Three and out

Mike Mulligan's quick take on the game

1: Colts QB Peyton Manning was at his best when it mattered most, putting on an MVP performance against a Bears defense that simply had no answers for his constant checkdowns from pass to run. Manning settled into a rhythm that left him dominating the game as the best player on the field.

2: The Colts fielded the fourth-worst regular-season run defense in NFL history but shored things up in the playoffs. It never mattered vs. the Bears because they couldn't keep the ball long enough to work the running game. Thomas Jones had 112 yards on just 15 carries, but it was the Colts who ran the ball on this night.

3: Bears returner Devin Hester made an impact, as expected. Not only did he become the first player to return an opening kickoff in a Super Bowl for a touchdown, but the Colts also gave the Bears a field goal after John Gilmore's return of a squib kick. The Bears likely will move Hester to offense in the offseason.