How do you measure, how can you truly know, what will tip the scales in favor of the Indianapolis Colts or New England Patriots, the Chicago Bears or New Orleans Saints, in Sunday’s NFL conference championship games?
Is it destiny, as would appear to be the case with a Saints squad that has rallied a franchise and a city from unspeakable tragedy? Is it luck of the sort that has sat on Indianapolis’ shoulder for two games, with opponents’ chip-shot field goals boinking off uprights while its own long-distance tries snake in atop crossbars? Speaking of feet, does Chicago have an edge because of kicker Robbie Gould, who finished second in the league in scoring and missed only four kicks all season?
If it were to come down to some been-there-done-that certainty, the only team with a ghost of a chance would be the Patriots. The Saints have won only two playoff games in their 39-year history. The Colts have not been to a Super Bowl since the 1970 season (when they were in Baltimore), Chicago since the 1985 campaign. New England, meanwhile, has won three of the past five titles.
That might have doomed San Diego in Sunday’s divisional contest as much as Marty Schottenheimer or the Chargers’ four turnovers. In the crucible of postseason play, which causes allegedly great players and teams to shrink up like George Co- stanza after a swim, the Patriots simply have had few peers when it comes to winning the big one.
“The definition of mental toughness?” said Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, asking a question of his own Sunday after his team’s 24-21 victory. “Well, it’s just not letting anything get you. Staying focused no matter what’s swirling around you, continuing to mentally fight through whatever obstacles there might be, whenever it’s a certain play or situation.”
With a 3-6 postseason record entering the playoffs – as opposed to Brady’s 10-1 mark – there have been questions as to how much Peyton Manning has been willing to fight for a trip to the Super Bowl. In Saturday’s 15-6 win at Baltimore, Manning appeared jittery at times – just as he did the week before against Kansas City.
For the two games, the two-time NFL MVP and seven-time Pro Bowl player has only one touchdown to five interceptions and a passer rating of 58.3, more than 35 points below his career average. However, instead of answering questions about why he once again failed to lead to Colts to glory, Manning is preparing for perhaps his best chance to reach the Super Bowl.
“I hear a lot of people say throw all the statistics out the window in the playoffs and just get a win, but it’s like we’re the exception,” Manning said of critics’ preoccupation with his postseason numbers. “With us, it’s ‘The Colts’ passing yards were this,’ and ‘His rating was this.’ I don’t think we should be the exception.”
But Manning is smart enough to know that will continue until he gets to the NFL’s ultimate playoff game. The true reason he hasn’t up to now – a spotty defense – has been a key factor in his continued play this month. After yielding an average of 173 yards rushing per game during the regular season, the Colts’ have stoned the Chiefs and Ravens, allowing a combined total of 127.
That revival has put the Colts squarely in the face of their tormentors, the Patriots. At some point in each of their past two Super Bowl runs, in 2003 and 2004, New England knocked out Indianapolis. Because of that, there are some who will say Indianapolis can continue to fly under the radar, once again being able to play without the pressure of being overwhelming favorites, as was the case last season when it began 13-0 only to fall to eventual champion Pittsburgh at home in the divisional round.
But that’s the sort of argument that causes Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy to scratch his head.
“It’s a little strange to me,” Dungy said. “For 10 weeks, we were still the No. 1 seed (in the AFC). It wasn’t until Week 15 that we dropped to No. 3. Even though we weren’t playing the way we thought we could play, we still knew we were a good team and didn’t feel any sense that we weren’t going to be here.”
Staff writer Anthony Cotton can be reached at 303-954-1292 or acotton@denverpost.com.
