Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith (left) and Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy pose with the NFL's Vince Lombardi Trophy in Miami Beach on Friday. The Bears will play the Colts in Super Bowl XLI today, the first time that two African American coaches have appeared in the football championship. - Reuters

MIAMI (Reuters):

SUPER BOWL XLI could be a career- defining game for Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning as he directs the AFC champions' high-powered offence against the NFC's best defence, the Chicago Bears today.

The classic clash of irresistible force against immovable object gets under way at 6:25 p.m. when the 15-4 Colts tangle with the 15-3 Bears at Dolphin Stadium.

Manning can once and for all shake the sniggers that he could never win the big game should the Colts notch the franchise's first NFL title since 1971.

A defeat would pair him with Dan Marino in any discussion of the greatest quarterbacks never to win the championship.

Chicago figures to try to grind out yardage with a running attack featuring Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson that produced 196 yards rushing in a 39-14 victory against the New Orleans Saints in the NFC title game.

Intense preparation

Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy says the meticulous Manning, the Colts' driving force who is well known for his intense preparation, seems unfazed by the crossroads moment.

"I haven't noticed any changes in Peyton," Dungy said on Friday. "He's detailed in what he does. He wants to win every game. He wants to play well every time out.

"I don't think he looks at this as a do-or-die moment. He looks at it as a big game we need to win."

The biggest position mismatch between the clubs appears to be at quarterback, where Rex Grossman toils for Chicago.

"I've always admired Peyton," the erratic Grossman said. "He's definitely going to go down as one of the best to ever play the game. To play against that type of guy in the Super Bowl is great. It makes it that much bigger."

Grossman is in his first full season as a starter after battling injuries over the past few years.

He has been brilliant sometimes and woeful at other times, forcing the Bears to rely on a conservative game plan and bank on a defence led by ferocious linebacker Brian Urlacher.

Manning, 30, has amassed enough individual honours, including two NFL MVP awards and seven Pro Bowl selections, to ensure a future spot in the Hall of Fame.

However, he needs a title to crown his career.

Personal mission

"This is not a personal mission or a personal goal for any of these players," said Manning. "It's a team goal. The way you do it is together and as a team."

The Colts defence stepped up in their first two play-off wins against rushing-minded Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. Against the vaunted New England Patriots, Manning rallied them from a 21-3 deficit to a 38-34 AFC title triumph.

One thing Chicago can expect to see is the Indianapolis no-huddle or hurry-up offence, where maestro Manning brings his squad to the line of scrimmage and then points, shouts and motions players to shift positions before snapping the ball.

The Bears say sometimes Manning changes plays to adjust to the defence, and other times it is all a grand illusion.

"Some of the stuff he does is real and some of it is dummy," said Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera.

But the Bears' Urlacher said he would not be rattled by any razzle dazzle.

"I don't know if he's checking, if he's keeping the play the same or if he's just saying something to say it," he said.

"I have no idea what he's doing, so I'm not going to get caught up in it. I'm going to ready my keys and get to the football."