Super Bowl XLIV is in the books, and the talking heads now have to make sense out of what happened tonight. ESPN's John Clayton - "The Professor" - begins his column with this nugget of wisdom:
"Although [Peyton] Manning might be one of the greatest game managers and quarterbacks of all time, yet another Super Bowl slipped away."
"Yet another Super Bowl"? Last time I checked, this was Manning's second appearance in the Super Bowl - and he won the first one. Oh, and he won the MVP in that game, too. Which other Super Bowl has Peyton Manning let slip away?
Perhaps Clayton means that Manning has blown opportunities leading up to the Super Bowl, i.e. he missed a chance to even get to the Big Game. Let's look at his playoff statistics. Nope, that doesn't make sense, either: Manning has a career 87.5 playoff passer rating, and in the three seasons since the title in 2006, his lowest-rated game is 87.9. Yes, I see that Peyton had bad games in the Colts' last playoff games in 2002 and 2003 - but are we really going to say that he's a playoff bust based on those old numbers, when he's generally excelled and won a Super Bowl since?
This is yet another example of a journalist trying so hard for the zinger that he ends up making no sense whatsoever. They call this guy "The Professor"? What does he teach - typewriter maintenance at the Rocco School for Women?
John Clayton, we're revoking your tenure. Now SHUT YOUR PIEHOLE!
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Actually I understand what Clayton is saying here. Before the 2006 Super Bowl win, the Colts had routinely come up short and Manning had untimely turnovers that cost his team a chance to advance (famously against the Patriots in consecutive seasons).
Manning actually played fairly poorly in the two wins leading up to the 2006 AFC Championship game and finally broke through with brilliant performances in the second half against the Patriots that season and then, against the Bears in SB XLI. Following that victory have come two other missed opportunities (both against the Chargers).
Manning may have played some decent games statistically speaking but I don't think anyone could say that he played up to his high standards in all those playoff games before the Super Bowl breakthrough in 2006.
While it may have been a team effort and not entirely Manning's fault, I don't think Clayton's so far off base here. The Colts should've won more than they have to this point and last night's ill-timed INT returned fro a TD is another example of disappointment for Colts fans.
Manning IS the best QB in football right now and is probably one of the 10 best QB's to ever play the game. When it's all said and done, he'll probably be right up there with Montana in the conversation for the greatest ever. But it's not unfair to point out that Manning hasn't been as good in January/February as he's been in 12 years' worth of regular season games.
That's not to say he sucks or he's a choker. But I think Clayton is certainly on the right track here...
Almost every analyst out there is putting the blame for last night's INT on Reggie Wayne, for not cutting hard to the ball. They're also giving credit to Porter for recognizing the play and stepping in. I haven't heard anyone blame Manning. It doesn't mean he is without responsibility, but it's not like it was Peyton and Peyton alone who caused the pick-6.
As for his other playoff efforts, he's had more good games than bad games, and I can't think of a single game for which I'd say that the Colts lost in the playoffs because of a poor performance by Peyton Manning. Clayton's article would have us believe otherwise, and that's why the statement I've quoted is so off base.
I think i'd agree with the statement that Manning is not as good in the playoffs as he's been during the regular season. I think there have been games the colts lost because of Manning. looking back through box scores, his 1st playoff appearance (19 for 42, no TDs or INTs); a 41-0 loss against the Jets in Jan 2003 with 0TDs/2INTs; a 0TD/ 1 INT game against the Pats in Jan 2005). Manning's still a great QB... he's just not always great in the playoffs.
I think it's also certainly fair to point out that Wayne and Porter all had roles in that INT. Wayne should have done a better job selling the long-route and cut harder backwards, but may be it was his injury that prevented him from running the route well?
Gutsy, I don't find those three games particularly persuasive. Peyton has picked up his playoff game since those efforts. We can chalk up the first two you mention (the very first game and the 2003 game) to inexperience, and the Jan. 2005 game to running into the Patriots' buzzsaw during the peak of New England's tenure as the class of the league.
The last four years indicates that Peyton has become a very good playoff QB, and one who has, for the most part, kept his team in each game. This is just not a guy who is letting Super Bowls "slip away", as Clayton would have you believe.
My thoughts are that Manning had a very good game, but not a great game. He had some really amazing passes, but one key mistake. However, instead of dissecting whether Manning was at fault or Wayne, or whether Manning is or isn't a great playoff quarterback, I think the issue the Saints Defense. Their second half performance was amazing. They shut Manning down in the fourth quarter. Their rushes and pass coverage were top notch. So, I don't blame Manning for faltering, I praise the Saints for their stellar D.
"The last four years indicates that Peyton has become a very good playoff QB, and one who has, for the most part, kept his team in each game. This is just not a guy who is letting Super Bowls "slip away", as Clayton would have you believe."
The trouble with setting arbitrary timelines is that you're selectively choosing your data points to best suit your argument. Having said that,
2007 playoffs: 4-0 record, 97/153 (63.3%), 1034 yds, 3 TD, 7 INT, 70.54 QB rating
2008 playoffs: 0-1 record, 33/48 (68.8%), 402 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT, 97.74 rating
2009 playoffs: 0-1 record, 25/42 (59.5%), 310 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT, 90.37 rating
2010 playoffs: 2-1 record, 87/128 (67.9%), 956 yds, 6 TD, 2 INT, 98.95 rating
Total 2007-2009: 6-3 record, 242/371 (65.2%), 2702 yds, 13 TD, 11 INT, 86.11 rating
If you compare that four-year stretch of playoff games against either his total career regular season numbers or the regular season numbers from the past four regular seasons, in either case you find that Manning has underperformed his career regular season norms.
One can certainly say that Manning has performed better than average in the playoffs but in looking at the stats, I don't see how someone can say that he's been as good in the playoffs, as you assert.
Did Peyton Manning cause the Colts to lose last night? No, and I don't think Clayton or anyone else said as much. But Clayton's not wrong to feel like Manning should've won more, considering that between his two Super Bowl appearances -- within the four-year timeframe which you've arbitrarily chosen to argue as an improvement -- he still went one-and-done in consecutive years.
Manning isn't a great playoff QB. He's a good one but he isn't a great one. Clayton may be overdramatizing things a bit but I really don't think he's so far off base here.
"I don't see how someone can say that he's been as good in the playoffs, as you assert."
This is NOT what I assert. I'm not arguing that Manning has been in the playoffs what he's been in the Super Bowl.
(Incidentally, since you've called me to the mat for "arbitrarily" picking the 2006-2009 time span: Manning's career playoff passer rating is 87.6 [updated through last night]; his regular season rating is 95.2. So yes, he's "underperformed" relative to his regular season numbers, but we're not talking about a huge drop off.)
I'm simply challenging Clayton's inference that Manning has let multiple Super Bowls "slip away". That statement is completely unfounded. Being a good-but-not-great playoff QB does NOT equal being a playoff choker, which is Clayton's implication.
That is, I'm not arguing that Manning is in the playoffs what he's been in the regular season.
"challenging Clayton's inference that Manning has let multiple Super Bowls "slip away"."
I think you're reading too much here. When a guy is considered the best QB of his era and, until yesterday afternoon, was being talked about as arguably the best QB ever, it's certainly fair to point out that he hasn't won enough in January/February.
To me, "slip away" means that he hasn't capitalized on his opportunities. The 2007 and 2008 post-seasons are perfect examples of missed opportunities. One home game and done? Whether entirely Manning's fault or not, it can't be said that he's maximized his chances to win.
I'm still revoking Clayton's tenure. Good day, sir! I said, good day, sir!
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