I can’t refuse to comment on the Super Bowl, though I realize it has received way too much hype as it is (Love Smith is black?!). To me, it was an incredibly simple game to analyze:
The Bears’ defense did better than most people expected—they held the Colts to 22 points, which is honorable a) because it was against the best offense in the league/one of the best of all time and b) because their offense couldn’t hold the ball.
The Bears’ offense should be able to score 23, 24 points, it’s just three touchdowns and a field goal, and Devon Hester gave them a head start! But they simply couldn’t muster the points, even gifting the Colts a free 7.
I maintain that the biggest problem the Bears offense had was NOT Rex!! His interceptions/botched snaps happen every game, and they still win. I don’t like to ride Rex—after all, when he’s pressured and/or when first- and second-down run plays leave him with third and long and the whole world knows he’s passing it’s not completely his fault (I’d place it on the o-line and offensive coordinator Ron Turner)—but surely the responsibility for the loss falls on the offense.
No, no, the problem was Cedric Benson’s god-forsaken knee.
By taking our most important running back (I say most important because against the small Colts’ defense Benson’s size and power would have caused havoc, though Thomas Jones had a great game) the gods of sport effectively chopped off a leg of the Bears’ offense. As a result, the Bears couldn't run or hold onto the ball, which meant Peyton Manning had plenty of time to continue those dump off passes and slowly slowly slowly drive his team like a stake into Chicago's heart.
So that’s that: a game that started energetically and slowly deteriorated into a mostly boring Super Bowl, one that certainly was within reach for the Bears.
As many a dummy sportscaster would say, “The Bears just didn’t get it done.”
Or, my favorite: “Well, the Bears really needed some more points.”
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