Rest in bed

Don Banks says this issue could be settled on Saturday night.  Oh, let’s hope so. It’s the dumbest discussion in history.

Well here we go. Time to find out if Indy’s strategy of eschewing the drive for 16-0 was the smart move, setting the stage for their second Super Bowl title run in four seasons. The Colts (14-2) have stumbled in this position before in thePeyton Manningera, losing three times at home in their divisional round opener after earning a first-round bye (2007, 2005, 1999).

The only way this storyline could be any richer would be if the Jets were Indy’s opponent this weekend at Lucas Oil Stadium. It was New York, of course, that came to Indianapolis in Week 16, winning in comeback fashion after the Colts had pulled Manning and a healthy collection of starters in the middle of the third quarter.

But the Ravens are always an interesting foe for Indy, too, because some Baltimore fans still seethe about losing the Colts to Indianapolis almost three decades ago. Indy has won seven in a row against the Ravens, ratcheting up the pressure to win just a little bit more. And it’s entirely fair to say that Baltimore (10-7) comes in as the hot team, having won four of its past five, including elimination games in Week 17 at Oakland and in last weekend’s first round at New England. And the Ravens are fearless on the road in the playoffs, having gone 3-1 away from home over the past two postseasons.