Friday
NFL News, Opinion, Top PostsPeyton Manning’s 5 best and worst games
EDDIE LEE
NFLPosts.com
With footballs expected to rain (instead of rain) in Miami for the Super Bowl, nflposts.com takes a look at the 5 best and worst games in Peyton Manning’s storied career.
It’s not an easy task. Over the past seven years, there might be a handful of poor games turned in by the Colts QB.
Picking the best takes also some qualifying. Sheer eye-popping stats, level of opposition, the importance of the game, the comeback factor have all been taken into account.
Drew Brees’ 5 best and worst games
THE BEST
No. 5
Sept. 28, 2003: Colts 55, Saints 21
Hometown boy is Cajun hot
With dad Archie watching from the stands, 27-year-old Peyton devours the Saints in New Orleans, riddling his dad’s former team for a career-high 6 TD passes, one off the NFL mark. A cool 20-of-25 for 314 yards provided a 158.3 passer rating – perfection, one of four such games in Manning’s career. Marvin Harrison was the main target snagging 6 for 158 yards and 3 TDs. Also snagging a TD that day? An 11-yard score was the lone catch of the day for rookie TE Dallas Clark. An omen?
No. 4
Jan. 23, 2009: Colts 30, Jets 17
Paging Dr. Manning, Paging Dr. Manning
The Jets were underdogs by more than a touchdown but also brought the best pass defense and the league’s best defender in CB Darrelle Revis into Indy for the AFC title game and led 17-6 with a little over 2 minutes left in the first half. It took Manning all of 3 completions in 58 seconds to Austin Collie to stem the tide: a short out and two exquisitely delivered deep bombs and the Colts surged to the Super Bowl. With top options Reggie Wayne and TE Dallas Clark blanketed, Manning relied on the rookie Collie and sophomore Pierre Garcon for the majority of his 377 passing yards and 3 TDs. For Jets fans, it felt like open-heart surgery.
No. 3
Oct. 6, 2003: Cots 38, Bucs 35 (OT)
The comeback kid
A week after crushing the Saints with a perfect game, Manning and his Colts trailed the defending champion Bucs 35-14 on Monday Night Football with 4 minutes left in the game. The 21-point comeback remains the greatest in history. Luck, a big kickoff return and a recovered onside kick, combined with Manning (34-of-47 for 386 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT) and Harrison (11 catches, 176 yards and 2 TDs) made a believer out of Bucs coach Jon Gruden. “He made some miraculous throws, and they made some incredible catches,” said Gruden, who currently is part of the MNF crew, after the game.
No. 2
Jan. 4, 2004: Colts 41, Broncos 10
Bronco killer, qu’est que c’est
In 2003, the Broncos brought the 4th best defense in the league (6th best against the pass) into a wild-card game in Indianapolis. No matter. Manning riddled rookie defensive coordinator Larry Coyle’s unit for his fourth and only perfect passer rating in the playoffs, 22-of-26 for 377 yards and 5 TDs. Harrison and Brandon Stokely each snagged 2 TDs and went over 100 yards receiving. Third-year receiver Reggie Wayne also caught a TD. The score flattered the Broncos, who trailed 38-3 with more than 9 minutes left in the third quarter. Denver was similarly pasted 49-24 in the wild card round the next season despite the addition of CB Champ Bailey. Manning finished 34-of-47 for 458 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT in that one. Coyle, who took over as defensive coordinator for the Colts this season, has to enjoy the view of Manning’s games much better now.
No. 1
Jan. 21, 2007: Colts 38, Patriots 34
The exorcism
It’s the game that removed a King-Kong sized gorilla from Manning’s shoulder. Dubbed as the man who couldn’t win the big one, the Dan Marino of his generation, Manning finally broke through against the Colts’ archrival in the AFC title game. Down 21-3 in the second quarter against Bill Belichick and his defensive schemes, Manning unleashed a furious rally that culminated in an 80-yard TD drive that gave Indy the lead for the first time in the game with a minute left. Manning finished 27-of-47 for 349 yards and a TD and also rushed for a score. After that gut check, was there any doubt that Indy would claim its first Super Bowl?
THE WORST
No. 5
Nov. 11, 2007: Chargers 23, Colts 21
A six pack of picks
On a rainy Sunday night in San Diego, Manning turned Chargers CB Antonio Cromartie into a star. The second-year man, filling in for an injured Quentin Jammer, snagged three of Manning’s 6 INTs, one of which was a spectacular one-handed effort. Despite a career-high INT total, Manning drove the Colts towards the winning FG in the waning minutes, only to have Mr. Clutch, Adam Vinateri, miss on a chip-shot, 29-yard attempt.
No. 4
Jan. 16, 1999: Titans 19 Colts 16
Let’s get physical, physical
A fresh-faced sophomore, Manning led the upstart Colts to a 13-3 season but learned a valuable lesson in playoff football on his maiden voyage. It’s physical. After leading the AFC in passing, Manning found little success against a gritty Titans squad fresh off the Motor City Miracle. The Titans held Edgerrin James in check and pounded Indy’s receivers. Manning completed just 19-of-42 passes for 227 yards. He did, however, score Indy’s lone TD.
No. 3
December 10, 2001: Dolphins 41 Colts 6
Playoffs? Don’t talk about playoffs
For whatever reason, the 2001 Colts struggled, badly, and mostly on defense, costing coach Jim Mora his job. Mora’s famous Playoffs? rant came two weeks before this game and obviously failed to provide a spark. The team limped to a 6-10 record, the only Colts losing season in the past decade. Manning wasn’t immune and posted the worst statistical season outside of his rookie year. The low point came in Miami, when he completed 19-of-32 passes for 173 yards and 3 INTs, with the picks leading to 21 Miami points. Worse, two of the interceptions were deep in Indy territory. The loss dropped the team to 4-8.
No. 2
Jan. 4, 2003: Jets 41, Colts 0
E-M-B-A-R-R-A-S-S-E-D
Sometimes the third cut is the deepest. Manning’s third playoff loss was his worst as a professional. The Colts were humiliated in New York by Chad Pennington and the Jets, who ran all over Indianapolis to put an embarrassing end to Tony Dungy’s first season as Colts head coach. The Jets controlled the clock with an assortment of runs and screen passes. When Manning did get the ball he couldn’t do anything, completing just 14-of-31 for 137 yards and 2 INTs.
No. 1
Jan. 18, 2004: Patriots 24, Colts 14
The Patriot test
Manning’s first encounter with a Belichick defense in the post-season came after the 2003 season, a back-alley brawl that left the Colts black and blue. The Patriots secondary mugged the Indy receivers, giving New England’s pass rush enough time to get to Manning and force him to run. And throw. The result, 23-of-37 for 237 yards with 1 TD and 4 INTs, three of which were collected by Ty Law. Consider that Manning and the Colts entered the game with 10 TDs in their last 17 possessions and you get a sense of coaching effort turned in by Belichick.
RELATED SUPER BOWL PICKS, PREDICTIONS AND NEWS
From Dec. 14: Super Bowl XLIV preview: How Colts, Saints match up
Carrie Underwood to sing national anthem at Super Bowl
Five Super Bowl matchups to watch
Super Bowl XLIV Preview – Manning, Colts to march over Saints
How the Super Bowl contenders, the Saints and the Colts were built
Super Bowl bets we wish we could make
