It’s week 4. WEEK 4! And Peyton Manning has already thrown 16 touchdown passes. Let that sink in. That’s 4 per game.
At this rate, Manning will throw 64 TDs this season, which would shatter the existing record by 14, set by Peyton’s old friend Tom Brady in 2007.
Just to be clear, it’s not just the touchdowns, although that is clearly the most impressive part of Peyton Manning’s season thus far. But he’s also on a pace to surpass Drew Brees’ single season yardage record by 404 yards, and Aaron Rodgers’ single season passer rating record. To summarize, through four games, Peyton Manning is having the best season any quarterback has ever had. Ever.
Of course, none of this matters to Peyton Manning, who’s repeatedly called the greatest “regular season” quarterback ever, a passive aggressive way of suggesting that Joe Montana, John Elway, and even Peyton’s brother Eli are better, based on Super Bowl wins. With all due respect, that’s crap.
John Elway won Super Bowls with Terrell Davis in his backfield. Joe Montana won Super Bowls with Jerry Rice, the greatest receiver ever, to throw to, and running a new fangled “West Coast Offense” that no one had ever seen before. Eli had defenses backing him up. Peyton has been to two Super Bowls, winning one. In 2006, the year he came out on top, he did so with the 21st ranked defense in the NFL (that’s bottom third for those keeping score at home) and with the 18th ranked running game in the NFL (that’s “mediocre” if anyone asks).
Peyton Manning is en route to having the best season any quarterback has ever had. Maybe he will win the Super Bowl. Maybe he won’t. Either way, he’s the best quarterback you will ever see play the position. Period. End of story.
