Blog: Steelers Won't Miss Manning

Ahh, memories.  Jerome Bettis fumbling as the Steelers were at the goal line, ready to put the away the Colts in the Divisional round of the 2005 playoffs.  The Colts still having three timeouts was the only reason Pittsburgh even had to do anything but take a knee.  Nick Harper returns the fumble and appears to have a 90+ yard touchdown in the bag until Roethlisberger brings him down by his ankle.  Indy misses a field goal and the rest is history (anyone recall Polamalu's interception that was overturned by referees who later admitted it was the wrong decision?).

So the Steelers are 10.5 point favorites against the Peyton-less Colts.  If this game goes anything like the previous two for Indy, it’s going to be ugly.  First they got destroyed by the former division wannabe Houston Texans.  Then they were convincingly beaten by your hometown Browns last week.  Now, a quarterback who would be otherwise at home, reliving his days as a Nittany Lion from his recliner, was limited in practice this week for a sore right shoulder.  His backup is the seldom used Curtis Painter (might he actually have to earn a paycheck?).  If Pittsburgh gets back to its sack-happy blitzing, Indy could be down to their 3rd string thrower—err, kicker.  That’s right—their third/emergency quarterback is punter Pat McAfee.  I have visions of handoffs and errant 3rd down passes dancing in my head. 

Bryant McFadden’s “injury”  is still serious enough (thankfully) to limit him in practice and keep him out of the game.  Bad quarterbacking or not, Reggie Wayne and the rest of the speedy Colts receivers are no joke and William Gay was much better (or was Seattle just that much worse than Baltimore?) in coverage last Sunday.

And here's my pitch to the league and it's Most Valuable Player voters: Have you ever seen more evidence of a player being more valuable to his team than Peyton Manning this season?  He is often clearly the only reason they win some games, and without him, may not win one.  Why NOT make history and award the MVP trophy to a player who doesn't even take a snap this season?  Again--is anyone more deserving?  If baseball's Josh Hamilton can win the MVP by playing in fewer games than all but five former MVPs in history, why can't Manning show up for week 17 and take home his fifth?

Mike's picks for this week:

New England @ Buffalo (+8.5): Buffalo’s high octane offense loses the game but covers the points
Jacksonville @ Carolina (-3.5): Cam Newton comes back to rookie earth momentarily (throwing for 200 instead of 400) and the Panthers win a close, ugly one.
San Francisco @ Cincinnati (-1.5): San Francisco’s D is for real…Cincinatti’s isn’t.  And if Jerome Joint Simpson plays, Roger Goodell is dumber than I thought.  The guy had more pounds of marijuana than points in this spread!*
Miami @ Cleveland (-3.5): Miami still won’t have their backfield preference figured out by the 4th quarter, when they lose a very closely contested game.
Detroit @ Minnesota (+3.5): Detroit continues its ascension to the top of the NFC in a romp.
Houston @ New Orleans (-4.5): The Texans are the poor man’s Saints and will cover but show that they are still not quite on par with the league's most varied offense.
NYGiants @ Philadelphia (-7.5): A sore Michael Vick by less than a touchdown.
Denver @ Tennessee (-7.5): Who cares?!  I might even choose a soccer game over this.
NYJets @ Oakland (-3.5): Jets running away.
Kansas City @ San Diego (-14.5): The Chiefs continue their slide and lose badly.
Baltimore @ St.Louis (+3.5): The Ravens’ anger from last week's Music City nightmare is enough to pound the Rams.
Green Bay @ Chicago (+3.5): Weren’t the Bears supposed to play inspired football last week?  Yeah, I don’t see it happening this week either.  Pack covers easily.
Arizona @ Seattle (+3.5): This isn’t quite the Andrew Luck Bowl, but it’s close.  Cards by a touchdown or two.
Atlanta @ Tampa Bay (-1.5): Matt Ryan again shows just enough to make the talking heads think he could one day be an elite quarterback.  Alas, it only will last this week because they face a team that can't possibly put up the points the Falcons have allowed thus far (right?).  Falcons and the points. 
Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis (+10.5): When is the last time the Colts were dogs at home by more than a touchdown?  Steelers celebrate this historic spread by doubling it. 
Washington @ Dallas (-6.5): A sore Romo ekes out a win, but not by a touchdown.  Skins and Grossman’s rejuvenation (comeback player of the year, anyone?) to cover.