OT: Real MVP outplays media MVP
Props to Drew Brees, the real 2009 League MVP, and another unfortunate victim of the Manning Media Moguls. Sean Payton said after the game that Brees was the league MVP, an apparent slap in the face to the media who snubbed #9.
For those of you who think Manning was the MVP, tonight's game just showed how wrong you are. Brees was spectacular and clutch all season. It's too bad that the MVP voting is always centered around what type of season Manning had put together (one year it's stats, the next year it's leadership, the next year it's coming back from an injury.)
Here are the stats for the season:
Manning: 68.8%, 4500 yards, 7.9 YPA, 99.9 passer rating, 33 TDs, 16 INTs (sacked 10 times)
Brees: 70.6% (NFL record), 4388 yards, 109.6 passer rating, 34 TDs, 11 INTs (sacked 20 times)
Brees finished the season with a QB rating TEN points higher than Manning. That's not even close. Statistically this is a mismatch. There would have to be extenuating circumstances as to why Manning deserved the award.
Team success:
Both teams started 13-0. While the perception was that the Saints played in a weaker conference, nothing could be further from the truth. Minnesota was clearly the third best team in the NFL this season, and the AFC playoffs featured some very unimpressive teams. Brees' Saints lost one game where they tried to win, a home loss to Dallas, while the Colts won virtually all the games they "tried." Still, it's hard to really say that Manning's Colts fared any better than Brees' Saints. They were both pretty darn impressive. One may point to the Colts' lack of running game, but consider this: Brees led his offense to 510 points, while Manning's Colts scored just 416. The whole "lack of running game" is clearly accounted for by Brees' superior offensive output. People point to Manning's fourth quarter comebacks. Apparently Brees' heroics time after time amount to nothing because he's not named Manning. Brees led some of the most improbably comebacks of the season.
Team support:
Here's where the media and fans get REALLY irrational. Sure, we've heard 100 times that the Colts would go 2-14 without Manning. Really? Why? Have you been so brainwashed that you really think no one could perform adequately with that cast of players? The Colts' defense was superior to the Saints' defense: they allowed 307 points compared to New Oreleans' 341. Of course, the stats don't tell the whole story. The Saints scored almost 100 more points, so their defense should allow fewer points since they are on the field for less time.
Pro Bowl Players- The Colts will send Jeff Saturday, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, the former two players who apparently Bill Polian thinks are something greater than Peyton Manning's inventions, since he gave them a LOT of money. The Saints will send left tackle Jamaal Brown, with no players at the skill positions.
