Bob Kravitz: "Who do you trust? Give me Luck over Manning."

[pulse]

http://www.wthr.com/story/27772113/kravitz-who-do-you-trust-give-me-luck-over-manning


For years, I've tried to figure it out. All week this week, I've been doing radio interviews in Denver, hosts asking me, “Why isn't Peyton routinely great in the playoffs?'' Honestly, I don't know that Manning really knows, because if he did, he would have done something about it now.

But I do have this theory, however outlandish: I believe he prepares so insanely hard, he suffers from paralysis by over-analysis. I remember a former Colts executive telling me this: “You know why Peyton is so great in all those Thursday night games? He doesn't have all that time to prepare. He just goes out and plays football.''

Call it the Pucker Factor.

Bob should remember that Luck is in a similar situation as Manning when he played for the Colts in the early 2000s. The Colts defense sucks and until they build a defense capable of stopping a proficient offense, they're not going to win an AFC Championship, much less a Super Bowl. Manning's post season record in Denver has been acceptable. He has an AFC Championship. He needs an NFL Championship, yes, but he is in an entirely different situation in Denver than when he played for the Colts. To me, this is simple: Luck and Indy's offensive line will have to play lights out perfect football to beat Denver. He cannot afford any big mistakes or turnovers. On the other hand, Manning and Denver's offensive line will really have to play like shit to lose this game. Though that isn't out of the realm of possibility, I just think Denver has a much better team, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and is all business right now. Denver wins this game.

As for Manning over-preparing and psyching himself out for big games? Perhaps. Though he practices and studies for every game like a cyborg in general, but maybe there is something to that idea.

[GEM]

I heard him on the fan Monday or Tuesday morning.

Until Indy starts putting players around their star all world qb's, they aren't going to get very far. One guy can't do it all.

[Northman]

He does make an interesting point though, i do wonder if at times Manning just over thinks or over analyzes things. Sometimes you do just have to go out there and play and let your gut take over.

[TXBRONC]

I heard him on the fan Monday or Tuesday morning.

Until Indy starts putting players around their star all world qb's, they aren't going to get very far. One guy can't do it all.

Maybe it's the difference in eras but Elway in his prime took the Broncos to three Super Bowls without much talent around him.

[GEM]

Maybe it's difference in eras but Elway in his prime took the Broncos to three Super Bowls without much talent around him.

And lost them...

[pulse]

And lost them...

DING DING DING! You are a winner....

[GEM]

My overall point was the Colts didn't learn their lesson with having Manning (one of the best to ever play the game but only win one SB), they're doing it again with Luck. Give the kid a defense and he can be deadly.

[TXBRONC]

And lost them...

Yep.

[GEM]

DING DING DING! You are a winner....

:dance: What do I win?

A beautiful party gift! :laugh:

[Joel]

I heard him on the fan Monday or Tuesday morning.

Until Indy starts putting players around their star all world qb's, they aren't going to get very far. One guy can't do it all.
All I been sayin: His offense-only Indy teams were defenseless, so helpless in the playoffs, and he needs run support in Denver to avoid the offense itself being just as predictably one-dimensional.


Maybe it's difference in eras but Elway in his prime took the Broncos to three Super Bowls without much talent around him.
He had some quality complementary talent on D, but: How many of those did he WIN? Didn't expecting Elway to singlehandedly carry the whole roster to the SB and win it by himself three times look a lot like doing the same thing to Manning in SB XLVIII? Was Elway in his prime better than Elway at 37 and 38? Because his 2-0 SB record at the end was a HELL of a lot better than his 0-3 record at the start: From winless in is prime to undefeated as he faded, all because Denver finally had a championship TEAM rather than just one or two HoF PLAYERS.

GEM's dead on Indy's begun putting Luck through the same pitiable ringer as their LAST All Pro QB, for the same reason. At least Manning had a great line the first half of his career, but once they all retired or moved on in FA it nearly ENDED his career. Good luck, Luck: Your Edge/Addai/Rhodes broke his leg, your line's worse than ours and your D's typically average.

[Northman]

I guess i missed something. Is there something said in the article that Indy isnt going to try and surround him with better players? I mean, it doesnt happen overnight. Right now the defense is in shambles but Luck and the Colts have plenty of time to get the roster situated. The good news for them (much like it was for Denver) is that Luck is good enough to make up for some of those issues but eventually take their toll in the long run right now. But, i havent seen anything that has made me believe the Indy isnt trying to make the team better. Luck hasnt been there that long so its still a work in progress.

[pulse]

:dance: What do I win?

A beautiful party gift! :laugh:

How about a game of putt putt? (http://www.mini-putt.org/flash/mini-putt-3.swf)

[aberdien]

Give me a 25 year old Andrew Luck over a 38 year old Peyton Manning, sure. That's not even an outrageous statement imo.

[BroncoJoe]

Maybe it's difference in eras but Elway in his prime took the Broncos to three Super Bowls without much talent around him.

Manning will never replace Elway as the greatest in my mind, but as great as Manning is, this statement has a lot of truth to it. Elway went out and played every play, and sometimes "winged" it. I do believe Manning over thinks each individual play/formation too much a lot of the time. Some of that is cerebral, most physical ability differences.


And lost them...

Still got them there - largely on his shoulders alone. Cut off the head, the body dies.

[Ravage!!!]

He does make an interesting point though, i do wonder if at times Manning just over thinks or over analyzes things. Sometimes you do just have to go out there and play and let your gut take over.

Me too. Manning is GREAT because of his pre-snap reads and football brain.

But he's also very...VERY... much a micro-manager. I mean, I believe there is an article where DT explains how Manning helped him with his pre-snap feet placement. That's awesome that Manning is so 'in tune' to the game that he can spot something that small that could be changed to improve timing. At the same time, that kind of micro-managment means that Everything has to go 'just right' for it to work. WHen things break down, for whatever reason, then it seems things start to go down hill that much faster. A la...the Super Bowl.

Like you... I just want him to go out there and PLAY... and not think so much. WHen he plays Belicheck, I think Manning puts SOOOOO much on his shoulders, trying to figure out what Belicheck is doing, and how the perfect way to counter it...that it hinders his game.

[Ravage!!!]

I personally prefer to get to Super Bowls and lose than to be irrelevent. Ask the Chiefs if they would rather have zero Super Bowl appearances in the last 55 years, or lose 4 in a row? Or have gone to 7 in that same time period.

[pulse]

It is far more likely that Manning and Denver do not win a Super Bowl together before he retires. Those are just realistic odds. Nearly every championship team needs some fortunate breaks to go their way in the playoffs to win it all. That goes for any team any year. The best you can hope for is to field a great team that can compete at a high level. We have had that the past three years. We have a better chance of winning it all than most teams this league. That still doesn't guarantee squat. Look at how long it has been since New England and Tom Brady hoisted a Lombardi? As a Bronco fan, you can't take these playoff experiences for granted. I'll take this Broncos team any day and be glad we're competing and hope we have better fortune this year than last.

[GEM]

I guess i missed something. Is there something said in the article that Indy isnt going to try and surround him with better players? I mean, it doesnt happen overnight. Right now the defense is in shambles but Luck and the Colts have plenty of time to get the roster situated. The good news for them (much like it was for Denver) is that Luck is good enough to make up for some of those issues but eventually take their toll in the long run right now. But, i havent seen anything that has made me believe the Indy isnt trying to make the team better. Luck hasnt been there that long so its still a work in progress.

Their history shows they don't value doing that. They think their super qb can do it on his own. Maybe they'll wake up, but Luck is 3 years in and it doesn't look a whole lot different.

[GEM]

How about a game of putt putt? (http://www.mini-putt.org/flash/mini-putt-3.swf)

Hell yes!! :D

[GEM]

Manning will never replace Elway as the greatest in my mind, but as great as Manning is, this statement has a lot of truth to it. Elway went out and played every play, and sometimes "winged" it. I do believe Manning over thinks each individual play/formation too much a lot of the time. Some of that is cerebral, most physical ability differences.



Still got them there - largely on his shoulders alone. Cut off the head, the body dies.


I wouldn't trade Elway for anything in the world...but he couldn't do it on his own. Damn it was fun watching him get there though! Still no one as exciting to watch as Elway, don't care how far down we were, we always had a chance!

[MasterShake]

There may be something to Manning being too tense in big games, but I think that would be true of most QBs. I think that most of his lack of playoff success has more to do with the teams around him as well as the fact that the competition gets much more fierce in the NFL playoffs. This isn't the NBA where regular season success pretty much dictates a championship team. 1 and done against teams playing for everything... thats gotta be tough no matter who you are!

The same two teams haven't been in the Super Bowl the last 5 years, let alone the same QB's. I think that speaks more to the parity of the NFL then how great a QB is or isn't.

[Simple Jaded]

I'd take Luck over any QB in the league and I think Joel Klatt was close when he said Luck was a Top 5 QB on the planet as a Jr in college. I may be overrating him but not by much.

[aberdien]

Give me a 25 year old Andrew Luck over a 38 year old Peyton Manning, sure. That's not even an outrageous statement imo.

I was hoping i'd be wrong though.

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

I'm just baffled as to why Manning is missing so many guys....not only that, why aren't we attacking the middle of the field?

[aberdien]

I'm just baffled as to why Manning is missing so many guys....not only that, why aren't we attacking the middle of the field?

Either Manning is making bad decisions or Gase has some explaining to do.

[OrangeFanatic]

Either Manning is making bad decisions or Gase has some explaining to do.

Both need to go.

[OrangeFanatic]

I personally prefer to get to Super Bowls and lose than to be irrelevent. Ask the Chiefs if they would rather have zero Super Bowl appearances in the last 55 years, or lose 4 in a row? Or have gone to 7 in that same time period.

Getting blown out and embarrassed in a SB make you more than irrelevant...

[Al Wilson 4 Mayor]

Either Manning is making bad decisions or Gase has some explaining to do.

I don't know. Manning's arm looked weaker than normal too.

[Ravage!!!]

Getting blown out and embarrassed in a SB make you more than irrelevant...

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... wrong.

[TimHippo]

Kravitz is the Indy hometeam reporter. He's just towing the party line and indearing himself to Luck and Irsay. No biggie.