Manning’s Legacy

The hot topic of this post-Super Bowl Monday appears to be Peyton Manning’s Legacy – his ranking among all the quarterbacks who have ever played the game. I’ve seen the question come up on ESPN, Yahoo, Twitter and other online outlets, and I’m sure the topic will be on radio stations across the country. Here are some of my thoughts.

1) Does the loss and the interception tarnish Manning’s profile? Yes, it’s part of the picture, but everyone needs to calm down and realize that Peyton’s career is not over. That interception will not be the lasting, defining image of this All-World quarterback. People are trying to figure out where Peyton fits in the all-time rankings along greats like Joe Montana, John Elway, and Terry Bradshaw. But shouldn’t we let Manning complete his career first?

1B) Manning is 9-9 in his career in the playoffs. You’ll see that stat a lot today. It means very little to me. Elway was 7-7 until his final two seasons in the NFL, when the Broncos won two Super Bowls. Dan Marino was 8-10. Brett Favre is 4-6 over the last 12 seasons.

2) It’s a team game. Peyton didn’t lose the Super Bowl by himself. He also wasn’t the only reason that the Colts reached the big game. I understand why many people point to championship rings as the ultimate determining factor of a player’s legacy, but we all need to realize why that’s a harsh stance to take in NFL circles.

Did Peyton miss a FG? Did he bumble the on-side kick? Was he responsible for the fact that the Saints scored on each of their last four drives (not including the kneel-down)? The Saints would have scored on six straight possessions if not for the Colts’ goal line stand in the second quarter. The Colts could not stop the Saints.

If you need to understand the value of teammates, look no further than Drew Brees. The Saints quarterback has been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks for four seasons. Why was this past campaign any different? Why are people only now putting Brees in the same class as Manning?

The Saints opportunistic defense. Would Brees currently have a ring if the Saints defense hadn’t battered Kurt Warner, caused a billion turnovers against the Vikings, and returned an interception for a touchdown last night? Why does Brees get credit for the Saints’ defense making plays while Manning takes heat (and a hit to his legacy) because his teammates didn’t do the same?

2B) Don’t even get me started on people who use examples from other sports (e.g. Michael Jordan) to justify their stance on Manning as a choker or loser. Jordan, for example, had the opportunity to be on the court for all 48 minutes, fly solo on offense, play defense, and take over a game all by himself. You can’t do that in the NFL. I’ve seen a Derek Jeter comparison, too, and I hate that one. Call me when the NFL allows the Colts to spend 2-5 times as much as any other franchise and surround Peyton with a full roster of All-Star.

3) Manning played pretty well. Peyton didn’t play an outstanding game on Sunday night, but 31-of-45 for 333 yards is solid. The Colts offense pushed the ball into the Saints’ territory on six of their eight drives – but a missed FG, an interception, and the final turnover-on-downs meant that the Colts scored only three times. We expect perfection out of Manning. He wasn’t perfect. Does that mean we should rip him?

4) Don’t listen to people ripping Manning (and his many teammates) for running to the locker room rather than shaking hands. The Super Bowl is not the same as every other regular season and playoff contest. I shouldn’t need to explain all the reasons why this is a non-issue. The media apparently wants to make it a big deal.

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I realize I come off as a Manning apologist in this article, but it’s only because I think too many people are ripping Peyton unnecessarily today. Yes, the Colts made the biggest mistakes in the Super Bowl, and Manning was a key part of the game-changing interception. But let’s not call Sunday’s loss the defining moment of his career. Manning has been too good for too long – including a previous Super Bowl win – for me to buy into what all the loud-mouthed sports media people seem to want to spout today.

For the record, I think Peyton is the best quarterback of the salary cap era, but I’m also prepared to wait until his career is over before I put my final stamp on his “legacy.”

Tags: NFL