Colts Cage Bears for Super Bowl Win

The Indianapolis Colts are celebrating their franchise's first Super Bowl title in 36 years after their overpowering performance in a 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI last night.

Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning ran an effective ball-control offense featuring short passes mixed in with a strong running game. It's the first title for the 30-year-old Manning, who completed 25 of 38 for 247 yards and one touchdown and one early interception.

Running backs Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes were a great complement. Addai caught ten passes and ran 19 times for 77 yards. Rhodes finished it off by rushing 21 times for 113 yards and one TD.

Tony Dungy, the first black coach to win a Super Bowl, says now he has "to figure out a way to defend our Super Bowl. That's number-one on our list."

It's the first Super Bowl title for the Colts franchise since they won Super Bowl V in 1971 when the team was based in Baltimore.

Dungy became the first black coach to win the championship, beating good friend and protege Lovie Smith in a game that featured the first two black coaches in the Super Bowl.

Dungy's ring wasn't the only first. It also was the first rainy Super Bowl and the first time an opening kickoff was run back for a touchdown, when sensational Bears rookie Devin Hester sped downfield for 92 yards.

And not since the Buffalo Bills self-destructed with nine turnovers in losing to Dallas 14 years ago had there been so much messiness. The first half was marred by six turnovers, three for each team. Even football's most clutch kicker, Adam Vinatieri, missed a chip-shot field goal for the Colts, who botched an extra point attempt, too.

When much-maligned Bears quarterback Rex Grossman's wobbly pass was picked off and returned 56 yards for a touchdown by Kelvin Hayden with 11:44 remaining in the fourth quarter, it was over.

Chicago (15-4), which led the league in takeaways this season, finished with five turnovers, including two interceptions by Grossman.

The Colts (16-4) will take it. It's their first title since the 1970 season, when they played in Baltimore.

It also was a validation of Dungy's leadership. He helped build Tampa Bay, one of the NFL's worst franchises, into a contender before being fired after the 2001 season. The next year, the Bucs won the Super Bowl under Jon Gruden.

Sunday finally was Dungy's turn. As his players hoisted their coach on their shoulders, he switched his blue Colts cap for a white one that read "NFL champions." Dungy was carried from the sideline, then was lowered so he could share a long embrace and a handshake with Smith.

The Colts reached the pinnacle by winning four postseason games with a defense that made a complete turnaround in the playoffs.

And with a running game that perfectly complemented Manning, thanks to Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai, who combined for 190 yards — 113 on 21 carries by Rhodes and 77 on 19 carries by Addai, who also caught 10 passes for 66 yards.


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