NFL playoffs schedule and results: Packers win thriller vs. Cowboys; Colts upset Broncos

Sergio Brown has shown off his Ric Flair skills before, but this impression never gets old. But then again, Space Mountain is the oldest ride in the park ... and it still has the longest line.

It turns out that Manning played the final month of the season with a tear in his right quad. A hit to his already nonexistent mobility wouldn’t necessarily throw off his game, but given that the injury was to his plant leg, it could have certainly affected his ability to step into throws and drive the ball downfield.

Manning managed to avoid interceptions in the Broncos’ 24-13 loss to Colts on Sunday, but was very honest in his assessment of his performance after the game. He told reporters after the game that his 26-of-46 passing for 211 yards was “not good enough,” via the team website:

Manning, 38, said prior to the start of these playoffs that he would like to return next season. It’s unclear if another playoff ousting has increased or decreased his chances of returning at this point. Emotions are obviously at their highest point after the loss, in which Manning didn’t play particularly well.

Whatever the case, Manning needs some time to mull things over and that’s understandable. With a Super Bowl ring, a Super Bowl MVP, 14 Pro Bowls, 10 All-Pro nominations and multiple records to his name, it’s not as though he has anything left to prove.

Seattle might be the toughest place to play in the NFL, which is why it was so significant the team beat out Green Bay for the top seed. The Seahawks’ home-field advantage certainly plays a part in the fact that they’ve opened at -7.5 favorites for the game, according to OddsShark.

The Patriots typically have less of a home-field advantage than Seattle, but that hasn’t stopped them from opening up as -7 favorites against the Colts, also according to OddsShark. One of the big things to consider about these home-field advantages is that both Green Bay and Indianapolis weren’t particularly good on the road this season. The Packers finished with a 4-4 mark away from Lambeau Field, while the Colts were 5-3 on the road.

Head to Stampede Blue for the the latest Colts news. Check out Pats Pulpit for everything New England.

Three things we learned:

1) Peyton Manning is ... off

Dearest Abigail,

We’ve done it! Our campaign to the foothills of the Rockies was a success. We leave Colorado Territory one step closer to our ultimate goal of unconditional surrender.

COMMENCING SPIT FUNCTION

FUZZY OBSTACLE DETECTED IN SPIT TRAJECTORY DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE

At first look, this seems to be a fumble:

Joshua Cribbs should’ve called for a fair catch here. Because he didn’t, he was fair game, and Omar Bolden hit him at the exact moment he caught the ball. That’s perfectly legal.

According to Steratore, it did not matter that Bryant’s elbow hit the ground before the ball did. “When you’re still going through the process of the catch, elbow or knees are irrelevant,” Steratore said. “He must complete that entire process with the football, maintain possession throughout.”

The play occurred during what would have been a crucial fourth down conversion. The Cowboys trailed the Packers 26-21 with a little more than four minutes remaining in the game when the call was made. The Cowboys turned the ball over on downs, and the Packers were able to grind out the rest of the game clock for the win.

Ha! That’s a really great joke, Rick. Thanks for that joke, Rick. How do you think up such hilarious quips, Rick?

That was a really good tweet. Super solid, and absolutely not like a joke we read five minutes earlier.

Manning is 7-for-18 with 71 yards -- just 3.9 per attempt -- and a TD. Certainly not ideal, but man, Broncos fans booing Peyton Manning. Did not see that coming.

Sergio Brown attempted the Kam Chancellor maneuver on a field goal, but he didn’t get nearly enough lift:

Good effort, though!

Photo via NJ.com

Check out Chris Christie here. Dude is doing one HELL of a Dr. Evil impersonation. Then you’ve got that whole front row, which looks like that laughing clown sideshow game where you drop the ping pong balls in their mouths. Except that little girl. She’s PUMPED that the Cowboys are headed back to Dallas.

The flea flicker is a singular joy. It’s supposed to be a couple of seconds of pure football ecstasy. Anything can happen when that ball is pitched back to the quarterback, and regardless of a big gain it’s always entertaining.

Then Andrew Luck checked down, and gave us the saddest end to one of football’s most exciting plays.

Bryant disagreed that there was any ambiguity that he made the grab.

The play will certainly be discussed much more over the coming week. Bryant may want to lay low.

I asked Jerry Jones if he wants competition committee to look at rule that affected Dez today. Said he doesn’t want to sound like a sore loser, noting “these are the rules we have all agreed to. They can always get in there and take a look at them, but for now, these are the rules.“Jones’s son, Stephen, who sits on the NFL’s competition committee, felt that even within the constrains of the rulebook, Bryant should’ve been credited with a catch:

Here’s when and how you can tune it.

Head to Acme Packing Company for the the latest Green Bay news. Check out Field Gulls for everything Seahawks.

Was the overturning of Dez Bryant’s crucial 4th-down catch that ended the Cowboy’s hopes of beating the Packers the correct call or not? There’s only one way to figure that out. CELEBRITY TWITTER SCORECARD.

LeBron James:

Well, this ought to make Dallas Cowboys fans feel better about Dez Bryant’s overturned catch. Aaron Rodgers gave his stamp of approval to the refs in Green Bay’s NFC Divisional round win on Sunday.

Here are the full results from the playoffs so far, and the schedule going forward.

AFC Divisional Game 1: New England Patriots 35, Baltimore Ravens 31 (recap)

Aaron Rodgers was still making his pre-snap read when center Corey Linsley snapped the ball into his chest:

Rodgers tried to quickly figure out what was going on, but he got hit by Jeremy Mincey, and fumbled.