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PRO FOOTBALL -- January 15

PITTSBURGH at INDIANAPOLIS -- The last truly important game for the Indianapolis Colts may have been the one they lost to San Diego, and it might even go back before that. Now, with the bye week, this team hasn't been under this kind of pressure for about a month and there's that danger of losing a bit of an "edge." On the other hand, Pittsburgh has had to fight for their playoff existence all the way down the stretch, and had some playoff football last week at Cincinnati. The Steelers appear to have gotten the running game going, so expect Willie Parker and Jerome Bettis to be big factors for them here. And Ben Roethlisberger is certainly more comfortable at quarterback than the last time these two teams met - a Monday nighter where Indy hammered Bill Cowher's squad, as Roethlisberger was returning from three games out of action with an injury. The Colts were not as explosive offensively this year as they have been in recent years; for example, Peyton Manning had 49 TD passes last year, while the team had 49 total touchdowns from scrimmage in 2005. The Colts averaged 16 points a game in the first three and the last three, but there was a period of nine games in between where they tallied 35 points per contest. The difference this season with this team has been the defense - stronger everywhere, with more team speed and improvement of the pass rush. Indy permitted just 13 points a game at the RCA Dome. When they played Pittsburgh previously, they held the Steelers to just 197 total yards, 86 on the ground, and gained 127 rushing yards themselves in a 26-7 victory. What was particularly noticeable was the difference in team speed, both on offense and defense. To other teams, the game becomes faster on Indy's carpet - a similar effect teams used to feel when they visited the Rams in St. Louis. Defense will become a controlling factor here - surely it will be if Pittsburgh is to make a game of it. But the likelihood is that the Steeler pass rush will have less effect on Manning (sacked just 17 times on top of 453 pass attempts) than Dwight Freeney & Co. will have on Roethlisberger (who was sacked 24 times against 268 attempts). THE PLAYS: INDIANAPOLIS ** and UNDER 47.5 *

CAROLINA at CHICAGO -- One has to wonder whether anyone could possibly play better than the Panthers did against the New York Giants last weekend. when you shut a team out on its own home field, hold them to nine first downs, and limit their All-Pro running back (Tiki Barber) to 41 yards, you're doing more than a tremendous job. Carolina unquestionably was, to the point where Giant player were openly blasting the game plan put together by their coaching staff. The Bears bludgeon people, it is true: they allowed less than 13 points per game - just 7.6 ppg at home. And in the season's tenth game - Chicago's sixth straight win - it held the Panthers to 55 yards rushing, 238 overall yards, picked off two passes and sacked Jake Delhomme eight times. The Bears won that game 13-3. Can things be any different here? Well, for one thing, DeShawn Foster is giving Carolina a formidable rushing game again, witness his 151 yards against the Giants. And obviously, the defense is playing as well as has all year. So you say things are different for the Bears too, right? Naturally that refers to the presence of Rex Grossman at QB. Chicago backers feel it will serve to "expand" the Bears' offense. And that may very well be true. But before going too far, consider that this is not Joe Montana and not even Jeff Hostetler they're inserting. Grossman is a 54% career passer, inasmuch as he's even had a career; in fact, Grossman has thrown just 39 passes since September of 2004. He has four TD's and seven interceptions. And he has only seven career starts under his belt. Meanwhile, Delhomme has five playoff starts, winning four of them. He's thrown seven TD's with just one interception in the post-season. He has led a team into the Super Bowl by winning on the road. Clearly he has the ability to raise his game when it counts. And he has the single most potent offensive weapon on the field to work with in Steve Smith (14 catches against Chicago in earlier meeting). On the technical side, Carolina has covered 16 of its last 18 decisions as an underdog. Not altogether crazy about the number, but there are some distinct fundamental advantages favoring the Panthers. THE PLAY: CAROLINA **








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