Here are the raw numbers.
- His regular season record is 179-77
- His postseason record is 11-13 (1-2 in Super Bowls)
- His teams have been one and done in the playoffs 9 times, with 6 of those games at home.
- His teams have scored 20 points or less in 10 of the 12 postseason losses.
- When he won the Super Bowl in 2006 he threw 3 TDs and 7 INTS
- He holds a NFL regular season record of 51 fourth quarter comebacks, but only has one in the playoffs.
- He has been on four 13-3 teams, four 12-4 teams and one 14-2 team that lost in playoffs.
- 9 of the 13 losses came when the Colts/Broncos were favorite.
- His defense only gave up over 24 points in five of the 12 losses (if you eliminate overtime against San Diego and Super Bowl Pick 6 that would be three games the D give up over 24 points in regulation).
It isn’t that Peyton is a bad playoff quarterback that isn’t fair, because you have to be pretty good to have played in 24 playoff games.
The problem is we expect our legendary players to be come up big when it matters the most and for whatever the reason that just hasn’t happened with Peyton. When we talk about the GOATs in other sports the first thing we mention are their championships.
Michael Jordan talent was amazing before he ever got a ring, but its the rings is why most people consider him the GOAT (going 6-0 with legendary performances during the most critical times). Eventually, LeBron will be judge not by his numbers, but by his jewelry.
Gretzky, Ruth, Petty, Federer, Serena, Tiger, Nicholas and I can go on and on, if you want to be the GOAT you need to have those multiple championships and it is something Peyton just doesn’t have.
There is a reason that Brett Favre with all his great statistics isn’t discussed as the GOAT. There is a reason that people had Marino over Elway until Elway was blessed with Terrell Davis and his whole legacy was changed because of those two rings. In the end quarterbacks like Matthew Stafford will have better stats than Joe Montana, but if I need to win a game who would you take? Montana was 16-7 in the playoffs. In the biggest games on biggest stage he was 4-0 in Super Bowls with 11 TDs and 0 INTs and a passer rating of 122.4. That is how you get into the GOAT discussion.
When you look at the Two legendary QBs that are heading toward the end of their careers Peyton Manning and Tom Brady the only thing that can separate them is Brady is 3-2 in Super Bowls and 19-8 overall in playoffs. You can’t be the GOAT when people trust your little brother more in the playoffs than you.
It’s not fair to heap all the blame on Peyton Manning, but I asked you this when Peyton Manning won his ring in 2006, did anyone discredit his average performance or the fact they were playing against Rex Grossman? Of course not, because in the end all that matters is if you win or lose (ask Kobe in Game 7 against Celtics or Big Ben SB win against the Seahawks). The don’t take the ring away from you even if you personally play poorly.
You are going to hear a lot of criticism for Peyton and a lot of excuses. Both sides will probably have valid points, but in the end Peyton had another chance once and for all to shut up his critics on the field and put himself in the GOAT discussion and he came up short. This is why his legacy while great will feel somewhat incomplete. In my opinion, he will never be the GOAT, but simply THE GROAT.
The Greatest Regular Season Quarterback of All-Time