(s) of the field open, and Manning would find those areas. The Bears must be careful to stay home and not get caught out of position, or it could be a long day for them. Another key will be trying to confuse Manning. You're not going to consistently confuse him, but all it takes is one bad read, and he might throw one to you. He's thrown six picks this postseason. Show zone, play man. Show man, play zone. Show blitz, back out. The Bears should also try their best to be physical with the Colts' WRs. The Bears, known as a Cover-2 defense, have played almost 50% man-to-man coverage in the past few games. Letting Harrison, Wayne, and Clark have a free release off the line would be asking for trouble. Getting at least a piece of them at the line could throw off the timing of some of their routes and give the Bears' pass rush the extra second or two it needs to get to Manning. Finally, perhaps the most important key of all: takeaways. Make sure to wrap up when tackling, but try to rip that ball out whenever possible. This defense found another level against the Saints. They'll have to find an even higher one today.

Watch out for...
Bears rookie DE Mark Anderson, who had 12 sacks in the regular season and had a big sack that forced a Drew Brees fumble in the NFC Championship Game. Anderson has the speed to get around any left tackle, though he may be slowed down a bit if the field is wet. Also watch for CB Ricky Manning Jr. to show man coverage, then switch to zone and jump routes. This is how he got some of his interceptions during the season. It has been proven that, if you can limit Manning's possessions, he sometimes gets impatient and makes mistakes.

Colts Gameplan
The Colts' first priority on defense should be trying to stop the Bears' running game. If they can't stop the Bears from running, this game could get ugly pretty quickly. When the Saints had success against the Bears' running game in the third quarter of the NFC Championship Game, most of it was due to penetration. Inside penetration will also be the key for the Colts to disrupt the Bears' running game. Without it, there's a good chance that the Bears' veteran offensive line will be able to overpower the Colts' undersized defensive line. The Colts' main priority on defense will likely be putting pressure on Grossman. Everyone knows how fast Dwight Freeney is. Robert Mathis is fast too. Bears LT John Tait and RT Fred Miller will have their hands full with those two speed rushers. The Bears may have to leave a TE or a back in to help them out.

Watch out for...
The effects of a grass, and possibly wet field on the Colts' defensive ends. Freeney and Mathis, including the playoffs, have combined for only 5.5 sacks on grass this season, as opposed to 13 on artificial turf. The Colts will also likely try defensive line stunts and twists to try to get penetration. Also watch for Bob Sanders to possibly be deployed as a blitzer. He is like a little heat-seeking missile, though his aggressiveness could help or hurt him.

Edge
The defensive lines are comparable. The Bears have the better LBs, including two of the best in the league in Urlacher and Briggs. The Bears are a little better and have more quality depth at CB. The Colts, with Sanders, have the edge at safety, but the Bears have the edge overall.

Special Teams
Bears
The Bears have the top special teams unit in the NFL. Their kickoff and punt coverage teams, led by special teams aces Brendon Ayanbadejo and Adrian Peterson, have done a very good job all year (though they had the occasional problem with returns along the sideline). Punter Brad Maynard has done a solid job as usual, especially in the playoffs, including the key punt that set up the Bears' safety on Drew Brees against the Saints. Kicker Robbie Gould has been exceptional this season, becoming the most accurate kicker in Bears history and earning a trip to the Pro Bowl. And what else can you say about rookie return man Devin Hester, who had six return TDs in the regular season. If Hester can break a big play, especially for a TD, it would greatly increase the Bears' chances of winning. Even if the Colts kick away from him, they would still be giving away field position by squib kicking on kickoffs or punting the ball short and out of bounds.

Colts
The Colts' kickoff and punt coverage teams ranked near the bottom of the league in the regular season, and the Patriots' Ellis Hobbs had a lot of success returning kickoffs against them in the AFC Championship Game. I'm sure that this has been a point of emphasis for them the past two weeks, but I doubt that they can fix all of their coverage problems in two weeks. Punter Hunter Smith was tied for last in the NFL in net punting average in the regular season (34.5 yards) and was third to last in number of punts downed inside the 20 (14). Kicker Adam Vinatieri is simply the best clutch kicker in NFL history, not much else needs to be said about him. A lot of attention has been paid to Hester, with good reason, but Colts return man Terrence Wilkins is no slouch. He averaged 24.5 yards per kickoff return and 9.2 per punt return (with one TD) in the regular season.

Edge
Gould is no slouch, but Vinatieri is the best. The Bears have much better coverage units, the better punter, and the slightly better return man, so they get the edge here, but it's closer than some think.


Coaching
Bears
Coach Lovie Smith and his staff have done a tremendous job all season. Smith will still make the occasional curious decision, but most of the time, he makes the right one. He stayed the course with Grossman, and his team is now in the Super Bowl. He has also been a master motivator who almost always has his team ready to play. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner sometimes gets a little too repetitive with his playcalling, but has otherwise done a good job of balancing the pass with the run. Defensive coordinator Ron Rivera has shown a willingness to adapt the team's defensive scheme to different opponents (something he didn't do against Carolina in last year's playoffs), and that has definitely helped the Bears' defense adapt to the losses of DT Tommie Harris and SS Mike Brown. Special teams coach Dave Toub leads the league's top-ranked special teams unit.

Colts
Coach Tony Dungy and his staff have also done a great job this season. Dungy and Smith have shown that you don't have to scream and yell to be a great coach. Many coaches would've been out of it mentally if they were down 21-6 to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, but he told his players to hang in there, and they obviously responded with one of the greatest comebacks in playoff history. Offensive coordinator Tom Moore has been working with Manning for years and knows him inside out. Defensive coordinator Ron Meeks has done a great job of getting the Colts to buckle down on run defense in the postseason.

Edge
The two head coaches in this game are the epitome of class. Dungy and his staff have more experience, but Smith and his staff have led the Bears to a quick rise to the top of the NFC. I'll call it even here.


Intangibles
Bears
Will the contract status of Lovie Smith and Ron Rivera affect this game? I don't think so, that's for the media to blow up. How is Rex Grossman's mindset right now? I think he has a chip on his shoulder the size of the state of Florida. How do the Bears feel about being the underdog? They love it, and Smith has played that card very well in the playoffs. Rain may help the Bears' running game.

Colts
Can Peyton win the big one? I don't know, tune in tonight to find out. What is his mindset right now? It should be fine, unless he's thinking about the recently released video of his much-publicized tango. Rain may affect the Colts' ability to run precise routes.

Edge
Both teams feel like it's their time. Even.


Prediction
The Bears will come out and have moderate success running the ball, and Grossman will make at least a couple of throws to move the Bears into scoring range. They'll jump out to an early lead, and the Colts will struggle a little to move the ball in the first quarter. The Bears will run the ball increasingly better and add on to their lead, but the Colts' offense will start to move in the second quarter. At halftime, the Bears will be leading, but not by much, about 17-10. In the third quarter, a big defensive takeaway and a big special teams play from Devin Hester will help the Bears start to pull away. With the Bears running well and Grossman throwing well, Manning's possessions will be limited, and he will make a mistake or two. The fourth quarter will feature more running by the Bears and a big play from Grossman. Manning and Co. will mount a late comeback, but it will come up just short. Grossman will throw for 220 yards and 2 TDs (one to Clark, one to Berrian), and Jones and Benson will each run for one and combine for at least 140 yards rushing. The Bears' defense will get at least two takeaways. The Bears have been underestimated for much of the season, but they have found ways to win. Never underestimate the heart of a champion. Bears 34, Colts 23. MVP: Rex Grossman

Inside the Super Bowl

Three issues have been heavily discussed since Conference Championship weekend: 1) the Bears being disrespected, 2) the Bears being the underdog, and 3) Rex. These three issues actually tie into one another, but we'll take them one at a time here:

What is disrespect?
After the Bears beat the Cinderella Saints 39-14 in the NFC Championship Game, many Bears players like Adewale Ogunleye said that their team had been disrespected because most of the "experts" felt that the Saints would win (and many had predicted a blowout). Some people in the media, angry at being proven wrong, lashed back at the Bears, saying that they've been given due respect all season. This is simply not the case. The fact is, the national media does not like to give the Bears credit, and even when they do, they do it grudgingly and briefly.

I heard on one radio station that the Bears were expected by most people to win their division and get to this point. That's only half-true. The Bears were indeed favored by most to win the NFC North, but a number of people also picked the Vikings. A couple even picked the Packers. On the ESPN preseason predictions page, of all the "experts" at ESPN, not one had the Bears even getting to the NFC Championship Game, let alone the Super Bowl. Not one. All everyone could talk about was Carolina, a team I thought was overrated from the start. Not to toot my own horn, but I was one of the very few people who labeled this team a Super Bowl contender before the season started, as you can see here: http://www.profantasysports.com/easycite/ros.php?PID=3464&cid=7. What was so hard for other people to see was just common sense to me. If an 11-5 team with an improved defense and vastly improved special teams could get better QB play than Kyle Orton had provided the year before, it could go a long way.

When Rex Grossman and the Bears hit a rough patch in the middle of the season, all the national media wanted to do was dismiss the Bears and find the team that would replace them as a contender. The Giants, the Cowboys, the Eagles, you name it. Despite the fact that the Bears kept winning, people kept looking for excuses for why the Bears were winning. The easy schedule. The terrible division. The terrible conference. No one gave the Bears credit for just winning, even as contenders like the Colts lost to teams like the Titans and Texans. But the biggest signs of disrespect came before the NFC Championship Game. The "experts" fell so much in love with the Saints' high-octane offense that they forgot that you win with three phases, not just one. The Bears clearly had the better defense and special teams, along with home field advantage and a higher scoring average than the Saints in the regular season, yet most of the "experts" predicted a Saints win by double digits. The ultimate sign of disrespect came when ESPN's Sean Salisbury said during SportsCenter that he thought the Saints were the better football team. I laughed out loud at that. He ate his crow after the game, as did Gene Wojciehowski, who called the Bears "soft" during his postseason anti-Bears vendetta. As evidenced by the Bears winning the "Just Shut Up" poll on "Mike and Mike in the Morning", there was a lot of crow left on the table. The truth hurts, I guess.

The mistake that the "experts" make is that they only go on what they've seen lately (and often concentrate only on the negative), without considering the entire body of work and intangibles. Everyone knows that the Bears' defense isn't the same without Mike Brown and Tommie Harris, but people who really know this team also knew that the defense was better than it had played late in the season when many of those games did not matter and some players were injured. There's also a matter of pride. As if they needed any extra motivation, the "expert" picks made a group of angry Bears angrier. After the painful loss to Carolina last year, the Bears had a feeling of unfinished business. They came to training camp with one main goal in mind: to win the Super Bowl. Now they're one game away.

Underdog or Not?
Ever since this column by the Chicago Tribune's John Mullin, some of the usual cynics have hopped on the bandwagon and said that the Bears' underdog mentality is baseless. However, with all due respect to Moon, his column simply misses the point. When Lovie and his players talk about being the underdog, he doesn't mean whether they're technically favored in individual games. It's true that the Bears have been technically favored (based on the line) in almost every game this season. But as they often say, perception is reality, and the national media's perception of this team ever since the Miami loss was that it wasn't a Super Bowl contender. Some other NFC team(s) would rise up and take the Bears' place. This was also the perception amongst many in the local media. The Bears couldn't keep winning, could they? Even when they did, they often got only a passing mention. Cowboys this, Giants that, Saints this, Eagles that, and oh, by the way, the Bears won. Case in point: the day after the Bears shocked the world by winning the NFC Championship Game, it was Bill Parcells this, Peyton Manning that, Tom Brady this, and oh, by the way, the Bears won. Going into that game against the Saints, the Bears might've been 2 1/2 point favorites, but did it really feel like that to anyone? The great majority of the "experts" picked the Saints to blow away the Bears. Fan sentiment around the country was also on the side of Cinderella. It was like no one outside of Chicago picked or wanted the Bears to win. Now, the Bears are the underdogs in Vegas, few experts are picking them, and fan sentiment is on the side of Peyton Manning. There's no disputing that.

Lay off Rex
The criticism of Rex Grossman has gone past ridiculous and become a farce. The Mariottis of the world will tell you that it's fair and well-deserved, but if you're not biased against Rex and/or this team, it's easy to see that Rex does not deserve this. Bashing Rex has become the fashionable thing to do, and the media has just piled on to the point where some media types have become confrontational with him. It's like they expect him to say that he's terrible, and they get some kind of joy out of it.

Obviously, Rex has had his ups and downs this season. He is capable of being really good (seven games with a passer rating over 100, tied with Peyton Manning) or really bad (five games with a rating under 40). Most Bears fans can tell you that. The thing is, some of the media types here in Chicago and many of them around the country think that Bears fans don't know this. They think that Bears fans are dummies. They keep saying that they're just telling the truth, debunking myths, etc., but they're not telling us anything that we don't already know. We know that Rex is not going to be confused with Manning or Tom Brady anytime soon. We know that Good Rex or Bad Rex could show up on any given day. We already know these things, so we really don't need to hear them again, it got really old a long time ago. When Rex called some people (not all, just some) in the media "ignorant" late in the week, he probably shouldn't have used that word, but he was right. Oftentimes, people outside of Chicago (and some in Chicago) don't really know about the inner workings of the Bears' offense, and they just go off the fans' reaction or pile on just for kicks.

NFC Championship Game Preview

Here's my in-depth look at Sunday's NFC Championship Game between the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints:

From what the national "experts" have been saying, you would think that the Saints' offense will be lining up with no defense on the field. Contrary to popular opinion, there will also be 11 guys lining up across from them in navy blue jerseys, and some of them are pretty good. What everyone (including the "experts") seems to be forgetting is that you win football games with three phases, not just one. Somewhere along the way, the Saints offense has become almost mythical to many people, like they're the '99 Rams or something. But you win with offense, defense, and special teams. For all the talk about the "best offense in NFL history" (the Saints) and the inconsistent, terrible Bears offense, the Bears scored more points per game than the Saints did in the regular season. Shocked? The Saints offense is "#1" because they had more yards per game than any other offense, but the Bears scored 26.7 points per game this year, and the Saints had 25.8 per game. Not a huge difference, but clearly indicative that the Bears should at least be able to stay close on offense. I'll take points over yards any day. It'll be Cinderella against the Big Bad Bears, here we go:

Offense
Bears Gameplan
The Bears will likely try to establish the run with Thomas Jones and start Rex Grossman off with easy short-to-intermediate throws to get him into a rhythm. Because the Saints' defensive ends will be trying to get upfield quickly to get after Grossman, the Bears may try to run right at them and throw screen passes to keep them off balance. It will be important for Grossman to find TE Desmond Clark, who he found only once in the divisional playoff win over Seattle. As I've repeatedly said this season, this offense is at its best when Grossman throws to Clark, especially in the red zone. If Grossman starts well, then offensive coordinator Ron Turner will likely have him test the Saints' cornerbacks deep via play action, particularly #2 CB Fred Thomas. The Saints like to play press man-to-man coverage on the outside. Some "experts" have said that this will mean disaster for Grossman, but has anyone thought that maybe, just maybe, the reason why the Saints allowed the second-most TD passes of any team during the regular season (26) is because they play man coverage with an average secondary? If the Bears have the lead late, they will likely pound away with a heavy dose of Cedric Benson.

Key Matchups
Bears WR Bernard Berrian vs. Saints CB Fred Thomas: Thomas got burned on a long TD pass to Donte Stallworth against the Eagles last week and is susceptible to double moves like the stop and go that Stallworth put on him. The Bears will likely try to match Berrian on Thomas and toast him at least a couple of times. With his speed, Berrian shouldn't even need a double move to run by Thomas.

Bears LT John Tait vs. Saints RE Will Smith: Tait has had some trouble with speed rushers this season, and Smith fits that bill. Tait will need to play extremely well in protecting Grossman's blind side, especially considering Grossman's propensity to fumble the ball after getting hit.

Saints Gameplan
The Saints will also likely try to establish the run by pounding Deuce McAllister into the middle of the Bears' defensive line, which struggled at times last week against Shaun Alexander. One thing the Saints are likely to try is to spread the Bears' defense out with a three-WR, one-back set, then pound McAllister against the Bears' nickel package. The Seahawks had a lot of success doing that last week. Drew Brees will try to execute short precision passes, especially to his favorite target, rookie Marques Colston. If the Saints have success with the running game, that might open up deep play action shots to speedster Devery Henderson. WR Joe Horn will not play, so Terrance Copper will serve as the third WR. The Saints will also try to line Reggie Bush up all over the field and look for mismatches. Bush may not be able to cut quite as well on grass, but he would still be faster than most players on that surface. If the Saints get a lead, expect to see a lot of McAllister.

Key Matchups
Saints RB Reggie Bush vs. Bears LBs: It'll be interesting to see how the Bears plan to cover Bush. Brian Urlacher is one of the few LBs in the league who could give Bush a run for his money. Lance Briggs isn't quite as fast, and Bush on Hunter Hillenmeyer would not be a good matchup for the Bears. Another thing the Saints may do is put Bush and McAllister in the same backfield, then split Bush out as a WR. In this case, he might have to be covered by a DB. The Saints could also choose to run McAllister out of this formation. Bears defenders must not hesitate when attempting to tackle Bush, or they would likely get juked.

Saints WR Marques Colston vs. Bears CB Charles Tillman: The Bears usually play a "Tampa Two" (a variation of the Cover-2 scheme in which the MLB drops back into the deep middle), but when they faced the Giants earlier this season, they often put Tillman in man-to-man coverage with trash-talking WR Plaxico Burress. Burress was held to four catches for 48 yards. The Bears may try to do the same thing today against Colston, who has great size (6-4) and deceptive speed. Tillman is the Bears' biggest, most physical CB at 6-1, so he is best-suited to cover Colston. Tillman has always struggled with fast WRs, so the Saints may try to match up Henderson on him and take a deep shot.

The Edge
The RBs and WRs for these teams are fairly even, so the slight edge goes to the team that has the more consistent QB, which is the Saints.


Defense
Bears Gameplan
The Bears must focus on three main things: 1) stopping the run, especially up the middle, 2) getting pressure on Brees, and 3) forcing turnovers. Shaun Alexander repeatedly gashed the Bears' D-line up the middle last Sunday, and it would be a long day for them if they let McAllister do the same thing. Brees can pick a defense apart with a surgeon's precision if given time to throw, so DEs Alex Brown, Adewale Ogunleye, and Mark Anderson need to get to Brees early and often. Pressure up the middle from DTs Tank Johnson and Ian Scott would also greatly help, because Brees is even shorter than Grossman and could have trouble throwing over traffic if he has pressure in his face. After averaging around three takeaways per game in the first half of the season, the Bears' takeaway rate has dwindled to about one per game in the past several games. In what is likely to be a very close game, a takeaway (or better yet, a defensive TD) could turn the tide and be the difference in the game.

Saints Gameplan
The major part of the Saints' defensive gameplan will be getting pressure on Grossman in any way possible. Rushing with their front four, blitzing LBs, blitzing DBs, any possible way to rattle Rex. Grossman has shown that, if given time to throw, he can be very accurate and make good decisions. If the Saints can't get pressure on him, it could be a long day for them, especially with an average LB corps and secondary. They'll also try hard to get pressure up the middle to block Grossman's vision. The Saints' second defensive priority will be stopping Jones and Benson. DT Hollis Thomas, suspended for the final four games of the regular season for violating the NFL's drug policy, returned against the Eagles and helped the Saints' run defense. He can be very difficult to move, and the Bears will need to find a way to handle him if they want to have success running the ball.

The Edge
The defensive lines are comparable. With a much better LB corps (featuring two of the best LBs in the league) and a better, deeper secondary, the Bears have the clear edge here.


Special Teams
Bears
Devin Hester is the best return man in the league... when he catches the ball. He had more ball security issues against Seattle, and he simply cannot afford to have any more of them against New Orleans. Catch the ball, secure it, then run. You could make a strong case for kicker Robbie Gould being the MVP of this team, especially after his game-winning 49-yarder in overtime last week. Punter Brad Maynard is solid as usual, and had the additional honor of being voted "sexiest Bear" in a recent newspaper poll. No comment.

Saints
Kickoff returner Michael Lewis isn't as dynamic as he used to be, but the former beer man can still break a long return on occasion. Punt returner Bush is comparable to Hester in ability, but wasn't nearly as productive, with a 7.7 average and one TD (Hester had a 12.8 average and three TDs). Veteran kicker John Carney is up there in age but as accurate as ever, with only two misses in the regular season. His range isn't what it used to be, which is part of the reason why the team signed Billy Cundiff late in the season. Punter Steve Weatherford had a good rookie season, with a 43.8 average and 19 punts downed inside the 20.

The Edge
With the most dangerous return man in the game and a Pro Bowl kicker, the Bears have the edge here as well. Their kickoff coverage team needs to play better than it did against Seattle though.


Coaching
Bears
Bears coach Lovie Smith is in his third season, and the team has gotten better each year under his direction. He will make the occasional questionable decision or mistake (like the much-ballyhooed decison to call timeout with two seconds left in regulation against Seattle), but for the most part they don't hurt the team. Offensive coordinator Ron Turner's playcalling can get a little pass-happy and predictable at times (i.e. using routes like the quick slant repeatedly), but he has done a pretty good job this season. Defensive coordinator Ron Rivera will have his hands full with the Saints' offense, but word is that he'll have some new pressure packages ready for this game. He'll also have to be willing to change his gameplan if necessary. His refusal to give special attention to Steve Smith and make adjustments during the game was a big reason why the Bears lost to the Panthers last season.

Saints
Saints coach Sean Payton has done a remarkable job of changing the losing culture in New Orleans. He has also been a master playcaller, leading the Saints to the #1 offense (in terms of yardage) in the NFL. Defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs has done a pretty good job of getting the most out of an average defense by bringing pressure.

The Edge
The Bears get the slight edge here because Lovie Smith and his staff have been in place for two years (Turner came on board in Smith's second season) and have more experience than Payton. The Bears have also been stellar in games decided by three points or less since Smith took over.


Intangibles
Bears
What kind of effect will the weather have? It'll be around 30 degrees with possible snow flurries at game time, which might give a slight edge to the Bears, who are more used to this weather. A huge weight was lifted off this team's shoulders after their win over Seattle, their first home playoff win in 16 years. How will the Bears react to their biggest game since 1989? And how will they perform after being viewed as the underdog by most of the "experts"? I think this team will play looser and has a good idea of what kind of intensity level they'll need to play at now.

Saints
This football team has lifted the spirits of a city still trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina. The Saints have never been to a Super Bowl. Some feel that this is a team of destiny. The majority of the country (outside of Illinois) will be rooting for them. Win or lose, they've been a great story. It'll be interesting to see how they handle the weather after practicing indoors all week.

The Edge
I'll call it even here. Each team has everything to play for.


Prediction
The Bears' defense, disrespected all week, comes out firing, and the Bears jump out to an early lead. The game will be fairly even after that, but the Bears will do a good job of holding the Saints to field goals, and either the Bears' defense or special teams (or both) will make a big play that directly leads to a score. Grossman will play well, and the Bears will run the ball well. Devin Hester and clutch WR Rashied Davis will also be key factors, but it will be the much-maligned defense that makes the biggest difference today. The Bears have felt a lack of respect all season, now is the time to show everyone how good they really are. Bears 27, Saints 20