Sport Idols: Peyton Manning

"Playoffs!?!"

"We've thrown 4 interceptions for touchdowns this year that might be an NFL record."

A lot of people know the famous tirade by Jim Mora, but many don't seem to mention the quarterback that he is talking about. That quarterback is Peyton Manning.

Yes. The Peyton Manning. One of the best of all time.

So, let's talk about "PLAYOFFS?!" Peyton Manning has only missed one postseason since that season and that was because he missed the entire year to neck surgery.

"I just hope we can win a game."

Win games? Peyton Manning has. 10 straight 10 win seasons including 8(7 straight)seasons of 12+ wins. In fact Peyton has only been under 10 wins twice, his rookie year and the year of "playoffs!?" which was his 4th year.

That's consistent. Consistency leads to greatness. Peyton averages 95.7 quarterback rating for his career and he's had a 95 or higher in 8 of the last 9 seasons!

Peyton Manning gets called the greatest REGULAR season quarterback of all time, as if its a bad thing. Yes, people might wonder why Peyton only has one superbowl victory through all this success. I don't think it has anything to do with him not being good "under pressure." What I love about Peyton is how much work and preparation he puts into every game he plays. Regular or post season, doesn't matter. He wants to win and he puts all his energy into that. He puts so much "pressure" on himself every game that he doesn't feel the difference from regular or post season, its still a game that he wants to win badly.

Sometimes things just happen. The NFL and the playoff system is a very cruel world. It gives you excitement and entertainment, but I feel it doesn't always go to the best team. The ball can bounce in funny ways and that totally changes the game. i.e. how many times does David Tyree make that catch on his helmet. It was a great play and one for the history books, but if that doesn't happen New England wins the superbowl and they finish their perfect 19-0 season. What are the odds the Saints recover the onside kick to start the second half and totally change the momentum of the game? Gutsy, but it paid of for them and not for the Colts. Stuff happens and they just didn't seem to fall Peyton's way a lot of times in the playoffs.

Another example is Tom Brady. He won his Superbowl rings when he was young. However, he has played much better the last 8 years, and hasn't won one, than he did during the years he actually won 3 out of 4 superbowls. Maybe he doesn't have the defense he once had or maybe its just the playoffs and things like David Tyree's catch get in the way.

But that's why we watch. The unpredictable and the incomprehensible, the upsets happen. That's what makes it fun and that's why we watch. But it doesn't take away from Peyton's greatness.  

All I know is that if all things are equal: same defense, same special teams, same coach, same offense and I had to choose one quarterback in history to win a game(regular season, postseason, or Superbowl) I am choosing Peyton Manning in a heartbeat.