SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal

Only in commercials will Peyton Manning continue to appear in NFL playoff games.

All the gossip about Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and his girlfriend Jessica Simpson can be silenced, too.

It was a close competition, but the biggest losers of the postseason are Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, who put up a weak defense of their Super Bowl championship by falling as double-digit home favorites.

After a Sunday of surprises, the league's final four has lost some appeal. The Colts were stunned by the San Diego Chargers, and the Cowboys were upset by the New York Giants.

"We were looking at a dream foursome next weekend," Las Vegas Hilton sports book director Jay Kornegay said. "Despite the Colts and Cowboys getting knocked out, it's still going to be a huge weekend."

The Hilton posted opening numbers for the conference championship games Sunday night, and while the lines held steady the totals moved quickly.

In the AFC, New England is a 15-point home favorite over San Diego. The total opened at 51 and dropped to 49.

In the NFC, Green Bay is a 7-point home favorite over New York. The total opened at 44 and was bet down to 41½.

Of the four favorites in the divisional round, only the Packers covered. Green Bay closed as a 7½-point favorite in a 42-20 victory over Seattle on Saturday.

The Patriots eliminated Jacksonville 31-20 but failed to cover as 13½-point favorites.

The most surprising result was the Colts' 28-24 loss to the Chargers. Indianapolis closed as an 11-point favorite after the line opened at 7½.

With the line ballooning and the Colts' bubble bursting, the sports books were the big winners. But it was not a lopsided decision, as might be expected, and Kornegay was not break-dancing in his office when Manning's last pass fell incomplete.

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