Legend Manning holds key for Colts
I have always felt that quarterback is the most important position in the . Sure, it helps if you have a good offensive line and you have to be able to play some defence from time to time, but having a good quarterback is paramount to success.
The quarterback is the puppet master in American football - the man who pulls the strings and makes an offence tick.
He is not only charged with passing the ball downfield, he is in command of the entire attack and sets the tone as the leader on the field.
Take a look at the last 10 Super Bowl winners and you will see that everyone apart from the 2000 Baltimore Ravens and the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers had excellent, in-form quarterbacks at the helm in Kurt Warner, Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Peyton Manning and Eli Manning - and while the Ravens and Buccaneers were led by strong defences, they still got very efficient play from Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson.
In Peyton Manning, the boast the best quarterback in the game today and that's why they enter clash with the New Orleans Saints as four-point favourites.
Peyton Manning will be the centre of attention in the build-up to the Super Bowl
I was fortunate enough to see Manning play as a rookie in 1998 in a and it was an unspectacular showing from the young Colt.
Manning was off target for most of the evening and he went through some growing pains in the NFL, winning just five of his first 20 games - but he soon found his range.
In 1999, Manning embarked on the first of six straight 4,000-yard seasons. His numbers dipped below that mark in 2005 but from 2006-2009, the four-time league Most Valuable Player added four more 4,000-yard seasons,
And Manning has not only been brilliant for the Colts, he has been consistent and reliable. He has been the bedrock upon which this franchise has been built into the kind of contender now going for a second Super Bowl win in four seasons.
Since September 1998, the Colts have named just one starting quarterback - Manning. No other team in the NFL can boast such an achievement. The Chicago Bears have started 16 passers in that time frame, the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens have called upon 15 quarterbacks and the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers have started 14 apiece.
Manning is not only technically brilliant with one of the strongest, most accurate arms in the league; he is also blessed with supreme American football intelligence. There is nothing a defence can throw at Manning that he hasn't seen before - he really is like having an extra coach on the field.
The Colts' coaches have such faith in Manning that they call three plays from the sidelines and then allow their quarterback to decide which one will work the best when he gets to the line of scrimmage.
There are very few quarterbacks in the NFL who are awarded that kind of freedom. Not even the likes of Brett Favre and Tom Brady get so much control over their respective offenses.
Manning is surrounded with offensive weapons. each caught 100 passes during the regular season and they are both capable of breaking a big gain at any time.
Wayne has been the primary receiver for a number of years now, even when Marvin Harrison was still in town. Wayne has been so successful that the Colts have not missed a beat since Harrison was released last summer. He is big, strong and capable of making circus catches that would grace any highlight reel.
Clark is like a wide receiver playing the tight end position and he creates some serious mismatches for the defence.
But it is the development of young wide receivers Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie that has pushed the Colts attack up another notch or two. When New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis limited Wayne to just three receptions in the , the pairing of Garcon and Collie combined for 18 catches for 274 yards and two touchdowns.
Garcon has the potential to become a real star in the near future. Like Wayne, he boasts tremendous physical strength, has the speed to stretch the field and snares bullets with a very reliable pair of hands.
Rounding out the Colts offence is a line that features three guys who went undrafted in center Jeff Saturday and guards Ryan Lilja and Kyle DeVan. They may be a fairly unheralded group but they get the job done and you rarely see Manning on the floor.
As you would expect, most of the talk surrounding the Colts is about Manning and his offensive weaponry but Indianapolis is a team that can show some defensive backbone when needed.
The defence is built on speed and usually benefits from outstanding pass-rushing from book-end defensive ends Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis. But Freeney is hobbling with a serious ankle sprain and his effectiveness in the game, if he can play at all, is going to be called into question. That is good news for the Saints and quarterback Drew Brees.
The Colts fly to the ball and have a very athletic back seven. Keep an eye out for linebackers Gary Brackett and Clint Session - they are not the biggest in the business but they use their speed well and make big hits. Safety Antoine Bethea is another quick-footed player who gets into good positions and makes a lot of big plays around the ball.
But we should not be fooled into thinking this is purely a finesse group. The Colts stood up well to New York's powerful rushing attack in the AFC title game, limiting the Jets to just 86 yards on the ground.
The Colts have shown themselves to be a solid defensive group during the playoffs. But all the while Manning is under center on the other side, they will always get second billing when discussing Indianapolis.
And I think that is only right - Manning is one of the very best in NFL history and much of the pre-Super Bowl talk should be about him. As good as the Colts are, they will need a big performance from number 18 if they are to emerge victorious in Miami this weekend.
Super Bowl XLIV will be live on 91Èȱ¬ One from 2255 GMT, Radio 5 Live and Radio 5 live sports extra from 2100 GMT, Sunday 7 February.
Hello, I'm Neil Reynolds. I commentate and write about the NFL. I've followed the NFL since 1983 and covered the league as a journalist and broadcaster since 1991. I also played for 10 years in the British American Football League.
Comment number 1.
At 2nd Feb 2010, eddie-george wrote:Looking at all the headline stats, it's easy to understand why the Colts are favourites... but it is the Saints for me because I think they match up better in a couple of key areas.
First, Gregg Williams is THE defensive co-ordinator you would want for this game. Manning will have his moments, but so will Williams. My guess is the Saints D will, as against the Vikes, be prepped to avoid giving up big plays, and saving its best for the red-zone. And they will gamble on jamming up the secondary rather defending the run, so stopping the Colts scoring from getting out of hand. Adrian Peterson kept the Vikes in the NFC final, and the Colts obviously have no-one comparable for Williams to worry about.
On the other side, I really like how the Saints match up. Manning runs a tremendous offense of course, but the Saints have everything. Guys like Colston and Henderson and Shockey and David Thomas are all big targets, very big against the Colts secondary. Meacham is a lethal deep threat. They've got the running game, they've got the gadget plays, and they've got Reggie Bush to bust out some game-changing moves. Also, Brees has so many quick release options I can't think of an offense less threatened by the likes of Freeney and Mathis.
I will give the Colts this, however - Bethea is a heckuva safety, he reads the game superbly, and perhaps he will be the guy who makes a difference. But big picture, the Colts are facing an offensive line that gave up one sack to the Vikes, and they are going to battle to contain the Brees machine.
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Comment number 2.
At 2nd Feb 2010, Fed_Borg wrote:Am just getting to grips with the intricacies of the NFL.
I do not get to watch any games, but from what I have read this is a great game.
For me PM and the Colts are the favorites, if only because the Jackson's came form Indiana.
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Comment number 3.
At 2nd Feb 2010, Grizzly wrote:Neil - can you tell me where the Colts minus 4 handicap line is ? ? ?
I think you're right, watching Manning play this year has confirmed he's the best around. We can all make predictions about future HOF entrants and that but this guy doesn't just manage the offence, he runs it !
I heard a story that Colts call 3 plays and let Manning decide which option is the best, are there any other OC/HC that place as much trust in their QB ?
He's been simply awesome this season, similar to Warner and the Cards last season they have a virtual zero running game putting that extra pressure on the QB. What summed it up for me was his performance in the conference championship game, Jets came in as the best ranked D against the pass and 1st D overall, 26 completions, 377 yards and 3 TDs later and you have an idea just how good this guy is.
Only once in the regular season did any QB register over 250 yards against that Jets D, for Manning to put up those kind of numbers is just staggering. Sure he has talented receivers, but so do many of the sides the Jets faced during the season.
Colts I think will come out on top in a lower scoring game than many predict, 27-13 maybe ?
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Comment number 4.
At 2nd Feb 2010, oke2008 [RIP #15] wrote:what i like most about the Colts is that every player knows his place, who he's lining up against, their strenghs and weaknesses and what the guy in fron of him is likly to do as well as the guy behind him.
The saints play mostly on instict and there is no-one better at the moment than Drew Brees at doing this, but this is where the Saints will fall down, as over the course of the game the Colts will just be too inteligent for them and remain one step ahead.
Colts 32 - Saints 20
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Comment number 5.
At 2nd Feb 2010, JH wrote:For everything Manning gives to the Colts and gives to the game of football, I fear this may not be his year.
No doubt Manning is a once in a generation QB; Brady, Brees et al are immense field generals but Manning sets himself apart with his preparation and sheer knowledge of the game. I am a huge fan, and love to watch him play.
That said, he has had a tremendous season in which he has not been supported by a strong running game. You can beat teams up with no running, but once you get this deep in the season it becomes tough.
I feel for Manning as well because he is very popular even amongst non Indy fans, but this year, the non Colts fans will be rooting for the Saints.
The Saints have it all, even without Deuce they have performed very well, and the addition of Gregg Williams has had a great effect on their defense. It speaks volumes of the man, when Sean Payton gave up some of his salary, a significant chunk in order to bring Williams to New Orleans. It speaks volumes of Payton's desire to win as well though.
Its too close to call, but I feel the Saints have the edge. Either way, I think it is going to be a great game. I bet Miami are upset to see how well Brees is doing now after passing on him in free agency.
Incidentally, espn.com had a very nice article on Manning; 18 stories you don't know about Manning. A really good insight into the man he is.
On another note, thoughts on Martz going to Chicago?? Can we read into it that he may be seen as a Lovie replacement at some point in the next 12 months??
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Comment number 6.
At 2nd Feb 2010, itsallgoneblue wrote:It certainly does seem that the Saints are the sentimental favourites this weekend for a large majority of people, and understandably so. I think it has the potential to be a really great game, although I'm not convinced it will be quite as high scoring as it potentially should be with such high-powered offences.
The condition of Freeney is a huge factor in this game, I really feel like if he can get himself to around 80-90% fit then he will still be able to have a massive influence on the game. I think it's certain that he will play even if he finds his physical condition dropping below that level, but I simply don't think he can have the required influence if he starts 70% fit.
For me, though, I think the key lies in the title of the article. Peyton is a more dedicated student of the game than anybody else, and he will be only too aware of the huge, and possibly defining, addition to his legacy that can be made in Miami this weekend. For that reason I just feel like the Colts might have enough.
Having formerly lived in Indianapolis, I was fortunate enough to make it back there for the various street parties and celebrations during and after Superbowl XLI. This time sadly I'll be watching from home in the UK, but I just have a feeling the end result will be the same. Even as a Colts fan, if any other team was going to win I would have wanted it to be New Orleans, but despite the overwhelming groundswell of support for Brees et al, I'm going to call it Colts by 10. Now all there is to do is sit back and wait with baited breath for what is sure to be a wonderful spectacle, whoever wins.
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Comment number 7.
At 3rd Feb 2010, Dominic wrote:The Saints have been struggling on 3rd and long recently. The Championship game they had too many 3 and outs. If they want to overcome the Colts they need to keep the ball moving throughout the quarter and take time off the clock.
As good as the Saints defence has been at turning the ball over, the Colts won't give it to them as easy as the Vikings did.
I'd love the Saints to win, but I think more depends on Brees than it does with Peyton 'Mr dependable' Manning.
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Comment number 8.
At 3rd Feb 2010, bhughes1 wrote:If Brees and the Saints Offense get going as they can, then the Colts could be under severe pressure. As a neutral in this match I hope they do because it will make for an incredibly exciting game.
However, if the Saints offense don't fire on all cyclinders then the Colts will win - it really is a simple as that. Peyton Manning isn't spectacular but never puts a foot wrong and he will dependably put up the yards and the TDs. It will be up to Brees to match him.
Superbowls are normally won by the bext defence. Not this weekend.
Saints to win it - late.
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