Result in San Diego shouldn't diminish Manning's regular season

Discussion in 'Tennessee Titans and NFL Talk' started by NewsGrabber, Jan 5, 2009.

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  1. NewsGrabber

    NewsGrabber Guest

    <em>Posted by ESPN.com's Paul Kuharsky</em> <p>A number of readers had a similar reaction following the Colts' loss in San Diego Saturday night.</p> <p>Allow me to paraphrase:</p> <blockquote> <p>"<a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=1428" shape="rect" target="_new">Peyton Manning</a> should give the MVP back,"</p> <p>"Some MVP."</p> <p>"That's the MVP?"</p> </blockquote> <table align="right" border="0" height="100" width="200"><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"> <table bgcolor="#c0c0c0" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="200"><tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1"> <table border="0" cellspacing="1" width="100%"><tr><td bgcolor="#196120" colspan="6" rowspan="1"><font color="#ffffff" face="Verdana" size="1"><strong> PEYTON MANNING</strong> </font></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#e6e6e6" colspan="6" rowspan="1"><img align="right" alt="" border="0" height="90" hspace="6" src="http://assets.espn.go.com/i/headshots/nfl/players/65/1428.jpg" vspace="4" width="65" /><font face="Verdana" size="1">QuarterbackÂ* Indianapolis Colts<br clear="none" /> <br clear="none" /> </font> <font color="#000000" face="Verdana"><strong> </strong></font> <div align="left"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana"> <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=1428" shape="rect" target="_blank"><font face="Verdana" size="1">Profile</font></a></font><br clear="none" /> </div> <p align="center"><font color="#000000" face="Verdana"><strong><font size="1">2008 Season Stats</font></strong></font></p> </td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1"><strong>Att</strong></font></td><td align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1"><strong>Cmp</strong></font></td><td align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1"><strong>Yds</strong></font></td><td align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1"><strong>TD</strong></font></td><td align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1"><strong>Int</strong></font></td><td align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1"><strong>Rat</strong></font></td></tr><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#e6e6e6" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1">555</font></td><td align="center" bgcolor="#e6e6e6" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1">371</font></td><td align="center" bgcolor="#e6e6e6" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1">4,002</font></td><td align="center" bgcolor="#e6e6e6" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1">27</font></td><td align="center" bgcolor="#e6e6e6" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1">12</font></td><td align="center" bgcolor="#e6e6e6" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><font face="Verdana" size="1">95.0</font></td></tr></table> </td></tr></table> </td></tr></table> <p>I am compelled to reply.</p> <p>First off, the Colts didn't lose because of Manning. Yes, the playoff record of one of the two best quarterbacks of his era should be better than 7-8. Yes, Manning's Colts have bowed out in their first game four times too often. But while Saturday wasn't Manning's best game and while his one big pass play came on a busted coverage, his work was sufficient for a win. He deserves a share of the blame, but he's not responsible for the insufficient run game, the Colts' struggles slowing <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=8544" shape="rect" target="_new">Darren Sproles</a>, the failed block by <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10965" shape="rect" target="_new">Gijon Robinson</a> on a crucial sack that killed Indianapolis' chance to ice it or a number of other issues.</p> <p>Secondly, the MVP Award is for the regular season. If you thought Manning didn't play MVP football against the Chargers, so be it. But that game doesn't erase the work he did from September through December that earned him the award in a landslide vote.</p> <p>This is the reverse of something I see constantly. Player X, let's say he's a receiver, will have played poorly for a month and then he has a breakout game. He says, "That was for everyone who gave me all the grief. Take that. See?" And his supporters and emotional fans pick that up and run with it, calling in for hours on talk radio and firing e-mails to bloggers.</p> <p>But while he may have had a wonderful game, guess what? He still had a lousy month before that. He didn't change history.</p> <p>Neither did Manning in San Diego.</p> <p>A performance that may not have met the high standards he's set for himself in the playoff opener was a disappointment. It didn't all of a sudden make someone else worthy of MVP.</p> <p>And if you think Manning was disappointing, how about we take a close look at the guys who tied for second in the MVP vote? <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2149" shape="rect" target="_new">Chad Pennington</a> threw four picks as Miami lost while <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=5679" shape="rect" target="_new">Michael Turner</a> averaged 2.3 yards a carry as the Falcons lost.</p> <p>One e-mailer suggested the MVP voting be moved until after the postseason.</p> <p>Bad idea.</p> <p>The 16-game grind of the regular season deserves an MVP. There is already a second award for a guy who leads his team to the Lombardi Trophy. It's called the Super Bowl MVP.</p>

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    #1 NewsGrabber, Jan 5, 2009
  4. mrredskin

    mrredskin Camp Fodder

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    who else deserved to be mvp? the next two vote-getters were turner and pennington. wow... pennington did f'in amazing in his playoff game didn't he? turner wasn't exactly a beast, himself.

    i'm just glad i traded for him at the half way point of the fantasy season. the only reason i won my league.
     
    #2 mrredskin, Jan 5, 2009
  7. Starkiller

    Starkiller 9

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    It's almost hard to believe that Manning would have a great regular season and then choke in the playoffs. I mean, it's nearly an annual event. Even when they won the Super Bowl, Manning sucked in the playoffs...
     
    #3 Starkiller, Jan 5, 2009
  10. Deuce Wayne

    Deuce Wayne NOW Y'ALL GET THE MESSICH?!

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    He was no MVP saturday. Had it not been for a substitution he took advantage of, he wouldn't have mattered at all in the game.

    But then again- He should have given the award back BEFORE saturday, seeing as he didn't do anything to deserve it in the regular season, either.
     
    #4 Deuce Wayne, Jan 5, 2009
  13. Deuce Wayne

    Deuce Wayne NOW Y'ALL GET THE MESSICH?!

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    But those guys actually deserved it for what they did in the regular season, unlike Peyton.
     
    #5 Deuce Wayne, Jan 5, 2009
  16. mrredskin

    mrredskin Camp Fodder

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    with the exception of the first 4 weeks or so, you're right. afterwards, he started returning to dominant form. i mean he had, what, 28 votes??? the next closest was 4!
     
    #6 mrredskin, Jan 5, 2009
  19. MJTitans

    MJTitans Chris Whitley look him up

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    According to the prevailing NFL MVP rules Manning absolutely deserved MVP:

    If Tom Brady = Healthy Then
    MVP = Tom Brady
    Else If Peyton Manning = Alive Then
    MVP = Peyton Manning
    Else
    MVP = Random(Colts WR + Patriots WR)
    End If
     
    #7 MJTitans, Jan 5, 2009
  22. Deuce Wayne

    Deuce Wayne NOW Y'ALL GET THE MESSICH?!

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    Which speaks volumes on just how clueless those doing the voting are. Whoever the NFL wants to win it, will win it. Deserving or not. Just like they tried to force us to believe that the Colts were a good team going in to the playoffs.
    NFL's posterchild will win it every year, regardless of stats, wins, etc. I can argue that he's the reason they were a wildcard team instead of having a bye-week just as someone else can say he's the reason they rebounded.
     
    #8 Deuce Wayne, Jan 5, 2009
  25. mrredskin

    mrredskin Camp Fodder

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    if you can name me 3 others that would have been more deserving and comparable then we can debate them
     
    #9 mrredskin, Jan 5, 2009
  28. Hoffa

    Hoffa Freak you you freakin' freak

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    The last game of the season (in this team sport) the Colts threw on every play just so Manning could achieve a personal stat. Once he got his, they went to another game plan (get Harrison his personal stat).
    You can disagree, but to me that tarnishes their stats somewhat. When the teams' game plan is to help a couple players rack up stats for their own selfish accomplishments it casts a shadow on what they really have done. If every team did that it might help other players rise in where they stand among others, but it takes away from the team sport it is.

    Peyton is the most valuable at skewing his personal stats...
     
    #10 Hoffa, Jan 5, 2009
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