Listen, learn what happened
Wired voices of Bears, Colts tell revealing story on NFL Films' one-hour documentary of Indy's 29-17 victory in Super Bowl XLI
But it's the microphones, not the cameras, that tell the inside story of Super Bowl XLI.
Players wired for sound and boom microphones positioned on both sidelines captured the conversation between Rex Grossman and Olin Kreutz after the second fumbled snap, Colts defensive line coach John Teerlinck questioning Grossman's courage and running back Thomas Jones advising the Bears' quarterback to run with the ball if he can't find open receivers downfield.
''Align! Motion! Kick right!'' Colts special teams coach Russ Purnell barked at his 30th-ranked kickoff unit before it took the field. ''Watch that left side! Be smart on that left side! Everybody uses their hands, nobody gets blocked and everybody tackles!''
Or, in this case, nobody tackles.
He concluded by saying: ''Let's knock one out of this sucker,'' which viewers can only assume means he wanted his much-maligned unit to hit Bears kick returner Devin Hester so hard that the rookie fumbled the ball.
As everybody knows, Hester returned Adam Vinatieri's opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown.
''Now we've got great field position for the rest of the game,'' Grossman told Jones on the sideline. Jones nodded his head in agreement: ''They're not going to kick it to him again.''
The Bears led 7-6 after a blown coverage resulted in Peyton Manning throwing a 53-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Wayne.
''Hey, Rex, let's go,'' Jones told Grossman on the sideline. ''Do what we do, baby. Don't do nothing special. Just do what you do. Take what they give you. Basic, fundamental football and we're going to win, I promise you.''
It wasn't the only time the Bears running back, who was wired for sound, was prophetic. After the teams exchanged fumbles, Jones told his teammates in the huddle: ''Hold your blocks just a little bit longer and I might take this to the house.''
Jones ran off left guard on the next play for 52 yards to set up the Bears' second and, as it would turn out, last touchdown.
''They can't tackle you,'' Grossman told Jones as the rain continued to fall. ''They can't tackle you. You're too strong and too wet. You're too strong and too wet for them to bring you down.''
''I might blow this game, Dog,'' Jones told running backs coach Tim Spencer a few minutes later. ''I might blow this game. I'm feeling it and if they get tired I might blow this game. I'm ready.''
Feeling it or no, Cedric Benson replaced Jones on the Bears' next possession. Jones sat on the bench, shaking his head in obvious disgust after Benson fumbled on his first carry of the game.
That was when, as narrator Scott Graham correctly pointed out, the Colts started picking up the Bears' blitz and Manning began making plays out of the pocket, leading to nine straight completions.
''I like the momentum,'' Teerlinck shouted merrily. ''The momentum is changing, the mojo.''
Jones left the field screaming in frustration when center Olin Kreutz's snap glanced off Grossman's hands and the Colts recovered late in the first half. Grossman and Kreutz met on the sideline after the second fumbled snap early in the third quarter.
''Don't do anything different and I'll get it,'' Grossman told his center. ''Just try to get it as flat, as sideways, as possible.''
''Is it just falling out of your hands?'' Kreutz said.
''Yeah,'' Grossman said. ''If it comes in at an angle at all it's hard to get. If you can snap it to where the ball is horizontal ... Do you know what I mean?''
A businesslike Kreutz nodded affirmatively and walked away.
Grossman scrambled every which way late in the third quarter before tossing a ball toward tight end Desmond Clark that was almost intercepted by Colts defensive back Jason David, prompting Teerlinck to say of Grossman: ''... Stay alive on this guy. He's scared to death ... ''
A few minutes later, Grossman, wearing a baseball cap and a white towel around his neck, approached Jones on the sideline.
''Hey, if you get out in the open field and nobody's around, run,'' Jones told his quarterback.
''I was trying to make a play,'' Grossman explained confidently. ''I thought Desmond could break loose.''
Jones was reiterating his advice when the quarterback, looking calm and confident while shaking his fist for emphasis, interrupted. ''Stay patient,'' he said. ''Make plays.''
''We're going to be all right,'' Jones said, nodding in agreement. ''The defense will get it back and we'll score again.''
That's where the prophecies end for Jones. Bears fans know the rest. Kelvin Hayden intercepted Grossman and returned it 56 yards for the game-clinching touchdown. The one-hour show ends with a kaleidoscope of images of jubilant Colts celebrating and the Bears expressing frustration and/or disappointment.
Manning, the field general to the end, told center Jeff Saturday and other teammates to wait until the clock expired before dousing coach Tony Dungy with Gatorade.
''I'm going to watch how they do it so I know how to do it next time,'' Bears cornerback Nathan Vasher told Charles Tillman after a shot of Dungy pulling on his ''Super Bowl Champions'' cap while riding high on a sea of shoulder pads.
The Bears can only hope there is a next time.