It's showtime for Bears' O-line
Building a solid, cohesive unit was priority for Angelo
A football chorus line, so to speak.
But just a couple of seasons ago, the Bears' line was more breakdance than one singular sensation.
''We were taking on a lot of water early on because of injuries,'' general manger Jerry Angelo said Wednesday. ''So we had to hit the free-agent market. That's been big.''
Angelo spent some serious money over the last two years to surround stalwart center Olin Kreutz with top talent.
''We've been together for two years now,'' said Kreutz, a six-time Pro Bowl selection. ''Knowing what the guy next to you is doing is really important.''
The Bears have $25.5 million invested in the offensive line this season, second-most in the league behind the $32.9 million of the Minnesota Vikings.
The acquisitions began in March 2004, when Angelo tendered an expensive offer sheet to tackle John Tait -- one that was front-loaded with an $11 million roster bonus -- and the Kansas City Chiefs chose not to match it.
Three weeks later, the Bears picked up left guard Ruben Brown, an eight-time Pro Bowl pick with the Buffalo Bills and a Hall of Fame candidate, after the Bills had waived him. Brown was named to his ninth Pro Bowl team this season.
Right tackle Fred Miller and right guard Roberto Garza were added to the mix the following March.
''The offensive line came together pretty well,'' Angelo said. ''Olin Kreutz has been a real core player for us. Picking up Ruben Brown was a great get. Not only because he's a great player, but I didn't realize what a leader he was. We have two special guys on the line in terms of leadership.
''John Tait, you can't say enough about him in terms of what he brings to the table -- his intangibles, his work ethic, let alone that he can play left tackle. Roberto Garza fits right in the mold. It's a good unit. They work well together.''
That will be imperative Sunday. Sure, the Indianapolis Colts have statistically the worst run defense of any team to make a Super Bowl, allowing a league-worst 173 yards per game in the regular season. But the return from injury of star safety Bob Sanders has helped trim that to 73 yards per playoff game.
And the line's ability to handle the Colts' pass rush, particularly right end Dwight Freeney, will be a key factor in quarterback Rex Grossman's performance.
''We're willing to show everybody what we've been all year,'' Brown said. ''It's our showcase time. For all of us, every player on this team, it's time for us to say to the world, 'Hey, you've said this, that and the other about us all year long. But this is us, and we're going to show who we are.'''
Even if the Bears' offense plays a nearly flawless game, it will be Grossman, Thomas Jones, Cedric Benson or a wide receiver who will be hoisting the MVP trophy. Such is the life of a lineman.
''We're used to it, and it's really fun for us,'' Brown said. ''We kind of fashion ourselves to be the blue-collar celebrities. People are like, 'Ooh, there's the offensive line.' We don't have names. It's fine by us because that's our mentality. We move as one, we're a cohesive unit. We excel together. We fail together. We enjoy the fact that no one knows us or cares about us.''
What matters most to Brown come Sunday is the bond he will share with his family, including sons Solomon and Benjamin.
''For me to have my little boys there, I'm happy for them,'' he said. ''My oldest, Solomon, is 7, and he's really into sports. He likes hockey better than football, but we [live] in Buffalo, so hockey's big there. But he's into sports, he understands it, and I know he's going to remember it.
''It's really getting me inside because he's going to grow up with the memories of us going down onto the field, him high-fiving all my teammates. I hear him talk to his friends; he's all excited about it. I want both of my sons to experience this.''