DeKALB | There would be no euphoric Super Bowl-winning joy to warm the hearts of Bears fans as they departed Molly’s Eatery and Drinkery, 1022 W. Lincoln Highway.

The 29-17 Colts victory cast a dull hue over the emotions of everyone gathered around a plethora of TV sets and made the trek through a parking lot filled with wind-swept snow and sub-zero temperatures downright bone-chilling.

“I’m going to cry,” Terese Czuma said. “This is supposed to be Bears weather and they were supposed to pull this one out. I’m getting an ulcer. This team has given me a heart attack all season.”

A worried trepidation gave way to a series of long faces, empty glasses and broken hearts, as Peyton Manning and company lassoed control of the game with a smash-mouth running game and a precise-passing efficiency that was too much for a weary Bears defense.

“We turned Joseph Addai into Walter Payton,” Joe Borchard said. “They just didn’t get to Peyton Manning enough.”

With people still filing in and a long line still lingering around a free pre-game buffet of pulled pork, bratwurst and chili, rookie kick-returner Devin Hester created a frantically charged atmosphere with a game-opening kickoff-return touchdown.

Hands flew into the air, high fives were exchanged and dreams of a ticker-tape parade on State Street danced through everyone’s heads.

A group of girls in Brian Urlacher jerseys gave their digital camera battery a workout, waitresses flew from table to table and a 7-0 lead felt invincible.

But with an offense that stalled in neutral and managed only five first downs, the atmosphere quickly transformed into nervous anxiety.

When both teams exchanged turnovers in the second quarter, nerves were frayed, gray hairs were born and everyone remained glued to the action on the rain-drenched field.

When the Colts took a 16-14 lead on a one-yard plunge from Dominic Rhodes, viewers Amanda Cecil, Dan Pavela, Carl Corlew and Sindre Ronninger kept the faith that their squad would turn the game around.

“The Bears need to pressure Manning and put him in the dirt,” Pavela said. “If we get the running game going and keep the ball out of the hands of the Colts offense, we’ll be fine.”

With the game slipping away in the third and fourth quarter, the room grew tenser. Reasons to cheer were few and far between. Random chants of “Let’s go, Bears” erupted, but a second interception by Rex Grossman on an under-thrown pass to Bernard Berrian with nine minutes and 56 seconds left to play created a somber, wake-like atmosphere.

Fans looked for any semblance of hope and clung to faith alone as the Bears picked up yards on a prevent Colts defense with just less than six minutes to play.

When Desmond Clark broke out of his post route on 4th and 9 and snatched Grossman’s pass, there seemed to be life. But Colts safety Bob Sanders put the nail in the coffin with a blow to Clark, the Bears’ tight end.

The ball fell from Clark’s grasp and to the soggy turf at Dolphin Stadium.

The nail biting was over. The arctic chill awaited and the silence in the room spoke volumes.

The Colts would win Super Bowl XLI.

“Rex Grossman’s inexperience killed him,” Borchard said. “The Bears couldn’t run the ball and the turnovers just killed them.”