News / Sports
Colts Defense Completes Dominant Playoff Run in 29-17 Super Bowl Win Over Bears
Heading into this year’s playoffs nobody questioned the offensive capabilities of the Indianapolis Colts. With future Hall of Famers Peyton Manning and Marvin Harrison alongside emerging stars Joesph Addai and Dominic Rhodes the Colts could score in bunches and often did.
Even with the firepower that produced the NFL’s number one offense not many people were picking the Colts to capture their first Super Bowl title in 36 years. Most believed that while the Colts could seemingly score at their defense wasn’t willing to stop opponents from scoring.
From their first playoff match-up of the post season the Colts had to endure the critics’ claims that their run defense was just too porous. Their sieve-like defense would never be able to win Indianapolis a championship, and in actuality would prevent them from winning a championship. So the critics said.
Four games later the Colts are Super Bowl Champions and they have their defense to thank for it. The Colts 29-17 victory over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI was the final chapter in one of the most remarkable turnarounds a defensive unit has ever made.
By the numbers, the Colts defense outperformed the Manning led offense. Ranked at the bottom of the AFC team rushing defense the Colts had allowed 176 yards per game on the ground. Through three playoff games the Colts allowed 220 yards on the ground. They shut down Larry Johnson, Jamal Lewis, and Corey Dillon in three consecutive games, not allowing the Chiefs, Ravens, or Patriots to gain over 100 yards.
The Colts defense had given up an average of 22.5 point per game during the regular season. In their three AFC playoff victories their defense surrendered an average of 16 points.
After those three games the skeptics became supporters and soon the Colts defense was labeled a key to stopping the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. And that’s exactly what they did. Forcing five turnovers, returning an interception for a touchdown, limiting the Bears offense to 265 yards (many of which came after the game was already wrapped up), it was a dominant performance. They surrendered just 10 points to the Bears offense and provided Manning and company great field position on change of possessions.
While it was Manning who was presented with the MVP Super Bowl Trophy it was the Colts defense that made it possible. They collected a remarkable 13 turnovers in their four games and allowed just five touchdowns. The Colts are Super Bowl champions for the first time in more than three decades, and they have their defense to thank for it.
