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 back 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.