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Like I said, the Steelers would have had a blow out of the Colts but for the officiating. Yes. The league office made the rare admission that the referee made a mistake and that Troy Polamalu had intercepted Manning when the Steelers had a 21-10 lead with 5:33 remaining. However, had the pass interference on Antwaan Randle-El been called the Steelers would have been in the red zone where they have been very effective all season and it is likely the Steelers would have increased their early lead.

In the play, the Steelers were beating the Colts 14-0 with 13:35 left in the second quarter. Steeler teams under Cowher were 100-1-1 in games in which they had taken a lead by at least 10 points due to their formula of tough defense together with a powerful clock-consuming ground game.

So. at 13:35 of the second the Colts punted after a three-incomplete-pass possession, and the Steelers take over at their own 44. Jerome Bettis is in the backfield. It's time to grind out the clock and preserve the lead, right? NO! Roethliberger drops back and lofts a 40 yard pass that meets up with Steeler wide receiver Antwaan Randle-El at the Colts 16 where he is mugged by defensive back Marlin Jackson.

Dick Enberg: "Roethlisberger going deep. Randle-El. And that should be a flag. Oh My! It was Marlin Jackson, the rookie, who's playing because Nate Harper (was) injured early. It appeared that Jackson tackled him before the ball arrived."
Dan Dierdorf: "Normally this brings a flag... Take a look at this, that's Marlin Jackson #28. Now he's beaten there... How that is not interference I have no idea at all."
Dick Enberg: I'm stunned."
Dan Dierdorf: "That is blatant interference. And how that didn't bring a flag... "

At the halftime commentary:

Boomer Esiason: "(The Colts) also have a break, 'cause Marlin Jackson should have been called for pass interference on Antwaan Randle-El. So they get the break right there. Take a look at this. Last night we saw a questionable call that went against the Patriots. This should have been called against the Colts."
Greg Gumbel:"When you're talking about calls that were made or weren't made then all of a sudden you are not talking about a great officiating weekend so far."

Following the game:

Boomer Esiason: "This would have been highway robbery had not Pittsburgh not hung on to win this football game, because that interception by Troy Polamalu, I don't care what the NFL says, that was an interception. The Pittsburgh Steelers deserved to win this football game... Not only this call, but there was a pass interference (non-)call that happened early in the second quarter that should have been called against the Indianapolis Colts. So a couple of plays in this game that really went against Pittsburgh. I'm glad they won, because they deserved to win, as you (Dan Marino) said."