Super Bowl XLI - Colts 29 Bears 17

Super Bowl XLI - Colts 29 Bears 17 - MVP Colts QB Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning passed for 247 yards and one touchdown as the Indianapolis Colts defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. The victory was the Colts' first Super Bowl championship in 36 years. Manning completed 25 of 38 passes, including a 53-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Reggie Wayne in the first quarter. Led by Manning and the Colts' ball-control offense, Indianapolis outgained Chicago 430-265 in total yards and maintained a 38:04 to 21:56 edge in time of possession.

Super Bowl XLI featured two teams ending long Super Bowl appearance droughts. The Colts, who finished with a 12--4 regular season record, were making their first Super Bowl appearance since winning Super Bowl V. The Bears, who posted an NFC-best 13--3 regular season record, were making their first appearance since winning Super Bowl XX.

The Colts overcame a 14--6 first-quarter deficit to outscore the Bears 23--3 in the last three quarters.

Devin Hester opened Super Bowl XLI with a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, marking the first time the Super Bowl began with a touchdown.

Two possessions later, on third-and-10, Manning found Reggie Wayne wide open deep down the middle for a 53-yard touchdown.

A steady rain forced the teams to commit 4 first-quarter turnovers, and Hunter Smith mishandled the snap on the extra point, allowing the Bears to maintain a 7-6 lead. Later in the quarter, Thomas Jones' 52-yard run set up Rex Grossman's short touchdown pass to Muhsin Muhammad for a 14-6 lead. The Colts scored on back-to-back drives to begin the second quarter, capped by Dominic Rhodes' 1-yard run, for a 16-14 lead.

To begin the second half, the Colts ran 7:34 off the clock with a 13-play, 56-yard drive that culminated with Adam Vinatieri's 24- yard field goal for a 19-14 lead. The teams then exchanged field goals, and the Bears forced a punt. On first-and-10 from the Bears' 38 with 11:59 to play, Grossman's pass intended for Muhammad was thrown high. Kelvin Hayden intercepted the pass, maneuvered up the sideline while staying inbounds, and raced 56 yards for a touchdown. It was Hayden's first-ever professional interception. Four plays later, Bob Sanders intercepted Grossman's deep pass.

The Bears got the ball back twice, but never ran a play across midfield.

For the Colts, Peyton Manning was 25 of 38 for 247 yards and 1 touchdown, with 1 interception. Rhodes rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown, while also catching an 8-yard reception. Joseph Addai rushed for 77 yards and caught 10 passes for 66 yards. Wilkins returned four kickoffs for 89 yards and 3 punts for 42 yards. Adam Vinatieri became the first kicker ever to play in five Super Bowls and the first to win four Super Bowl rings. Vinatieri's three field goals and two extra points gave him a total of 49 points for the entire 2006 post-season, an NFL record.

Thomas Jones was the Bears top rusher with 112 yards, while also catching four passes for 18 yards. Desmond Clark was the Bears' top receiver with six receptions for 64 yards. Rex Grossman completed 20 of 28 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions for a QB rating of 68.3.

Lovie Smith (Bears) and Tony Dungy (Colts) both became the first African-American head coaches to coach in the Super Bowl, with Dungy the first to win a Super Bowl title. Tony Dungy is the third man to win the Super Bowl as both head coach and player.

Super Bowl XLI MVP: Colts QB Peyton Manning

Super Bowl XLI MVP: Colts QB Peyton Manning

After more than a decade, Peyton Manning was finally able to shed the title of 'greatest QB to never win a Super Bowl' when he led the Colts to a 29-17 win over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.

Peyton was 25 of 38 for 247 yards and a 53-yard TD pass to wide receiver Reggie Wayne in the first quarter, keeping the Bears on their heels with his play calling at the line of scrimmage as he rallied the Colts to a 29-17 victory. Indianapolis outgained Chicago 430 - 265 in total yards and maintained a 38:04 - 21:56 edge in time of possession.

After taking about a quarter to figure out the Bears' defense, Manning dissected it like a surgeon -- carefully and aggressively. He methodically moved Indianapolis by masterfully finding open receivers, calling runs and converting third downs.

Super Bowl XLI Scoring

 

 

Super Bowl XLI Team Statistics

 

Super Bowl XLI: Colts Player Statistics

 

Super Bowl XLI: Bears Player Statistics

February 4, 2007

Dolphin Stadium, South Florida

Attendance: 74,512

National Anthem: Billy Joel, ASL performed by Marlee Matlin

Coin Toss: Dan Marino and Norma Hunt (widow of Lamar Hunt)

Halftime Show: Prince and the Florida A&M University Marching 100

Network: CBS

Announcers: Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Steve Tasker, Solomon Wilcots, Sam Ryan and Lesley Visser

Nielsen ratings: 42.6 national (est. 93.2 million viewers)

Cost of 30-second commercial: $2.6 million

Super Bowl XLI: Colts vs. Bears Highlights

 

Super Bowl XLI: Ticket & Championship Ring

Super Bowl XLI Logo

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