My picks: Carolina and the Steelers.

"My picks: Carolina and the Steelers."

Interesting. So you've reversed your prediction at the end of last year that Roethlisberger's rookie success was a "fluke"?

Everyone focuses on that interception reversal, but that non-false-start-nor-encroachment call was simply comedy in motion.

Wait, no it wasn't. Because there "was no motion."

As Zimmerman correctly pointed out at SI.com, Tom Brady was just as bad for the Patriots, as much to blame for their loss as Manning was for Indy, so why are you concentrating your hatred on No. 18 for the Colts? I'd say Manning faced a much harder defense to overcome than Brady, and yet it was Manning, not Brady, that had his team with a chance to win at the end (even with the refs "listening" to Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds).

"Interesting. So you've reversed your prediction at the end of last year that Roethlisberger's rookie success was a "fluke"?"

In the regular season, he was not nearly as successful as he was last season.

However, this is the playoffs. So far, he has defeated an over-rated Bengals team, and his defense won the game against the Colts.

This week, he's facing Jake Plummer. I'd favor Joey-fucking-Harrington over Jake Plummer.

So. Ben R. is a good QB. And his defense is very good.

But he still ain't the greatest thing ever to come out of a womb, which was the CW after last season...

to compare tom brady's performance to peyton manning's career long habit of choking is folly. everyone is allowed a bad game in the big moment...that was brady's first bad playoff performance, and his first playoff loss ever.

even joe montana was bad in a playoff game...if you're old enough to remember - and i am - when the ny giants, and leonard marshall in particular, laid the hammer down on joe and the 49'ers. it was probably montana's worst big-game performance, but he had won before and bounced back nicely from that setback.

manning on the other hand has a history of failure in big games. and the year after he left tennessee, the vols won the national championship with tee martin at the helm of a less talented team.

manning's big game-itis, combined with the coaching ineptitude of serial bungler tony dungy, is a sure-fire route to failure.

Yeah, they should totally let Brady play that game again. It's not fair when he loses.

Aeneas, I don't disagree.

Personally, I'm focusing on Manning because I blew the call on the Colts, but got the call on the Pats correct.

You're right that Peyton played better than Brady. I really don't have any issue with his playing (he actually played fairly well) just his play calling and his management of the offense.

Brady made a lot of mistakes, which in itself is surprising; more so considering how Brady carried the team early in the year when they were decimated by injuries.

It's clear how much of the Pats loss can be pinned on Brady, it's more speculative how much of the Colts loss can be pinned on Manning.

RJ, I agree with you on Ben. He has benefitted greatly from his defense and his running game. But I also think the first job of a QB is not to make mistakes. Given a super talented QB who makes mistakes versus an average or above average on who doesn't screw up, I'll take the later (see Culpepper vs. Johnson in Minnesota). Ben doesn't make many mistakes and that allows his defense and running backs to win the games. He's a good fit for the Steelers.

For what it's worth, he's also an impressive presence. Watch any interview with him and he seems as sharp as they come and a very strong leader. It's going to be interesting to see how he does with the offensive adjustments the Steelers will have to make next year with Bettis gone. I think he could be the next Brady -- not great stats, but a great winner.

And, yes, I'm on the Steelers bandwagon now. At least for a few more hours.

And I remain on the Steelers bandwagon.

The Panthers finally had the game we've all been waiting for the past few weeks -- the one where Steve Smith gets shut down and they don't have another solution. And just after I had given up on that expectation.

Jake Plummer also finally had the game we've all been expecting. That one I called dead on.

I want thank the finalists in both conferences for reminding us how tedious blowouts can be.

"In the regular season, he was not nearly as successful as he was last season."
However, this is the playoffs. So far, he has defeated an over-rated Bengals team, and his defense won the game against the Colts."

Although his completions and yards were slighltly lower this year than last, Roethlisberger actually threw the same number of touchdowns in 2005 as in 2004 (17), with two fewer interceptions (9-11), while posting a better QB rating (98.6-98.1)

"However, this is the playoffs. So far, he has defeated an over-rated Bengals team, and his defense won the game against the Colts."

In the three playoff games this year, Big Ben has completed 49-of-72 passes (68%) for 680 yards (9.4 yds-per-pass average), threw seven TDs with only one interception, for a 124.8 QB rating.

But besides the stats, the main thing is he led his team to victories in three games the Steelers were not expected to win. Roethlisberger has proven he's a tough competitor (recovered from a knee operation earlier this year, bad thumb throughout the playoffs) with an intense will-to-win.

He played superbly in the Broncos game after sustaining a helmet on the back of his throwing upper arm (by a 300-pounder) the week before that would've put you and I in the hospital for two weeks...

"But besides the stats, the main thing is he led his team to victories in three games the Steelers were not expected to win."

I think most people expected them to win the first game against the Bengals.

But still, you're correct. He's a better QB than I originally thought. And I am actually sorta starting to like him, both as a player and as a person.

"So. Ben R. is a good QB. And his defense is very good."

Oh really? Consistently inconsistent as usual, now you state "his defense is very good," after thinking that same defense would give up 34 points in your prediction before the Baltimore playoff game that the "Colts will dismantle Pittsburgh, 34-13."

sal m - even joe montana was bad in a playoff game...if you're old enough to remember - and i am - when the ny giants, and leonard marshall in particular, laid the hammer down on joe and the 49'ers."

Great example! But do you remember the opening monologue of the SNL Joe hosted following that loss to the Giants?

Classic!

"the Baltimore playoff game"

The Baltimore playoff game???

Geez...

But, yeah, I thought Manning and the Colts were going to be unstoppable on offense. And I was wrong.