Best Teams Choose Losing Streaks Into Playoffs

The Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints posted the top records in their respective conferences, but chose to rest their best players in the season finale and before another week off with their well deserved byes. Peyton Manning played a bit in the snow, but not enough to make a difference as the Colts got blown out.
Win the Super Bowl and it is a great decision, but if they don't play well after the layoff, the second-guessers will be in full force as both teams head into the playoffs with two game losing streaks.
The New England Patriots also lost their final game of the regular season and watched one of their best offensive weapons limp off the field with Wes Welker reportedly tearing up his knee. The second guessers there will say he should have sat and waited for their first round game.

Leadership Key to QB Success

I think Troy Aikman has a pretty good grasp on the Cowboys' leadership issue with Tony Romo. Leadership is talked about with regard to the quarterback position as much as anything and it will always be a nebulous concept. It's one of those things where you say I can't explain it, but I know it when I see it.
Right now Tony Romo is a fun-hearted guy that doesn't take his game seriously enough. Aikman made the point about perceptions. Romo doesn't currently understand that perception is reality and when you lead "America's Team", those perceptions matter. Aikman was careful in wording Romo's weekend jaunt to Cabo San Lucas with Jessica Simpson and Jason Whitten while waiting for the wildcard playoffs to finish and how it wouldn't reduce your preparations for the following week, but let's get real. It was a real dumb "life-choice".
Keeping a low profile off the field is important, so when the playoffs roll around and the ball slips through your fingers holding on a field goal try and you lose or you throw it to the other team a few too many times and you go "one and done" again as favorites, at least the fans' perception is that you were 100% focused on winning the game, not a celebritiy's heart!
Perception is reality, not reality TV. Leadership--good leadership is key to a QB's success!