FanHouse Mike Scifres

If you're a Steeler fan, you've seen it all too often. Pittsburgh's drive stalls, the punter trots out and blips a low line drive that puts the defense in a tough spot.

The Steelers have two Super Bowl trophies in the past four years, but they've managed to do it despite having some of the worst punters in the league. On Thursday night, we saw why that should change this year. When third-year pro Daniel Sepulveda (or Robo-Punter as Football Outsiders and FanHouse's Ryan Wilson have proclaimed) showed up to training camp this year, he said that his reconstructed right knee feels better than it has in years. He proved it last night.

Here's a little-known fact about Ben Roethlisberger: In 2002, while playing at Miami of Ohio, he punted three times in a game against Toledo. He landed all three punts inside the 20-yard line and was named the MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts.

Fast forward to 2009, and Big Ben can still boot it. During the first quarter of today's Steelers-Chargers divisional playoff game, Roethlisberger lined up in the shotgun on a fourth-and-8 from the Chargers' 34-yard line, as if the Steelers were going to go for it. But instead, he backed up a little farther from the line of scrimmage than usual and punted the ball. It wasn't the prettiest punt, but it got the job done, rolling to a stop at the Chargers' 9-yard line.

Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around with his finger in the air while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's Studs and Duds.

We've decided to extend Studs and Duds into the playoffs. Here's Wild Card Weekend at a glance, where we point out the horses destined for the Kentucky Derby and jeer those headed to the glue factory.

Studs

Ed Reed, S Baltimore (2 interceptions, 1 returned for a TD) -- As one of my colleagues said in an email yesterday, there isn't a football player in the NFL (or the world, for that matter) playing better football than Reed. The Ravens' shifty Robin to Ray Lewis' Batman has hauled in six interceptions in his last three games, all must-wins, and has given the Baltimore defense that scary title that no other unit, offense or defense, can claim this season -- "Group You Do Not Want to Play Under any Circumstances." The '07 Patriots offense carried that torch and now the Ravens defense, thanks to Reed, is happy to be strutting around with the acclaim.

Both his interceptions were tough catches, and it was really too bad a potential third interception went through his hands late in the game. Up next for the Ravens? A quarterback who threw just seven interceptions all season. If only they had some experience with a quarterback who only tossed seven interceptions before the playoffs (rubs chin).

The best running back on the field as the Indianapolis Colts play the San Diego Chargers today in the AFC wild card playoffs isn't Joseph Addai, and it isn't LaDainian Tomlinson. It's Darren Sproles, whose touchdown with 42 seconds left in the first half gave the Chargers a 14-10 lead at halftime.

Sproles has seven carries for 38 yards in the half and has looked as speedy and elusive as ever in relief of Tomlinson, who managed five carries for 25 yards but has been sidelined for most of the half with a groin injury. When the Colts had the ball, Addai has been largely held in check, although he did score the Colts' touchdown.

Replay reviews played a key role in the first half. Colts coach Tony Dungy burned a challenge when the officials had correctly ruled that a Colts pass was incomplete, and then failed to challenge when the officials incorrectly ruled that a Chargers pass was complete. And with less than a minute to go before halftime, the officials ruled on the field -- and then upheld on review -- that Colts return man Chad Simpson was down before fumbling, on a play where the replay angles weren't definitive enough to overrule whatever had been called on the field.

Other keys to the first half: Chargers punter Mike Scifres has been incredible, drilling all four of his punts inside the 20-yard line, with an average distance of 55 yards. Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri split the uprights on a 43-yard field goal. And Anthony Gonzalez has emerged as Peyton Manning's favorite receiver, with six catches for 97 yards.