Impending Dread. Or Is It Pending Dread...Whatever. As early as the middle of the second quarter of the Seahawk/Panther "contest" I stared to get the feeling of impending/pending dread as I realized that the football season is coming to a close. What a horrible feeling for football fans, February is right around the corner. And as a committed sports nut I'm totally aware that March Madness is in March (DUH!) and that we have the Winter Olympics - complete with obscure sports that are perfect for "the Ocho" - starting in a few weeks. But that just doesn't matter.

The feeling I get when football season is coming to a close is similar to the feeling that I still get when kids go back to school in September...Summer's over. And even though there is great weather in the fall, it's just not the same. Same feeling here, just with sports.

And with all of the hype that surrounds the game, the Super Bowl is a big turnoff. But I'll save that griping for two weeks from now.

Leopards Don't Change Their Spots. I like Jake Plummer, I really do. I wouldn't mind if he was my starting quarterback. But he just isn't going to win you the big game. As a matter of fact, I've come to the realization - just my opinion mind you - that players don't all of a sudden become big game players. Guys who have never played well in big games, or who make mistakes in big games, don't turn into "Joe Clutch" just because. Jake Plummer with his two interception, two-fumble performance and a 25 point lower than his season average Passing Rating is one of those guys.

Plummer's mistakes versus the Steelers were killers. Plummer's first fumble led to a Steeler touchdown. His first interception - on Denver's first play from scrimmage after the Steelers had gone up 17-3 - just before the two-minute warning led to a game-breaking Steeler touchdown.

But the real killer came after the Bronco defense came up with a big hold and, after forcing the Steelers into a long yardage situation, forced Pittsburgh to settle for three points. After this field goal a big 47-yard Bronco kick return got the ball into Steeler territory early in the fourth quarter, but on the first play from scrimmage Plummer forced a ball into coverage and threw his second pick of the game. Even though the Steelers didn't score on this drive, they took time and momentum away from the Broncos and the game was over. Not to mention the damage this interception did to the team's confidence in their signal caller.

Plummer killed his team on this day.

Instant Replay And The Feeling Of Impending Dread...Or Is It Pending Dread...Whatever. When the officials go to the replay booth, does anyone really feel confident that they will make the right call? I don't think so. I know I'm thinking about all the potential ways that the officials can screw things up even worse. Even Phil Simms sounded confused and filled with actual dread Sunday as he tried to guess what the official would do during the review of a Willie Parker fumble. He contradicted himself three or four times and sounded like a six-year-old trying to come up with an excuse for how Mom's favorite vase was knocked over and broken.