My Friends,

 

What do Joe Theismann, Sean Salisbury, Merrill Hoge, Ron Jaworski, Mark Schlereth, Eric Allen, Chris Mortensen, and Mike Golic, all ESPN “experts,” lead NFL columnists Pete Prisco and Clark Judge of CBS Sportsline, and Chris Carter, Bob Costas and Dan Marino of HBO’s Inside the NFL all have in common? Each one picked the routed losers from the bayou to advance to the Super Bowl over that “overrated” team from Chicago with the best record in the league. Particularly telling is that the selectors from the self-described “Worldwide Leader in Sports” had the dubious distinction of running the table and being unanimous in their view of the Bears’ season ending today. How completely embarrassing. Maybe they should change their tag line to The Worldwide Leader in Hype, or perhaps Funny Commercials, because they all sure proved they don’t know shit when it comes to picking NFL games.

 

While watching the two conference postseason tournaments play out it’s been widely accepted that whoever survived in the NFC would simply have the tips of their fingers cut and be thrown to the AFC to be devoured as chum. But at this point, anybody who still thinks the NFC entrant into the Super Bowl will ride the short bus to get to the stadium needs to have their head examined.

 

The Bears served notice this afternoon against the team in black tights that they can stay with the best offense in the league, take their best shot and then move their own game to another level, something for Tony Dungy to consider over the next two weeks. After building a 16-0 second quarter lead that felt like a yegg prying open a safe the Bears gave up two quick touchdown drives on either side of a halftime featuring live music for the first time in the history of the new Soldier Field. (Judging from the band, my guess is The Miser jumped at the chance when some resourceful agent told him “Prints” would also play the NFC Championship for free.)

 

The Bears started the second half with a pair of drives that netted 17 yards and it looked like the Saints had our guys on the ropes when they lined up for a 47-yard field goal to take the lead. But regular placekicker John Carney wasn’t even on the field as the try by kickoff specialist Billy Cundiff fell short, and things changed for good when Brad Maynard punted out of bounds at the Saints 5 after another Bears three-and-out. On second down with Lance Briggs in his face and Hunter Hillenmeyer closing from behind, Drew Brees threw it to nobody in particular from his endzone, a no-no that resulted in an intentional grounding call and a safety. The next three Saints possessions went punt, fumble, interception while the Bears responded with a pair of touchdowns, and all that was left to do was enjoy the snow, knock the beach ball around and do that wīnd-y thing as we waited for the clock to run out.

 

Also waiting on the sideline was The Miser, at the wheel of a golf cart with the left turn signal blinking behind the Bears bench, with Ginny riding shotgun, no doubt reminding her eldest son just whose name was on the trophy they would soon be receiving.

 

Questions abounded whether the Bears defense could return to the dominance they displayed before Mike Brown and Tommie Harris were lost, but it looks like they found their own way to make do, just like the 1985 team did without Todd Bell and Al Harris. They shut down the run, allowing only 56 yards on the ground, and while Brees threw for 354 yards he also tossed an interception, fumbled twice, was sacked three times and took that all-important safety. Either the Saints thought they could win by throwing the ball or flat out gave up running, rushing only twelve times including an eight-yard scramble by Brees. I’ll take it.

 

I’ll also take Ron Turner, who I thought called a brilliant game. He started out with short passes and banging with Thomas Jones for the first two series, then Turner yanked Jones for Cedric Benson on the next three. That must have pissed off Jones because when he finally got back in he carried eight straight times, the final one off tackle from two yards out for the Bears first touchdown. Jones had a huge day, as did the running game as a whole, piling up 196 yards and three touchdowns with the big chunks coming against a beat down Saints front late. The offensive line did a stellar job executing the plan and deserves a game ball for their part in the running game as well as not allowing a sack.

 

The highlight reel play of the game came when they almost did, though, as a ballsy Rex Grossman stood in as he was about to get drilled at the start of the fourth quarter and unleashed a 33-yard touchdown strike to a tumbling Bernard Berrian to extend the lead to 25-14. Just like he has all year, Grossman hit the big plays when they needed them, whether it was that touchdown pass or threading the needle to Muhsin Muhammad (Hey look! He caught it!) on a deep seam route for 20 earlier in the same drive or hitting Desmond Clark with a 30-yard dart as the Bears moved in for their first score. Grossman’s numbers weren’t spectacular – 11of 26 for 144 yards and a touchdown – but he made the plays he had to and once again showed he steps up in big games. And with only 26 starts under his belt, the best is yet to come.

 

Special teams again did their part, with the Saints return game all but absent, Robbie Gould again perfect and Brad Maynard having perhaps his best day as a Bear, averaging better than 47 yards a punt with his only touchback coming on a 66-yard bomb. With a combination like the Bears put together today, how is it the Bears are installed as a seven-point underdog to the Colts in two weeks? Some people never learn.

 

What a blast this afternoon was, and it was great to see the torch get passed a bit. It’s been a generation since the Bears last made their way to the ultimate stage, and it was pretty cool that some of the kids got to share in the experience. Danimal brought along his daughter and Lactose Intolerant and I each brought our sons, so that in another twenty years they can say, “I was there!” And they were, no doubt enjoying the mosh pit the crowd became as the Bears continued to score and the seconds ticked down. They’ll never forget the high-fives, the roar of the crowd, the trophy presentation. It wasn’t unlike 21 years ago, when I sat next to my late father as the snow fell and Wilber Marshall put the final nail in the Rams coffin, sending our guys to their first Super Bowl berth.

 

He was like a kid that day, too. Hey dad! Guess what? We’re finally going again!

 

It’s on to Miami.

 

LBF

1/22/2007