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Manning played a great game. He made one mistake, and his team ran into one that essentially made none.
I always find it funny when people use any kind of team record to judge an individual player, especially a quarterback. Football is just such a team game that unless you can show specific flaws in a player's play that lead to that record, it's completely irrelevant.
The Colts are a team that, historically, had a top offense but a poor defense. From 1999-2002, they averaged the 17th (actually 17.5)-ranked defense. Since 2003, they've averaged the 11th-ranked defense. Since 2003, the Colts have a 9-6 playoff record, as opposed to 0-3 over the previous stretch.
Super Bowls are even worse. The only thing one needs to know about Super Bowls is that Jim Plunkett, Ken Stabler, Jeff Hostetler, Mark Rypien, Doug Williams, Bob Griese, Trent Dilfer, Brad Johnson and Jim McMahon are a combined 11-1 and Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Fran Tarkenton, Roger Staubach and John Elway are a combined 4-13.
It's depressing that an all-time great like Manning is having people just latching on to whatever flaw, real or perceived, they can find.
And yes, I know I am defending an Indianapolis Colt. I will now go light myself on fire.
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"Final thought: I just rented Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. Frankly, it was the worst sports movie I've ever seen."
--Peter Schmuck, The (Baltimore) Sun
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