By TJ Troup
NFL films captured the essence of each of the Super Bowl Champion teams with "America's Game" series, and the story of the 2003 Patriots begins with the classic garage band song "Dirty Water" by the Standells. The New England Patriots that season beat the Colts on January 18th as their defense intercepted Peyton Manning four times. 
Starting outside linebacker Mike Vrabel sure contributed in that game (also during the season). Can Coach Vrabel continue his successful season by taking down a Houston Texans team that can run the ball, and play the best pursuit defense in the league?
Houston is one of the teams that kept the streak alive of at least one road team winning in the playoffs each year since 1970. Oh, there were other road teams that won this past weekend? San Francisco was sure impressive in defeating the defending Super Bowl Champion Eagles. Can the Niners beat the division rival #1 seed Seahawks?
The NFC team that won at home was those cuddly little Bears in another amazing second-half comeback. Their reward for the victory over the Packers is to take on a Ram team that won on the road.
Historically, the Bears beaten the Rams many times, yet I want to take a closer look at a rivalry that I have seen many times in person. When I attended my first Bears vs. Rams game on November 15, 1964, I was elated that Chicago easily beat the Rams that day in the Coliseum. 
Since that day the Rams have beaten the Bears 23 times and lost 18; some of those watched in person in both Los Angeles & Anaheim. Let's focus on the two playoff games; we are in the Coliseum on December 17th, 1950, as an offensive powerhouse Ram team that has lost twice to the Bears in the regular season, wins 24-14. Waterfield shreds shoddy Bears man coverage on Tom Fears while the defense intercepts Johnny Lujack 3 times, and takes him down for 52 yards in sacks!
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| Tom Fears |
Buddy Ryan, after losing to the Rams in Angel Stadium in both '83 & '84 (was there both times), candidly spins his tale that the Bears' creative defense known as the '46' will stop Dickerson and the Rams.
The illustrious Dieter Brock has a nightmare of a game (28.0 passer rating), throwing an interception, losing a fumble, which Wilber Marshall happily gobbled up and sped down the field to score. Brock was sacked three times! McMahon was a very efficient passer that windy day with a passer rating of 96.1.
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| Wiber Marshall |
Bet you can see where I am going with this? The key to the game is both the pass rush & pass defense. Can the Rams pillage the Chicago pass pocket? Can future Hall of Famer Matthew Stafford shred a suspect Bear secondary, or does Caleb W. continue his 4th quarter magic?
See ya next week.
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