I'm sure many of you will just look at this as Peyton-bashing (which I love to do). But hear me out.

 

In the SB, the Colts drew one of the worst SB representatives of all time as an opponent in what has clearly been a bad 2-3 year run by the NFC in comparison to the AFC. Even if the Bears weren't the worst SB team ever, their offense was, and provided very little challenge to a pretty good Indy defense.

 

They should've lost to Baltimore in the playoffs in the divisional round. If Baltimore has any kind of offense they win that game by a bundle.

 

They should've lost to New England, but the Pats obviously let up on the intensity and let the Colts back in the game, secure in their thinking that Peyton and Co. would roll over like they had done so many times before against NE.

 

Interesting side note: The Brady/NE performance this year of running up the score any chance they got was a direct response to the thinking that they just didn't build a big enough lead against NE in the AFC title game. Well, that, and Brady was upset Manning got one over on him and wanted to break Manning's TD record as payback.

 

I'm of the opinion a lot of teams are scared of the Colts uniform and are psyched out before they ever play Peyton and Co. After all, they've been told by every talking head out there with a Peyton Man Crush that he and the Colts are the greatest thing since sliced bread. The deification of the Colts by the national media has gone completely overboard in this area.

 

This season, with a weakened defense because of a missing Freeney and an oft-injured Sanders, the Colts should've lost many more games than what they did, but got over because other teams lay down for the Colts jersey. I don't think they are any better than Tennessee or Jax, they just have the mental edge because they've owned those teams in recent years. Once those two and Houston figure out Indy isn't any better than them, the Colts will finally fade away to welcomed obscurity.

 

Now, in this year's divisional round, Peyton and Co. proved my point by choking -- and there's no other way to describe it -- away the game against SD. Why couldn't Almighty Peyton complete any passes in the fourth quarter? And why couldn't the Indy defense shut down San Diego's lineup from the second half of their fourth preseason game? With the officials openly helping the Colts out?

 

But, alas, at least the Manning Face resurfaced.

 

Bottom line: The Colts' Super Bowl win was a fluke. They got the best possible draw in facing another team that fluked its way into the Super Bowl. I give the Colts -- who, like New England and Baltimore, have suddenly become very old -- one more year as one of the NFL's elite franchises before teams start figuring out the Colts get by on smoke and mirrors.

Peyton had an awful post season last year. Their running game won them the SuperBowl.

 

Yes as a Bears fan I hate admitting the Colts were the better team on that day, but they were. But Peyton proved it again this year, he just cannot get it done in the post season.

This thread is simply based on your hate for Manning.

No. It was not a fluke. Not even close. They won the super bowl and no one can take that away. On the nights of each game they played in the playoffs, they were the best team and they deserved to win. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

No. It was not a fluke. Not even close. They won the super bowl and no one can take that away. On the nights of each game they played in the playoffs, they were the best team and they deserved to win. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

 

:thumb:

 

I see a lot of SHOULD in the first post of the thread. Indy beat KC, went on the road to beat Baltimore, and then beat the true NFL love-fest Pats, just to get to the Super Bowl.

I think the Colts won the Super Bowl the same way the Steelers did the previous year...they came in as a wild card played their best team football of the whole season when it mattered most. The defense stepped up and played great in the playoffs last year and the running game was really clicking...Peyton didn't put up his usual gaudy numbers for the most part, because he didn't have to...what he did was manage games well, lead the team and rely on everyone's contributions, instead of feeling like he had to do it all himself. When he had to deliver, he lead them to a game-winning drive against New England.

 

I hated to see the Colts win myself, but I can't take anything away from them for it. The fact is, if you make it through the AFC gauntlet, then you should win the Super Bowl...the Bears were just another NFC rep. Unfortunately, Chicago's defense is what carried it to the Super Bowl and they were missing some key players by season's end, namely Tommie Harris. Had that defense been healthy, I don't think Indy could have ran all over them like they did...I don't think Chicago would have won, but I think they could have made it tougher on the Colts.

Rich, coming from a Steelers fan whose team was outplayed in almost every aspect of their own recent Super Bowl.

A person could come up with a similar long list of reasons why almost any superbowl champ was a fluke. There is such a fine line between the champion and the next few teams in most years.

I'm not a Colts or Manning fan, but I don't dislike them either. Plane and simple. Peyton Manning is one of the best QBs to ever play this game. Anyone who can't see that is blinded by their hatred.

Rich, coming from a Steelers fan whose team was outplayed in almost every aspect of their own recent Super Bowl.

 

:thumb::thumb::lol:

I'm not a Colts or Manning fan, but I don't dislike them either. Plane and simple. Peyton Manning is one of the best QBs to ever play this game. Anyone who can't see that is blinded by their hatred.

 

Never said he wasn't a great QB. Just that he never fully got his "postseason choker" label out of his system. Unless you're going to try and tell me the Colts didn't pull a gag job at home against a depleted SD team.

Rich, coming from a Steelers fan whose team was outplayed in almost every aspect of their own recent Super Bowl.

 

Don't change the subject.

 

Seriously though, people declared open season on the Steelers after SB XL for the way the Steelers won, and if you'll recall I said very little contrary. We got some breaks, no doubt. But that Seattle team was miles better than the Chicago team Peyton and Co. beat.

I think the Colts won the Super Bowl the same way the Steelers did the previous year...they came in as a wild card played their best team football of the whole season when it mattered most. The defense stepped up and played great in the playoffs last year and the running game was really clicking...Peyton didn't put up his usual gaudy numbers for the most part, because he didn't have to...what he did was manage games well, lead the team and rely on everyone's contributions, instead of feeling like he had to do it all himself. When he had to deliver, he lead them to a game-winning drive against New England.

 

I hated to see the Colts win myself, but I can't take anything away from them for it. The fact is, if you make it through the AFC gauntlet, then you should win the Super Bowl...the Bears were just another NFC rep. Unfortunately, Chicago's defense is what carried it to the Super Bowl and they were missing some key players by season's end, namely Tommie Harris. Had that defense been healthy, I don't think Indy could have ran all over them like they did...I don't think Chicago would have won, but I think they could have made it tougher on the Colts.

 

I see what you are saying, but I don't agree. The Steelers played WAYYYY above their heads during the SB run. But the Colts, on the other hand, did not elevate their game much, if at all, in the playoffs last year. They just got an easier road, with teams willing to play right into their hands.

This thread is simply based on your hate for Manning.

 

Partly, yes. But that doesn't make me wrong.

I see what you are saying, but I don't agree. The Steelers played WAYYYY above their heads during the SB run. But the Colts, on the other hand, did not elevate their game much, if at all, in the playoffs last year. They just got an easier road, with teams willing to play right into their hands.

 

Maybe...but Pittsburgh caught a huge break, IMO, when Brady and company were uncharacteristically eliminated before the AFC Title game, thus allowing Pittsburgh to avoid them. So, while the Colts may have caught some breaks, I think the fact that Pittsburgh didn't have to face Brady and Company in their title run was also a huge break.

 

I can agree with some of your post, but not all. :thumb: