What a Choke!

It was inevitable. The Colts always look like they are going to get to the Super Bowl, and then they always choke. This year was no different although the timing of their loss was surprising. They could have at least made the conference championships before choking, but they decided to cut the suspense and end it quickly. The Colts' playoff losses are now one of the certain things in life along with death and taxes. The Colts lost to the Steelers 21-18, but the game was really not that close, and if not for some very questionable calls, Pittsburgh would have won by double digits. Here are some more observations on the Colts' blowup as well as the rest of the NFL:

• I would not want Peyton Manning as the quarterback of my team, period. This may seem like a stupid statement given the stats and MVP awards Manning has put up, but at the end of the day Manning has no idea about leadership or determination. He may have the determination necessary to throw 49 regular season TDs or to get to Honolulu every year, but he does not have what it takes to win a big time game in a pressure situation. This becomes more and more evident every season. It is not that Manning played all that poorly against Pittsburgh, but when they needed a big play, he was no where to be found. Also, his body language and expressions are not what a coach wants to see out of his so called leader. Manning constantly shrugs his shoulders and pouts when things are going bad, and this does nothing except send bad vibes to his teammates. Then after the game, Manning had the nerve to throw his O-Line under the bus by saying there were some "protection issues." Thatta boy, Peyton! You are responsible for calling the plays at the line and for helping the O-Line get into the right protection, but of course it is never your fault. The O-Line did play poorly, but Manning was also at fault for not keeping the aggressive Steelers' defense off balance. Edgerrin James had 56 yards on 13 carries, but he was hardly used at all down the stretch even though the game was still in reach. A few draws or screen passes would have slowed down "blitzburgh" linebackers' Joey Porter and James Farrior, but more often than not Manning elected to go with conventional pass plays that the linebackers timed up so they were hitting Manning every time. The truth remains that Manning is and always has been a loser. He could not beat Florida while he was at Tennessee, and he is now 3-6 in the NFL Playoffs. Tennessee won a national championship the year after Manning left, maybe the Colts would have won in the playoffs with a little mental toughness from their quarterback.
• The same thing applies for Indianapolis head coach Tony Dungy. He has always been poor in the postseason, and this year changed nothing. I don't know if its his laid back demeanor or if it is because hes not as good a coach as everyone thinks. Either way, he is 5-8 in the playoffs, and on Sunday he was thoroughly outcoached and outmaneuvered. Indy made no adjustments to the Steelers' blitzes, and as a result, they were beaten badly. It is tough for someone like Dungy, but after he left Tampa Bay the Buccaneers won a Super Bowl with Jon Gruden. Now he is in Indianapolis, and the same exact problems continue to plague him. Dungy needs to do something to improve his teams' postseason success, or I would start to look at other options in Indy.
• Mike Vanderjagt had no chance at making the game tying 46 yard field goal on Sunday. Looking at him as he was preparing on the field, he looked uptight and nervous. I remember thinking before the kick that he did not look confident, and sure enough he missed it as badly as someone can miss a kick.
• Who was that disguised as Tom Brady on Saturday. The Patriots gave the game to the Broncos, and Brady made the kind of mistakes he always avoids. The difference in the game was the interception Brady through in the endzone which was returned by Champ Bailey to the New England 1. The score was 10-6 Denver at the time, and New England was going in for the go-ahead score. It was a 14 point swing, and the Patriots could never recover.
• Steve Smith dominates games at the wide receiver position better than anyone in recent memory. His 12 catches for 218 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Bears was remarkable especially considering the fact that he had 14 catches when they played the first time. It is also shocking that the Bears never went to a double team on him. They matched up in man coverage against Smith too often, and when they did he beat them deep for two long touchdowns. The Bears hung in till the end, but it was obvious that they were the benefactors of playing in a weak division. The Bears would not have been a playoff team in the NFC South or East.