Honestly, even if Manning doesn't do well this year, it wouldn't do much to change how the media sees him. Unlike Brady, who's been endlessly ridiculed and branded a cheater, Peyton has always been the darling child of the NFL. And so people will continue to overlook the repeated failings that have long been evident to us Pats fans.
And I agree with those who say Peyton is past his prime. The only thing that's keeping him in the game is his sense of pride. Perhaps in his mind, he still feels he has something to prove.