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Super Bowl: Bears-Colts

Stop Colts' DB Bob Sanders!

That should be the shout from the Bears' side of the field. Sanders is only 5' 8" and 206 pounds but he's quick as a spark. Built like a bowling ball it is likely his collar size fits his thigh.

The stat graphic below pictures the Colts' rush defense during the season (without Sanders in the lineup). Ranked last in the league the Colts' rush D needed help all year. Also it should be seen that while the Colts lost 7.8 points per game in their scoring differential the loss of DB Sanders cost them 9+ points (red graphic) more than accounting for the W/M decline.

Opp Yds Rushing Net

Percentile Chart

100=Stongest 50=Average 0=Weakest
Lines: Playoff Avg=57 SuperBowl Avg=58

Win Mrg Points Change

Winning Margin Points Change
Sorted by Points Change, 2005 to 2006

Rank	Team	Pctl	Stat Value	Points behind Leader	Win Mrg Pts Chg vs 2005	Games Won
1	MIN	100	61.56	0.00	7.49	6
2	BAL	87	75.88	2.00	3.30	13
3	PIT	76	88.25	3.74	-0.32	8
4	JAX	73	91.25	4.16	2.18	8
5	N E	71	94.19	4.57	0.64	12
6	CHI	66	99.38	5.29	0.41	13
7	S D	65	100.81	5.50	-2.31	14
8	MIA	64	101.13	5.54	1.34	6
9	DAL	62	103.69	5.90	0.63	9
10	ATL	62	103.88	5.92	3.51	7
11	CAR	58	108.56	6.58	-2.38	8
12	DEN	54	113.31	7.25	-3.94	9
13	G B	53	114.06	7.35	1.62	8
14	NYG	53	114.38	7.39	-1.52	8
15	CIN	51	116.44	7.68	-0.06	8
16	ARI	49	118.56	7.98	-2.32	5
17	T B	48	119.81	8.16	-3.52	4
18	K C	47	120.50	8.25	-3.13	9
19	S F	47	121.00	8.32	-0.91	7
20	HOU	46	122.25	8.50	3.04	6
21	DET	43	125.63	8.97	0.26	3
22	SEA	41	126.81	9.14	-4.54	9
23	N O	40	128.94	9.43	0.72	10
24	NYJ	38	130.25	9.62	0.88	10
25	OAK	35	134.00	10.14	-0.83	2
26	PHI	33	136.38	10.47	-2.62	10
27	WAS	32	137.31	10.61	-4.47	5
28	BUF	29	140.88	11.10	-0.43	7
29	CLE	28	142.06	11.27	-0.62	4
30	TEN	26	144.56	11.62	-3.67	8
31	STL	25	145.44	11.74	-1.30	8
32	IND	0	173.00	15.60	-8.80	12

2006 Season, YTD through Week 17

In season 2005 Colts ranked 16th on Opp Yds Rushing Net at 110.13.
In season 2006 they ranked 32nd at 173.00, down 8.8 points per game on this one stat.
From 2005 to 2006 Colts declined by 7.8 points per game on Winning Margin.

But DB Sanders was out for most of the season. In the 4 games he played the Colts' rush D came alive. The impact of Sanders' return is seen in the graphic below:

Opp Yds Rushing Net
Indianapolis Colts
2006 through Week 17

The Colts defense against the rush looked puny until season's end with 15 games at or weaker than average. DB Sanders' return made him the man.
Quick reverse when Sanders returned from IR. Against heavy run offense by Kansas City, Baltimore and New England they suddenly looked like a granite wall. And their 2 loses vs Tennessee and Jacksonville were the weakest and almost second weakest games.
Now how about the Bears' run offense? The stat graphic below pictures their stronger than average rushing game. And the dark blue trend line shows they were improving all season. When the Bears were stronger than league average, they won 11 of 12 contests.

Yards Rushing (Net)
Chicago Bears
2006 through Week 17

If the two teams play to statistical form, the electronic hardware suggests the match up on this one stat between the Colts' rush D and the Bears' rush offense gives the Bears a 5.8-point edge.
Bud Goode

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