Manning Up

I don't know if Peyton Manning is the greatest quarterback ever. I know that his statistics alone before today is more impressive than any quarterback I've ever seen. The way him and Marvin Harrison work together reminds me of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice. But when it comes down to it, winning a Super Bowl is the only thing that can put you ahead of the pack. I mean, statistically, Dan Marino is the greatest quarterback to play the game but the fact that he never won a ring will keep him off the top 10 list when it's all said and done. Joe Namath. Roger Staubach. Terry Bradshaw. Bart Starr. Joe Montana. Johnny Unitas. Troy Aikman. Steve Young. Brett Favre. John Elway. These are guys that solidified their career and their legend status by winning the greatest game of all time. Kurt Warner's amazing season in 1999 would have been easily overlooked if it wasn't for the win over Tennessee in the Super Bowl. Would Brett Favre be considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league at this point if he hadn't won his ring years ago when he knocked of New England in Super Bowl XXXI? I feel like that win defined his career, like it would the careers of Marino, Warren Moon, Jim Kelly, Jim Everett and many others if they would have had the opportunity to win a World Championship. This win definitly will define Manning's career and allow him to focus on breaking records and going for additional Super Bowl wins to solidify his place in NFL History.

As far as winning the MVP, I think Manning played very well, but i don't think he is the only one to credit for the win. I think Dominic Rhodes deserved at least a share for putting the nail in the Bears coffin with 113 yards rushing and a touchdown in the second half. Rookie Joseph Addai also deserved consideration for his 143 all purpose yards (77 rushing, 66 receiving) and for leading Indy in receptions. Defensively both Kelvin Hayden who picked off his first career pass and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown and Bob Sanders who forced a fumble and picked off Bears QB Rex Grossman to seal the deal deserve an argument for MVP. In the end Manning got the trophy for his leadership and excellent play but even more so for the fact that he is the icon of this team. The least he could do is give the car away...Congratulations to the Indianapolis Colts.

The Curse

So not many American's know about this curse. Its a curse that takes nobody by surprise considering it has something to do with the most unsuccessful NCAA Division I team of all time. That same team that created college football, and won its very first game November 6, 1869. It is a proven fact that no team in the NFL has ever won a Super Bowl with a player from Rutgers University on it's roster. Just two years ago, Tight End J.T. Smith had a chance to reverse the curse when his Eagles played the New England Patriots, but fell 24-21. This year former Rutgers University walk-on and former teammate of Smith, Colts linebacker Gary Brackett has a chance to be the only former Scarlet Knight with a Super Bowl ring. The fact that he stuck around in the NFL so long is a miracle. Consideringin 2002, his final collegiate season, he suffered through a 1-11 season and eventually signed on with the Colts in 2003 as an undrafted free agent. It would be only fitting that a former Scarlet Knight would win the ultimate football prize the same year that his alma mater soared to their own new heights.