Colts' fans are blue after loss

INDIANAPOLIS -- According to the Colts fans in the hotel lobby, the day following the Colts' 21-18 loss to the Steelers in the RCA Dome was "Blue Monday."
Anger permeated the nation's 12th largest city after their beloved Colts, the team that had toyed with a perfect season before an upset loss at home to the Chargers in Game 14, crushed their Super Bowl dreams.
Since the Colts moved from Baltimore to Indiana in 1984, the franchise has won four playoff games. (By comparison, the Steelers have won three in the past 367 days alone).
And despite the superb offensive trio of quarterback Peyton Manning, running back Edgerrin James and wide receiver Marvin Harrison, the Colts have advanced to just one AFC Championship Game.
The Steelers, with second-year quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, are playing in the AFC title game for the second straight year.
Maybe the football gods really do want Steelers tailback Jerome Bettis, the NFL's fifth-leading rusher and a future Hall of Fame member, to go out with one Super Bowl appearance.
They certainly must not have wanted The Bus to go to the garage for the final time with a lost fumble on his last possession, a run from the Colts 2 that was supposed to ice the upset.
Instead, Colts middle linebacker Gary Brackett made the hit of the season, jarring the ball from Bettis' grasp.
So how do you explain how it was cornerback Nick Harper, who was recovering from a stab wound to his knee the day before the game, who picked up the fumble and took off for what probably would have been the winning touchdown.
Had Harper scored, it would have broken the hearts of the Steelers faithful almost as painfully as Cowboys cornerback Larry Brown's fourth-quarter interception in Super Bowl XXX 10 years ago.
Roethlisberger saves the game with tackle
How do you explain how Roethlisberger, the quarterback who couldn't recall the last time he made a tackle, was able to stop Harper short of midfield?
And how do you explain how Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt, the most reliable kicker in NFL history, misses a 46-yard attempt with 17 seconds remaining in perfect conditions?
Colts fans are steaming. They're angry with Manning for criticizing his line after the game and for overthrowing his targets during it.
"The Colts need to trade Peyton Manning," one fellow grumbled.
I'm sure the team that plays its home games next to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame would be happy to take him if the Colts acted on these frustrated pleas.
Sunday for Manning was unlike any of the regular season games that went so well for the Colts. The eight-year veteran who had only been sacked 17 teams in the Colts' 14-2 season was blitzed constantly.
He was sacked five times by linebackers Joey Porter and James Farrior, and defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen.
What also angers Colts fans is that they know their window of opportunity with these offensive stars is closing.
Manning and Harrison are going nowhere, but Sunday might have been James' last game in a blue-and-white uniform.
Vanderjagt also will be a free agent. Will the pressure generated by Sunday's clutch miss cause him to look elsewhere for an NFL home?
Dungy's situationup in the air
And then there is Colts coach Tony Dungy, who has a reputation for regular season success but failure in the postseason.
Dungy's family is enduring the ultimate nightmare, the loss of a child to an apparent suicide. In the greater scheme of things, how's he's treated by fans doesn't matter. But it might be sad to watch.
And imagine how Steelers coach Bill Cowher would have been treated if the Colts had won the game, either in overtime or on Harper's return.
Following the game, Cowher was being second-guessed for going for it twice at midfield on fourth-and-1 plays early in the fourth quarter when the Steelers led, 21-10.
The first try was the riskiest because it followed a third-and-2 play at the Pittsburgh 47 where Bettis gained only a yard.
He only picked up one more on the fourth-down play, but it sustained the drive and helped the Steelers eat two more minutes off the clock.
On the second fourth-and-1, Bettis gained 2 yards, enabling the Steelers to kill another 88 seconds before Chris Gardocki punted.
Cowher is quizzedover curious calls
Cowher appeared somewhat surprised that he was being quizzed on choosing to back his offense instead of relying on his defense to stop Manning's crew twice in the final nine minutes.
"We came in to win the game," Cowher said. "With their offense, it's just a matter of time."
Cowher also was asked why he didn't have Roethlisberger take a knee on the play where Bettis fumbled.
"The Colts had their three timeouts," said Cowher of the final 80 seconds of regulation. "We score there and the game's over. And you certainly don't question that."
By taking three knees, the Colts might have gotten the ball back at their own 5 with a minute to play and no timeouts.
Could they have scored? Unlikely, but Manning is the last quarterback you want to give extra chances.
Cowher admitted that Bettis fumbling never crossed his mind in weighing the risks of running the goal-line play.
Nor should it have. When you have the NFL's best team down in the opponent's home, you go for broke.
Mercifully for the Steelers, it worked out. There's another game this week and another chance to advance to the Super Bowl.
XTom Williams is a sportswriter for The Vindicator. Write to him at williams@vindy.com.