Bears have a fighting chance

These players could deliver knockout to Colts' title hopes

MIAMI -- Peyton Manning had not left the field in Baltimore after the Indianapolis Colts' divisional-round upset of the Ravens when analyst Dan Dierdorf asked him when the nonsense would stop.

Had the point finally arrived when the Colts would stop being labeled as a finesse team that isn't physical enough to be a legitimate postseason contender? Manning also scoffed at the idea in the wake of the gritty 15-6 victory, but it will take a triumph Sunday in Super Bowl XLI to erase all doubters.

Bears linebacker Lance Briggs said he heard it described as the battle of Brains vs. Brawn as his squad prepares for its second consecutive game against a dome team, one that's built for the speed of indoor turf, on God's green grass. It works for him.

If the Bears turn this into a good old-fashioned street fight, chances are they hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the second time. If the Colts can take the Bears' best punch, it could be a completely different ballgame.

The Bears will get a reminder, too. Saturday nights, when coach Lovie Smith visits with the team, he has three messages. The opponent changes from week to week, but the themes remain the same:

1. Play 60 minutes.

2. Be physical.

3. Finish.

Signs abound at the Airport Hilton reminding the Bears of the final message. The second point does not need to be driven home.

''That's just the way it is,'' cornerback Ricky Manning Jr. said.

Added fellow cornerback Charles Tillman about the Colts: ''They've always been finesse. They haven't really changed anything.''

Here are six players or groups that can deliver a game-altering shot:

The middle linebacker put his stamp on the victory over the New Orleans Saints with some big sticks early in the game. The Colts love attacking the middle third of the field, where Urlacher roams, and that creates some intriguing possibilities. Tight end Dallas Clark is not used to seeing someone bigger and faster than him running down the middle.

Urlacher also has to lead the run defense against rookie Joseph Addai as the Bears hope to make the Colts one-dimensional early.

''When [Marques] Colston caught a couple passes in the Saints game, Brian stuck him a couple times,'' Tillman said. ''He was going over the middle again, and I guarantee he was looking at Brian Urlacher.''

All it took was one verse from tight end Desmond Clark to see why he runs his own record label, Tightwork Records, and isn't signed to one. He's not going to be on ''American Idol'' anytime soon. But the message from Olivia Newton-John's 1982 hit rings true today.

''Let's get physical, physical,'' Clark said. ''That's our M.O. on offense, and we really try to do that overall across the board. We're going to go out, run the ball and try to take the game to them.''

The Colts' run defense has improved dramatically in the playoffs with the return of 5-8, 206-pound free safety Bob Sanders. But if the Bears can't block someone who's 5-8, there's a real problem. They must create a mismatch in the trenches and go right at the Colts because running side-to-side against them is a good way to get nowhere quickly.

''Pounding the football is what we do best,'' right guard Roberto Garza said. ''We don't know really when it's going to take over. It can be in the first quarter, or it can be later in the fourth.''

Smith challenged the left defensive end to bring his best to the playoffs, and Ogunleye has responded with a sack in each playoff victory, including a strip of the Saints' Drew Brees and fumble recovery that essentially iced the NFC Championship Game.

Ogunleye has a formidable matchup in right tackle Ryan Diem, whom the Bears would have pursued had he hit the open market. But with a $4 million base salary this season, the highest figure on the defense, Ogunleye needs to answer Smith's call one more time.

The strong safety loves cueing up unsuspecting ball carriers for a knockout blow, and here is his chance on the biggest stage. He better not miss, though, or it could be a six-point mistake. Harris has to make sure he's secure in his tackling form before trying to dislodge the ball or head.

''You get a nice shot on a receiver, they give you a double look to make sure they don't get hit again,'' he said. ''That's what we want to do. Hit them early and hit them often. It starts up front, though. We've got to create a new line of scrimmage.''

Benson's shoulder pads show more wear and tear than those of most part-time players because he dishes it out on just about every carry. He runs with good body lean and balance, and his legs are always moving. When he falls forward on plays, defenders often are falling backward.

If the Bears can get a lead, they'll look to grind away precious time from the Colts by using Benson.

Of the two cover-2 defenses, the Colts employ more of the base package because the Bears like to dabble in more man-to-man. That's because at 6-1, 196 pounds, Tillman is an aggressive defender who can get his hands on a wide receiver at the line and disrupt the timing of his route. That is paramount against the Colts' wide receivers.

Tillman followed Colston for much of the Saints game, and it's unknown if he will draw any one-on-one matchups Sunday. But he is aggressive and is generally a sure tackler.

bbiggs@suntimes.com