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I've been meaning to make this post for weeks about how Peyton get's unfairly criticized for certain things that other QB's who accomplished way less do not.
Peyton Manning is without a doubt one of the greatest QB of all-time. He has almost all the records, MVP's, changed a franchise from a small football town to an empire, and is considered by many the best of his generation. To add to all of that he has a Superbowl ring and 3 Superbowl appearances. So why does this guy often get called a choker? a loser? overrated by people who criticize his every move?
Seemingly most of Peyton's criticism from his detractors are from his performances in the playoffs. Mind you I am one of those guys that think that Superbowl rings should not be the end all be all when ranking an individual QB all-time. Other factors should go into that. Factors that focuses more of the QB as a player and not so much a thing that is a team effort.
Manning turned the Indianapolis Colts into a major threat in the 2000's. You hear all the time how Manning always had a ton of talent around him, but honestly other than Harrison and Wayne who did he really have? Manning, like Brady, made others around him look better. People like to point out Dallas Clark, but believe me Dallas would not have had the career he had if it weren't for Manning. Those Colts teams were offensively talented, but lacked toughness, good coaching, and most importantly a defense. We've seen this with Tom Brady from 2006-on as well with having to carry his team to the playoffs and to eventually lose to a more complete team. A QB can not do it on his own. The one year the Colts did win the Superbowl it was because the defense and others around Manning stepped up and as a team they won the big game. Unfortunately for Manning, most of his career if he has a bad game no one else steps up and helps win the game.
Another thing Manning haters like to put out there is his playoff record. Like I said in another thread, this is such a flawed statistic. Unless you win the Superbowl every year, you are going to get a playoff loss if you make it. Manning has made the playoffs so often during his career that eventually those losses are going to pile on if he doesn't win the big game every year. This is why Eli, Flacco, Big Ben have excellent playoff records. They don't make the playoffs all the time so it saves them and there record from a possible playoff loss.
Never have I seen a QB take so much crap from only winning one Superbowl. Like one is not enough for Peyton, but it's ok if Favre, Brees, Rodgers, Warner all have one and get no grief. Only Manning has to win multiple or he's a choking loser. He is actually not as bad of a playoff QB that people make him out to be. He has a better QBR than Brady in the postseason and is 2-1 against him in the AFC title game. I'd say he's made some mistakes in the playoffs, but he also had his team the lead in five different occassions throughout his career with less than 2:00 left in the game and his defense blew it and lost it for him. If you're going to rank QB's solely on rings than you must have Bradshaw over Peyton, Brady, Brees, and Elway all-time. You must have Dilfer over Marino. It's crazy talk. Superbowls are a team win. It helps your ranking all-time, but it should not be the only factor.
People also like to say he loses all of his biggest games. Does he? Take this year for example ... Everyone said The Chargers were the real deal this year. Peyton stomps them and you hear nothing.... Peyton beats The Colts ... Nothing. Beats the Niners .... Nothing. The Cardinals ... NOTHING. Then they lose to the Patriots everyone comes out and says "Manning choked." "He loses all of his biggest game." It's funny if Peyton beat Brady last week you'd hear "Well, the regular season don't matter." It's such hypocritical stuff.
Overall, I rank Peyton #2 all-time. Brady #3. Be glad you got to see these two legends together in the same era because you will be upset when they're both gone and we will never see a rivalry like this again.
Peyton Manning is without a doubt one of the greatest QB of all-time. He has almost all the records, MVP's, changed a franchise from a small football town to an empire, and is considered by many the best of his generation. To add to all of that he has a Superbowl ring and 3 Superbowl appearances. So why does this guy often get called a choker? a loser? overrated by people who criticize his every move?
Seemingly most of Peyton's criticism from his detractors are from his performances in the playoffs. Mind you I am one of those guys that think that Superbowl rings should not be the end all be all when ranking an individual QB all-time. Other factors should go into that. Factors that focuses more of the QB as a player and not so much a thing that is a team effort.
Manning turned the Indianapolis Colts into a major threat in the 2000's. You hear all the time how Manning always had a ton of talent around him, but honestly other than Harrison and Wayne who did he really have? Manning, like Brady, made others around him look better. People like to point out Dallas Clark, but believe me Dallas would not have had the career he had if it weren't for Manning. Those Colts teams were offensively talented, but lacked toughness, good coaching, and most importantly a defense. We've seen this with Tom Brady from 2006-on as well with having to carry his team to the playoffs and to eventually lose to a more complete team. A QB can not do it on his own. The one year the Colts did win the Superbowl it was because the defense and others around Manning stepped up and as a team they won the big game. Unfortunately for Manning, most of his career if he has a bad game no one else steps up and helps win the game.
Another thing Manning haters like to put out there is his playoff record. Like I said in another thread, this is such a flawed statistic. Unless you win the Superbowl every year, you are going to get a playoff loss if you make it. Manning has made the playoffs so often during his career that eventually those losses are going to pile on if he doesn't win the big game every year. This is why Eli, Flacco, Big Ben have excellent playoff records. They don't make the playoffs all the time so it saves them and there record from a possible playoff loss.
Never have I seen a QB take so much crap from only winning one Superbowl. Like one is not enough for Peyton, but it's ok if Favre, Brees, Rodgers, Warner all have one and get no grief. Only Manning has to win multiple or he's a choking loser. He is actually not as bad of a playoff QB that people make him out to be. He has a better QBR than Brady in the postseason and is 2-1 against him in the AFC title game. I'd say he's made some mistakes in the playoffs, but he also had his team the lead in five different occassions throughout his career with less than 2:00 left in the game and his defense blew it and lost it for him. If you're going to rank QB's solely on rings than you must have Bradshaw over Peyton, Brady, Brees, and Elway all-time. You must have Dilfer over Marino. It's crazy talk. Superbowls are a team win. It helps your ranking all-time, but it should not be the only factor.
People also like to say he loses all of his biggest games. Does he? Take this year for example ... Everyone said The Chargers were the real deal this year. Peyton stomps them and you hear nothing.... Peyton beats The Colts ... Nothing. Beats the Niners .... Nothing. The Cardinals ... NOTHING. Then they lose to the Patriots everyone comes out and says "Manning choked." "He loses all of his biggest game." It's funny if Peyton beat Brady last week you'd hear "Well, the regular season don't matter." It's such hypocritical stuff.
Overall, I rank Peyton #2 all-time. Brady #3. Be glad you got to see these two legends together in the same era because you will be upset when they're both gone and we will never see a rivalry like this again.
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