OT: Manning butt kissing

[JSn]

...especially with the Bills doing so well.

You mean, the same "well" as us?

Agreed though, I believe we're treating each game equal this year. I think we MIGHT have looked past the Dolphins a little, but our lack of adjustment was the problem there.

I think if another team jumps on us like the Chargers did, we now have the confidence all is not lost. So I wouldn't expect to get blown out any more this year, but we need every W we can get. Let the Division play themselves outta the picture. If we split the Bills and Dolphins and sweep the Jets, we should be ok as long as we take every game seriously.

 

[PatriotNMP43]

No way, if you can Beat the Colts, you do it. They may not look like anything special, but I'm pretty sure they will be in the playoff picture. This Pats team is not good enough to consider blowing off anybody and not taking them seriously. Playoff seeding could be on the line as well. The division games are certainly big as ever this year though, especially with the Bills doing so well.

Agreed, conference wins and losses are crucial to playoff seeding, the only games that don't affect the conference are the 4 NFC games, the 12 other games are all crucial, we currently have 2 conference losses, we want that number to stay low obviously.

 

[patchick]

Of course they're playing up Manning. First off, he's played at a high enough level year after year to deserve some veneration. But much, much more importantly: as one of the marquee stars of the game, he's a reason for casual fans to tune into the broadcast. The network preps a storyline for every national broadcast. The obvious storyline this week was "Can the Great Peyton Manning Lead his Proud but Struggling Team to Bring Down the Last of the Unbeatens??" Reasonable enough, so you run with it.

 

[NJPatsfan26]

Of course they're playing up Manning. First off, he's played at a high enough level year after year to deserve some veneration. But much, much more importantly: as one of the marquee stars of the game, he's a reason for casual fans to tune into the broadcast. The network preps a storyline for every national broadcast. The obvious storyline this week was "Can the Great Peyton Manning Lead his Proud but Struggling Team to Bring Down the Last of the Unbeatens??" Reasonable enough, so you run with it.

And of course this story line was written, and directed by the all knowing EPSN...

Amazing.....makes you wonder if the story line they wrote for our MNF against Denver came out the way they expected??

 

[ctpatsfan77]

Agreed, conference wins and losses are crucial to playoff seeding, the only games that don't affect the conference are the 4 NFC games, the 12 other games are all crucial, we currently have 2 conference losses, we want that number to stay low obviously.

Right now, if the Pats go 9-7 (i.e., 4-5 the rest of the way), they still have a 1 in 3 shot of making the playoffs. If they get to 10-6 (5-4), those odds go up to 5 in 6. 11-5 (6-3) all but guarantees a berth (>99% chance), and, of course, equals some other QB's first season in Foxboro. . . .

Remarkably, the numbers actually work better than the Colts, but for a reason--if they get to 9-7, they have an almost 50-50 shot at the playoffs, while 10-6 gives them >90% odds, and 11-5 again all but guarantees a birth. Of course, the problem is they need better records down the stretch to achieve those numbers (namely, 6-3, 7-2, and 8-1).

 

[cstjohn17]

I hate the Colts, hate them, hate them, hate them. At the same time I have a lot of respect for Manning, aside from his QB ability 'Cut that meat' is an all-time classic.

Another classic from Manning, when asked about Haynesworth and his inability to get a long-term deal Manning said 'Pay the guy his money, he plays like an animal, give him some money to calm him down'

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

Aside from this year's rating, those are all stellar QB ratings, so an actual decline doesn't matter much. Yes, his rating declined in 2006, but he also happened to win a Super Bowl that year.

His defense won him a Super Bowl that year. his post-season rating was a 70.5 with 3TD and 7 ints......

Are you seriously trying to argue that Manning is not one of the greatest QBs to ever play the game?

He's one of the greatest (at least in the regular season- only 7-7 in the post-season)along with Brady,Montana, Unitas,Starr, and Elway. My point was that his number have declined for 5 years in a row. If he were a running back,, you'd say he's on the downhill slide.

 

[BradyFTW!]

But, over the last five years, Manning's QB rating has declined every year, not just this year because of injury......

2004[FONT=&quot] ---- [/FONT]121.1
2005[FONT=&quot] ------ [/FONT]104.1
2006[FONT=&quot] ---- [/FONT]101.0
2007[FONT=&quot] ---- [/FONT] 98.0
2008[FONT=&quot] ---- [/FONT]79.0

Peyton Manning

There aren't many places to go but down from averaging 121
Also doesn't mean that he's a worse QB. By contrast, did Brady suddenly become a much better QB last season? No, he's always been that good; he was asked to do different things. QB rating is a nice stat, but it's not the beginning and the end of how good a QB you are. Manning is an awesome QB who's struggling right now because he had surgery, missed training camp, and his team has a bunch of injuries right now.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

Great, when did this site become ESPN?

Sorry, but training camp was two months ago!!!!! And it lasts 3-4 weeks!!! What the hell is practice for?

Here is their problems:

System: Paying a few stars big money works when the stars are available. Lose a few and nobody gets plugged in.

Scheme: They don't appear to be imaginative on their schemes. They run a few plays really well. However, do you ever see new plays from them?

Personnel: The Colts are the only team with injuries?

We are starting a QB who last started in high school. How can you compare that to missing preseason two months ago?

 

[BradyFTW!]

Great, when did this site become ESPN?

Sorry, but training camp was two months ago!!!!! And it lasts 3-4 weeks!!! What the hell is practice for?

Here is their problems:

System: Paying a few stars big money works when the stars are available. Lose a few and nobody gets plugged in.

Scheme: They don't appear to be imaginative on their schemes. They run a few plays really well. However, do you ever see new plays from them?

Personnel: The Colts are the only team with injuries?

We are starting a QB who last started in high school. How can you compare that to missing preseason two months ago?

Bingo, it's a team-wide problem. Peyton is not the reason why Indy is below .500 right now. The fact that Peyton, Harrison, Sanders, and Freeney have all sustained major injuries in the past year would be a problem for anyone, but is especially so in Indy, where paying your stars is valued over maintaining depth. They count on their stars to stay healthy and for guys on rookie contracts to come in and play well enough, at a cheap enough price, to make it work. When the stars start getting injured and/or the young guys don't pan out as expected, this season happens.