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Super Bowl Live Blog: Bears vs. Colts, 3rd Quarter

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Colts 16 Bears 14

- A couple of halftime thoughts before we start the third quarter:

* Prince's stage was cleverly designed to look like his "symbol," but it was neon and 50-yards long.
* Prince sported four-inch heels and an orange and teal shirt/suit combo -- what I can only assume was an homage to the Miami Dolphins.

Somehow, I don't think Nick Buoniconti was impressed.

* For "Purple Rain, " Prince donned the symbol-inspired -- purple -- guitar. Just putting that out there.

Unfortunately, no wardrobe malfunctions, but on the upside no Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson either. In fact, Prince was pretty freakin' good. Okay, to the second half...

- That guy in the photo above, that's Sexy Nerdy Pensive Peyton and he's 30 minutes away from becoming the next Phil Mickelson. If that doesn't inspire greatness, nothing will.

- Some halftime stats:

* Manning threw for 193 yards; Grossman had 32 (that's not a misprint);
* The Colts had 14 first downs; the Bears had 3;
* The Colts ran 46 offensive plays; the Bears ran 19;
* Both teams had three turnovers.

- Indy gets the ball to start the third quarter, and Wilkins gets it out to the 37.

Manning to Addai for five yards on first down, and Addai all by himself for eight yards on second down. Manning, in the shotgun from midfield, hits Addai on a swing pass for a one-yard gain. On the next play, Manning throws a slip screen -- while falling down -- to Clark who goes for a yard. On third-and-8, Manning finds Utecht near the marker and ... it's enough for the first down.

Utecht is shaken up on the play -- the trainers walk him off -- but the Colts have first-and-10 from the Bears 38.

Addai takes the handoff for 10 yards ... and another first down. You know, coming into this game Indy's rush defense had a bunch of question marks. Through two quarters, the Bears have struggled against the run. Go figure.

Phil Simms: (in the voice of Charlie Brown's teacher) "Blah blah blah blah blah ... etc."

CBS just showed this graphic:

Time of Possession
Colts: 24 minutes
Bears: 10 minutes

I'm guessing the Bears defense is a little tired. Manning is wearing out Chicago's defense with draw plays and short passes. Kind of the "Death by 1,000 Short Yardage Play Calls" game plan. So far, it's working.

Phil Simms: "You're not allowed to make sudden moves not related to the game of football." Even Prince?

After a false-start penalty, Manning finds Clark on third down, but short of the sticks. It's still raining like crazy, by the way. Dungy challenges if Chicago had 12 men on the field. Simms, to his credit, is able to count to 11 and identifies all the Bears defenders on the field at the snap. Referee Jerry Markbreit agrees. (I know, I know, Markbreit retired last century, but I like the guy. Sue me.)

After all that, Vinatieri comes in for a 24-yarder -- still in the driving rain -- and he knuckles one through. Not pretty, but it counts. Nice hold by Smith too.

Colts 19 Bears 14

- It might be time for Hester to take over because the Bears offense hasn't been able to put anything together. Of course, Vinatieri squibs it and Hester doesn't get a chance.

- Nantz says the Bears offensive has gone 56 minutes between snaps. It's hard to get in a rhythm, I'd imagine. As I type this Simms says the same thing (I just punched myself in the face) and Grossman completes two consecutive passes. On the next play, Booger McFarland pressures Grossman up the middle and he's sacked (he tripped, but whatever) for an 11-yard loss.

On third-and-12, EVIL REX bungles the snap ... the second time tonight, and in comes Maynard. Chicago's defense has got to be exhausted ... and Chicago's offense ain't helping.

- The Colts start on their 35 and on the first play Addai stutters left makes a couple of (really tired) guys miss, and 25-yards later he's finally tackled. This could be the most important series of the game for the Bears.

Rhodes goes for eight a play later ... and the Colts get 15 more on a face-mask penalty. Now it's first-and-10 from the 10. Manning finds Wayne in the end zone, but he catches it out of bounds. On second down, Clark drops a pass; and on third down, a draw play to Rhodes comes up two yards short of the goal line. Didn't expect a run there.

- Vinatieri converts the 20-yarder ... and a Bears defender runs into the kicker. Because it's not an automatic first down, the Colts take the field goal.

Colts 22 Bears 14

Super Bowl Commercial Update
I didn't think it possible, but the second-half commercials are worse than the first half. That said, the mobile phone D.Wade-Charles Barkley spot was pretty good. But that's been it so far. Back to the game...

- Chicago's lucky to still be in this game. The defense has bent but not broken (cliche alert). On the kickoff, the Colts squib it ... again, and after a late hit out of bounds against Indy, the Bears will start on the Colts 40.

Super Bowl Commercial Update
And ... I spoke too soon. K-Fed's Nationwide commercial just played and I agree with the National Restaurant Association (or whatever they're called): Federline is an embarrassment to humanity the fast-food industry. Back to the game...

- Jones goes for eight yards on first down, and three more on second down. Now at Indy's 28, Grossman throws incomplete on first down. Jones gets a couple on second down, and on third-and-7, Grossman takes the snap scrambles backwards, scrambles right, scrambles left ... and then almost throws a pick. Not the prettiest sequence I've seen tonight.

Robbie Gould makes his first appearance of the game ... and stripes a 44-yarder. Nice kick.

Colts 19 Bears 17

Phil Simms: "In this day and age you're surprised when a field goal kicker misses a kick." Really? You think the 2005 Colts and the 2006 Cowboys would agree?

- Indy starts on their 32, and Rhodes is tackled for a two-yard loss. A play later, Manning finds Harrison for a nice sideline catch but the ruling on the field is that he's out of bounds. Simms: "I could tell from up here that he was out of bounds."

Replays show Harrison was in, Dungy challenges, the plays overturned and Simms still looks like a buffoon. All is right in the world. The Colts now face third-and-2.

Manning drops back and ... finds Wayne for five yards.

Okay, one quarter to go...

Colts 19 Bears 17

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