You know, if that was any team but the Patriots, yesterday...

[nickgutierrez]

...and the opposing QB had been anybody but Peyton Manning, you know what the story would've been?

"(coach) chokes."

"(team) can't get it done anymore in the big games." - remember last year? Look at how the media rips the Yankees.

"(QB) not as lucky this time around." - remembering Golden Boy Brady's last minute interception last week, only to be saved by the defensive player's fumble.

I'm just not hearing a lot of talk at all about how Pats blew an 18 point lead. Yes, Peyton Manning is the big story, and he should be - but I'm astonished at the respect the Patriots continue to get after this game, despite the fact that they were gifted a 21-3 lead, and couldn't make it hold up.

[trumad]

1. and they played where?

[nickgutierrez]

2. The game was in Indy.

But that shouldn't matter.

The Patriots "owned" the Colts in the playoffs, we were told. Bill Belichick was the Best Coach Ever, and a master game-planner, they said, and Tom Brady was Joe Montana, Joe Namath, and Jesus, rolled up in one. In fact, Tom Brady was so good in the playoffs that he could throw a seemingly game-ending interception the week previous, and make the defensive player fumble the ball through his own sheer will. And they were spotted an 18 point lead.

And they lost the game.

Yet, in all the news sources I've seen talking about the game, there has been exactly one story that discusses the Patriots' choke job. Put the shoe on the other foot - had the Pats come back from an 18 point deficit, the headlines would've screamed, "MANNING CHOKES AGAIN!", and that's all we'd hear right up until the Super Bowl, then after the big game would start right back up again.

[trumad]

3. They owned the Colts because they played the Colts in past playoffs at home

not this time. The Colts should have won this game--- they had home field advatage...

Dude... Brady and Belichick have 3 rings each.... Manning has zip.

[nickgutierrez]

5. Ok, sure, but they choked this time.

Not only did they choke this time, but the guy with the "choker" reputation hung 32 points on them in the second half, after the Master Game-planner had an entire halftime to make adjustments.

I'm not saying that Brady and Belichick are bad - I'm just calling for a bit more consistency from the media. They choked, and I want to see that story too.

Yeah, I know - not gonna happen.

[Captain Hilts]

11. NE didn't 'choke'. Give Indy credit for winning the game. nt

[BOSSHOG]

4. I got the distinct impression

from reading the sports page and occasionally watching ESPN that there was no reason to go forward with the playoffs. That the Patriots should just be given the Lombardi Trophy and we should just go to Hawaii for the All Pro Games.

[Phredicles]

6. ESPN = Eternal Pats Suck-up Network

Hadn't y'all noticed?

[Robeson]

7. They have 3 rings. That kind of earns respect....

...just look at everything that has to fall into place for a team to go just one time, and win a ring. The stars have to practically align for that to happen. Now, imagine winning three.

[BOSSHOG]

8. The stars aligning. That's a great way to put it

Last year was a perfect example. The stars, the zebras, all were lining up for the Steelers cause it sure wasn't due to any talent that got "them" their fifth ring. I guess this year was cloudy in Pittsburgh.

[TZ]

9. not a Steelers fan but..

Can't you give Rothelisburger (I know I spelled that wrong) and Bettis any credit? I think they were pretty good last year...and they had a decent defense, which as most Skins fans know makes a HUGE difference:)

[BOSSHOG]

10. Agreed. Bettis had an outstanding career

but I believe this year was a more telling story of the Steelers, not last year. I don't understand the riches to rags story. At least Seattle was relatively consistent from last year to this as other teams were. The Saints were a notable exception but they had a new coaching staff, 20+ new faces on the roster and damn near a new stadium. The Eagles got rid of TO and presto, better team. I saw the Steelers the same this year as last year, with the exception of the alignment of the stars in 05.

[Bill McBlueState]

12. a more telling story...

Sure, if a near-fatal offseason motorcycle accident can be counted as the sort of thing that typically happens to quarterbacks.