I usually do not put much value on teams having so much time off since playing a meaningful game, but Indy's situation seems different. After all the undefeated hype and talk of resting starters while going for the perfect record, the Colts came out flat versus San Diego. A few days later Dungy's son dies. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh has to win their finale to make the playoffs and then travel to Cincinnati, keeping their rhythm along the way. Getting back to Manning not having "it" is a big factor as well because a QB with the intangibles would be prepared to lift his team over the top. But to trade Manning, the city of Indianapolis would go crazy.

Great column CD.

another person who doesn't have 'it' is Vanderjagt. He's awful in big games too.

Nice comments after the game, Peyton.  "I'm trying to be a good teammate here... but we had protection problems."

That sums up why Manning isn't a champion.  Could you ever see Tom Brady, or Joe Montana, or Steve Young, etc., making a comment like that after a game?  That isn't like Matt Leinart's "I thought we were the better team" gaffe which was said in the immediate post-game on-field crucible.  This was in the postgame press conference, after having lots of time to think about what to say.

I have to admit, I fell into the trap this year of thinking the Colts were going to steamroll their way  to the Lombardi Trophy.  Maybe the Steelers were right; maybe they are just too soft a team to win it all.  Maybe Vanderjagt was right all along?

Thank you Mark, Editor, and BostonMac.

Trading Manning would cause an uproar. He's as untouchable as Favre in the media's eyes. But, if Joe Montana can be traded (although he asked for his) no quarterback should be off limits.

Hey, that was the worst big game kick that I've ever seen. At least Norwood's kick 15 years ago was in the general direction of the uprights. I told my wife that he couldn't have missed it more if they were paying him. He looked like the Texans kicker in that game late in the season.

The Colts are in trouble next year. Edge, Reggie Wayne, and the kicker are free agents. Somebody's gone. I don't think Edge wants to stay. Wayne's going to want the bank after having a better statisical year than Harrison. And, the kicker may be in demand. He is the most accurate in NFL history. Teams won't consider one kick he missed in a game they didn't deserve to win anyway.

They can trade Manning and his salary in a Herschel Walker type deal. The team can be set for years. Manning is like pyrite, fools gold. Any number of suckers would line up to take him off of the Colts hands - and trade the franchise for him.  

Excellent piece, Cellar.  Did you notice, during the last Colt drive, on 2nd and two, Dallas Clark was wide open about 10 yards down field.   And on 3rd down, Edge was open in the flat.  With two timeouts left you have to get the first down so that you can at least get closer and improve your field goal chances; then maybe take a shot for the endzone.  Manning had his moments but he was clearly rattled early, and, for a QB of his experience, made poor decisions in the clutch.  

wdwilson, with two timeouts left, on second and 2 from the 29 it the Steelers vulnerable to a run or draw to Edge, also. And, yes I did see someone on ESPN breakdown how Clark and Edge were open on those plays, and Manning, with two timeouts, still chose to go for the endzone.

However, I've yet to hear or read anyone (other than myself) question why Edge got only 3 carries in the second half, after dominating the only drive they Colts could muster in the first half. In the first game against the Steelers, Manning had 25 passes and Edge had 27 runs (52 plays). In this last game, Manning had 38 passes and Edge had 13 runs (51 plays). They started the game with 11 passes, 3 runs, and 4 punts. When they featured Edge, they moved right down the field.

Am I the only person in the country who notices this? Or, am I the only one that doesn't want to make a god out of Peyton Manning? "Edge needs him, he doesn't need Edge".

First, let's make this very clear, THEIR IS NO WAY THE COLTS TRADE MANNING.

Second, I think Manning's undoing in the game was the Steeler's Blitz. He had happy feet, and overthrew receivers because he was under constant pressure.

Manning calls most of the offensive plays for the Colts. He knows it has been written time and time again that he cannot win the big one. He knows up into this point he has not played that good of a game. So he takes it upon himself to try to win it. For the most part he did bring the colts back in the game.

Now answer this...say on 2nd and 2 the colts give the ball to Edge...he gets 5 yards or whatever...and then as time goes down they are still forced to kick it...do you think, with the way "idiot kicker" kicked the ball it would have mattered?

Nice article. I totally agree that Manning doesn't have "it"; in fact, I picked the Steelers to win the game outright (and I am not a Pitts fan) because of the soft Indy schedule. The big media outlets were blowing so much smoke about the perfect season before San Diego, that the Colts started to believe it. But did anyone stop to think about the fact that they were beating hell out of teams like Houston, and their greatest victories came against a crippled Patriots team and a Steeler team plagued by key injuries?

The biggest issue moving forward, I think, is the play calling. You just know that Manning is screwing the offense with too many pass plays and too many bad audibles -- not enough balance. If James ran the ball 30 times, the Colts may have won the game. Given the way Manning scorned Dungy and waved off the punt team, you have to think that there are some serious, deep problems going on at the top of the Indy food chain. Manning clearly is too arrogant to take direction -- even if it kills him, which it has in every postseason he's ever been in....

I think you're right. Unload Manning on Detroit. You'll free up an amount close to the GNP of China for the salary cap, and hell, you might even get Joey Harrington in the bargain! Buy a defensive secondary, run the ball, and win the big one (and let the guy who can only "try" to be a good teammate learn the hard way).

Let's face facts: the Colts have a better chance with a 85-year old Bob Griese from the '72 Dolphins than they do with Manning. Who, besides Indy fans, are stupid enough to deny it??

PS I almost forgot. Everyone has been throwing comparisons around about John Elway this past week. Even Dungy said Manning would be like Elway -- winning it all later in his career.

By this time in his career, John Elway had already been to three Superbowls. And even after playing for twice as many seasons, Elway still had a higher lifetime win percentage than Manning's current rate. So, I think we need a little perspective. Unless Manning manages to roll off five Superbowl appearances -- including two victories -- in the next eight seasons, he still falls in the "most underperforming, overrated chokaholic QB of all-time" category.

Maybe he needs to go to Elway's Colorado Crush in order to learn how to play in big games -- even they have won the title.