There shouldn’t have been Jerome Bettis’ fumble. No Ben Roethlisberger shoestring tackle. No Mike Vanderjagt wide right. Had Troy Polamalu’s interception been ruled that way by the refs, the Pittsburgh Steelers breeze their way into Denver. Alas, the officials ruled Polamalu never had complete control of the football, turning his pick into an incompletion and giving the Colts new life.
Reflecting on that moment with teammate Bryant McFadden, Polamalu agrees he was robbed. In a game remembering which quarterbacks he picked off throughout his career, Polamalu was asked how many times he picked off Peyton Manning. Officially, it’s one interception. But it should’ve been at least a pair.
“They stole one from you,” McFadden told Polamalu. “But one was, you got him one time. And they stole one from you. We all know about that playoff game.”
Polamalu smiled and agreed with McFadden’s assertion.
“They stole one from me, yup,” he said.
Polamalu’s reaction indicated there aren’t any hard feelings. It helps that Pittsburgh still came away with the victory. Leading the Colts 21-10 with just over five minutes to play in the fourth quarter, Polamalu appeared to pick Manning off over the middle. Rolling on the ground, Polamalu attempted to get to his feet but lost the ball in the process. He fell on top for what looked like an obvious interception, fumble and recovery.
Initially, that’s how it was ruled but the Colts, with little to lose, attempted a desperation challenge. Somehow, the refs overturned the call, ruling it incomplete and that Polamalu never had complete control of the football. Even the CBS announcing crew was stunned by the call while Polamalu could only shake his head, strap on his helmet, and return to the field.
The Colts took advantage of their second chance, marching downfield and scoring. With the two-point conversion, they cut Pittsburgh’s lead to three, 21-18, and nearly tied the game after Bettis’ fumble and Vanderjagt’s attempted kick that fortunately sailed wide right.
Polamalu’s only official interception of Manning came earlier that year in their regular-season matchup. A bright moment on an otherwise ugly day, WR Marvin Harrison beating Ike Taylor and scoring on the very first play for an 80-yard touchdown. The Colts wouldn’t look back and beat the Steelers 26-7. Polamalu’s pick came at the end of the first quarter, setting up a Hines Ward touchdown for Pittsburgh’s only score of the night.
With the playoff win and ensuing Super Bowl, it’s a moment McFadden and Polamalu can look back on and laugh. But had the outcome been different, it would’ve been one of the most controversial moments in playoff history, a moment up there with the Tuck Rule and the 1982 “Snow Plow” Game.
Catch the whole interview below.
