Manning, No MVP

[wist43]

Manning was obviously the MVP... w/o Manning, Rhodes doesn't run for 20 yds in the game.

Indy's run game is completely predicated upon Manning and the passing game... as I said, w/o Manning, the running game goes nowhere.

[Partial]

Manning was obviously the MVP... w/o Manning, Rhodes doesn't run for 20 yds in the game.

Indy's run game is completely predicated upon Manning and the passing... as I said, w/o Manning, the running game goes nowhere.

Yep. Merlin fails to understand the impact that super-duper stars have on a game and how they dictate what the other team does play after play after play.

[b bulldog]

Well that is definitely argueable. Howard is the guy that put them over the top in 96 as Jones,Butler and Brown noted numerous times and Brett did play well against the Pats but against Denver, 25-46,256 yards and 1 td, 1pic while Manning was 25-38, 247 yards and 1 td and 1 pic. Those numbers look real close to me but I guess I'm wrong there. Against the Pats he was 14-27 with 247 and 2 td's and 0 pics. The Pats game was definitely better but Reggie's 3 sacks and Howards dagger return overshadowed Brett's day imo.Brett played better in the first game and well in the second game but came up short on the errant pass to chewey during the final drive. These numbers are actually pretty close to what Manning put up last night. Howard had 244 return yards against the Pats, no brainer in regards to MVP. Why do so many in here always want to rip the other great QB's?? manning finally got the job done, now he's putting himself up for a chance at being in the top 3 of alltime. Brett wasn't the reason why they lost to Denver but like all losing teams players, he had a hand in it as did Brady when his teams lose in the playoffs. The same can be said about every dominant QB or player in thAT REGARD. It was Mannings night, let him be happy, why rip him.

[b bulldog]

hARV, HOW ABOUT ADDING 244 RETURN YARDS AND A 99 YARD TD! I'll take him.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Brett did play well against the Pats but against Denver, 25-46,256 yards and 1 td, 1pic

Ummm... Brett threw 3 TDs in that game. The first one was a beauty to Freeman in the back of the endzone to put them on top. The second was a beautiful touch pass to Chewy at the end of the half to keep them in the game. The third was a pretty easy bullet to Freeman to tie the game up in the fourth quarter. After that momentum changing and game tying drive, and aging defense allowed Terrell Davis to continue to ride roughshod all over them and get the game winning TD.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Brett did play well against the Pats but against Denver, 25-46,256 yards and 1 td, 1pic

And he was 25 of 42. Elway was 12 of 22 for 123 yards, 1 TD, 1 pick in the same game.

[HarveyWallbangers]

hARV, HOW ABOUT ADDING 244 RETURN YARDS AND A 99 YARD TD! I'll take him.

Howard was deserving, no doubt. But Favre played well in that game. It was a tossup. Go back to the commentary in that game, and you'll notice the announcers talking about what a tossup it would be in the game between Favre and Howard for MVP. Both long TDs were audibles by Favre.

BTW, Howard had 234 yards returning and 99 was on the kickoff return. His other 3 kick returns netted less than 20 yards a return and his 6 punt returns netted him 15 yards/return. Tremendous blocking on that last one. Beebe was a blocker and didn't have anybody to block. That was a tremendous team--much like a lot of teams that win a Super Bowl.

[b bulldog]

he also had punt returns in the area of 27 and 34 yards

[b bulldog]

reggie white had a record three sacks also

[HarveyWallbangers]

This isn't to rip on Manning. He played well. Howard played well also. But to insinuate Favre didn't play well is ludicrous. Tom Brady won a Super Bowl MVP in a game that he went 16 of 27 for 145 yards, 1 TD, and 0 interceptions. Favre didn't win it in a game that he went 14 of 27 for 246 yards, 2 passing TDs, 1 rushing TD, 1 two point conversion, and 0 turnovers. So, Brady played well, but Favre played pretty damn well also.

[b bulldog]

I missed the third TD in the Denver game, my bad. The signature play in the broncos game was the run by Elway. His numbers were pedestrian but he willed that team to a victory on that drive.

[HarveyWallbangers]

he also had punt returns in the area of 27 and 34 yards

On Howard's other three kick returns he had 55 yards. That's less than 19 yards/kickoff. That's below average. He did well, but not exceptional on his punt returns: 6 for 90 yards. 15 yard average is solid, but not exceptional. Credit a great team for giving him many opportunities, credit a great special teams unit that gave him blocking, and credit him for taking advantage.

[b bulldog]

Six punt returns for 90 yards an average of 15 yards per return and 154 yards on 4 returns, great day by a special teamer.

[MadtownPacker]

Yeah I was gonna say, 3 TD, not 1.

Bulldog - You are losing ground with your arguement when you dont even know YOUR own team's QB stats.

[b bulldog]

THE pATS /pHILLY GAME, Brady was 23-33 with two TD's AND 0 PICS AND bRANCH WON THE AWARD. Against Carolina, he had 3 TD's and 1 pic and threw for 354 yards and won the award. Against the Rams he was 16-27 with 1 td and only 145 yards as you noted but was the leader of one of the biggest upsets in SB history. In all fairness, one could argue that Brady should have been the MVP in each SB victory or you could also argue that he was only deserving against Carolina. Two out of the three is probably correct.