Giants' big win shows Bears that defense rules in playoffs
The New York Giants' Super Bowl victory is the latest reminder that, while offense may sell tickets and offensive players get the super models and the lucrative endorsements, defense wins championships.
And that's good news for the Bears.
Quarterback Rex Grossman can only dream of elevating his game the way Eli Manning did during the Giants' run to the title, and the Bears don't appear to have even one running back as talented as New York's Brandon Jacobs or Ahmad Bradshaw. The Bears also don't have a wide receiver like Plaxico Burress, and their offensive line is rickety with age, unlike the Giants' front wall, a group that is in its prime, though not tremendously talented.
But it wasn't the Giants' offense that spoiled the New England Patriots' undefeated season, it was the defense.
Defense, of course, remains the heart of the Bears. It's the side of the ball where the majority of their impact players reside, and defense remains the Bears' best - and perhaps only -chance to get back to the playoffs next season.
Despite the Bears' 7-9 record, the unfortunate injuries and the disappointing statistics, their defense is capable of playing as well as the Giants.
New York's defense proved that even Tom Terrific (Brady) could be rendered mortal when he constantly gets knocked out of rhythm, knocked on his butt, hurried and harried by a relentless pass rush.
The Giants were able to practically eliminate Randy Moss from the Patriots' offense for most of the game, even though their cornerbacks are not considered as talented as the Bears' Charles Tillman and Nate Vasher, sat out 12 games with a groin injury.
And the Giants held the Patriots to just 45 rushing yards, even though none of their interior defensive linemen are as talented as Tommie Harris of the Bears and none of their linebackers are as good as Brian Urlacher.
The Giants, however, do have the best pass-rushing defensive end tandem in the NFL in Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora, and the best trio when you include Justin Tuck. As a team, the Giants led the NFL in sacks during the regular season. But the Bears weren't far behind, finishing sixth in the league.
And that was with defensive end Mark Anderson suffering through a sophomore slump that cut his sack total from 12 to 5 and a rash of injuries at defensive tackle that bordered on an epidemic, not including Harris, who played hurt for most of the season.
The Giants got to Brady five times, more than he'd been sacked in a game since Sept. 21, 2003. That was the biggest difference in a Patriot offense that averaged 411 yards and an NFL record 36.8 points per game in the regular season and the one that sputtered to 274 yards and 14 points in Super Bowl XLII, including just 7 points in the first 57 minutes.
But during the regular season the Bears actually allowed 3 points less than the Giants, as they finished 16th and 17th, respectively, in the league standings.
The Bears may have a long way to go offensively, but when it comes to their defense, they're not that far from being a playoff team, and once you get to the postseason, it's still defense that makes the difference.
Just ask the Patriots.
rlegere@dailyherald.com