In the best Peyton Manning tradition, this is a pure audible: Come to the line of scrimmage, get a close look at the actual alignments and change the call. So an off-season of projecting a Bears loss in Game 1 is being changed because of . . .
1. No Jeff Saturday. Inserting a rookie in place of a Pro Bowl center and linchpin of Manning’s protection, together with youth at guard, is a matchup that Tommie Harris and a fast-starting DL can dominate.
2. Less Peyton Manning. He may not need a lot of prep work to be Peyton Manning, but he lives by timing. Preseason practice time missed with his receivers and OL diminishes firepower.
3. Matt Forte and Kevin Jones. The two are better combined downhill runners than the Bears had in the Super Bowl. If the Bears run right at DE Dwight Freeney and an undersized DL, and at SS Bob Sanders, they keep Manning off the field.
At the very least, take the Bears and the points. And congratulate yourself on a great audible call.
– – –
THE DECISION: COLTS WILL WIN
Fred Mitchell
23-13
David Haugh
31-23
Terry Bannon
34-16
Mike Downey
17-0
Melissa Isaacson
28-14
Vaughn McClure
35-20
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Rick Morrissey
21-6
Dan Pompei
33-13
DISSENT
John Mullin
16-14
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See related story “No pain, QB reigns”