At least Tim Tebow could win a playoff game in Denver . . . Peyton Manning can't.
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| "I'll never be as good as Big Ben . . . I think I'll sulk for a while, complain about 'protection problems' and take solace in my regular season stats" |
Last year, Tebow was a midseason phenomenon, coming off the bench, winning games, leading Denver into the playoffs and passing for a Biblical "316" yards in a stunning overtime upset of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tebowfever had struck the Mile High City . . .
And then, the young Tebow was dumped by Denver in favor of 36-year old TV commercial actor Peyton Manning, who was recovering from neck surgery. Yet, Denver went into Manningmania without complaint -- at least until today.
Peyton's lackluster postseason history now has another ugly chapter, as Joey Fluke-o and his jolly band of jackasses outplayed Peyton in Denver for a 38-35 upset in double overtime, and advance to the AFC Championship game.
Fluke-o completed 18 of 34 passes for 331 yards and 3 touchdowns, while Manning went 28 of 43 for 290 yards 3 TDs, 2 devastating INTs -- and a lost fumble to boot.
It was all there for Peyton and the Broncos -- the No. 1 seed and home field advantage in the AFC playoffs, and just like it so often happened when Peyton played for the Colts in the postseason--he under-performed when it mattered most. An ill-advised Manning pass was picked-off near midfield towards the end of the first overtime, which set up Baltimore for the game-winning field goal kick.
To be fair, Peyton wasn't the only Bronco to blow it. The biggest blow in this blowfest was the blown coverage on Baltimore's last play in regulation. Trailing 35-28, the Ravens were facing 3rd down from their own 30-yard line with only 31 seconds to go and no time outs (because Fluke-o can't read a play clock) when Rahim Moore inexplicably decided to let Jacoby Jones of the Ravens (who was otherwise double-covered) to get behind him as he made a lame-ass attempt at an interception. Instead, Jones made an all-too-easy catch and walked into the endzone. If Rahim just keeps Jones in front of him and makes the tackle, the game probably ends there.
And no one was more upset than Manning, who did what all great leaders do -- started sulking and obsessing over his misfortune.
Peyton vs. Big Ben:
Do you really want to go there?
A friend of The Face (who shall remain anonymous) had the audacity to suggest earlier this season (the regular season) that Peyton Manning would have won more Super Bowls than Big Ben if he had played with the Steelers.
Sigh . . . .
Peyton Manning post-season facts and figures:
Playoff record: 9-11 (1-4 after bye week; 0-4 if the weather is below 40; 6-5 at home; 2-5 on the road).
Passing stats: 397 of 638 (62.2%) for 5,098 yards, 32 TDs, 21 INTs
Points per game: 22.37
Super Bowl record: 1-1
Intangibles: Whiner.
Big Ben post-season facts and figures:
Playoff record: 10-4 (5-2 home; 3-1 road)
Passing stats: 248 of 409 (60.6%) for 3,150 yards, 20 TDs, 17 INTs, 203 rushing yards (3 rushing TDs)
Points per game: 26.5
Super Bowl record: 2-1
Intangibles: Big Ben plays without an offensive line, but graciously manages to praise them anyway. Never complains. Makes plays with his feet. Will tackle.
Peyton v. Big Ben: Head-to-Head
January 15, 2006 in Indianpolis, IN
Steeler 21, Colts 18
Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts have the No. 1 seed and home field advantage for the AFC playoffs (sound familiar?) and host the 6th-seeded Steelers. Big Ben completes 14 of 24 for 197 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT. Manning is 22 of 28 for 290 yards, 1 TD. Did Manning have better stats? Maybe. But Big Ben made the play -- THE TACKLE -- that ultimately saved the game for Pittsburgh. Did this play show up in the stat column? No. Did it make a difference. Yes.
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| You won't see Peyton-Whiner making this kind of play |
Could you imagine if the roles were reversed in that game and Peyton Manning were QB for the Steelers that day (okay, stop to vomit as that thought first comes to mind). Better now? Okay, imagine that Jerome Bettis fumbles at the goal line and the Colts are running the ball back . . . does Peyton hustle back to make a shoe-string tackle? Or does he just stomp off the field and whine about his misfortune. Exactly.
The rebuttal:
In Super Bowl XL Ben Roethlisberger was 9 of 21 for 123 yards, 0 TDs, 2 INTs and had the worst passer rating of any QB to win the Super Bowl.
Rebuttal of the rebuttal:
In Super Bowl XL, Big Ben scored a rushing TD; made a huge 3rd down conversion on a broken play (a deep pass to HInes Ward) that set up his rushing TD; threw a critical block on a WR reverse that allowed Antwaan Randle El to throw the game clinching TD; and picked up first downs with his feet to run out the clock.
OH! And what about the three games Big Ben helped the Steelers win on the road (31-17 in Cincinnati, 21-18 in Indianapolis, and 34-17 in Denver) just to get the Steelers to Super Bowl XL . . .
In those three games Big Ben completed 49 of 92 passes for 680 yards, 7 TDs, 1 INT, and another rushing TD.
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