I might as well rename this blog for Peyton Manning. I will be writing about him, a lot, over the next few weeks as I continue to process my life as a football fan without him in it.
Anyway, next up on my remembrance tour, a ranking of my favorite Manning games. These aren't his best games, or necessarily the most dramatic (though the ones high up are plenty dramatic), but just the ones that I will always remember.
18.) 2013 Week 13 - Broncos 35 @ Chiefs 28
Recap: The only 2013 regular season game to make my cut was maybe the best example of how dominant the Broncos offense was at its best. Here they were on the road, at 9-2, up against a similarly 9-2 Kansas City team. It was a huge game, probably the biggest road game Manning had played in his Denver career given the stakes... and the Chiefs took a 21-7 lead as Manning struggled with two picks. And then, the Broncos went TD (run by Moreno), punt, TD, TD, TD. Those last three TDs made it 35-21, and the last two were both 90+ yards. Again, this was on the road against the to-that-point, best defense in the AFC. The first TD drive took five plays. Two were runs for no gain. One was incomplete. The other two were the TD - 15 yards to Decker - and a deep throw to Thomas for 77. The next took 10 plays, went 95 yards, and the Broncos converted three third downs. It was a magical performance in a season full of them, but this was their biggest. Manning's 2013 season was full of ridiculous games, but I don't think any game showed just how good and well crafted that offense was than a 14-point comeback with 28-unanswered against a very good team on the road.
17.) 2004 Week 16 - Chargers 31 @ Colts 34
The Colts entered their Week 16 game with an 11-3 record, but so did the Chargers. Manning entered the game with 47 TDs on the year. It was a big late season game, though both teams were locked into the #3 and #4 seed, but the threat of Manning breaking Marino's TD record took over much of the media coverage. Manning did get that record, a 15-yard seam throw to Stokley, but it was the game situation that surrounded the record that made the game special. The Chargers, as they did throughout Manning's Colts career, somewhat stifled the Colts offense, and the Chargers offense was unstoppable. The Chargers took a 31-16 lead, and for once in the 2004 season, the Colts needed Manning and his offense. Peyton Manning had the best season a QB will ever have in 2004, combining ridiculous efficiency with less throws than ever. This game was different. He threw, and threw and threw, for 383 yards total. After starting the second half out with a 3-and-out, the Colts went TD, missed FG, TD to tie the game. Both the TDs were by Manning's arm, including the great record-breaker which tied the game. Manning had many 4th quarter comebacks. Given the record he broke in this game, and the eventual meaningless-ness of the win, this is not one of the more memorable comebacks. But it should be, as it was a truly memorable game.
16.) 2005 Week 11 - Colts 45 @ Bengals 37
A forgotten great shootout, the Bengals were the first team to really challenge the 2005 Colts. The Colts entered the game 9-0, winning all by 7 points. Their largest challenge was against the Rams, where they became the first team in NHL history to win a game by 17 where they trailed by 17 (winning 45-28 after trailing 0-17). Here, though, the Bengals fought the Colts point for point. The Bengals themselves entered at 7-2 in their breakout season with Palmer, and saw this as their coming-out-party. And what a party it was. The score at halftime was 35-27. Yes, there were 10 different scoring drives in the first half, with an incredible number of close plays. The Colts took a 14-3 lead with a 66 yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne. Palmer answered right back with a 68-yarder to Chad Johnson. The Colts offense was actually relatively worse than their defense in 2005 to this point, but in this game the Colts offense had to make up for their defense, and they did by starting the game TD, TD, TD, TD, TD. Of course, the Bengals went FG, TD, TD, punt, FG, TD, TD themselves. In the end, the Colts were slightly stronger, better in the red zone, and the Colts just happened to have the all last. Nothing separated the two best QBs in the NFL in 2005 on this day (yes, Carson Palmer was the 2nd best in '05), and the only ever game between Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning in Palmer's stadium was a delight to watch.
15.) 2006 AFC Divisional - Colts 15 @ Ravens 6
This is the only game on the list where Manning was abjectly not very good. But given both the quality of the Ravens, and the way ex-Ravens speak about this game, maybe Manning was really good after all. The stats are not pretty for Peyton and the offense. Manning went 15-30, for 170 yards and two INTs. The Colts never found the end zone. Then again, the Ravens gave up just 12 points per game in the regular season at home. They were loaded defensively, with 10 of their 11 players going to a pro bowl in their careers. The Ravens defense played about as well as you can, confusing Maning into bad throw after bad throw. But Manning confused them back, calling out blitz after blitz, and hitting throws in frighteningly tight windows. Two plays really exemplified the Manning performance. First was a 30-yard throw to Dallas Clark, with Adalius Thomas bearing down right in his face. The other was the clincher, clinging to a 12-6 lead with three minutes to go, facing 3rd and 5 outside of field goal range, Manning threw a spot-perfect pass to a very covered Dallas Clark. It was a dumb decision, but a brilliant throw. Ray Lewis swears to this day he has no idea how Manning completed that pass. It was the best bad performance ever, in a game of chess so good grand-masters would have been proud.
14.) 2003 AFC Divisional - Colts 38 @ Chiefs 31
Another trip to Arrowhead 10 years before the other one on this list was nearly as good. Once again, both offenses dominated, and Manning at his best against the Chiefs offensive machine at their best produced to date the only playoff game without even one punt. Both teams had just 8 possessions. The Colts scored 5 TDs, one field goal, one meaningless turnover on downs (in KC territory) and one drive that ended the first half. Manning was in full control, going 22-30 for 304 yards and 3 TDs. All three were different, but great. First was a perfect seam throw to Stokley, then a roll-out throw to fullback Todd Lopienski, and finally an absolutely spot-perfect arced throw to Reggie Wayne. The Chiefs were nearly as good. Priest Holmes ran for 200 yards. They're only failed drives were a missed field goal, a fumble (basically the difference in the game), and a 1-play drive to end the game. They also ran back a kick-off - Dante Hall was really, really good - but it was no match. The Colts had various stretches in the Manning era when their offense was impossibly great, but maybe no two-game stretch was as good as their 41-10 win over Denver (perfect passer rating for Manning) and this classic. As Dick Enberg said after the TD throw to Wayne, 'How good is the Colts' good?"
13.) 2014 Week 6 - 49ers 17 @ Broncos 42
I feel sad just talking about this game, as it represents how good Peyton Manning was so recently. This was, along with the game to follow it against the Chargers, Peyton Manning's last great vintage performance. He was deadly against the still-thought-to-be-great 49ers in the game he set the NFL record for TDs. Manning was peerless, going 22-26 for 318 yards and 4 TDs. His record breaker was to Demaryius Thomas in the second quarter, making it 21-3. It was a primetime affair, as so many legendary Manning games were, and there was a nice little celebration after it. The Broncos entered halftime up 21-10. But what really made the game special was what the Broncos did to start the 2nd half. They went TD, TD, TD, including a perfect 40-yard throw for Manning to Denver. The game ended in a rout, and really showed how Manning was, somehow, better in 2014 through 6 games than he was the year before. Manning was playing at a level few have ever seen. His arm atually seemed stronger at this point than at any time in his Denver career. Two weeks later, his 6-1 Broncos would lose to the 5-2 Patriots. Two weeks later they would lose in St. Louis. Two weeks later Manning would tear his quad. He was never the same. But before all that started, Manning put together one last near-perfect performance on a Sunday Night.
Anyway, next up on my remembrance tour, a ranking of my favorite Manning games. These aren't his best games, or necessarily the most dramatic (though the ones high up are plenty dramatic), but just the ones that I will always remember.
18.) 2013 Week 13 - Broncos 35 @ Chiefs 28
Recap: The only 2013 regular season game to make my cut was maybe the best example of how dominant the Broncos offense was at its best. Here they were on the road, at 9-2, up against a similarly 9-2 Kansas City team. It was a huge game, probably the biggest road game Manning had played in his Denver career given the stakes... and the Chiefs took a 21-7 lead as Manning struggled with two picks. And then, the Broncos went TD (run by Moreno), punt, TD, TD, TD. Those last three TDs made it 35-21, and the last two were both 90+ yards. Again, this was on the road against the to-that-point, best defense in the AFC. The first TD drive took five plays. Two were runs for no gain. One was incomplete. The other two were the TD - 15 yards to Decker - and a deep throw to Thomas for 77. The next took 10 plays, went 95 yards, and the Broncos converted three third downs. It was a magical performance in a season full of them, but this was their biggest. Manning's 2013 season was full of ridiculous games, but I don't think any game showed just how good and well crafted that offense was than a 14-point comeback with 28-unanswered against a very good team on the road.
17.) 2004 Week 16 - Chargers 31 @ Colts 34
The Colts entered their Week 16 game with an 11-3 record, but so did the Chargers. Manning entered the game with 47 TDs on the year. It was a big late season game, though both teams were locked into the #3 and #4 seed, but the threat of Manning breaking Marino's TD record took over much of the media coverage. Manning did get that record, a 15-yard seam throw to Stokley, but it was the game situation that surrounded the record that made the game special. The Chargers, as they did throughout Manning's Colts career, somewhat stifled the Colts offense, and the Chargers offense was unstoppable. The Chargers took a 31-16 lead, and for once in the 2004 season, the Colts needed Manning and his offense. Peyton Manning had the best season a QB will ever have in 2004, combining ridiculous efficiency with less throws than ever. This game was different. He threw, and threw and threw, for 383 yards total. After starting the second half out with a 3-and-out, the Colts went TD, missed FG, TD to tie the game. Both the TDs were by Manning's arm, including the great record-breaker which tied the game. Manning had many 4th quarter comebacks. Given the record he broke in this game, and the eventual meaningless-ness of the win, this is not one of the more memorable comebacks. But it should be, as it was a truly memorable game.
16.) 2005 Week 11 - Colts 45 @ Bengals 37
A forgotten great shootout, the Bengals were the first team to really challenge the 2005 Colts. The Colts entered the game 9-0, winning all by 7 points. Their largest challenge was against the Rams, where they became the first team in NHL history to win a game by 17 where they trailed by 17 (winning 45-28 after trailing 0-17). Here, though, the Bengals fought the Colts point for point. The Bengals themselves entered at 7-2 in their breakout season with Palmer, and saw this as their coming-out-party. And what a party it was. The score at halftime was 35-27. Yes, there were 10 different scoring drives in the first half, with an incredible number of close plays. The Colts took a 14-3 lead with a 66 yard TD pass to Reggie Wayne. Palmer answered right back with a 68-yarder to Chad Johnson. The Colts offense was actually relatively worse than their defense in 2005 to this point, but in this game the Colts offense had to make up for their defense, and they did by starting the game TD, TD, TD, TD, TD. Of course, the Bengals went FG, TD, TD, punt, FG, TD, TD themselves. In the end, the Colts were slightly stronger, better in the red zone, and the Colts just happened to have the all last. Nothing separated the two best QBs in the NFL in 2005 on this day (yes, Carson Palmer was the 2nd best in '05), and the only ever game between Carson Palmer and Peyton Manning in Palmer's stadium was a delight to watch.
15.) 2006 AFC Divisional - Colts 15 @ Ravens 6
This is the only game on the list where Manning was abjectly not very good. But given both the quality of the Ravens, and the way ex-Ravens speak about this game, maybe Manning was really good after all. The stats are not pretty for Peyton and the offense. Manning went 15-30, for 170 yards and two INTs. The Colts never found the end zone. Then again, the Ravens gave up just 12 points per game in the regular season at home. They were loaded defensively, with 10 of their 11 players going to a pro bowl in their careers. The Ravens defense played about as well as you can, confusing Maning into bad throw after bad throw. But Manning confused them back, calling out blitz after blitz, and hitting throws in frighteningly tight windows. Two plays really exemplified the Manning performance. First was a 30-yard throw to Dallas Clark, with Adalius Thomas bearing down right in his face. The other was the clincher, clinging to a 12-6 lead with three minutes to go, facing 3rd and 5 outside of field goal range, Manning threw a spot-perfect pass to a very covered Dallas Clark. It was a dumb decision, but a brilliant throw. Ray Lewis swears to this day he has no idea how Manning completed that pass. It was the best bad performance ever, in a game of chess so good grand-masters would have been proud.
14.) 2003 AFC Divisional - Colts 38 @ Chiefs 31
Another trip to Arrowhead 10 years before the other one on this list was nearly as good. Once again, both offenses dominated, and Manning at his best against the Chiefs offensive machine at their best produced to date the only playoff game without even one punt. Both teams had just 8 possessions. The Colts scored 5 TDs, one field goal, one meaningless turnover on downs (in KC territory) and one drive that ended the first half. Manning was in full control, going 22-30 for 304 yards and 3 TDs. All three were different, but great. First was a perfect seam throw to Stokley, then a roll-out throw to fullback Todd Lopienski, and finally an absolutely spot-perfect arced throw to Reggie Wayne. The Chiefs were nearly as good. Priest Holmes ran for 200 yards. They're only failed drives were a missed field goal, a fumble (basically the difference in the game), and a 1-play drive to end the game. They also ran back a kick-off - Dante Hall was really, really good - but it was no match. The Colts had various stretches in the Manning era when their offense was impossibly great, but maybe no two-game stretch was as good as their 41-10 win over Denver (perfect passer rating for Manning) and this classic. As Dick Enberg said after the TD throw to Wayne, 'How good is the Colts' good?"
13.) 2014 Week 6 - 49ers 17 @ Broncos 42
I feel sad just talking about this game, as it represents how good Peyton Manning was so recently. This was, along with the game to follow it against the Chargers, Peyton Manning's last great vintage performance. He was deadly against the still-thought-to-be-great 49ers in the game he set the NFL record for TDs. Manning was peerless, going 22-26 for 318 yards and 4 TDs. His record breaker was to Demaryius Thomas in the second quarter, making it 21-3. It was a primetime affair, as so many legendary Manning games were, and there was a nice little celebration after it. The Broncos entered halftime up 21-10. But what really made the game special was what the Broncos did to start the 2nd half. They went TD, TD, TD, including a perfect 40-yard throw for Manning to Denver. The game ended in a rout, and really showed how Manning was, somehow, better in 2014 through 6 games than he was the year before. Manning was playing at a level few have ever seen. His arm atually seemed stronger at this point than at any time in his Denver career. Two weeks later, his 6-1 Broncos would lose to the 5-2 Patriots. Two weeks later they would lose in St. Louis. Two weeks later Manning would tear his quad. He was never the same. But before all that started, Manning put together one last near-perfect performance on a Sunday Night.
