Just some randomness…

• Peyton Manning: “I’m trying to be a good teammate here, but let’s just say we had some protection problems.”

  I’ll translate that for you, because I happen to be fluent in Skirt: “I really want everyone to think I’m still a great guy, and I want to be viewed as the ideal human being, so I’m going to take this opportunity to just shove my teammates into a woodchipper. They sucked today, not me. Please don’t chalk this up to just another Peyton Manning January chokejob, and please don’t mention my 3-6 playoff record. Please. Hey, I’m just trying to be a good teammate here.”

  Bitch.

• Shaun Alexander should not have won the MVP. I know we’ve covered this before, but I think the events of Saturday back me up. Alexander left the game early, but the Seahawks won because Matt Hasselbeck is very good. Anyone think they still would’ve won if Alexander stayed healthy, but Matt Hasselbeck was out? Because I don’t. The most valuable players are, the overwhelming majority of the time, quarterbacks.
• I hope Bill Cowher saved a game ball for Marty Schottenheimer. I’m sure the two talked this week, and I’m sure that Marty shared a few things from the Chargers earlier victory over the Colts. But you may want to skip the call to Marty this week, Bill, when you play the Broncos. He can’t help you much there.
• The ref who overturned the Polamalu interception… well, I don’t like to call for anyone’s firing. But what the fuck, man? You suck at your job.
• And speaking of official’s calls… yes, Patriots, you were jobbed on that pass interference call. But when you commit five turnovers, you pretty much give up the right to bitch about anything.
• The unfortunate thing about the Steelers/Broncos matchup is that no matter who wins, all we’ll hear is, “No one said we could do it.” It was awesome right after the game when Ben Roethlisberger said, “Everyone said we couldn’t win,” when he pretty much said the same thing himself earlier in the week.
• How incredible is it that in the short history of the Carolina franchise, they’ve already made it to three championship games? That’s pretty fucking incredible. They already have a prouder and more distinguished history than at least a handful of NFL teams.
• I’ve been pretty down on the NFC all year long, but the way things have worked out… the last two NFC teams have just as good a shot as the AFC teams. The Seahawks have an underrated defense and good balance on offense. The Panthers offense today was unbelievable.