Just for Sport

Terry Tate. Just kidding. But seriously, every year since 2003, I have hoped that Reebok will come out with a new Office Linebacker commercial for the big game. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m predicting a cameo by 55.

While I’m waiting for Terry Tate to grace us with his presence on Sunday, I will be rooting for the Colts. However, I have three reasons that I should want to pick the Bears: (1) It would be sweet if Danieal Manning could win one in his first season. (2) I’m ahead of my Dad by one game in our pick ‘em pool. He’s taking the Bears, so if I were to do so as well, I would automatically win. Kind of cheap, but so is kneeling the ball with time on the clock. (3) Everybody is picking the Colts to win. In this situation, it’s tempting to go with the Bears so that if they do pull it off, I’ll look smart.

I’m not going to pick the Bears. I just can’t. Brian Urlacher almost convinced me. Will he change the game? Absolutely. Will he make it hard for the Colts to move the ball and score? Absolutely. Will he be able to account for every single offensive weapon the Colts have? Absolutely not. Despite stellar play by Ray Lewis, Mike Vrabel, and, um…Who’s the Chiefs’ middle linebacker? Well, never mind about him. Anyway, Urlacher’s going to have to have a Triple T-like performance to have a chance.

Nick Harper almost convinced me. It looks like he won’t be able to play. Of course, last year, he got stabbed in the knee by his wife the night before the Colts played the Steelers and still played the whole game. But, then again, if he doesn’t play, at least it will be one of the other defensive backs running back a turnover. Note to Marlin Jackson: If you’re in the open field, and Rex Grossman is the last man left to tackle you, CUT OUTSIDE!

Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson almost convinced me. Surely, the Colts run defense will fold at some point. Right? Rob Morris, Booger McFarland, and Bob Sanders all appear to be healthy. It looks like Good Rex…oops, I mean the good Colts run defense will show up on Sunday.

Here’s what convinced me. The Colts ran through the gauntlet this year, while the Bears played six games against the rest of the NFC North. It seems that for the last couple of years, the Colts have been one of the couple teams that every league has that opposing teams throw everything at. They figure, if we can beat the Colts, we’ll make a statement. In the MLB, everybody wants to beat the Yankees and the Red Sox. In the NBA, they try to beat the Lakers and the Spurs. In the NHL, they try to beat the Red Wings. And in the NFL, the way to gain attention is to beat the Colts and the Patriots. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the Yankees, Red Sox, Lakers, Spurs, Red Wings, Colts, or Patriots are the best teams in any given year. It just means that teams rest their big players for those games, they prepare a little bit harder, break out the plays they’ve been saving in practice, etc. It means that the Yankees, Red Sox, Lakers, Spurs, Red Wings, Colts, and Patriots are battle-tested. They know what it means to win close games because those are the types of games they have to win. When you’ve constantly got a target on your back, you know how to play in the big game. On a stage this huge, there’s no holding back. The Colts are used to that kind of attitude from teams. I’m not so sure the Bears are the same way.

I’m taking the Colts, 34-21. That’s 55 total points, in honor of Number 55, Terry Tate. I guess I’m going to have to rely on a tiebreaker in our pool if the Bears win. Here’s what I think will happen: the Colts will get in front early, weather a comeback, then put the Bears away midway through the fourth quarter. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be nervous the whole game. But if Terry Tate makes an appearance, I’ll suddenly feel better about that other prediction.