Why is Peyton Manning Mad?

“Why is Peyton Manning mad?”

This is what my five year old son asks me when he comes into the living room last night. What an observant question.

I was really mad to see the Colts blow away a perfect season last night. I can imagine how a competitor like Peyton Manning felt. One thing I do know, is I.would.not. have wanted to be in the locker room after the game. I’m imagining creepy silence.

Then, the booing from the crowd when Painter came on the field. I don’t think they were necessarily booing the homegrown rookie quarterback but booing at the decision to take out the starters. Yeah, if Painter would have come out with 2 touchdowns and won the game, I think the booing would have ceased.

We kn0w from past experience when the Colts rest the starters, we don’t succeed. Why not learn from history?

I read tweets on twitter about the depth of our team when you take Peyton Manning out. Yes, Peyton Manning is important in many ways. Most of all for morale. You have confidence when Peyton Manning is playing.

When you have the back up quarter back or the back up to the back up quarterback playing, you kind of watch the game with your eyes half open.  You cringe hoping that nothing terrible happens. Then it does.

Is the off chance that a starter might get hurt during a game with no meaning? But shouldn’t every game have meaning? Shouldn’t every game be played with 100% strength?

The only solace I receive from this loss is that the Steelers may not make the playoffs because the Jets won.