The Tribune discusses Manning’s place in history
•Toughness.
Manning has started 192 straight games — the most by any quarterback at the beginning of his career. If it weren’t for Favre, this accomplishment would get much more play.
He doesn’t take unnecessary hits when he doesn’t have to, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t tough. He knows how to preserve himself. Still, Manning has played hurt, including with a broken jaw and a bad knee.
He is the complete package.
“I’ve never seen a guy with such an impact on his team,” Lynch said. “Peyton stands out in that there were times on the other side of the ball, you felt helpless, like this guy is just too good. I think he’s the best football player I’ve ever played against.”
And the best quarterback anyone ever has seen.
The NY Times makes a case for Manning as the greatest ever
The Indianapolis Colts were trailing Houston, 17-0, when the Texans rookie linebacker Brian Cushing glanced up to see Colts quarterback Peyton Manning looking in the direction of the defense’s huddle. In those few seconds of quiet before the chaos at the line of scrimmage, Cushing saw Manning nodding his head. Up and down. Up and down.
Uh-oh.
“He was sizing us up,” Cushing said. “I had that feeling right then that he was locked in and that might be it.”
It was. Manning threw a 20-yard completion to start that drive and a touchdown pass to finish it, igniting a comeback that resulted in another Indianapolis victory.
Trust,” he said, is the key to his relationship with Manning.
“I know he trusts me and I’ve tried to earn his trust,” Moore said. “He could do anything. I’ve got his back. Whatever he does is right. I tell him, ‘You see it, you go for it, and don’t worry about it.'”
Moore gives Manning three plays to call, usually two passes and a run. The QB has total freedom to make changes at the line.
“He tells me before the game, ‘Hey, if you see something out there, you call it,'” Manning explained. “That puts a lot of confidence in you as a quarterback. Some coaches tell their quarterbacks, ‘Hey, you can change the play, but it better work.’ That is not confidence, that is a threat.”
“Never have, never will,” Moore said when asked if he had ever second-guessed his QB. “I don’t coach that way. You don’t give someone some freedom and then the first time, you start questioning him.”
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