I've been saying it for years to anyone that would listen (few would), but most kept telling me I was an idiot. Then again, yours truly would be the first to admit that in the whole scheme of things -- there's an ocean of things I don't know compared to the mud puddle of things I think I do. So yeah. In that respect, I'm an idiot. I'll own that.
Yet I still maintain I've been right about Peyton Manning all along. Yes, he's been the MVP, won a Super Bowl, and will certainly be an NFL Hall of Famer as soon as he is eligible. But he's also had the incredible good fortune to be in the right place at the right time, namely having a strong supporting cast around him that enabled him to do what he does best. Throw the football.
My assertion has always been that if Manning didn't have an offensive line that could give him ALL DAY when he drops back to pass, that he might very well become quite ordinary as NFL quarterbacks go.
That appeared to bear itself out in Manning's return trip to Indianapolis, to face his former teammates -- the Colts. After all his years in Indy, and thousands of practices where he was wearing a red jersey and hence "untouchable", at long last the Colt defense finally got to tee off on him in a real game.
Be it in Indy or the last couple years in Denver, Manning has always had the luxury of two things. A terrific offensive line to protect him, and an elite receiver corps. Combine those two assets and -- presto -- gaudy offensive stats, including big-time passing yardage and touchdowns galore. But take either one away, and all of a sudden Peyton starts to look a lot more mortal.
For about three quarters of the game, the Colts took away both. They weren't allowing Manning to sit back in the pocket doing his usual "happy feet" dance while he scanned the field right and left waiting for a receiver to come open. The defensive line was coming -- hard. Further, the Colts' corners and safeties were playing very physical up-in-your-face defense on Manning's receivers. Peyton and his usual offensive juggernaut were stymied.
But then a rapid-fire rash of injuries befell the Colts. A few of their starting defensive backs went down, as did a key member of their defensive line. Lacking that personnel, Manning was able to revert back to his old ways and rally his team in the fourth quarter. He would come up short and the Broncos would lose the game -- but it spoke volumes about Peyton Manning himself. Give ANY NFL QB an elite corps of receivers and all day to throw -- and they'd put up gaudy stats too. But Peyton is used to a-thousand six, a-thousand seven when dropping back to pass, while his receivers run wild. If that turns into a-thousand three and "lookout", while those same receivers are getting knocked off their routes -- then things start to look a lot different regarding the whole Peyton Manning aura.
And that's what I've been saying all along. Peyton's really good. I'll give him that. But all is not always as it appears, or is otherwise sold through media hype. Though no doubt one of the best "students" of the game in history, the fickle finger of fate played a major role in his career as well.
Consider -- if Manning had spent the last 15 years playing for, say, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cleveland Browns, or the Detroit Lions -- do you really think he would have accumulated the same stats and fame over that time, much less making another fortune being featured on all those dopey TV commercials? Somehow yours truly seriously doubts that.
As for the million to one shot mentioned in the title of this article? No, it's not about Peyton someday being elected President, prying Angelena away from Brad, or even hup-hupping his way into winning Dancing with the Stars. Not even close.
After 7 weeks of the season, the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL.
Betcha wish you'd have put a C-note down on THAT with a bookie back in August.......
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