TNF Reaction – Denver Broncos

By Tex Deville

Tim who? John who?

In sharp contrast to Dylan’s article regarding the hopelessness emanating from once-proud Oakland, Denver fans right now HAVE to be looking to the future. Their future could very well leak into February. In one season, Peyton Manning has reversed the fortunes of an 8-8, better-of-4-sucky-teams team whose franchise QB options were between the lovable, scrappy, but ultimately problematic Tim Tebow and a should-be career backup in Kyle Orton. In one season, he has surpassed even the great John Elway for most Broncos TDs in a single season. In one season, he led a team that was looking back at the glory days of QB Jake Plummer with rose-colored glasses to a team that has a very real shot at a Lombardi trophy. 

I totally called this. Some doubted Peyton’s neck; some looked highly on the Chiefs or Chargers, both teams of which, I’d like to point out, start with c-h, just like choke; some thought that Tim Tebow brought some magic – wait, no, that’s Satanic… um… Divine Intervention – that just couldn’t be replaced. Peyton has quietly – well, with the exception of his exceedingly corny albeit ultimately entertaining commercials – shut every single doubter up and down simultaneously.

Peyton Manning will ultimately go down as objectively the smartest, most adaptive, and all-around greatest quarterback to ever play the game. I don’t even need to qualify that sentence with “in my opinion.” This is especially true if he does win in February this year. Why? Because no other quarterback has ever won a Super Bowl starting for two different teams. He already has an unprecedented four MVP awards. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a fifth this year.

Thursday night, Peyton Manning showed what it is to be a successful quarterback. A few months ago, some people in Denver doubted Peyton and were calling for Elway’s head for signing an injured Peyton over a playoff game winning Tim Tebow. ESPN radio’s Colin Cowherd blamed people of faith for being “uneducated” and “blinded by faith” and said that THIS is what’s wrong with faith. Yeah, it’s the fact that he’s a hardcore Christian that people love him or hate him. Yeah, it’s that same fact that people were probably saying they like Tim Tebow more than Manning. Two things on that: first, they said nothing about Tebow being better than Manning, just that they liked him more. An understanding thing seeing as my family and many other people I’ve talked to can’t stand Manning because of his break dancing on the field. Second, Tim Tebow led the Broncos to their first AFC West title since Shanahan was there, AND won a playoff game against the STEELERS! This wasn’t a question of arm mechanics or accuracy; it was a question about health and winning. If Manning had gotten laid out in Week 1 with a neck injury, those fans would have been right. Think about that. Kyle Orton was objectively a better quarterback than Tebow. He still went 1-4 while Tebow went, including playoffs, 8-5. Just because Manning is objectively better doesn’t mean he was a better fit. In addition, I don’t remember the last time a QB who won the division and a playoff game was traded away. If the replacement anyone but Manning, Elway would have had a mutiny on his hands.

However, it WAS Manning, and it IS Manning, and it WILL BE Manning. Peyton, if he wins in February this year of the year following, will achieve Chuck Norris status in football. Name someone else coming off a fourth neck surgery who starts.  Manning is on the path to do what no other quarterback has ever done: not Montana, not Favre, not my beloved Cowboys Aikman and Staubach, not even the great Tom Brady. The Broncos had a solid defense last year; Manning is proof that they just needed a quarterback to finish the puzzle.  Another Super Bowl ring with a new team is within his grasp.