August 20, 2007
Revenge not part of equation in Super Bowl rematch
By Larry Mayer
INDIANAPOLIS – The Bears could win tonight’s preseason game in Indianapolis 73-0 and they still wouldn’t feel any less disappointed about losing to the Colts in Super Bowl XLI.
In other words, all that’s at stake for the Bears at the RCA Dome this evening is another chance to evaluate their roster and improve as a team while hopefully avoiding injuries.
“It’s just another preseason game,” said safety Mike Brown. “I know a lot of people are going to hype it up. I mean, you’ve got the two teams that were in the Super Bowl last year. It’s a Monday night game, so obviously there is probably a little bit more fanfare. But as far as our team’s concerned, it’s just a preseason game.”
The Bears don't intend to try to fool Colts quarterback Peyton Manning with cleverly disguised coverages or complex blitzes.
“We’re going to be in our basic stuff, and when Peyton Manning sees basic stuff, he’s pretty good,” Brown said. “I don’t expect us to go out there and just dominate them. I feel like they’re going to come out and make some plays. They’re an awesome offense.
“We’re going to be vanilla. As long as we play fundamentally sound and we play hard and play tough, that’s all we’re looking for.”
The Bears offense has similar goals.
“It’s just going to be another opportunity for us to get into a rhythm and get ready for the 2007 season,” said quarterback Rex Grossman. “The Super Bowl’s over with. You want to just play well to gain confidence and momentum heading into the regular season.”
Most Bears players haven’t made a habit of watching Super Bowl XLI on tape.
“I didn’t obsess about it or anything,” Grossman said. “I just watched it like any other game and tried to analyze what went right and what went wrong.”
“Every time we see a clip of it, we’re all groaning,” Brown said. “It’s just one of those things. We don’t like looking at it. Very rarely will we even turn it on, like when we’re watching film for corrections or anything. I would say we’ve seen 10 plays just to see what we could have done better. I know I haven’t watched the full game over again. Why would you want to see that?”
While the Bears ended last season on a sour note, the trek to their first Super Bowl in 21 years was a memorable journey.
FULL STORY
Revenge not part of equation in Super Bowl rematch - Chicago Bears
Revenge not a factor in Super Bowl rematch
Revenge not a factor in Super Bowl rematch
Linear Mode
