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Like everyone who isn’t a dedicated Carolina Panther’s fan, I dearly hoped Peyton Manning could get another Super Bowl ring. It was more of a hope than an expectation. Carolina had blown out their opponents in the playoffs. Most of all, I was hoping that the Broncos would avoid a debacle like the game against Seattle. My desire for victory were dependent on their dominating defense and the possibility the Panthers would be overconfident.
My wish came true. Cam Newton spent almost as much time on his back as Tom Brady. The defense scored one touchdown and set up the other. Manning and the offense were stopped for most of the game. As expected, he was humble, in the post-game interview.
In my opinion, he is the greatest quarterback the game has ever seen. He is certainly one of the great physical QBs but his mental game puts him in a class by himself. Others may have more Super Bowl rings, but they played for outstanding teams. The Colts without him are a .500 team at best.
We will have to wait and see whether he decides to retire. He has nothing left to prove so I hope he hangs up the cleats. My fondest wish is that we see, in the words of the late, great Yogi Berra, déjà vu all over again. I hope he follows the lead of his boss, John Elway, and uses his amazing football mind to build a Super Bowl champion. I know this is asking for a lot, but I would be thrilled if he did it for the Colts.