Worst NFL Playoff Game Ever - Stillers at Dolts 2006

I'm sorry, but this was a game that neither team appeared to want to win. And when it's that ugly, I dunno how you can get on the bandwagon of Pittsburgh. Let's look at the facts.

1- Bill Cowher has, historically been a pretty shaky playoff coach, frequently losing at home, in the weather, to teams they should have beaten. You'd think with all the Terrible Towels and the snow and the general misery of having to travel to Pittsburgh (Sure, it's a long flight to Seattle, but at least you're in Seattle), they'd be as unbeatable as the Packers are supposed to be at home in December. It just isn't the case in the Cowher era.

2- With the chance to end the game, and kill all doubt, their icon player, the Bus (one of two NFL players whose jersey I own, the other being Me-shawn Johnson's old Jets jersey, the one the went with the green helmet), fumbled the ball on his way to the nail in the coffin touchdown. Sure, they won the game, but only because Nick Harper was good enough to run into Rothlisberger's tackle, Peyton continued to be confused by the Pittsburgh blitz, and the most accurate FG kicker in the history of the NFL channeled Scott Norwood or any kicker from Florida State save Janikowski. They didn't win the game, they just lost less than the Dolts did.

3- Peyton Manning is like a pretty good Madden player. When there's no pressure, he can find anyone. But you make him work faster, and he's as dumb as pretty much anyone else in the league. I hate to dismiss the South and all, but when he plays like a bonehead and talks with the accent, he's reinforcing the stereotype. So, beating him by copying the game plan that Marty Schottenheimer came up with should not be a big deal. Especially when the Dolts had the last month off, and were probably overrated to start with. They do play the Texans twice.

4- Denver is a team with a real coach who can win the big one. Two of em in fact. Which is two more than The Dungy-ness crab and Cower put together. Isn't Dungy the same Dungy who got fired from the Tampa Bay job a few years ago, and then saw his team win the Superbowl behind Chucky's adult clone? I thought so.

5- Did Edgerrin James even play in the game on Sunday? I thought I saw him, but he didn't seem to get the ball. I am a big Edge fan, and I think the best thing for him would be to play for a team without Tom Moore and Archie's Eldest. If you click the link at the top of this article, and scroll way down to the first half box score, you will see that the Edge got 10 carries for 47 yards. 4.7/ Carry isn't gaudy, but it's functional. And it keep Spitburgh honest. And it sets up play action. And it forces Polamalu to stop roaming around and making general havoc, and instead focus on Edge and stop the run. And since the Man of Troy was unstoppable all game, in on seven tackles, two passes defended, one was really a pick, and innumerable pressures, you'd think you'd want to come up with some kind of answer there. The Colts answer? a few three and outs with Edge not touching the ball. Isn't this the guy who led the league in runs between 5&9 yards. I know that's a silly stat, but he can crack those like clockwork, if you just gtive him the damn ball. Coming out of halftime, Edge got the ball three times as a runner in the second half. And they were only down 11 for most of that half. They came back from down 17 to the Rams earlier this year, with Edge running the ball. Don't believe me? Check This out. It happened. Personally, I blame Peyton. But Maybe Tom Moore is to blame some too.

Any rate, I'm taking Denver and the 3.5. And I'm not touching the other game. The Panthers are so good when they are good they can knock off anyone, but they can drop a stink bomb at any time and any place. And Seattle is a very good team, with a great home field (I played them in Madden 2004, and they are a very fun team), but Shawn Alexander might be soft (I don't think so, but I'm open to the possibility) and I don't buy the offense working against a balanced team with a good defense (as opposed to the Skins, who are a woeful offensive team, which makes their defense tired from playing a lot). Course, I think the Hawks have the tools to shut down Steve Smith, and then where are the Panthers. Misssing Muhsin Muhammed (I played the Panthers in Madden 2003, before they lost the Superbowl. And they are a really fun team too. And that was before Delhomme came along).