A vote for Manning and the Colts

In early 2004, I was a newly minted 15 year old. With a mop of hair on my head and a naïve disposition, I watched as my beloved Kansas City Chiefs hosted Peyton Manning’s Colts inside Arrowhead Stadium.

I’ve never felt more conflicted as a fan.

On one hand, my Chiefs got thumped 38-31 — the final score not indicating just how much Manning & Co. ravaged Greg Robinson’s porous defense. On the other hand, I got to watch the unquestioned greatest quarterback of my generation at his best.

It’s hard to explain how riveting it was to watch Manning in person. During the opening drive, he hit Brandon Stokley for a too-easy 28-yard touchdown pass. Later, he found Marvin Harrison for a 38-yard reception. On the day, he connected with Reggie Wayne six times for 98 yards and a touchdown.

It was a clinic on how to put a defense on edge, capitalize on big plays and handle one of the most hostile crowds you’ll ever hear (I’ve been going to Chiefs games since I was 2½ and have never heard it louder than that day). And really, that was the most unbelievable thing of all -- watching Manning change the play at the line of scrimmage while 80,000 Kansas City fans tried their hardest to shatter the glass on the Arrowhead suites.

At some point in the fourth quarter, I turned to my dad, and we both shook our heads in amazement. Our traffic-filled ride home from the stadium was filled with hyperbole about how Manning, who didn’t own a Super Bowl ring yet, was the best quarterback we would ever see.

More than six years later, I still don’t know how anyone could ever play quarterback better than Manning. Look no further than last Sunday if you don’t believe me.

With the Colts down 17-6 and 2:11 left before halftime, I would have bet any amount of money that Manning would lead Indy on a momentum-changing touchdown drive. And sure enough, he did, thanks to his impossible 46-yard pass down the seam to Austin Collie (fast forward to the 2:15 mark of this clip and tell me how he completed that ball).

You know the rest. Three hundred and seventy-seven yards. Three touchdowns. AFC Championship.

Seeing Manning deconstruct the best defense in football was like watching Tiger Woods at the majors in 2000, Conan O’Brien in his last week on “The Tonight Show” and Roger Federer every year at Wimbledon. There’s something truly special about witnessing a professional at the height of his/her talent.

And that’s why, when the hype surrounding Brett Favre’s last (possible) throw as an NFL quarterback dies down, you’ll find me firmly entrenched on the Colts’ bandwagon.

On Monday, NFP contributor Bobby Big Wheel practically equated cheering for Indy to being un-American by saying, “The Colts already won one three years ago, and there’s nothing to do in Indianapolis past midnight. I’m pretty sure there’s no last call in New Orleans. If you root for the Colts, you’re rooting for sobriety.”

As a college student, there’s nothing worse than rooting for sobriety, but I’d rather be on Peyton’s side. Seriously, the guy wins more than Pat Williams eats. Plus, sometimes you just want to see greatness at work.

And right now, no one is greater than Peyton Manning.

Scott Miller is a junior at the University of Iowa and a contributor to the National Football Post. Follow him on Twitter: @stmillr.

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