Super Bowl

John Dodge, cbs2chicago.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report
MIAMI (CBS) ― The Bears' dream season was washed away in a Miami downpour Sunday night as the Indianapolis Colts took advantage of devastating Rex Grossman turnovers to win Super Bowl XLI, 29-17.

For two weeks, the Bears were forced to answer questions about their embattled quarterback. And the answer Sunday night was not one Bears fans wanted to hear. Chicago native Kelvin Hayden proved to be the game breaker for the Colts, taking a Grossman interception down the sidelines for a touchdown. While there was still plenty of time for the Bears to mount an improbable comeback, another Grossman pick essentially ended the Bears' hopes.

"In hindsight, I wish I had thrown it away," Grossman said of the pass Hayden returned for a score. "The timing on it wasn't right."

Bears coach Lovie Smith was philosophical about the loss.

"We talked about the disappointment that we had," Smith said after the game. "We did not get the job done this year, but next year is around the corner."

The Colts dominated the game on both sides of the ball and used a combination of short, precise Peyton Manning passes along with a devastating running attack led by Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai. While the Colts came into the game known for their high octane offense, they methodically dismantled the Bears vaunted defense.

"They played better than we did today," Smith said.

Questions were answered about Manning, too. The future Hall-of-Famer, he has now won the biggest game in football after nine years in the NFL. He finished 25-for-38 for a touchdown and an interception and 247 total yards. He led the Colts on three drives that ended in Adam Vinatieri field goals. As a team the Colts gained 430 yards to only 265 for Chicago.

"We put a lot of hard work and a lot of effort into this," said Manning, who was named the game's Most Valuable Player. "It's all happening pretty fast right now. I'm excited. It's something we'll enjoy for quite some time."

And Colts coach Tony Dungy, after years of coming up short in the playoffs, made history, becoming the first African American coach to win the Super Bowl.

"I'm proud to represent African-American coaches, to be the first African-American coach to win this," Dungy said. "But more than anything, Lovie Smith and I aren't just the first African-American coaches, but Christian coaches showing you can win doing it the Lord's way. And we're more proud of that."

"It was our day today,'' Dungy said.

Even by Super Bowl standards, you couldn't have scripted a more dramatic opening moment: Bears special teams stud Devin Hester runs back opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown. It is the first time ever in Super Bowl history that somebody returned the opening kickoff for a score.

Later in the first quarter, gfter a series of short runs and passes, Manning came up huge. Under pressure from Tank Johnson, Manning launched a 53-yard touchdown to a wide-open Reggie Wayne.

After a first quarter of big plays on both sides, the game began to settle into a rhythm. But there was a bit of a problem: The rain was starting to fall hard and the ball was slipping and sliding all over the field. But it wasn't Bears weather, Miami style.

Not since the Buffalo Bills self-destructed with nine turnovers in losing to Dallas 14 years ago had there been so much messiness. The first half was marred by six turnovers, three for each team.

A series of Adam Vinatieri field goals put the Colts out in front to stay, 22-14, before Hayden's dramatic return sealed the Colts first Super Bowl title since 1970.

Chicago (15-4), which led the league in takeaways this season, finished with five turnovers, including two interceptions by Grossman. The Colts (16-4) will take it.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)