I'm glad now that I slept before sharing my thoughts on our tough loss to the Colts, because well, so much more information has surfaced regarding the offense's awful play.  We have learned that Peyton Manning has been playing on some kind of severe thigh injury since the Chargers game a month ago.  Now I say some kind of injury because well...we still don't know what kind. 

I've heard everything from a quadriceps tear, to a quadriceps strain to two strains and a big bruise and it just goes on and on.  Regardless, this injury explains a lot when it comes to Manning's recent play.  He is of course a prototypical quarterback who believes in using every bit of his body to throw the ball. From his toes to his fingertips, no muscle is wasted. To have any injury to the thigh makes it difficult to throw. Now we see why he was tossing balls in weird ways throughout the game and well...that injury cost the Broncos the game.  

The good news is, there's no question regarding Manning's toughness, I'm sure that's a hell of an injury to play through. The bad news is, this reveals some complex problems with the Broncos. First and foremost, coaching. I say that for one particular reason. Obviously the Broncos staff was aware of this injury at some point, they saw the struggles he was going through, so why not sit Manning and let him heal? Yes, I understand he earns a salary of $19 million a year and yes I get he needs to be tough and that the playoffs are on the line. But next man up is part of the game and this is the obvious end to not letting him heal, and that's on the staff. It also sends a bad message to backup quarterback Brock Osweiler. You drafted this guy to take over someday for Peyton, you also have him at the ready to step in and play. Your defense is finally coming on strong and your run game is solid...why not put him in? If the team doesn't trust him or think he is ready in his development, that's also on the coaches to get him ready and get him where he needs to be.

Yet, this all boils down to one giant problem...that awful offensive line and Denver's lack of addressing it in the offseason. Yes, they got more weapons on defense and offense, but really the line was never taken care of.  Center and Right Tackle are a mess, and it made no sense to move Louis Vasquez, one of the best guards in the game to Tackle and let's be honest about Manny Ramirez...he's awful. He embarrassed himself and the team with his airball snap in Super Bowl XLVIII and he played worse this year. Manning took too many hits this season, and this is also an end result of not addressing that line. 

Manning's injury is an eye opener for the Broncos I hope. For one, they need to expect better from the players around their quarterback, especially when it comes to that line and quite frankly, if you want to win a Super Bowl with Peyton, give him all the tools he needs. It's surprising I have to say that, because that's how Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway won his two championships, and his O line was outstanding.  These two glaring issues make this loss sting worse, because it was preventable, the team bought into the hype that Peyton Manning was on his own invincible, rather than making him invincible. It's a costly lesson to say the least and we won't know if the team has learned it until we see what moves are made in the offseason.  

Round two of the NFL Playoffs managed to surprise all of us. Once again we found ourselves talking about a controversial call, one team awoke a sleeping giant and an upset came about that shocked so many. Each game had its own fascinating story, so let's get right down to it and take a look at the top stories and what we learned from the Divisional Playoffs. 

1. The New England Patriots unleashed their fury at last. It was a season where everyone has questioned the toughness of this squad, especially after an embarrassing loss to Kansas City in prime time. It was a question that arose once again when the Ravens traveled to Foxboro and quickly asserted themselves with some quick scores and quality defensive play.  But Tom Brady and company were having none of it, suddenly they came to life in an incredible shootout that lasted the whole game. The Patriots played with a fire I've not yet seen until now and that's a good thing for them, they sent the Ravens home and advanced to the AFC Championship and they did it with an impressive win.

2. The Panthers are simply not ready for the postseason.  The Panthers squeaked their way into the playoffs, and beat a team with a third string quarterback to get a chance to take on the Seahawks, and while for a better part of the game they kept it close and exciting it was only a matter of time before their glaring issues returned.  One of those issues was Cam Newton, who in his fourth year as a starting quarterback STILL stares down his receivers, did just that and handed the go ahead touchdown to the defense with a pick six, ending their season. There's a lot of off season work to be done here, especially with Cam to make sure the Panthers play some disciplined football if they want to not only return to the playoffs, but find themselves making it past one win. Let's see what they do in the off season to get there. 

3. Aaron Rodgers is basically a magical football wizard.  I don't care how silly that sounds, the man was uncomfortable for a better part of the game, doing his best to keep off that bad calf and not make any major mistakes. It was a close game until the second half when Rodgers suddenly flipped the switch and once again pulled off some incredible quarterback play to send the Cowboys home.  That's simply magical, people. It's a joy to watch him play when he does incredible things like this, and that's all he has been doing so far, making amazing plays.  Of course, there's once again debate that the officials control all things, and I'm tired of hearing it. Even Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said that Dallas controlled their own destiny during the game, and no official changed the outcome here.  That's a fact, play your game, put up an insurmountable lead and shut your opponent down on defense and you'll walk away the winner.  Which is exactly what Green Bay did with Rodgers' super star play before letting the Packers D make sure the Cowboys didn't put any more points on the board.  

4. The Broncos once again left the playoffs early and in painful fashion. This was a stinging loss for the Broncos, and for once the Defense wasn't at fault. They actually played pretty phenomenal in fact, picking off Andrew Luck twice in the game. But none of that matters when the offense cannot get going. Granted C.J. Anderson was the only bright spot as he played his heart out on the ground, but Manning did not look like himself and well, as I started typing this, ESPN broke a report that Manning played the last month on a torn quadricep. That would explain a great many things when it comes to his rough play, but in the end that injury means nothing...the Broncos lost. They lost bad and everyone in Denver is left reeling, but credit needs to be given where its due, the Colts and Andrew Luck looked amazing, in fact Luck made some impossible throws and led his team to a big time win, one that leaves the Broncos wondering where they go from here. 

Scotty's Pick
Even though it was an ugly win, I will stand by what I said last week.  If Dallas gets over the hump of winning their first playoff game in many years, they are my front runner for making it to the Super Bowl.  I see this game as a slug fest that will leave both teams hurting for the following week.  With both defenses being top tiered, I see the firepower from the Cowboys being too much for the Packers to stop.  And Green Bay has not been consistent in the past couple of weeks, after putting up 50+ points for two weeks, they struggle to put up 24+ for the rest of the season?  Undefeated at home vs. Undefeated on the road. 
WINNER - DALLAS

John's Pick
I think of all of the games I've had to look at this weekend, this one will be the toughest one to predict. On one hand you have the red hot Cowboys, a terror on the road preparing to do what they do best at Lambeau Field. On the other hand, you have the Packers at home, playing on their terrifying Tundra, a place that Tony Romo rarely goes. Truth is, I think the X factor in this game is Aaron Rodgers and his calf injury. If he can play through it like he did last week, it's over for the Cowboys and that's what I think happens today, Rodgers comes out and plays it Superman style for a trip to Seattle and the NFC Title Game.
WINNER - GREEN BAY

Scotty's Pick
I can’t find a good reason to go against the Broncos in this game since they have been able to pull out 12 wins again this season.  Getting the bye week should help out the defense as they have been keeping the team in all of the games this year and if they are healthy, I feel sorry for any quarterback that faces them.  On the offensive side of the ball, I don't know what the game plan will be since they have changed to a power running team from the pass happy team we saw the first couple weeks of the season. On the Colts side, they have not had to change their attack all year and Andrew Luck is one of the best in the game and should be able to keep his team in the game, not only with his arm, but with his legs.  I expect a close, low scoring game, but if neither defenses show up to play, it might become the highest scoring game in playoff history with all of the weapons that are on the field. WINNER - DENVER

John's Picks
There's a lot to be said when it comes to how well the Colts are playing right now, and winning your division is no small task. But...the Colts have flaws. Sure they have an incredible quarterback in Andrew Luck and his receiving corps, but they still don't have a running game and their defense is inconsistent at times.  Let's not forget that while they beat the Bengals last week, Cincinnati was hanging around for most of the first half.  Indy can be beat and they are now facing a Broncos squad that is not only healthy but finished the regular season strong on all sides of the ball. The run game is hot, Manning is Manning and the Defense will be bringing a nasty pass rush that put Luck on the turf several times in week one. The season ends for the Colts in Denver. WINNER - DENVER

Scotty's Pick
One thing that can be said is that teams that make the playoffs play much differently during the regular season.  Baltimore showed that last week whooping up on Pittsburgh and is now a gathering a little bit of momentum.  This game should be a battle for the ages as the top tier Tom Brady takes on Joe Flacco, but what do they say wins championships? Defense and that is something that Baltimore has plenty of. WINNER - BALTIMORE

John's Pick
Fact of the matter is that on paper, Pittsburgh should have defeated Baltimore. But paper doesn't matter, what matters is how bad you want it in the playoffs and how well you execute to get it. Sure the Patriots can play some incredible football, but I have not seen them play with this level of vulnerability since Brady went down with an ACL injury. This is a team than can be beat and this is a team that Baltimore has defeated time and time again and I think that's the story today. Baltimore is hungry, on a mission and Tom Brady is merely a speed bump along the way. I think the glaring issues in Foxboro will be on full display today and the Ravens advance to the AFC Championship. WINNER - BALTIMORE

Scotty's Pick
Fine, Carolina won a playoff game and made a fool out of me last week.  Will it happen again against a team that has been clicking on all cylinders the past four weeks.  NO.  Seattle has too many offensive weapons at their disposal and there is no way that Carolina’s defense can stop them all, including ‘Beast Mode’.  And with a mobile quarterback in Russell Wilson at the helm, there is no chance that Carolina will be able to put up such impressive defensive numbers as they did last week.
WINNER - SEATTLE

John's Pick
Carolina's win last week over the Cardinals was honestly no big deal. They wore down a defense by continuously keeping a third string quarterback off the field. Not to mention, they merely squeaked out the NFC South Division Championship simply because they were the best of the worst. Now they are squaring off against the defending Super Bowl Champions. We can go on and on about how they could possibly win, but they won't. Seattle outclasses them in every single way and there's a fair chance the Seahawks will blow out the Panthers.  
WINNER - SEATTLE 

The first weekend of the 2014 NFL Playoffs is now in the books and thankfully, Wild Card Weekend lived up to its namesake, courtesy of some incredible games, and a hint of controversy. Either way, there were stories abound from each game so here are the top stories and what we learned from Wild Card Weekend.  

1. The Arizona Cardinals quarterbacking quagmire finally came back to haunt them. Yes, a few weeks of coasting with Ryan Lindley at the helm cost the Cardinals dearly in the playoffs. Despite the powerhouse defense they had on the field, it meant nothing without decent quarterback play. Lindley's rough work under center sent the Carolina Panthers into the next round of the playoffs and the lesson learned here is that Arizona seriously needs to invest in some offensive line upgrades to protect their quarterback so this kind of nightmare doesn't happen next year. 

2. Baltimore clearly has something to prove. I honestly didn't think much of the Ravens heading into the playoffs, in fact myself, and the rest of the boys expected them to be bounced right out of the tournament by Pittsburgh.  But with all the controversy they've faced this year, they clearly have a chip on their shoulder since they came into Heinz Field and rocked the Steelers world.  Some might say that not having their starting tailback in the backfield for Pittsburgh was their downfall, but really in the end the Ravens outplayed them.  That kind of energy and execution is something to fear in the playoffs and New England needs to worry. Baltimore is hungry, Baltimore wants the glory of the Lombardi Trophy to wash away the tarnish of this season and they're clearly ready to play hard to get what they want. 

3. New year, same results in Cincinnati. Four playoff appearances in the Andy Dalton era, four losses in the first round. For a moment there it seemed like the Bengals would finally beat someone in the postseason, heck the Colts even handed them opportunities. But in the end, not having top offensive weapons on the field, combined with a mid game meltdown sent Cincinnati back home yet again. Where the Bengals go from here...is anyone's guess.  

4. Dallas finally made some magic happen.  I'm sure my writing that evokes an instant reaction regarding the controversial pass interference call, so let's just get past that now. Dallas played a hell of a second half and this wasn't like the replacement refs when they screwed up that touchdown call years ago, this was a call that from what I can tell...did not determine the outcome of the game.  Yes, it was a weird call, yes, it helped Dallas get the ball back, but on the next play Detroit could have forced a turnover, or stopped the Cowboys cold. They didn't. The Lions were outplayed. Let's not forget the fact that it was Detroit that was up by ten points at the half and Dallas came back to win the whole thing. The Cowboys were the better team Sunday, simple as that. 

5. Doug Marrone added more drama to the coaching carousel. Just before the fireworks of Wild Card Weekend went on display, the Buffalo Bills Head Coach decided to have a show of his own by opting out of his contract and leaving the job behind. This just happens to be a huge deal.  For one, Marrone gave the Bills their first winning season in well...forever. Past that, something like this rocks a team and a franchise. It's one thing for a coach to be fired, but for one to quit, it's just so rare. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, because unlike say, Mike Shanahan who was stuck in a nightmare scenario as a coach in Washington was forced to wait it out until he was fired, Marrone walked away on his own terms. It's just a bold move on his part and it leaves Buffalo starting over yet again.  

Scotty's Pick
There is one thing the most teams have when getting to the playoffs and that is consistency.  I hate to say it, but the Bengals have not had this all season and as a Bronco fan, I do not want to face them again, since they have our number.  
WINNER - INDIANAPOLIS

John's Pick
For a quarterback to be successful, he needs solid weapons on offense and a sound running game. Andy Dalton has a sound running game going right now, but his wide receiver options/weapons are all banged up pretty badly. That, combined with his ugly record in the playoffs does not bode well for Cincinnati. Plus, their defense has to face off against Andrew Luck who has a knack of carving up defenses like a roast. I don't think the season continues for the Bengals after today. 
WINNER - INDIANAPOLIS

Scotty's Pick
The hottest team in football…the Cowboys have been the most dominate over the past four weeks and with their offense clicking, there is little that can stop them.  I hate to say this, but if they get this first playoff win out of the way this year, I can see them making it to the big show. WINNER - DALLAS

John's Pick
It's rare I say something good about the Dallas Cowboys, simply because for the most part Tony Romo has been a grand disappointment. But this has been the best season I've seen them enjoy in a long time and quite frankly I think the entire football world expected the Cowboys to go 8-8 and miss the playoffs yet again, but here we are.  I think today's game will come down to execution. At times throughout the season both squads had a tendency to play sloppy when something went wrong and that would allow their opponent a chance to beat them. That's what happens today. With solid play on both sides of the ball for both teams, the first one to start making big mistakes loses and I'm leaning toward a Cowboy squad that has something to prove making far less mistakes than Detroit today. WINNER - DALLAS

Scotty's Pick
I know that the Cardinals have had a rough time as of late with all of their quarterbacks getting injured, but the playoffs is the time for the diamonds in the rough to shine through.  Besides, I have gone for the Panthers every year to do something and they always come up short. WINNER - ARIZONA

John's Pick
I have but one concern when it comes to this game, Arizona's quarterback situation. Ryan Lindley has proven to be a guy with potential, but he is going to more playing time to be effective and unfortunately after looking at his play over the last few weeks in place of Drew Stanton, I don't expect anything special out of him today. I think the Carolina defense is going to feast on his mistakes and the vaunted Arizona defense will end up exhausted and making mistakes. No quality QB is going to cost the Cardinals today and Carolina will walk away the victor.  WINNER - CAROLINA

Scotty's Pick
Don't get me wrong, I would love to have a playoff game with featuring my favorite offensive coordinator back in Denver this year, however, there is little chance that the Steelers defense will let this slide away from them at home. WINNER - PITTSBURGH

John's Pick
Baltimore made it in to the playoffs, but quite frankly, Pittsburgh is the better team. Baltimore has seen its share of struggles on both sides of the ball and well, they also made the playoffs by beating the declining Browns. Sometimes it's a numbers game and they won the right number of games to get them in, but that's not going to help them this go round. Pittsburgh is coming off of a solid win over Cincinnati and has played some great football over the last few weeks, I think this is where Baltimore's season ends. WINNER - PITTSBURGH