It's one of the greatest offenses the NFL has seen. Every generation has one. Think Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris and Jim Kiick running wild over the Minnesota Vikings. Or Joe Montana to Jerry Rice again and again. And how bout them Cowboys?

There have been other marvels of the gridiron to be sure. We remember the Super Dolphins of the 1970s, the businesslike 49ers of the 80s and the unbeatable Cowboys of the 90s because they each won Super Bowls. They made history and so their achievements will be remembered long after their stars dim.

That's not the case for Earl Campbell, Dan Marino or Jim Kelly. Great careers in pro sports ring hollow without a championship to put them into context. How would the careers of Marvin Harrison and Peyton Manning be judged some day in the not too distant future when the end finally arrives?

The answer came in a Miami downpour on Super Bowl Sunday. Manning shook off the wet conditions, an early deficit and an aggressive Chicago Bears defense to help the Indianapolis Colts win Super Bowl XLI, 29-17.

Manning, a nine-year NFL veteran and the most prolific passer of his generation, solidified his legacy in one masterful performance. He completed 25 of 38 passes for 247 yards. And his 53-yard scoring strike to Reggie Wayne with 6:50 left in the opening quarter provided a telling answer to Devin Hester's kickoff return that put the Bears on the board first.

For that, along with presiding over an offense that piled up 24 first downs and ate up 38:04 of game clock, Manning was named Super Bowl MVP. Sure, he made mistakes. He fumbled away one possession and an interception stopped another drive. But Bears quarterback Rex Grossman didn't fare nearly as well in the rain.

The Bears fumbled four times and Grossman threw a pair of interceptions, including one returned 56 yards by backup cornerback Kelvin Hayden for a fourth-quarter touchdown.

The duo of Dominic Rhodes and rookie Joseph Addai proved devastating. Rhodes emerged from the long shadow of Edgerrin James this season and enjoyed a breakout day against the Bears, rushing for 113 yards on 21 carries and his 1-yard scoring burst with 6:09 left in the half gave the Colts their first lead, 16-14. Addai added 77 yards on 19 carries and 66 yards on 10 receptions.

The Colts played ball control to earn their first World Championship since Super Bowl V and the first title since moving from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984.

Once again, Adam Vinatieri, who was an instrumental part of three Super Bowl titles in New England, booted three field goals for the Colts and proved to be the free agent pickup of the year.

Chicago cut the deficit to 22-17 on Robbie Gould's 44-yard field goal late in the third. But Thomas Jones, who finished with 112 yards on 15 carries, generated the only offense for the Bears. Cedric Benson was lost to injury early on and Grossman never got on track.

It was Manning embracing coach Tony Dungy in the end, each standing on a podium in the middle of Dolphin Stadium, passing off the Vince Lombardi Trophy like some petulant 4-year-old. Dungy became the first black head coach to win a Super Bowl, and like Manning, ensured his legacy after a long and productive career.

That's what will be remembered about this wet and wild Super Bowl. This was Peyton’s game, the one victory he needed to earn a bust in Canton, Ohio, and currency for the debate — who is the greatest quarterback ever?