Here's from Gene Collier's column in the 1/16 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Can't find the link on the Internet, but here are the relevant parts re Manning's comments followed by my own:
The Colts had just seen another gloriously promising autumn gutted by the bleak realities of January. "I cannot argue with the truth," Manning said of his dark playoff history. "I'm not going to try to counter any point. All I can say is that it's not for any lack of effort on my part. I've never done more to prepare for a team. I can't tell you how much I studied these guys that last two weeks. Pittsburgh came in here and played better than us. It's hard to admit. It's hard to accept. But that's the truth."
The truth hit Manning nearly as hard as Joey Porter and James Farrior, who combined for four sacks in Dick LeBeau's masterstroke game plan. Manning's best scrambling came in avoiding direct criticism of his offensive teammates. He almost was too careful with that.
"I'm always asked after playoff games about other areas that I'm not maybe comfortable talking about," he said. "I'm trying to be a good teammate here. Let's just say we had some problems and give Pittsburgh credit."
Which he did, but he doubled back. He was agitated, but too poised to criticize his protection or the absence of recognition on the part of Indianapolis' offensive components. "I'm looking for the safe word here," he said. "Pittsburgh did some things that gave us some trouble. They put us in down and distances we're not usually in."
Sounds perfectly diplomatic to me. Note how Manning will get most of the blame, then the offensive line, but what about the receivers? Were they recognizing the heavy blitzing and making adjustments in their routes, coming back toward Manning? It's hard to believe Marvin Harrison with his two catches was, or the other prima donna, Reggie Wayne. They were involved only on those occasions when Manning had time to throw downfield.
And the coaching staff has to shoulder a lot of blame as well for failing to make adjustments. The Colts offense was better in the second half, but when the Steelers started blitzing heavily again in the fourth quarter, the Coltswere just as inept at picking up the blitzers as they were in the first half.