In the end, the Colts simply ran out of gas

The Colts were living on borrowed time and their luck finally ran out Sunday.

The Colts had no miracle finishes left Sunday as they ran into a Saints team that was flat out better.

After masking a depleted, inexperienced secondary with a ferocious pass rush all season, a hobbled Dwight Freeney had nothing left.

After fitting pass after pass into impossible windows all year long, the Saints finally slammed it shut on Peyton Manning.

Each week the Colts found new ways to complete fourth-quarter comebacks, but they ran out of tricks.

After one of the easiest paths to a Super Bowl in recent history, the Colts met their match, and stumbled against the best team they faced all season.

The Saints beat the Colts at their own game, playing the come-from-behind role perfectly.

New Orleans trailed 10-0, but outscored the Colts 31-7 the rest of the way.

Perhaps the Colts didn’t know what to do with a lead. Up 10-0 heading into the second quarter, the Colts lost their killer instinct.

After a huge goal line stand that preserved a 10-3 lead late in the second quarter, the Colts became what they aren’t – conservative.

The Colts uncharacteristically tried to burn the clock and get into halftime, running up the middle three straight times. As a result they were forced to punt back to the Saints, who capitalized with a field goal before halftime. The Saints not only trimmed the Colts’ lead to four, but also stole the momentum.

While Jim Caldwell and the Colts got conservative, Sean Payton and the Saints went after the victory.

On the opening play of the second half the Saints took the game into their own hands. An onside kick hit Hank Baskett right in the – wait for it – breadbasket. He couldn’t hang on and even worse, he couldn’t come up with the ball at the bottom of the pile when he had the first crack at it.

The Saints marched down the field, went ahead 13-10, and changed the tone of the game. The Colts still managed to reclaim the lead, but with a 17-16 advantage they made another terrible decision.

Facing a fourth-and-11 from the Saints’ 33-yard line Caldwell made an inexplicable move, trotting out 42-year old kicker Matt Stover for a 51-yard field goal attempt.

Not surprising to anyone, except Caldwell apparently, Stover didn’t have the juice to push it through and it floated helplessly wide.

The missed field goal gave the Saints the ball at the 41-yard line and they quickly gashed the Colts’ secondary and took the lead for good.

Ultimately, the Colts’ bend but don’t break defense broke in the second half. Freeney gave a valiant effort on a bum ankle in the first half, but had nothing left down the stretch. Without a pass rush the Colts’ secondary was ripe for the picking and Drew Brees picked.

The Colts still had a chance to tie things up with time winding down, but Manning made his first big mistake of the game and fired a pass into the gut of Saints’ defensive back Tracy Porter, who took it to the house to clinch the win for New Orleans.

With everything on the line, Manning made a big play. Unfortunately for the Colts it was a terrible one.

In the end, the Colts didn’t have another miracle in them.

Expect Saints to make things difficult Sunday

Lately, Super Bowls have lived up to the hype – full of drama. Over the past six years the average margin of victory has been six points, with four of those games coming down to the final drive.

If Freeney and the Colts can't get a pass rush, expect a lot of celebrating from Drew Brees and the Saints Sunday.

If the Colts’ regular season is any indication of things to come, Super Bowl XLIV won’t be any different. This year they have mounted seven fourth-quarter comebacks – the most in an NFL season in more than 30 years.

The Colts won just five games against teams with winning records this season by an average of seven points a game. All but one of those contests – a 31-10 victory over Arizona – was decided in the final minutes.

The Saints are easily the best team the Colts will face this year. New England and Arizona – both 10-6 — are the only 10-win teams the Colts defeated during the regular season. Neither had the firepower the Saints possess.

This season New Orleans boasted the No. 1 ranked offense in the league (403.8 yards per game); had top six rushing (sixth) and passing offenses (fourth); featured the highest rated passer (109.6) with the best completion percentage (70.6); and had an opportunistic defense (39 turnovers, second-best total in the league).

In case you’ve been living under a rock the last week, Colts’ defensive end Dwight Freeney has a badly sprained ankle that may keep him out of Sunday’s game. My guess is Freeney will play, but will likely be a shadow of himself.

This poses a big problem for the Colts, whose best shot at slowing down Drew Brees and the Saints’ offense is getting pressure on the passer. In the Saints’ two losses this season with Brees behind center, opponents were able to generate a pass rush to rattle him.

In the Cowboys’ 24-17 win over the Saints, Brees was hit six times, sacked four times, fumbled twice, and threw an interception. The following week in the Buccaneers’ 20-17 victory over the Saints, the Bucs brought plenty of pressure while holding the Saints scoreless in the second half.

The last time Freeney missed a big game was in the 2007 playoffs against the Chargers. In that game, the Colts’ defense didn’t generate a single sack and only got one hit on the quarterback. Philip Rivers and Billy Volek combined to throw for 312 yards, three touchdowns, and completed 74 percent of their passes in the Chargers’ 28-24 victory over the Colts.

Makes you wonder what Brees and the prolific Saints’ passing attack might be able to do against a Freeney-less defense.

With or without Freeney, I expect this game to be close.

For the Colts, it will ultimately come down to Peyton Manning and the offense. The Colts will have to put up points, stay on the field, and take care of the football to outlast the Saints.

These are all things the Colts have been able to do through the playoffs thus far. Against two of the NFL’s best defenses the Colts have scored 25 points a game, controlled time of possession, and hold a +3 turnover ratio.

There was a time when Super Bowl blowouts were the norm. It appears that trend is changing, and Sunday should be no different.

Under the radar Colts’ storylines

With two weeks before the Super Bowl, there’s plenty of time for the media to drive storylines into the ground.

Defensive tackle Antonio Johnson has been one of the Colts' unsung heroes this season.

We already know the popular ones for the Colts – anything about Peyton Manning, anything about Archie Manning, the decision not to pursue a perfect season, the young wide receivers, and Jim Caldwell to name a few.

Some of the biggest reasons the Colts are headed back to Miami will be overlooked. Here are a few of them.

1. Charlie Johnson and Kyle DeVan

Charlie Johnson (left tackle) and Arena League transplant Kyle DeVan (right guard) may combine to make about one-fifteenth of Peyton Manning’s salary, but they were a big reason he won his fourth consecutive MVP award.

Highly drafted Tony Ugoh and Mike Pollak were failures this season and the Colts didn’t miss a beat with Johnson and DeVan filling in. DeVan started the final nine games, while Johnson beat out Ugoh in training camp.

The result? Manning was sacked a career-low 10 times this season.

2. Antonio Johnson and Daniel Muir

The Colts routinely struggle to find defensive tackles that can stop the run. Not this year. A word is rarely uttered about Antonio Johnson and Daniel Muir, but they’ve been paramount to the defense’s success.

Johnson, an undrafted free agent, and Muir, a reject from the Packers, combined for 65 solo tackles and didn’t miss a start this season.

Both 300 pounders were on the Colts’ roster in 2008, but saw minimal action.

The Colts allowed only 10 rushing touchdowns this season. They’ve been even better in the playoffs, allowing just 3.6 yards per carry and zero touchdowns- against two of the NFL’s elite rushing attacks.

3. Larry Coyer

Missing arguably his two best defensive backs for the majority of the season – Bob Sanders and Marlin Jackson – new defensive coordinator Larry Coyer’s job became more difficult than advertised.

But, the defense held its own, ranking eighth in points allowed (19.2) despite giving up a ton of points in the final two games with plenty of starters resting.

Coyer has made the defense less predictable, mixing in blitzes and man-to-man coverages that were rarely, if ever, seen in previous years.

The Colts haven’t faced offensive juggernauts in their first two playoff games, but regardless, their performance has been lights out.

The unit has allowed just 20 points in two games and has kept Manning and company on the field, allowing the Ravens and Jets – offenses predicated on ball control – just 27:18 of possession per contest.

4. Pat McAfee

The rookie is not only a good punter, but he can also boot kickoffs into the endzone – the Colts ranked fifth in the NFL with 22 touchbacks.

McAfee was 11th in the league in punting average.

His play has improved in the postseason. His 10 punts have a net average of 42.8 yards, six of them were fair caught, and three were dropped inside the 20-yard line.

The Colts will need more of the same from McAfee as Reggie Bush will be the man awaiting his punts next Sunday.

Motivation shouldn’t be lacking for Colts Sunday

We all know the setup.

Should the Colts slip up Sunday, they'd better expect to hear a mouthful from this guy.

It’s Week 16 and the Jets are on the cusp of playoff elimination. The Colts are pursuing perfection and seemingly in control, leading the visiting Jets 15-10despite resting several banged up starters from the get go.

Colts backup quarterbacks Curtis Painter and Drew Willy — that’s right Drew Willy — begin warming up on the sideline midway through the third quarter.

Manning sits, Painter and the Colts implode, and the Jets leave Indianapolis 29-15 winners — playoff hopes in tact.

The Colts are publicly annihilated for their decision to take a pass on perfection by fans and media alike.

Fast forward a month and ironically, the Colts find themselves staring down the Jets again. This time it matters — a trip to the Super Bowl is on the line.

It’s undeniable all of the pressure rests squarely on the Colts. Nothing was expected of the Jets coming into the season. Nothing was expected of the Jets coming into the playoffs. The Colts let the Jets into the playoffs; it’s up to them to knock them out.

The Colts cleared one hurdle Saturday by easily handling the Ravens and debunking the rust myth. But the bigger hurdle remains.

Take down Rex Ryan and the brash Jets and the media and fan whining is silenced. Like the Colts’ strategy or not, they would be AFC Champions — enough said.

Lose to the Jets and the backlash will return. The Colts will be hammered by the media for their Week 16 decision all over again and Ryan will likely kick the dejected squad while they’re down.

Lost in the media’s obsession with Week 16 is what happened between these two teams in the 2002 playoffs.

For a few Colts — Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Jeff Saturday, Ryan Diem, Dwight Freeney, and Raheem Brock – the memory surely remains vivid.

That year the Jets delivered one of the biggest beatdowns in recent playoff history, dismantling the Colts 41-0.

If avenging the 2002 humiliation and silencing Ryan, the media, and angry fans across the country isn’t enough motivation, the Jets’ decision to promote AFC Champions gear on their website should do it. Everything from Jets’ AFC Champion hats and hoodies to Super Bowl programs are available for pre-order.

If it’s been said once, it’s been said 1,000 times — if a team needs extra motivation this late in the game, they’re in trouble.

That may be true, but I’m guessing it can’t hurt. And if there was ever a team with extra motivation, it’s the Colts.

Soon enough the talk will cease and we’ll finally find out what really would’ve happened in Week 16 had the Colts kept their foot on the gas.

One thing is certain, there will be no more free passes for Ryan and the boys come Sunday. This time, they’ll have to earn it.

Understanding Baltimore fans’ ongoing animosity

It’s been more than a quarter of a century since the Colts arrived in Indianapolis, but many Baltimore football fans are still looking for revenge.

Many football fans in Baltimore will never forgive the Colts for abandoning the city without notice in 1984.

Baltimore got a new football franchise – the Ravens – 14 seasons ago. They delivered a Lombardi Trophy to the city after the 2000 season and have six playoff appearances to their credit.

Even so, Baltimore fans still hate the Colts.

To this day, Baltimore stadium announcers won’t address the team as the Indianapolis Colts when they visit.

Fans in Indianapolis see it as sour grapes, but if you put yourself in the shoes of Baltimore fans it’s easy to understand why the bitterness lingers.

Imagine if one morning your beloved Colts were gone – vanished into thin air. One night your city had an NFL team, the next morning all that remained was an empty complex and fresh tire tracks from moving vans peeling out in the wee hours of the night.

All of a sudden you had no NFL football team to follow. Even worse, your team didn’t simply disappear – it relocated to a new city. Same logo, same uniforms, same nickname … new city.

We can all relate to what Baltimore fans did next. They focused all their anger, hate, and grief on the city harboring their former team – Indianapolis. They rooted with all their might against their former team, hoping ownership would pay for their deceit.

It wasn’t as if the Ravens showed up a year or two after the move to ease the pain of a betrayed fan base. Baltimore football fans went 12 long seasons without an NFL team, their hate of the Indianapolis Colts slowly brewing as each year passed.

While the Ravens have experienced a good deal of success, they have yet to give Baltimore fans any tangible revenge against the city’s former team. In fact, Indianapolis owns a 7-2 series edge over the Ravens, including a 15-6 victory in Baltimore on their way to a Super Bowl championship in 2006.

Is there a revenge factor for the Ravens on the field Saturday? No. At least not for the reasons Baltimore fans seek revenge. Many players competing Saturday weren’t alive when the Colts packed their belongings in the middle of the night and bolted for Indianapolis.

But for most Baltimore fans over the age of 40, tonight is a chance to finally deliver a punishing blow to the franchise that broke their hearts back in 1984.

A Ravens win would not only knock the Colts out of the playoffs, it would also bring intense scrutiny upon a franchise that stubbornly balked at perfection to carry out a conservative philosophy that has failed them in the past.

So while it’s easy to scoff at Baltimore fans that still hold a grudge against the Colts, it’s not hard to understand why they do.

We’ll soon see if Baltimore fans finally get the revenge they’ve been waiting for, or if the Colts can add to the persisting animosity.

Still waiting on a magical postseason from Manning

Manning has yet to string together top performances during a Colts' playoff run. Will this finally be the year he does?

Peyton Manning may very well earn his fourth MVP award Saturday.

To say he is a shoe in Hall of Famer is an understatement.

If Manning retired tomorrow, he’d finish his career top five all time in every major statistical category.

But something is missing.

Yeah, yeah, we all said he just needed that one Super Bowl ring to elevate himself above the Dan Marino “never won the big one” category.

He did that.

But still, something is missing.

It’s Manning that brings it on himself. During the regular season the guy is a magician, he’s unstoppable. He’s one of the best — if not the best — to ever play the position.

The postseason has been a mixed bag.

His first three playoff appearances in 1999, 2000, and 2002 were bad. In those three games combined he tossed just one touchdown pass and completed 48 percent of his passes.

In 2003 and 2004, he was virtually flawless in the postseason until the Colts ran into the Patriots. We all remember what happened in those two games — Manning meltdowns.

He got his signature win against the Patriots during the Colts’ Super Bowl run in 2006, leading the team back from a seemingly insurmountable deficit. But overall, the running game and defense were more responsible for the Lombardi Trophy residing in Indianapolis than Manning was. He threw for three touchdowns and seven interceptions during that postseason.

Manning has been very good in the Colts’ playoff losses the past two seasons, throwing for a combined 712 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions.

But from Manning, we’ve come to expect more than very good.

Every regular season he puts the team on his back and wills them to victory. However, we’ve yet to see that from him throughout a playoff run.

Don’t get me wrong, football is the ultimate team sport. Manning can’t stop the run, cover kicks, or run block.

Manning could certainly have the game of his life and the Colts could still get knocked out of the playoffs.

That hasn’t happened yet.

The Colts have averaged just 13.6 points in eight playoff losses with Manning at the helm — far below average for what has always been an elite offensive unit during the regular season. In those losses he’s thrown seven touchdowns to nine interceptions.

It is time for Manning to bring his best throughout a playoff run. If he can do that, the Colts will be a force to be reckoned with this postseason. But if he can’t, expect the criticism to return, because Manning has set the bar so high that anything less than a return to Miami will be a disappointment.

Sure-fire picks – Week 17

The good news is that for the first time in a long time the sure-fire picks didn’t have a losing record last week going 4-4. The bad news is the season total is still a losing effort at 62-64-2. It doesn’t get much harder than trying to figure out Week 17, but I’ll give it a shot.

If you are wondering why the Colts are eight-point underdogs to the Bills this Sunday, look no farther than Curtis Painter.

Indianapolis at Buffalo (-8), 1 p.m. Sunday

Ever see the Colts play with Peyton Manning on the bench? With No. 18 sidelined the Colts would have trouble beating a college football team. The Bills will destroy the Colts in the second half and cover. Bills -8.

Chicago (-3) at Detroit, 1 p.m. Sunday

After a huge upset over Minnesota Monday, you would think the Bears would make easy work of the host Lions. However, this is Jay Cutler and the Bears we’re talking about. I still think they’ll pull this off. Bears -3

New England at Houston (-7.5), 1 p.m. Sunday

To me, playing for the No. 3 seed is motivation enough for the Patriots to play hard Sunday. Assuming they do, I don’t think the Texans are 7.5 points better than them. Patriots +7.5.

Jacksonville at Cleveland (-1.5), 1 p.m. Sunday

Not long ago the Jaguars nearly upset the then undefeated Colts and looked on track for a playoff berth. Now they are underdogs against the Browns. Can they salvage any shred of respectability? I think they can. Jaguars +1.5.

San Francisco (-7.5) at St. Louis, 1 p.m. Sunday

With a win, the 49ers can finish the season 8-8. Mike Singletary will have his guys motivated to reach that goal. Even without motivation they should be able to beat the Rams by seven points. 49ers -7.5.

Atlanta (-2) at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. Sunday

It’s hard to believe the Bucs could end their season on a three-game win streak. The Falcons are no world beaters either, but striving to finish the season with a winning record will be enough to propel them. Falcons -2.

Tennessee (-4.5) at Seattle, 4:15 p.m. Sunday

Has anyone seen the Seahawks play the last two weeks? The Titans should demolish them with ease. Finishing the season 8-8 after an 0-6 start would be quite an accomplishment. Titans -4.5.

Philadelphia at Dallas (-3), 4:15 p.m. Sunday

Both teams are playing well and this will be an intriguing matchup, but I’m just not a believer in Wade Phillips, Tony Romo, and the Cowboys on the big stage. Maybe they’ll finally prove me and everyone else wrong, but I doubt it. Eagles +3.

Defending the Colts’ decision

Overnight, the Indianapolis Colts went from a popular NFL team pursuing history to public enemy number one.

Peyton Manning and Jim Caldwell watch on as the Colts' hopes of a 19-0 season go up in flames.

After pulling their starters in the second half Sunday, the Colts threw away a chance at unprecedented perfection.

Everyone with a pen and a pad has lambasted the Colts for their decision.

Defending what happened Sunday is virtually impossible, but here goes nothing.

1.) Pressure shifts to Colts Brass

No matter what happens, pressure has been lifted off the Colts’ players.

All responsibility for a first-round playoff flameout will rest on the shoulders of general manager Bill Polian and head coach Jim Caldwell.

Regardless of what they said to the media, it was obvious what the players wanted to do. They didn’t ask to be pulled and had no choice in the matter.

2.) Colts will play with a chip on their shoulder

The Colts have long been a media and fan favorite. Their style of play is appealing and the Colts get more positive publicity than Oprah.

Due to the decisions of Polian and Caldwell, that has all changed.

The team knows the public thinks they will fold in the playoffs due to management’s choice to take the foot off the gas.

In light of the intense scrutiny, the Colts will have an “us against the world” mentality that has been lacking in years past.

3.) Media obsession is over

The outpouring of criticism surrounding the Colts’ decision to pull starters will eventually die down and they’ll simply be one of 12 playoff teams.

When the Patriots pursued a 19-0 season, the media attention was 24/7. Dozens of writers and camera crews surrounded the complex at all times.

Some say the pressure built and finally buried the Patriots when they turned in their worst performance of the season in the Super Bowl.

Maybe it did, maybe it didn’t. Either way, the Colts are no longer the focus of a perfect-season media storm.

4.) The injury angle

This defense is last on the list of reasons – it’s a shaky theory. The fewer plays Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney and company take part in, the less likely it becomes they will suffer injury – that is hard to dispute.

Could Wayne break his toe stepping out of his Escalade tomorrow? Of course.

But the less your stars are on the field, the less chance there is of them getting hurt, plain and simple.

Sunday’s game had zero impact on the Colts playoff positioning. Polian and Caldwell believed eliminating a minuscule chance of injury outweighed chasing a perfect season. Not many share their philosophy.

There’s only one way for the Colts to end the criticism – win the Super Bowl.

Some will still whine about how they threw away the opportunity for the 19-0 season, but the way I see it, if a team wins the Super Bowl, all decisions made along the way contributed to the ultimate goal – case closed.

If the Colts fizzle in the first round; the backlash will be harsh to say the least. Polian’s resting starters approach will blow up in his face again.

Should the Colts win their playoff opener and then fail to win the Super Bowl, it would be hard to blame their demise on resting the starters. The decision will still be unpopular, but an unlikely explanation for their playoff exit.

Whatever happens, Polian and Caldwell have put an enormous amount of pressure on themselves. We’ll see if they end up looking like geniuses or fools.

Sure-fire picks – Week 16

Yet another losing week (3-4-1) brings the sure-fire pick’s season total to 58-60-2. It’s hard to believe the record once stood at 40-24. The sure-fire picks must finish the season with a winning record so rest assured that these picks are solid.

Philip and the Chargers will stick a fork in the Titans Christmas day.

San Diego at Tennessee (-3), 7:30 p.m. Friday

The Titans have been on a nice run of late but not as nice as the Chargers, winners of nine straight. I was surprised to see the Titans are favored by a field goal here. The Chargers will win outright. Chargers +3.

Kansas City at Cincinnati (-13.5), 1 p.m. Sunday

The Chiefs have burned me plenty of times this season and couldn’t even beat the Browns at home last week. Meanwhile, the Bengals nearly pulled an upset at San Diego and have a lot on the line here. Bengals -13.5.

Seattle at Green Bay (-14), 1 p.m. Sunday

The Seahawks got clobbered by the Buccaneers at home last week. Go ahead and read that first sentence again. That fact will not make for a pleasant trip to Lambeau Field Sunday. Packers -14.

Carolina @ NY Giants (-7), 1 p.m. Sunday

The Panthers put on a good show against the Vikings Monday, but it was just a mirage. The Giants are in do or die mode and will take care of business. It will be a long day for Panthers’ QB Matt Moore. Giants -7.

Tampa Bay at New Orleans (-14), 1 p.m. Sunday

After bursting out of the gates, the Saints have only won two of their past nine contests by more than 12 points. Alright, one of those was against the Bucs. Still, I think the Bucs will play with some passion here and keep it respectable. Bucs +14.

Denver at Philadelphia (-7), 4:15 p.m. Sunday

As expected, the Broncos fell off the cliff after a 6-0 start. The free fall will continue Sunday when they run into an Eagles team that has won five straight and has demolished their last three opponents. Eagles -7.

Dallas (-6.5) at Washington, 8:20 p.m. Sunday

The Redskins can’t possibly get embarrassed on national television two weeks in a row can they? Yes they can. Playing for a lame-duck coach, the Cowboys will clobber the hapless Skins. Cowboys -6.5

Minnesota (-7) at Chicago, 8:30 p.m. Monday

The last time the Bears scored more than 17 points in a football game we were all still preparing for the Thanksgiving holiday. Not a good sign with an angry Vikings’ defense coming into town. Vikings -7.

5 Christmas wishes for the Colts

It’s the most wonderful time of year for many reasons, football among them.

And if you’re a Colts fan, there’s a lot to be thankful for.

Colts' press conferences are in desperate need of a little Jim Mora fire.

But there’s nothing wrong with being a little greedy. With that in mind, here are my five Christmas wishes for the Colts.

1.) A coaching tirade

Don’t get me wrong, Tony Dungy did some great things in Indianapolis and Jim Caldwell has picked up where he left off. But something is missing.

For me, it doesn’t get any better than a Jim Mora meltdown. I miss Mora; the guy wore his heart on his sleeve and always told you what was on his mind. It made for great sound bytes and riveting press conferences.

Admit it, Dungy and Caldwell act like they’re watching paint dry on the sideline and will bore you to tears at the microphone.

2.) Magic healing potion

Can the Colts send a scout or assistant coach to comb the continent for an ancient healing potion?

Once they find it, they need to bring Bob Sanders into the training room immediately and douse him with it.

Melvin Bullitt has done a great job filling in, but he’s no Bob Sanders.

Sanders’ return from injury fueled the defense’s resurgence during the Super Bowl run and is a missing ingredient to the Colts’ formula for success.

Oh, and if there’s any potion left after Sanders, go ahead and give Marlin Jackson some of it.

3.) A running game

Imagine if on a crucial third or fourth and one situation, the Colts blasted their opponent off the line of scrimmage and Joseph Addai powered for three yards.

Imagine if the Colts needed just two first downs to close out a game and were able to run right down the opponent’s throat to seal the deal.

Alright, alright it was just a dream. But a nice thought.

4.) Peyton being Peyton in the playoffs

Peyton Manning will go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. We all know this.

But we also know that Manning has had his share of forgettable performances in the postseason.

Manning has been better in the playoffs later in his career, but imagine if he was at his best through an entire postseason run?

5.) Another Super Bowl ring

Let’s face it; fans of many teams would kill for the Colts’ recent string of success.

However, Colts fans would be lying if they told you there wouldn’t be a bit of an empty feeling if the team wasn’t able to cash in on one more championship during the Manning Era.

Plenty of Hall of Fame quarterbacks never even got one Super Bowl ring – Dan Marino, Dan Fouts, and Jim Kelly are among them. But with the level of sustained and unprecedented regular-season success Manning’s teams have had over the years, getting another ring only seems right.