They Can Still Throw the Bomb -- at Each Other

Last weekend, their performance was awkward, unsettling, rough around the edges. Football fans watching in disbelief had to wonder: Where did all the early-season chemistry go?

Yes, even the Pittsburgh Steelers would have to agree.

It’s a good thing CBS’ NFL studio team had a week to regroup before the conference championship games.

For a few moments last Sunday, we weren’t sure the unit would make it out of the divisional round intact. There was Boomer Esiason, trying to place Peyton Manning’s latest postseason flop into historical perspective, breaking out a prop that was living, breathing and seated just a few feet to his right.

Esiason: “I think maybe Peyton Manning is this generation’s ... [long, uneasy pause] ... Dan Marino.”

Off camera, Marino could be heard uttering an incredulous “What?!?”

On camera, Marino tried to maintain his composure, clapping his hands together (presumably to keep them from balling into fists) while mustering a diplomatic laugh.

“He’s a great football player,” Esiason continued, “but he’s not going to get to the Super Bowl, I’m telling you. Not with that defense.”

With that, Marino stopped his diplomatic laughing. “No, no, wait a minute,” he shot back. “I got to a Super Bowl, OK? I got to a Super Bowl.”

Esiason: “Yeah, I know you did. But you know what I mean.”

Shannon Sharpe, serving as human buffer between Esiason and Marino, tried to cut the tension by clapping a hand on Marino’s shoulder and offering as an olive branch, “You needed defensive help, baby.”

Esiason thought he was doing the same by adding, “There’s too much pressure on Peyton Manning to be perfect every week. Just like you had to be. It’s just not fair to him.”

Fair enough. The camera quickly moved back to Marino to see how he was responding to the peace-keeping measures. Instant analysis: Not well.

Marino wasn’t laughing, wasn’t smiling, wasn’t nodding, wasn’t moving. He set his jaw and hit Esiason with the kind of glare that could melt all the snow predicted to fall in Pennsylvania this weekend.

If looks could kill, “The NFL Today” would be playing down a man on Sunday.

How quickly reputations change during the NFL playoffs.

Before the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots kicked off last Sunday’s AFC playoff game, Manning was being hailed as one of the game’s greatest quarterbacks, coming off a record-breaking, MVP-winning regular season. Then he and the Colts lost, 20-3, and suddenly words comparing an old quarterback to Manning nearly became fighting words.

Sunday, the Patriots will meet the Steelers in Pittsburgh in the AFC championship game (Channel 2, 3:30 p.m.). The Steelers are 16-1, winners of their last 15 games and 34-20 winners in their most recent game against New England -- and they are underdogs virtually everywhere.

Friday, ESPN displayed the results of an online poll that asked fans to pick the winner of the AFC final, using a presidential-election style map of the country, with red states going for the Patriots, blue for the Steelers and gray for undecided. The map was drenched in red -- 43 Patriot states, one Steeler state (Alaska) and six undecideds, including Pennsylvania.

Yes, the Steelers’ home state still isn’t sure about this one.

A similar poll about Sunday’s Atlanta-Philadelphia NFC final (Channel 11, noon) split the vote right down the middle -- 50% for the Falcons, 50% for the Eagles, who have the home field but maybe no advantage. The Eagles are 0-3 in the last three NFC title games -- the last two played in Philadelphia.

There is no exact science to picking playoff winners in the NFL, which explains all the fancy sports books inside Las Vegas casinos. But, generally speaking, there are four constants that separate winners from losers during the postseason -- quarterbacks, coaches, defense and kickers.

A look at how the Final Four compare:

Quarterbacks

* Patriots. Tom Brady’s postseason stat line: 7-0, two Super Bowl MVP awards.

* Eagles. On the bright side, Donovan McNabb is stellar in divisional-round games.

* Falcons. Michael Vick runs his way out of trouble, including that caused by his passing.

* Steelers. Rookie Ben Roethlisberger is still feeling his way with bad ribs and a bad thumb.

Coaches

* Patriots. In the current NFL power rankings, it’s Bill Belichick and 31 others.

* Steelers. Bill Cowher has reached his fifth AFC final in 11 years.

* Eagles. Encouragement for Andy Reid: No NFL coach has ever lost four consecutive conference finals.

* Falcons. Jim Mora Jr. won his postseason debut, upping the Mora family playoff record to 1-6.

Defenses

* Steelers. Ranked No. 1 in total defense, rushing defense and points allowed.

* Patriots. Not far behind. For further research, see “Patriots 20, Colts 3.”

* Eagles. Ranked No. 10 in total defense.

* Falcons. Ranked No. 14 in total defense. No team since the 1983 Raiders has won the Super Bowl with a defense ranked outside the top 10.

Kickers

* Patriots. Adam Vinatieri hit 94% of his regular-season field-goal attempts.

* Eagles. David Akers was just selected to his third Pro Bowl.

* Steelers. Jeff Reed is accustomed to the Heinz Field wind, chill factor.

* Falcons. Only 18 regular-season field goals for Jay Feely.

Advantage to the Patriots and the Eagles. If Manning, Marty Schottenheimer, the Minnesota Vikings and Doug Brien have taught us anything, it’s that in the playoffs, all this stuff is important.