Comments for He has been this great before at http://www.18to88.com , comment 1 to 12 out of 12 comments http://www.18to88.com Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:06:11 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3493 I totally agree, Doug. Those 9 games were the best I've ever seen, too. - DZ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:19:13 +0100 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3490 I would take the '05 Manning only because that means I get him 4 more years. P.S. I have always thought that the '06 Manning was the greatest ever but, in reality, it is splitting hairs. - Kevin A Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:01:28 +0100 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3489 ...and you could have either 2005 Manning or 2009 Manning, right now, which would you take? I don't know if the 2009 Manning has lost something on his deep ball, but I would without hesitation still take the 2009 version. Which to me is amazing... and absolutely brilliant at the same time. - Doug England Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:46:28 +0100 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3488 The reason you are hearing so many people saying that Manning is perhaps having his finest year, is the carry over from the last nine games of 2008. In my opinion (and Oester's and Polian's), those nine games were the best he has ever played. Then you combine those nine games with his first seven games of 2009, and you have a sixteen game stretch that is probably the greatest 16 consecutive games a QB has ever played. (Cheating I know, but still...) - Doug England Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:41:10 +0100 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3480 re Freeney: shhhhhh. Don't say that. But yeah, I agree. - DZ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:15:16 +0100 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3479 I think he's really elevated it this year. Two big differences I see from prior years and you guys have touched on them: 1. Garcon and Collie are so green. Seriously, think of the difference between those two versus healthy Marvin and seasoned Stokely. 2. Offensive line. Glenn and Scott were so much better than what we have in there now. Addai ran for 5 yards a carry behind that line. If we had that kind of line play (and running game threat), Manning's QB rating would be through the roof. No matter how you slice it, he's consistently great. Regarding the defense, I think you'll see some slippage because of Freeney's injury. In fact, I think we're already seeing evidence that his reduced participation and performance are having a negative impact. I'd rather they just sit him down and let the hip heal totally rather than let him hobble around the rest of the season. - Merr Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:11:31 +0100 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3476 Mainly because the extraordinary is typical for Manning. 2005 was a special, special year--great QB, solid run game from a resurgent Edge, awesome D. Alexander should NEVER have gotten the MVP (and it cursed hs career). Yes, his team made the SB largely because of his workhorseness, but he got fed the ball endlessly at the end of games (it's how you close out wins, I know) and he also got a lot of 2 yard TDs. Hasselbeck throws them down to the 7, and two runs gets him another TD and the record. But THAT record was broken and reset almost annually over a 5-year span, so it's nothing like Manning's TD record (at the time) which was standing for two decades. The main reason 18 didn't get the MVP in 2005 was that his stats were "down" from 2004 due to the change in D against him, and there was probably some backlash about "we can't very well give it to him every year! Even if he DOES deserve it." Ugh. Great logic, guys. Now onto our D.... ooooh, man, is this nice to talk about. If the OL congtinues to hold its own (pun intended), the run game continues to be "good enough" and we get our injured Hayden and Gonzo back, this is gonna be a super fun playoff season. Another unofficial SB vs the Pats in Indy? This time they'll have Jarvis Green and Banta-Cain healthy, but we'll be healthier too, in theory. Another one-pt, last second win? My Magic 18-ball says... "cut that meat!" Damn thing never works right. Now it's saying "Now, I'll kill a snitch. Not saying I have, not saying I haven't, you know what I mean?" - Bob M Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:40:04 +0100 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3475 This is a good post. Now, I'd like to commission a Tim Jennings Appreciation Day post. When it's my turn at the dinner table Thursday, I'll be giving thanks for solid depth at CB, and now that we've cleared Addai's good name, we're ready for this challenge. A timely post defending Tim will give us a chance to digest its wisdom before Chad Simpson Appreciation Day, which is right around the corner and will be here before you know it. - LukeM Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:36:03 +0100 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3473 I like the 2005 skill players a lot more. The 2005 defense seemed to me to get a lot of turnovers, but couldn't stop people like this years version with no turnovers. Didn't Cato June have like 6 INTs? - MR Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:21:32 +0100 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3472 and best defense, but this defense is quickly approaching. Also, I vote for 09 Manning slightly - dmstorm22 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 13:00:32 +0100 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3471 I agree Manning is about the same, but I think the Defense is in the middle of its best year ever. Indy has held its opponents under 20 points in 8 of the first 10 games. Based my own (probably flawed) research they are nearing the modern NFL record. The '00 Ravens and '85 and '86 Bears each accomplished this feat 13 times in a season. If the Colts hold Houston under 20 points this weekend... I think we can start saying things like "Best Colts defense ever." - DemondSanders Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:47:58 +0100 http://www.18to88.com/2009-archives/november/he-has-been-this-great-before.html#comment-3470 2007 was Manning's best season IMO. He had 31 TD and 13 INT, but if you take out that 1 chargers game, he had 29 TD and 7 INT. The Colts in the first half of that season was the best Colts team in the Manning era. Unfortunately, injuries ruined that season. Manning had to play with 3 sub replacement receivers like Thorpe, Aromoashadu, and Moorehead. 2006 was also a great season (I'm talking regualr season). But, that was a great supporting cast for Manning. That was his best O-Line. Great running attack and 2 real good WR to go along with Dallas Clark. That team didn't have a 3rd WR, but Manning didn't need one because Clark could play in the slot. 2004 was not Manning's best year. The reason he put up insane numbers was because everyone believed that year that you had to beat the Colts with pressure, so they decided to blitz a lot. Since then, Teams rarely blitzed the Colts. - mikej Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:10:35 +0100