Ken Rappoport - Peyton Manning: Champion Football Star

Superstar Quarterback!

When the game is on the line and time is running out, theres one quarterback who always leads his team to victory: Peyton Manning. The Denver Broncos superstar has been thrilling fans for years. He is the prototype quarterback. Big and strong, he shreds defenses with his powerful arm and deadly accuracy. And nobody works harder than Peyton Manning. Throughout his career, Manning has compiled Hall-of-Fame statistics and individual awards. But he is most proud to be called a Super Bowl champion.

About the Author

Ken Rappoport is a professional sportswriter with dozens of books to his credit. Titles he has previously authored for Enslow Publishers, Inc., include Baseballs Top 10 Pitchers and Baseballs Top 10 Home Run Hitters.

Peyton Mannings brilliant skills made the Indianapolis Colts one of the best teams in the NFL during his career there.

Denver Broncos superstar Peyton Manning could be the perfect quarterback for todays game. He is six feet five inches tall and weighs 230 pounds. He is strong and has one of the quickest releases in football. It is the reason that Manning usually is difficult to bring down and has very few of his passes intercepted.

Manning is one of the most accurate passers in football history. He is especially good at running the two-minute drill, leading his team down the field when steel nerves are required at the end of a game. Few are more prepared than Manning.

Sports Illustrated called Manning the leagues hardest working QB.

But that is not the only reason he is considered an all-time great quarterback. Manning is a thinking mans quarterback. He is able to change plays at the line of scrimmage on the fly, which he often does. Few quarterbacks are given as much freedom to call plays on their own like Manning.

Manning learned to love the game when he was a kid. His father, Archie Manning, was also a star quarterback. He played for the New Orleans Saints. Peyton learned from his dad what it takes to be a leader and a winner. Manning never stops practicing. He is always working hard to make himself better.

No wonder Manning became a top quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) in a very short time and is headed for the Hall of Fame.

Peyton Manning followed his fathers footsteps in becoming a great NFL quarterback.

Peyton Manning throws a pass against the New England Patriots in the third quarter of the AFC Championship game on January 21, 2007. Trailing at halftime, 216, the Colts needed a superstar performance from their quarterback in the second half to mount a comeback.

It was the 2007 American Football Conference (AFC) Championship game. It was one last chance for Peyton Manning before another knockout in the playoffs.

It had all been so familiar: Since joining the Indianapolis Colts in 1998, the star quarterback had put together incredible offensive numbers and won many individual awards. One accomplishment was missing: He had not won a Super Bowl, as had been expected of the NFLs most-talented and hardest-working quarterback. Eight seasons, eight times shut out from the NFLs championship game.

Now trailing the arch-rival New England Patriots, 216, at halftime of their AFC title game, it looked like it was going to be another playoff loss for the Colts.

The Patriots had already humbled the Colts in two prior postseason games and won three of the previous five Super Bowls behind their own quarterbacking great, Tom Brady. The two quarterbacks were constantly being compared as the NFLs best. Mannings critics pointed out the obvious: Brady had won three Super Bowls; Manning had yet to win his first.

The Colts-Patriots rivalry had become one of the most competitive in the NFL, particularly after New England dominated Manning in the 2003 AFC title game. Manning had won his first Most Valuable Player award during that season. It was an award he would win many times over. But he didnt look anything like an MVP in the playoffs against the Patriots. With the top-ranked defense in the league, New England intercepted Manning four times and sacked him another four times in a 2414 Patriots victory.

As one of the top quarterbacks in football and the Colts acknowledged team leader, Manning had taken a lot of the criticism for the Colts playoff failures.

A great quarterback, yes, but he cant win the big game. Thats what the critics said about Manning.

The locker room at the Colts RCA Dome in the 2007 AFC title game was like a tomb at halftime, the players preparing for what could be the end of the season for them. No one was more crushed than Manning, especially after one of his passes was intercepted and returned for a Patriots touchdown in the second quarter.

Time for a pep talk from Colts head coach Tony Dungy.

Im telling you, this is our game, Dungy said as he walked among the players. Its our time.

If anyone else had said that, it would sound corny. Not from Dungy, however.

Peyton Manning gestures and calls out a play at the line of scrimmage during the AFC Championship game. Manning had struggled in previous playoff contests against the Patriots, but the star quarterback would not let his team down in this game.

He has a way of making you believe, Manning said.

Dungy reminded his players of the 2003 game during the regular season. The Colts had trailed the Patriots, 3110, before making a great comeback to fall just a yard short. The Colts lost, 3834.

This gap is easier to close, Dungy told his team at his halftime talk. We get the ball first, and if we score a touchdown on our first drive, were only one score down.

The encouraged Manning came out firing in the second half. He drove the Colts 76 yards on a 14-play drive.

Then after the Pats went three and out, Manning took the Colts on another touchdown drive, this time finishing it with a pass for a two-point conversion.

Game tied, 2121.

Both quarterbacks went into high gear, filling the air with footballs. The teams went back and forth trading the lead. It was a battle between the NFLs two greatest quarterbacks of their era, both on their way to the Hall of Fame.

With 2:17 to go in the game, Mannings Colts trailed, 3431, when the All-Pro quarterback trotted onto the field.

First down, 80 yards to go.

Could Manning do it? Could he finally break the hated Patriots curse?

Peyton Manning celebrates the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter against the New England Patriots that gave the Colts a 3834 victory.