Colts-Bears XLI Tilt has Buffalo Undertones

First of all, let me start this post by expressing my glee. With a minute remaining in last night's AFC Championship Game, any fellow New England Patriot-hater was undoubtedly thinking the same thing I was: "Oh, no."

With the Colts clinging to a 38-34 lead, Tom Brady was on the move again. On just two throws, he had his Patriots into Colts territory and poised to pull off yet another playoff comeback win. And then...

Marlin Jackson saved my sanity with his game-clinching interception. THE PATS ARE DEAD!!!

Now, Peyton Manning (pictured) leads his Colts into Super Bowl XLI, where the AFC upstarts will take on the best of the NFC in the Chicago Bears. This game features one of the league's highest-powered offenses against one of the more dominant defenses in recent memory. Sure to be an interesting game, it is important to note the ties that this game has with the Buffalo Bills.

Can Polian Win the Big One?
Former Bills GM Bill Polian is now a true legend at his craft. The genius personnel guru has now built three franchises - Buffalo, Carolina and now Indianapolis - into Super Bowl participants. With all of that success, however, it remains a flaw on his record that he has never won a title game. With a high-powered offense, an opportunistic defense and a fantastic head coach in Tony Dungy, XLI appears to be Polian's best shot at securing his first title as Indy's Team President.

Two More Colt Connections
Two other members of the AFC champion Colts have distinct Bills ties. Reserve defensive end Bo Schobel is the cousin of current Bills defensive end Aaron Schobel. Additionally, a member of the Colts' coaching staff was one of the key contributors to the Bills' four Super Bowl runs in the early 1990s. After becoming a fan favorite in Buffalo, Pete Metzelaars has a chance to earn his first ring as Indianapolis' Offensive Quality Control Coach.

Ruben and Rusty
It will also be nice to see former Bills standout linemen Ruben Brown get a crack at a Super Bowl ring. While he never participated in many big games with the Bills, he was a perennial Pro Bowl player who is still missed along Buffalo's shaky offensive line. He now serves as Chicago's starting left guard, and has been an instrumental part of the successes of runners Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson.

More interestingly, the Bears' Strength and Conditioning Coordinator is Rusty Jones, who held the same position with the Bills for 20 years. Jones was an integral part of Buffalo's Super Bowl era, and now he will finally get another opportunity to win that ever-elusive ring. He has done a fantastic job in Chicago this season, and deserves more than most to be honored for his work.

2006 Opponents
The 2006 Bills - far removed from the Super Bowl era - played both Chicago and Indianapolis during the regular season. In Week 5, Buffalo went into Chicago and was promptly lambasted by the then-surging Bears, dropping a 40-7 decision. The Bears forced three J.P. Losman interceptions on the day, and Rex Grossman was very proficient, throwing two touchdowns to complement the two scored on the ground by Cedric Benson. Game Stats

In Week 10, the Bills traveled to Indianapolis and fared much better despite losing once again. The Bills were able to successfully contain Peyton Manning's aerial attack all day, and it took a missed Rian Lindell field goal to seal the Colts' 17-16 win. Manning threw for 236 yards - average by his standards - and the Bills used a Terrence McGee fumble return for a touchdown to keep themselves in it. Game Stats

An Edge to Chicago?
Based on how Buffalo played against these two teams, it appears that Chicago - if they play to their potential - could have an edge on the Colts. Of course, we all know that this story is just one of a million that will decide the winner of Super Bowl XLI. It is sometimes relevant to note, however, the local ties to the sporting world's biggest event.