Manning, No MVP

[HarveyWallbangers]

Brooks got injured, so Rison started much of the year.

Not exactly. Rison only played 5 regular season games with the Packers, and started 4 of them.

Brooks was injured early, but Rison wasn't brought in until Freeman was injured, too.

My point was that it wasn't like Brooks and a proven Freeman were the starters. It was old an Don Beebe and an old Andre Rison that started for much of the year. To say their WRs were "very good" is a huge stretch. I'd say they were average, at best. Rison started 7 games that year (including postseason). How many receptions did Rison have in those 7 games?

[esoxx]

One more thing, stats say quite a bit but the flow of the game and what who does what at key moments will give you your MVP. Elway is a prime example

What is your point here about Elway?

I don't think you know what your talking about.

[Patler]

Brooks got injured, so Rison started much of the year.

Not exactly. Rison only played 5 regular season games with the Packers, and started 4 of them.

Brooks was injured early, but Rison wasn't brought in until Freeman was injured, too.

My point was that it wasn't like Brooks and a proven Freeman were the starters. It was old an Don Beebe and an old Andre Rison that started for much of the year. To say their WRs were "very good" is a huge stretch. I'd say they were average, at best. Rison started 7 games that year (including postseason). How many receptions did Rison have in those 7 games?

I agree completely. I've argued this same point many times to those who talk about what a great signing it was by Wolf to bring Rison in. He finished the regular season with 13 receptions, 135 yards and 1 TD in 5 games. He was virtually a non-factor, and if it wasn't for the Super Bowl TD, everyone would have forgotten by now that he was even in GB.

[b bulldog]

Elways play against Atlanta was huge and he made the huge throws against Atlanta to beat them. That was my point about Elway and also that SB 32 will always be remembered for his play for the first down. He didn't get the MVP but he made the play of the game.John had mediocre numbers but made The PLAY when it counted! Brooks's injury happened against Frisco in week 7 and was looked at as a very good WR and 96 was Free's coming out party. Beebe did have 700 yards recieving that season and rison had a decent postseason. The TE position also gave them 68 receptions for close to 900 yards.

[b bulldog]

One thing I really need help with, is that if your not #4 and your a successful QB, the masses in here will try to tear you down in order to prop #4 up This attitude is what drives the Favre haters which you could label me as but I gave him credit last season for playing more smartly but all this 4 idolatry is funny but to my fault, I let it get under my skin and I should be above that. Truth is, Brett has won as many SB's as Trent Dilfer!

[SD GB fan]

i believe the first post questioned the meaning of most VALUABLE player, which means it shouldnt be decided based on stats alone. granted, it was a tough call to name MVP in that game but i think manning deserved it or at least consideration. yeah manning didnt look too good on paper, but how he dictated the offense (in the rain) was good enough. but i think the real MVP(s) is the o-line.

[Iron Mike]

Erm, think of how many MORE commercials we're gonna see now starring laser rocket arm:

[cpk1994]

Brooks got injured, so Rison started much of the year.

Not exactly. Rison only played 5 regular season games with the Packers, and started 4 of them.

Brooks was injured early, but Rison wasn't brought in until Freeman was injured, too.

My point was that it wasn't like Brooks and a proven Freeman were the starters. It was old an Don Beebe and an old Andre Rison that started for much of the year. To say their WRs were "very good" is a huge stretch. I'd say they were average, at best. Rison started 7 games that year (including postseason). How many receptions did Rison have in those 7 games?

I agree completely. I've argued this same point many times to those who talk about what a great signing it was by Wolf to bring Rison in. He finished the regular season with 13 receptions, 135 yards and 1 TD in 5 games. He was virtually a non-factor, and if it wasn't for the Super Bowl TD, everyone would have forgotten by now that he was even in GB.

You use Rison's stat line to say Rison was a non factor. You need to look beyond the stat line to seee what his real contirbution was. He took the heat off of Freeman. Opponents had so much respect for Rison they left Freeman alone. If they had not signed Rison, Freeman would not have had nearly the stats he had after he came back from injury. To say Rison was a non-factor just shows stupidity. Contributions go beyond stats.

[Zool]

Patler is stupid apparently. Who knew?

[Patler]

You use Rison's stat line to say Rison was a non factor. You need to look beyond the stat line to seee what his real contirbution was. He took the heat off of Freeman. Opponents had so much respect for Rison they left Freeman alone. If they had not signed Rison, Freeman would not have had nearly the stats he had after he came back from injury. To say Rison was a non-factor just shows stupidity. Contributions go beyond stats.

Rison was a guy who signed a huge ( for that time) FA contract with Cleveland, and was cut after one season. Cleveland had given him a $5 million bonus on a 5 year contract. He signed with Jacksonville, and was waived after 10 games. Otherwise he wouldn't even have been available to the Packers. He was so valuable, that the Packers made no effort to re-sign him after his outstanding "contributions" during his short stint in GB.

It made for a nice story, but Rison didn't raise any concerns for the opponents. He was simply a declining veteran who had been a top receiver, but was nothing more than an average guy with experience.

[esoxx]

I see Rison in '96 as more than just an experienced receiver but less than a stud who allowed Freeman to be "alone."

Rison's arrival seemed to re-energize the team to an extent. You have to remember, they had just lost two straight and were shut down in Dallas. The injuries to the WR corps had taken their toll. His signing gave new life to the offense. They did not lose a game the rest of the season.

[Patler]

I see Rison in '96 as more than just an experienced receiver but less than a stud who allowed Freeman to "be wide open."

Rison's arrival seemed to re-energize the team to an extent. You have to remember, they had just lost two straight and were shut down in Dallas. The injuries to the WR corps had taken their toll. His signing gave new life to the offense. They did not lose a game the rest of the season.

I agree with that. I think it did give the team a bit of an emotional lift. If nothing else, it showed that Wolf was willing to take chances to preserve their shot in the playoffs. Many critics thought Rison was such a bad apple that he would ruin the lockerroom attitude. Wolf said he knew his team well enough that no one would upstage White or Favre. He also admitted that he was ready to and told Rison he would be cut immediately at the first hint of a problem from his attitude.

But coming in and catching 13 passes for 135 yards while playing 5 games and starting 4 games didn't produce much of an impact in the passing game. I stand by my opinion that but for his Super Bowl TD, many Packer fans would have forgotten already that Andre Rison was on the team.

[Scott Campbell]

Hey, that reminds me - remember when his crazy celebrity gf/wife burned his house down?

[woodbuck27]

Dominic Rhodes was the most deserving if it had to come down to 1 player, IMO. He just ate up the Chicago run D.

I agree.

Peyton Manning rode his two horses at RB all game. Rookie RB Joseph Addai was used to the point that he seemed to burn out.

[woodbuck27]

http://www.superbowl.com/news/story/9976760

Rhodes, Addai validate Polian's decision

By Pat Kirwan
NFL.com Senior Analyst


MIAMI (Feb. 5, 2007) -- Let's all give a round of applause for Peyton Manning and the brilliant career that can now be defined by a world championship and a Super Bowl MVP award. The Colts couldn't have won without his brilliant leadership, and he would be the first to recognize that his running backs were an incredible piece to the puzzle that made it all possible.

The Bears were supposed to be the team with the great tandem of backs who were going to shelter Rex Grossman with a big day running the ball, but as it turned out, Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes were the men who had the super performance.

It was no surprise to me or the people inside the Colts organization who made the big decision last March not to pay Edgerrin James to stay with the Colts but rather to turn to Rhodes and draft a running back in April.

When the draft came around, the Colts found themselves a multi-talented player from LSU (Addai) who looked like a kid who could deliver more explosive runs and a great pair of hands. The plan was for Rhodes to handle most of the pass protection and short-yardage issues while Addai would be brought along to take care of the first- and second-down plays.

Keep in mind Rhodes was once the undrafted rookie who stepped in for an injured James and responded with a 1,000-yard season. He could start as long as it took for Addai to learn the ropes. Well, what transpired and culminated in hoisting the Super Bowl trophy in the first year of the two-headed monster at running back was a tandem that couldn't be beat by the Bears defense. Or, for that matter, the Chiefs, Ravens or Patriots during the playoff run.

As the 12-4 regular season came to an end, Rhodes and Addai were getting 30 touches per game for 143 yards per game. That is a heck of an effort from two men during a 16-game season that features Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne.

While the three perennial Pro Bowl selections were stealing the headlines, the "workhorse backs" were building the foundation for the offense. By the way, Cedric Benson and Thomas Jones averaged 30 touches for 130 yards during the regular season, but the average fan would believe the Bears runners were producing more yards than the Colts backs.

Along came the three playoff games leading up to the world championship, and the Addai-Rhodes workload increased to 39 touches for 170 yards per game. That's an increase of nine plays and 27 yards in some tough sledding against the Nos. 1, 6 and 16 defenses in the NFL. The Bears tandem was experiencing some success, but at 40 touches for 162 yards per game fell short once again to Addai and Rhodes.

On to the big game. What else has to be said about Rhodes and Addai on the greatest stage of all against the fifth-ranked defense in the NFL except awesome!

Manning struggled in the first series of the game trying to establish the offense. There was only one run and five passes in a drive that ended with an interception. The hint that big things were to come was Addai's 14-yard run on second-and-10. From the second series on, Manning leaned heavily on his two runners, and they responded. Early in the MVP voting, both backs were collecting a fair share of votes because as the night came to an end, they produced 41 touches for 264 yards. They delivered when the Colts needed it most.

As pass protectors, they were excellent. Manning read a pass defense and they killed the Bears with the draw. Manning wanted to push the Bears linebackers into deep drops and hit the checkdown route to the backs. Addai led all players with 10 receptions.

What a night for an offense that is now truly balanced. What a night for Bill Polian, who took a chance by not resigning James, and what a night for two guys who should be in Colts uniforms for a long time.