Super Bowl 50 Musings: Left for dead, how do you like Peyton Manning now?
After besting Tom Brady again in the AFC Championship, Peyton Manning is just one more win away from being back in the conversation for best-ever.
By
Pete Prisco
•
10 min read
DENVER -- This wasn't the points-a-minute, stat-sheet filling Peyton Manning we've come to know over the years.
No, this Peyton Manning, the man who turns 40 in just over two months, is a much different player. Dare I say it: He's morphed into a game manager.
At other points in his illustrious career -- maybe even a month ago -- that would have bothered him, even if he wouldn't admit it. But nearing the end, this is a content Manning, and why not? Two months ago, they had the shovels out, were digging the hole and they were ready to throw him in and bury him.
Now he's playing in the Super Bowl, helping the Denver Broncos to a thrilling 20-18 victory in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday over Manning's dreaded nemesis, the New England Patriots. Manning beat rival Tom Brady for the third consecutive time in the title game to raise his playoff record against Brady to 3-2.
This one was won by the defense, but that didn't matter late Sunday as Manning walked out of the locker room, his son Marshall by his side, into the Denver night. As he walked by, I said to him, "They had you dead and buried two months ago."
Manning laughed.
"Yeah they did," he said.
This was a far different scene than the one we had in the same tunnel a year ago as he left the stadium. It was then after a disappointing loss to the Indianapolis Colts that I was convinced he would walk away without getting a chance to win a second Super Bowl.
When he came back to play, with a new coaching staff and a new offense, he wasn't close to the same passer. He seemed miscast in the offense, which was a run-based, bootleg-heavy offense. There were calls for him to be benched.
And then when he suffered plantar-fasciitis injury in November, and Brock Osweiler came on to start, there were those who thought he was done -- and many called for him to stay on the bench.
That's why this one has to be so sweet, as he admitted after the game.
"You try to do your part and contribute," Manning said. "When you're not able to contribute because you can't participate, you try to be patient to work yourself back into your position to be able to participate and try and make a contribution. There's different ways to do that, and no doubt it's been a different season. My role has been different, and my contributions are different. It's a great honor to be going back to the Super Bowl, playing in Super Bowl 50.
Forget about just beating the Patriots Sunday.
Manning beat an even-tougher foe for the time being, a foe that in the end never really loses, but one you can hold off and play to a draw once in a while.
Father Time needed smelling salts for what Manning did to him against New England at a time few thought he had enough zip on his passes to win a big game like this.
This wasn't supposed to happen. This version of Peyton Manning was supposed to be preparing for life after football. Yet here he is, 60 minutes from a possible second Super Bowl victory that just might get him back into the conversation as the greatest ever.
Why? You can cut his neck in surgery and he can be limited by a foot injury, but that Manning brain remains the best weapon in all of football. Manning's stat line wasn't gaudy or something to amaze, but it was good enough.
Manning was 17 of 32 for 176 yards, two touchdowns and -- most importantly -- no picks. The Patriots trotted out Ty Law as a ceremonial captain Sunday -- a dig at Manning since he picked him off three times in one playoff game -- but this time it was Tom Brady who was picked off twice.
In Gary Kubiak's manage-the-game style, Manning isn't asked to carry a team, and with the way the Broncos defense plays he won't have to in the Super Bowl either.
Six weeks ago, this would have eaten at him. There's no way Manning can like turning and handing off and managing the game. But when you are this close, you have to be at peace with it, and he seems like he is that.
All that talk about how he didn't want to be a backup when he was asked to do so was way off base. I asked a few Broncos players how he handled himself, and they all replied he was a pro's pro. He ran the scout team.
"Yeah, he wanted to get reps," Smith said. "He was making us mad changing all the plays. The guy's a competitor."
And now he's on to the Super Bowl. We've seen many a quarterback stare down old age and get left in the graveyard of washed-up passers and broken-down old men missing out on one last shot at glory.
Joe Namath got there. Johnny Unitas did too. Jim Kelly ended his career on a cart and Dan Marino left looking up at the wrong end of a 62-7 score as a shell of the gunslinger he once used to be.
Sure, the Manning we saw this season, the Manning we saw Sunday, isn't the same guy he used to be, but on a sun-splashed day it didn't matter. Nobody knows if this was his last game in Denver, but it's certainly a strong possibility. As for playing anywhere else, I doubt it, but you never know with him.
For now, he's going to the Super Bowl and will be the oldest to ever start one. And he beat Tom Brady to do it.
That's why as he walked out of the stadium Sunday evening, he did so with a smile on his face, handshakes for all, almost seemingly surprised that he's even in this position again.
Heading to 40, Peyton Manning truly looked at peace with where he is today as a football player, all those bashers be damned. Of course there was no time for sentiment. He was already talking about diving into the tape of his opponent.
Would you expect anything else?
What were you thinking, Bill?
I am a big believer that Bill Belichick is arguably the greatest coach of all-time. So why does he continue to botch end-game situational decisions?
It's an ongoing problem.
It happened again in the loss to the Broncos. Down 20-12 and facing a fourth-and-1 at the Denver 16 with 6:03 left, Belichick opted to go for it instead of taking a field goal. Brady threw a short pass to Julian Edelman that the Broncos sniffed out and Denver held to take over.
Bad move.
Kick the field goal, make it a 20-15 game, then all he needs is a touchdown to win it. Most will say he needed a touchdown anyway. Yeah, and they needed a 2-point play. They actually scored the touchdown with 12 seconds left to make it 20-18, but the 2-point try was knocked away and Denver's Courtney Roby picked it off.
If they had kicked the field goal, they win the game. He blew it.
This comes on the heels of throwing on second down last week in the victory over Kansas City. Don't forget Belichick kicking off to start overtime in a costly regular season loss to the Jets that. All players need to work on things in the offseason. Belichick needs to work on his end-of-game situational coaching. For a football genius, he sure does miss a lot.
Whose line is it anyway?
Everybody raved about how the Patriots got to the Super Bowl playing 39 different offensive line combinations. Some of that was because of injury, but it also doesn't help that the Patriots use the regular season -- which they did last year too -- to evaluate combinations. Lines need to work together. They need to find five, settle on five next year, and give Brady a chance. He's covered for them all season, but not against Denver.
Jackson puts money in the bank
The Broncos made the decision to give defensive lineman Derek Wolfe a contract extension this month. They did so knowing full well they probably won't be able to keep Malik Jackson, a young rising star on their front. Jackson showed against the Patriots why he's going to be a highly-paid player come free agency. He is good against the run, but can also rush the passer, which all teams want. He's about to get paid.
Harris grits it out
Broncos corner Chris Harris Jr., is a tough guy. He played on a bad left shoulder that would have likely kept him out of a regular season game. Not only that, he moved to safety when both starting safeties went out. "That was new for me," Harris Jr. said. "I was learning on the fly."
As for the injury, I asked him to raise his arms above his head after the game. He could barely do it.
"I will be close to 100 for the Super Bowl," he said.
They will need him to be.
Let's not bury Carson Palmer yet
The Cardinals looked really bad in losing to the Panthers Sunday and Carson Palmer threw four picks and lost two fumbles. But this idea that this game is an example that the Cardinals have issues at quarterback is absurd. He was fantastic this season, and just had one of those games. Palmer is the kind of player who can bounce back. He will be fine.
Cam can dance if he wants
Cam Newton was really impressive against the Cardinals. Yes, he celebrates a lot, but so what? Who cares? He's having fun. The ripping of Newton has taken on a new level. Back off, folks.
More Musings from around the NFL:
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Buffalo Bills |
| With the Bills having cap issues, is it almost a certainty that end Mario Williams will be released? It would save $12 million in cap space to release Williams, who didn't have a good season in 2015. On tape, he looked like he loafed at times, but there is talent in that body. A team desperate for edge-rush help, especially a 4-3 base team, would have to give strong consideration to signing Williams -- even with his off 2015 season. | |
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Cleveland Browns |
| I love the hiring of defensive coordinator Ray Horton by Browns coach Hue Jackson. He knows the division well and he's an aggressive coordinator. That makes a lot of sense. | |
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Jacksonville Jaguars |
| There are a lot of people scratching their heads as to why the Jaguars would give Gus Bradley a one-year extension? The reality is that it doesn't really matter. If the Jaguars don't get to the playoffs next year, Bradley is almost certainly out anyways. So all it does is add a year of payment from the team, nothing more than that. As far as promoting Todd Wash from defensive line coach to coordinator, why not? Wash did a nice job as the run-game coordinator last season, and he will likely be more aggressive than Bob Babich, his predecessor who was fired after the season. The Jaguars will spend big in free agency on that side of the ball, so expect two or three top-end defenders added to the roster. They also get back 2015 first-round pick Dante Fowler, who has the tools to be a dominant edge rusher. Fowler is back running after tearing his ACL last spring. They will also get back Sen'Derrick Marks, their best inside player, who missed most of the season with injuries. | |
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Seattle Seahawks |
| So the Seahawks expect running back Marshawn Lynch to retire? Or are they hoping he does? The Seahawks will release him if he doesn't retire and save $6 million in cap room. If he retires, they will still get the savings anyway and he will have to pay them back money. He's not going to do that, so he will be released. Let's be honest: He's a 30-year-old runner who played seven games last season because of injuries. They have Thomas Rawls ready to go, so bye-bye, Marshawn. | |
