He doesn't back scheme

LANCE BRIGGS May not fit Patriots

MIAMI -- Bad news, Patriots fans. Bears linebacker Lance Briggs is not a fan of the 3-4 defense.

Briggs, who is expected to be one of the top defensive free agents this winter, has been mentioned as a possible upgrade to New England's aging linebacker corps. The 6-foot-1-inch, 240-pounder would be a welcome addition alongside fellow University of Arizona product Tedy Bruschi.

In his fourth season, Briggs was named to his second consecutive Pro Bowl, his first as a starter, after finishing second on Chicago with a career-high 176 tackles. He added four forced fumbles, two of which came in a 17-13 loss to the Patriots Nov. 26, and an interception. This season was the first of his career in which Briggs didn't register a defensive score.

Briggs , who plays weak-side linebacker in the Bears' 4-3 defense, said his talents wouldn't translate to a 3-4 scheme.

"Not real well," he said. "The 3-4 is a whole different scheme. It's a different scheme. I played in it before. I played in it in college a little bit, in the middle."

Briggs responded with Belichickian brevity when asked if he enjoyed his 3-4 experience. "Not really, not really," he said.

Briggs probably has been biased by the benefits of playing in Lovie Smith's scheme, which has its roots in the coach's days as a Tampa Bay assistant.

"The weak-side position in this defensive scheme, you're kind of called on to make play after play after play," said Briggs. "When Lovie came here, he said, 'I want you to play the weak side, I want you to be the Derrick Brooks of this defense.' In this defense, you are relied on to make play after play."

Briggs has made play after play in the postseason. He leads the team with 19 tackles, including two for losses.

As he has all season, Bears quarterback Rex Grossman was asked to explain his erratic play, which is one of the primary reasons the Colts, who have two-time NFL MVP Peyton Manning at quarterback, are favored Sunday. Grossman had seven games with a passer rating above 100 and five with a rating below 37 during the regular season, infuriating Chicago fans.

"I would love to play more consistent so that they know what to expect -- everyone knows what to expect," said Grossman. "I know that I can do that."

It figures to be a long week for Grossman, as he'll have to answer countless queries.

"He knows that most of you have certain questions that you want to ask him, that most of you would like to let him know how bad he is," said Smith. "But he's not going to buy into it and we don't buy into it. Rex Grossman is here at the Super Bowl. The reason for that is he's a good player."

Smith said he is proof that the Rooney Rule works, and that this historic meeting between him and Colts coach Tony Dungy should not be used as fodder for the discontinuation of the rule. The rule is named after Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who lobbied the league in 2002 to include a provision that all franchises be required to interview at least one minority candidate when they have a head coaching vacancy.

"I'm here because of the Rooney Rule," said Smith. "I definitely think we need to keep it in place. It's just good that guys like Mike Tomlin have gotten an opportunity to be a head football coach. I think Mike would have gotten an opportunity still, but I think that may speed up the process a bit. Whenever you can get in front of somebody, it's good, and the Rooney Rule allows you that opportunity."

The Colts' Pro Bowl receiving tandem of Marvin Harrison (95) and Reggie Wayne (86) combined for 181 catches during the regular season. The Bears' top four receivers -- Muhsin Muhammad (60), Bernard Berrian (51), Rashied Davis (22), and Mark Bradley (14) -- made a combined 147 grabs. Berrian said the Chicago receivers take pride in being able to help the team without necessarily catching the ball. "We're not a greedy or a selfish receiving corps," he said. "If we're going to run the ball all game, we don't care as long as we get to hold up that Lombardi Trophy. That's the attitude we try to take on this team with the wide receivers."

The Bears went through a light practice that lasted about an hour yesterday at the University of Miami. All players on the active roster took part, including Bradley, who sat out the NFC title game with an ankle injury. Smith said that by tomorrow he wants his team to be on a regular schedule as far as practice and preparation.

Mike Reiss of the Globe staff contributed to this report