Super Bowl 2014 News: Is Peyton Manning Bound to Become Greatest QB of All Time?
Fresh from receiving his fifth NFL MVP award, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is gunning for pro football's Holy Grail once again with his legacy as the greatest signal-caller ever on the line at Super Bowl XLVIII this Sunday .
In the latest article by Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes.com, the author talked about the implications of Sunday's big showdown Sunday at MetLife Stadium, particularly on the career of the most prolific quarterback of all time.
At age 37, Manning puts himself among the NFL's greats by becoming the first man to win five NFL MVP awards. In fact, in his 16-year NFL career, Manning has done it all repeatedly.
Pro Bowl & All-Pro selections, an Offensive Player of the Year nod, record-shattering seasons, appearances on the covers of magazines; you name it, he's gotten it.
"But despite all of his accomplishments, Manning at 37 still faces critics. "Can't win the big one" and "can't play in the cold" are the two main disses that follow Manning around," Badenhausen stated.
Middling Record in Open Dome
While he won Super Bowl XLI in 2007 with the Indianapolis Colts, Manning's vulnerability in the postseason (11-11 record) and cold outdoor football (8-11) has been the quarterback's Achilles Heel for most of his career. His high-profile losses to Florida during his college years along with his loss to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints at Super Bowl XLIV are glaring examples of Manning's tendency to scramble in big games.
"In the pros, Manning had a middling 9-11 record in the playoffs before winning two playoff games last month to reach his third Super Bowl," Badenhausen said.
"His detractors think Manning is only at his best in a dome and point to his 8-11 record playing outdoors when the temperature is under 40 degrees. He lost two of his three games in those conditions this year," he added.
Must Win One More
According to Badenhausen, Manning will only have a legitimate right to the "Greatest Of All Time" title if he wins one more Super Bowl title. And apparently, there's no better way to silence his critics and join the circle of football royalty than winning a second Super Bowl crown under cold playing conditions widely described as the antidote to his passing brilliance.
"There have been 11 QBs win multiple Super Bowls as the starter. They are football royalty like Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw (four each); Troy Aikman and Tom Brady (three each); and others with two like Bart Starr, John Elway and Roger Staubach," Badenhausen wrote.
"Manning doesn't even have the most Super Bowl wins in his own family thanks to brother Eli's pair with the New York Giants. The single championship is almost a stain on Peyton's otherwise impeccable resume relative to his competition for the greatest of all-time moniker," he added.
On Sunday, when the Broncos take on the Seattle Seahawks, Peyton is not only aiming for his second Super Bowl championship, but a shot at all-time greatness.