It is was a loss for the ages. The Indianapolis Colts were defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-18. I compared the football game to an epic battle between the Greeks and Romans. In the end, the Colts, the number one seed in the AFC lost in the divisional playoffs.

You work for home field advantage throughout the regular season, so that every conference playoff game is played at your home stadium. The Colts started the season 13-0, before being beaten at home by the San Diego Chargers. Yet all of their offseason work paid off, regardless of the Colts finishing the regular season at 14-2.

The dream ended on the football field; as reliable kicker Mike Vanderjagt missed a 46 yards field goal that would have tied the ball game, late in the fourth quarter. They came up a little short in the final quarter. After trailing 21-3 after three quarters, the Colts came to life after one of the worst calls in NFL Playoff history. The referee reversed an interception by Steelers safety Troy Polamalu after the Colts challenged the call on the field, early in the fourth quarter. Personally, it appeared obviously to me that the pick was legitimate. Polamalu rolled on the ground and then fumbled on his own, while trying to get up. He had already established possession. It took a lot of guts for Indianapolis Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy to have the play reviewed. Without the officials error, the Colts were on pace to lose 35-3.

When a team starts the season 13-0, who expects a lost in the first playoff game? Maybe the Colts started got overconfident the night before after they watched their arch nemesis, the New England Patriots lose against the Denver Broncos. The uncertainty of cornerback Nick Harper's condition may have kept some of the players up the night before. Then again, it could be the Indianapolis Colts are a victim of their own early success. The Colts dominated the Steelers in their regular season meeting, but you can throw out the records during playoff time. Whatever other elements aided in the Colts lost, the game ended so bitterly that quarterback Peyton Manning mentioned "there were problems in their offensive line protection." Sounds like Peyton is laying some blame. Also, the future of Tony Dungy coaching is now in limbo. Will he coach the Colts next season, only time will tell?

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