AP News, January 7th, 2007
Maybe the trick is to tell Peyton Manning the regular season runs into January.
Because the minute he gets anywhere near the NFL playoffs, the quarterback who is quite possibly the best of his generation in the regular season looks more like a scrub.
The Indianapolis Colts are moving on to the second round after a 23-8 victory over Kansas City _ little thanks to Manning. He looked indecisive and skittish all afternoon Saturday, making bad decisions, overthrowing his receivers and dancing around with happier feet than a penguin. The only reason he got away with it was because the Chiefs were even worse.
But now the Colts are headed to Baltimore, and this kind of performance won't cut it.
Not only will Manning be outside the comfort of his climate-controlled dome, but the Ravens have the best defense in the NFL. They're quick, tough and nasty, and their depth seems endless. Don't think Chris McAlister, Trevor Pryce and Adalius Thomas weren't drooling as they watched Manning bumble around.
There's no question Manning is a great quarterback. He's a two-time NFL MVP who has led his team to a league-best 89 victories in the regular season during the last eight years and given the Colts a cachet they haven't had since Johnny Unitas was sporting those black high tops. His gaudy numbers put him in exclusive company with the likes of John Elway, Dan Marino, Brett Favre, Unitas and Joe Montana.
But while Marino is dogged for never having won the big one, the knock on Manning is even worse: He can't even get there. As dominant as he is in the regular season, he looks downright ordinary in the playoffs.
Manning is now 4-6 in the postseason, with two of those wins coming courtesy of lesser Chiefs teams.
Sure, Indianapolis has other players who can shoulder the load, like Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and dazzling rookie Joseph Addai. Even the Colts' beleaguered defense came up big, never giving Larry Johnson _ or anyone else _ room to run. The Colts also sacked Trent Green four times.
But Manning is the guy who makes the Colts go. And despite numbers that looked more respectable than they were, he was stuck in neutral.
He was 30-of-38 for 268 yards and one touchdown. But he was picked off three times, and had none of the poise or creativity that makes him so entertaining to watch in the regular season. He threw as many passes (two) to Ty Law as he did to Harrison.
To clarify: That's not a good thing. The picks were Law's eighth and ninth in his career against Manning, and four more than any other player.
