[The General]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...st-quarterback



Peyton Manning was drafted No. 1 overall in the 1998 NFL Draft and hasn’t failed to live up to the lofty expectations for a player whose father, Archie, played in the NFL for 14 years.

Peyton won a Super Bowl championship after the 2006 NFL season and has won the NFL MVP award three times in his career. He’s been selected to the Pro Bowl nine times in 11 seasons.

When choosing the best quarterback in the NFL, one might be drawn to QBs such as Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Philip Rivers, Kurt Warner, Jay Cutler, and Ben Roethlisberger.
Don’t lose focus, though. Manning is the top quarterback in the NFL.

Here are the top five reasons why Manning is at the top of the heap.

Consistency

While Manning certainly possesses a variety of skills that make him a great quarterback, the biggest factor he brings to the Indianapolis Colts is consistency. He hasn’t missed a start in his entire career and he’s thrown for more than 3,700 yards and at least 26 TDs in each of his NFL campaigns.

Brady is a very consistent quarterback for the Patriots but he went from a career-high of 28 TDs to a record-setting 50 TDs in New England’s undefeated 2008 regular season. You have to ask yourself if he will resemble the form he showed in nine of his 10 NFL seasons, or if the Randy Moss-Brady tandem will continue to break records.

Durability

Fantasy football owners know all too well the detriments an injured player can have on a fantasy roster. Manning hasn’t disappointed his owners, though, starting every game in his career. He usually plays the entire game and is even starts at the late in the season when playoff positions have already been decided.

Look at the list of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and many of them have suffered from serious injuries. San Diego’s Philip Rivers suffered a knee injury late in the 2007 season; Brady only played one game in the 2008 season after injuring his knee; and a shoulder injury in the last game of the 2005 season helped push Brees out of San Diego to make room for Rivers as the Chargers’ starting quarterback.

Quick Release

A speedy release under relatively light pressure, usually results in a better throw from the quarterback. Avoiding sacks is key to keeping drives alive and putting points on the board. Manning’s quick release has helped him throw fewer than 15 interceptions in the last six seasons. When he set the single-season records for touchdowns with 49 in 2006, Manning only threw 10 interceptions.

Pittsburgh Steelers signal caller Ben Roethlisberger is well-known for his postseason exploits. In the regular season, however, he’s often sacked in key situations. Big Ben was sacked 46 times in 2006, 47 times in 2007, and 46 times in 2008. Manning has not been sacked more than 29 times in a single season and was only sacked 14 times in 2008.

Accuracy

Manning’s 64.4 career completion percentage is better than Joe Montana’s 63.2 rate. The Colts QB has kept his completion percentage above 65 the last seven seasons.
While Tom Brady had a 68.9 completion percentage in his record-setting 2007 season, he hasn’t passed the 64 percent mark in any other season during his nine-year NFL career.

Better accuracy keeps drives going, keeps defenses honest, and shows that Manning isn’t putting up numbers simply because he throws a lot—he’s the most accurate quarterback in the NFL.

Preventing Turnovers

Quarterbacks have to take care of the ball and prevent turnovers if they want to keep their teams in the game and in playoff contention. Manning doesn’t fumble often.

For instance, Kurt Warner had an excellent season in 2008, leading the Arizona Cardinals all the way to their first Super Bowl appearance. Warner passed for 4,583 yards, 30 TDs, 14 INTs, and had an above average 67.1 completion percentage.
But Warner’s biggest weaknesses have been turnovers and he had 11 fumbles last season. He lost two fumbles in Super Bowl XLIII, a close game that Pittsburgh won with a touchdown in the final minute. Warner has reached double-digits in fumbles five times in his career and had nine fumbles in two other seasons.

In comparison, Manning career-high for fumbles in a single season is seven and Manning only had one fumble in 2008. An incredible statistic, esping majorecially considering Manning’s team recovered his single fumble.

[Redchevy]

Lots of nice stats, but in the real world of Football, Brady is just flat out a better all around. Brady has done a "LOT MORE" with a lot less!!! Count the rings!!!!

[The General]

I don't know that Brady has had a a lot less, but I am open minded and I like Brady.

[The General]

Also in Peyton's corner, average wife, less enquirer PR, composure and weaker defense in his years with Indy.

[pavyracer]

Always a loser in college. Couldn't beat Tom Osborne. And after 12 years in the NFL he has only 1 Superbowl. I rate Rothlisberger as a better QB as well as Tom Brady.

[The General]

Pavy, If I said Ben was better you would have said Peyton was better.

[CaneDawg]

i'll take peyton over ben

dont know about brady...its close

[The General]

Ben has had great defenses. EOS.

[SBR Lou]

Brady has done a "LOT MORE" with a lot less!!! Count the rings!!!!

Interesting take. Pretty sure Brady has always had a far superior defense and head coach, which come playoff time is what gets those rings. When Manning won it all, although Indy defense was improved, New England still had the better team roster wise. Manning has had some nice offensive toys for years but never too much else.

[armyoflovers]

for manning to only make 1 sb is a joke. hes a big-stage choker if you ask me....trent dilfer has as many rings, qbs judged by how many sbs you win....so i say jim plunkett is better than manning. go eat some oreos peyton.

[SBR Lou]

for manning to only make 1 sb is a joke. hes a big-stage choker if you ask me....trent dilfer has as many rings, qbs judged by how many sbs you win....so i say jim plunkett is better than manning. go eat some oreos peyton.

Can't blame Manning for his defense giving games away or for Dungy being an overrated son of a bitch that disappeared with his biblical ass during crunch time. Tired of the media portraying him as a Saint, I don't give a shit how much money he donates to local children's catholic charities, I care about what any other NFL enthusiast should care about, results in the playoffs, and in that regard, Dungy should take more blame than Manning.

[ABEHONEST]

I still have to go with intelligence for the all-time great Quarterbacks !
I'll take Montana [in his prime]over anyone !
Also,our own INDIANA home grown BOB GRIESE , was no slough in the intelligent department, Quarterbacking the only undefeated PRO FOOTBALL TEAM ever !
Griese had a clever knack for avoiding injuries ,and I believe Montana had the same survival technics too ,except one thing different,Montana has to be one of the guttiest players to ever play quarterback !
He would stay in the pocket right down to the last split second ,with 600 lbs. of beef staring him right in the face !
And he would win,win,win !
The greatest !

[armyoflovers]

you can be great in reg season all you wannt but one title out of one visit in 11 years says it all.....favre is waaaaaaaaaay overated, too. one title and people act as if hes the messiah.

brady and montana and bradshaw have set the bar....

[pavyracer]

Kurt Warner had a better career than Peyton. He was not hyped up in college like Peyton who never won the big game in college. He won one superbowl without defense and got stolen the other two. One by illegal videotaping and the other one by bad officiating. What did Peyton win? I rate 3 superbowl appearances with MVP numbers in all 3 as a bigger accomplishment than putting 400 yards and 3 TD's twice a year on lowely Texans.

[jackpot269]

Im no Manning fan but the last several years I cant think of 1 QB thats better(NFL)!! not saying that their are not a few thats maybe as good but none any better!!! I don't brag on Vols Alum often

[armyoflovers]

manning is like a hot bitch that flirts all hot and heavy before sex and you think its going to be awesome but then she sucks so bad in bed she cant make you ***....hes good as gold when it dosnt matter but the moment its time to produce hes a limp dick in 10 out of 11 seasons....i had this happen 5 weeks ago, this little hot thing couldnt make me come so i had to watch a porno to ejaculate on my stomach. looked great but sucked and fukked like a dude who has rigor mortis.

[lakerboy]

manning is in the overrated class like marino- he is garbage and 90% of the time he chokes in the big game- year after year. look at last year he brought a team into sd that hadnt lost a game in mths and loses to an 8-8 team whose best player was watching from the sidelines. mannings superbowl win was over my bears and believe me anybody from the afc would have beaten that bears team

[The General]

for manning to only make 1 sb is a joke. hes a big-stage choker if you ask me....trent dilfer has as many rings, qbs judged by how many sbs you win....so i say jim plunkett is better than manning. go eat some oreos peyton.

Colts have not once put a great defense in place for Manning. Watch him on the tapes while the other teams offense is driving the field. Just shakes his head knowing he has to get a score no matter what. He has had the pressure to single handily make it happen and that is far from easy in the NFL. Makes no difference to me really because the guy is a VERY talented QB and one of the best ever and I'll never believe otherwise just like I feel about Tom Brady. Ben [I like Ben] has had the luxury of good steel curtains, but still a pro bowl type QB. I think if you put Ben in Indy for 11 seasons he would have struggled as worse than anyone.

[The General]

One man [QB] no matter how good cannot do it in the NFL. You need a total effort on both sides of the ball not to mention good pro bowl talent. Dilfer is a good example because he wasn't that good, but with an awesome defense, we seen what happened.

[The General]

Peyton is a superior coach at his position. audibles and play calling while playing the position of QB is like riding a bike for him. In that aspect he among the best ever.

[armyoflovers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by armyoflovers

for manning to only make 1 sb is a joke. hes a big-stage choker if you ask me....trent dilfer has as many rings, qbs judged by how many sbs you win....so i say jim plunkett is better than manning. go eat some oreos peyton.

Colts have not once put a great defense in place for Manning. Watch him on the tapes while the other teams offense is driving the field. Just shakes his head knowing he has to get a score no matter what. He has had the pressure to single handily make it happen and that is far from easy in the NFL. Makes no difference to me really because the guy is a VERY talented QB and one of the best ever and I'll never believe otherwise just like I feel about Tom Brady. Ben [I like Ben] has had the luxury of good steel curtains, but still a pro bowl type QB. I think if you put Ben in Indy for 11 seasons he would have struggled as worse than anyone.

thats ignorant to say youll never think otherwise than the best ever. he aint. not yet. win 1-2 more sbs then we can talk. the list for qbs is short when talking about best ever - brady, montana, otto graham, elway...manning isnt there

[The General]

One of the best ever sir. No one can honestly deny that without prejudice.

[jackpot269]

Peyton is a superior coach at his position. audibles and play calling while playing the position of QB is like riding a bike for him. In that aspect he among the best ever.

General he is also what i call a student of the game always studying and like you said teaching!!

[The General]

Speaking of Dilfer, he probably had one of the worst playoff runs ever at QB but he has a ring and that is the criteria for greatness in the NFL, but we All know he wasn't very good.

[armyoflovers]

I dont know how many year the colts jump out to 7-0, 11-0, 13-0 records or something similar only to have EARLY playoff exits. If its Manning that receives the praise for the reg season then he gets the blame for playoff flame-outs, too. Hes a classic choker, he doesnt thrive well under pressure. And his Ds werent that bad. It wasnt like the KC Chiefs of som year ago, who knew theyd have to score 45 to hang in the playoffs. He just isnt effective come playoff time, on the whole. And winning titles is what defines greatness, not barking plays and audibles and looking to be in control. Hes fake.

[The General]

General he is also what i call a student of the game always studying and like you said teaching!!

If nothing else it is fun watching P Manning call the plays and do well. He is a definite student of the game and should just be a player/coach, IMO. Peyton can read defenses as good as anyone I have ever seen.

[jackpot269]

Never thought much of him !!!!!!!!!!!!

[The General]

I dont know how many year the colts jump out to 7-0, 11-0, 13-0 records or something similar only to have EARLY playoff exits. If its Manning that receives the praise for the reg season then he gets the blame for playoff flame-outs, too. Hes a classic choker, he doesnt thrive well under pressure. And his Ds werent that bad. It wasnt like the KC Chiefs of som year ago, who knew theyd have to score 45 to hang in the playoffs. He just isnt effective come playoff time, on the whole. And winning titles is what defines greatness, not barking plays and audibles and looking to be in control. Hes fake.

OK, I will agree he is a fake no good choker. Why not, but let's go get the defensive stats from his teams for the last 11 years and see what he has had to work with also to be fair. On a side, He is one of 40 some QB's to have won a SB while never missing a start in his career.

[armyoflovers]

yea hes durable meaning also he doesnt get hurt, stays healthy and has a good o-line. All positive attributes. Hes a very good QB, hes just not one of the greatest in my opinion. check the stats for those colt teams, the Ds were avg and thats enough with a "great" QB to get the job done but often he lays stinkers in postseason.....

[Sforz]

Brady is better.

[Redchevy]

Also in Peyton's corner, average wife, less enquirer PR, composure and weaker defense in his years with Indy.

What the hell does an average wife have to do with anything? But since you brought it up, I think I'd opt for the smoking hot, super model that turns somewhere around 80 mil a year!!!! That my friend is a no brainer!!!!

[armyoflovers]

I would hump Peytons wife even though shes just cute and nothing special, but I do think he doesnt care so much about looks, rather whats in a person's heart. The dude is a genuine guy and one of the nicer guys in the league (alongside Warrick Dunn, if hes still playing) but hes a choke artist when it comes to getting the job done. Brady is better, Big Ben is better (and has beaten Peyton heads-up), McNabb is just as good in the playoffs, historically speaking.

[BarkingToad]

Kurt Warner had a better career than Peyton. He was not hyped up in college like Peyton who never won the big game in college. He won one superbowl without defense and got stolen the other two. One by illegal videotaping and the other one by bad officiating. What did Peyton win? I rate 3 superbowl appearances with MVP numbers in all 3 as a bigger accomplishment than putting 400 yards and 3 TD's twice a year on lowely Texans.

I have to say you're spot on here, Pavy. Not to mention that Warner's numbers in all categories last year was better than Manning's who got MVP, and the 2 franchises Warner took to the Super Bowl are horrible.

[armyoflovers]

Peyton Manning is the great white hope and nothing more. He is good but not that good, dont get him confused with great. Hes consistent as hell and will net you 30+ TDs a year but he sucks schlong in dec and jan. Warner will walk circles around him.

If Manning was QBing that Pitt team last year vs Arz Pitt wouldve lost the game...

[The General]

Good discussion guys.

Appreciate the feedback.