2007 super bowl
Om Feb. 04, 2007, Dolphin Stadium in Florida was host for the 2007 Super Bowl, making this the 9th time the Super Bowl was hosted in the state of Florida since it’s beginning 40 years earlier. Lousiana is the only other state to host the super bowl as many times.
Several NFL records were made at the 2007 super bowl, including many firsts. Bpth teams had an African American as head coach, meaning this would be the first time a black coack would win the Super Bowl in it’s 40 year hiostory. This also was the first time the super bowl was played on a wet and soggy field, as the rain did not let up all day. Another record was within the first minute when the opening kickoff was run back for a touchdown by Bears rookie Devin Hester, making it the earliest score in super bowl history.
Super Bowl 2007 featured the AFC (American Football Conference) champions, the Indianapolis Colts, against the NFC (National Football Conference) champions, the Chicago Bears. This would be the second appearance for both teams, who each won their previous super bowls, The Colts in Super Bowl V (1970), and the Bears in Super Bowl XX (1985).
Peyton Manning for the Colts was named the 2007 Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) after completing 25 out of 38 passes for a total 247 yards and a touchdown, with one interception. Peyton Manning’s exceptional 10-year career as a quarterback would finally pay off with this coveted title, his first one.
The first quarter of the 2007 Super Bowl was lively as the Bears took the lead 14-7 over the colts. The Colts made an attempt to keep from kicking to Hester the rest of the game after his record breaking 92 yard TD in the first minute of the 2007 Super Bowl. By the end of the 2nd quarter, the Bears gained a 2-point advantage over the Colts with the score at 16-14.
Indianapolis kept their lead throughout the remainder of the game as the Bears made several attempts to make their comeback. Two field goals by Indianapolis and one by Chicago would make the score 22-17 (Colts) at the end of the third. The lead was not significant, however, in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter, Kelvin Hayden’s 56-yard interception return resulted in a touchdown for the Colts as they broke away with a 29-17 lead.
The Bear’s fruitless attempts to close the gap was staved off by Indianapolis’ excellent plays to keep possession of the ball. The 2007 Super Bowl would belong to the Indianapolis Colts, as the Bears last 5 plays netted no score. The Colts received their second and long awaited super bowl trophy.