Manning, Tebow and the Broncos

The Broncos proudly unveil their new signing but at what cost?

The Denver Broncos are the team that won the Peyton Manning Lottery and boy Tim Tebow cannot be happy about it. Manning is what he is – a future Hall of Famer and an all-time great of the game who has single handedly led teams to the Playoffs and Super Bowl in the past, but that is the key phrase… the past. Manning spent the entire 2011 season on the sidelines with a well documented neck injury. His previous team, the Indianapolis Colts, had only just signed Manning to a new $90 million contract and were forced to release him from the roster to recoup some of their losses.

Several teams showed an interest in signing Manning but the Broncos were never really at the forefront of those discussions because they had Tim Tebow. Tebow, a rough-around-the-edges QB, enjoyed an extraordinary breakthrough season for the Broncos in 2011. He lacked a fluid passing game but would rush the ball himself, often for lengthy gains and had an ability to drag his team from the jaws of defeat at the end of the 3rd quarter to a breathtaking victory at the end of the 4th. He would often cite his much parodied deep Christian beliefs as the reason for his success. The Broncos seemed to be moulding into a unit around Tebow, something that every great team does. They began to trust him and compensate for his lack of passing ability while he gave them hope that no matter how bad things got, there was a way out of trouble. My concern is that Manning will disrupt that harmony.

Tebow had an internet craze of 'Tebowing' named after him, where people would recreate his famous prayer position before he took to the field

It seems like a massive gamble by the Broncos to risk their season on the hopes of someone who was on the decline as a football player even before his injury. Reports suggest that Manning will be earning $96 million over the course of his contract with the Broncos so you have to feel that Tebow will be traded out. What if Manning fails to deliver? The Broncos will be left with an under-performing QB and a team that whose illusions of greatness have been brought crashing back down to Earth. Manning said at the press conference where he was unveiled that “this is a truly special football environment, and I’m glad to be a part of it” – how much of that is down to Tim Tebow though? Would Manning have even looked at the Broncos had Tebow not led them to the Playoffs? Maybe he thought that Tebow would be easier to dislodge at starting QB than Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers.

Ironically, the Manning/Tebow partnership could work quite well. If the Broncos could work it that Manning would play the first half while Tebow played the second then Manning wouldn’t strain himself too much while Tebow could still conduct his last quarter magic. Unfortunately for the Broncos I don’t think Tim Tebow will be too keen on that idea. Inevitably, Manning will have the main QB slot but if he gets injured again and Tebow isn’t there to pick up the pieces then the Broncos can pretty much kiss goodnight to any chance of making the Playoffs. The reaction on twitter was very much of surprise but also of defence of Tebow and his record.

On bleacherreport.com, they rightly point out the Broncos’ offensive staff have been crying out for a QB who can pass the ball for a while now (well, you would seeing as half the playbook is devoted to throwing the ball) but I’m not sure Manning is the man for the job. He’s already stirred up some of the Broncos faithful by taking Frank Tripucka’s legendary number 18 jersey (the same number Peyton wore at the Colts) but his new teammates have seemingly welcomed him with open arms. “It makes you think big” said linebacker R0bert Ayers before adding “if you look at it historically, the teams that won the Super Bowl are teams with a guy like Ben Roethlisberger and Drew Brees and Eli (Manning) and Aaron Rodgers and all those guys. So it definitely makes you confident.” If that isn’t a clear kick in the teeth for Tebow then I don’t know what is. Yes Manning has won a Super Bowl but that was a long time ago now, many are even saying that Eli is the Manning brother you want right now which is food for thought.

Manning or Tebow - the Broncos have a difficult decision to make if they retain the latter's services

Whatever happens with Peyton and the Broncos this season it’ll be fascinating to watch. The Broncos are about the only team that could afford Manning financially but if they lose Tim Tebow I still think they’ll regret that in a few years time. Manning may put the Broncos in the frame for the Playoffs but he still lacks the firepower to drag a team over the finish line at the Super Bowl and for $96 million that is what the Broncos have to demand of their new leader.

Super Bowl Analysis

I hate to say I told you so but er, I kind of told you so. Emphasis on the kind of. It was another Super Bowl classic but not a perfect game. Mistakes were prevalent, sandwiched between moments of brilliance from both sides.

He did it again, now is it time to stop calling him Peyton's brother?

Everyone’s going to talking about that Manningham catch and the Wes Welker dropped catch but they were only the tip of an intriguing iceberg. Tom Brady was the best player on the field in my opinion. If he had been given the Giants wide receivers to shoot for then the result would have been reversed. I said that he would produce moments of magic and he didn’t disappoint; that perfect drive at the end of the first half was amazing to watch and it seemed no matter what the Giants defense did, Brady would always have time to pick out a pass. Even the Hail Mary pass at the end of the game was pretty much perfect and it was the ailing Gronkowski that cost Brady another completion. I thought Gronkowski’s injury would have an impact on his game and it did. I think it’s a fair assumption that a fit Gronkowski would have made the difference in the game.  Branch had an alright game I suppose, he didn’t impose himself on it but didn’t embarrass himself either.The Patriots offense were a decent force with the exception of Welker. Welker’s dropped catch in open space in the fourth quarter was the real nail in the coffin for the Pats. He was in open space, the ball was coming at a comfortable height but he couldn’t hold onto it. That would be bad enough but when you consider that there was only four minutes left on the clock, the Giants only had one timeout left and the catch would have taken New England deep into Giants territory. In every essence it was a game changer.

The Giants defense were the major disappointment of the game for me. They did a good job of containing Brady and co in the first quarter but after that you felt as though New England had the edge over them. There were times when the linebackers elected to follow guys who posed no threat instead of going after Brady. The winning margin should have been much greater and it would have been if the defense had actually stuck to their jobs. They played no real part in the fourth quarter turnaround and when Brady threw an interception it was a simple one for Blackburn as he had an age to set himself and the knowledge that a weakened Gronkowski was behind him. Should Welker have made the catch and the Patriots gone on to win then the defense would have been blamed but as it is they are sharing a slice of the credit for masterminding an unlikely victory – such is football!

Other players who failed to shine were Victor Cruz but he was targeted by the Patriots defense. Incidentally, the Patriots defense put in one of their best performances of the season tonight and they were nowhere near as bad as I thought they would be. They let themselves down a bit in the final quarter but there wasn’t a great deal that they could have done against the Manningham catch. Hakeem Nicks looked promising in the early stages before a heavy tackle pretty much ended any threat he could pose. As for Manningham himself, he will be remembered as the guy who made THAT catch at Super Bowl XLVI. It still wasn’t quite as good as Tyree’s from ’08 but it was still pretty spectacular and more importantly it set up the winning drive. I thought Manningham was the best of the Giants’ wide receivers today but he had to be if the Giants were going to win the game. Cruz and Nicks were taken out of the game by the Pats and Manningham stepped up to the mark beautifully.

Tom Brady cuts a lonely figure as he walks from the field at the end of the Super Bowl

I’ll talk about Eli Manning in a minute but what must Tom Brady be thinking now? He threw for 241 yards and completed 27 passes and it still wasn’t enough to get the job done. He even scored a passing touchdown more than Manning did. It was his offensive teammates that let him down badly in this game. He set Branch, Welker, Gronkowsi and Hernandez up with simple passes and at one point or another each one of them failed to perform. The Patriots have been somewhat lucky this season: Gronkowski has become an impressive addition to the offensive line but there is no indication that he will be able to continue that into next season and the Patriots defense despite being inherently weak has not cost the team too badly. This Super Bowl was personal for Brady though. He wanted revenge for 2008 and having his place in the record books taken away from him, he wanted to win for Myra Kraft and the Kraft family and that will make this defeat hurt even more than the last one. He must be left wondering where the Patriots go from here. He’s fiercely loyal to New England but I’m sure he doesn’t want to face a situation similar to Peyton Manning: all the praise, all the records but moderate Super Bowl success due to a team that do not match the standard of their quarterback. He’ll be demanding some good draft picks and  some extensive training work with the wide receivers and some heavy investment into the defense. Brady lives for the Super Bowl, to be better than anyone else around at that point in time but with Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers seemingly raising the level of quarterback performance even higher, he needs a capable team alongside him in order to catch up. Crucially, Brady knows that this could be his last Super Bowl appearance for the next few years.

If the ball had fallen into a pair of Patriots hands then we'd all be talking about a different game.

Finally, let’s talk about Eli Manning. He was absolutely sensational tonight. He did everything he had to do to ensure his side won and although I said he has a better offensive line to work with, no-one can deny just how special his performance was. The stats speak for themselves: 30/40 completed passes, throwing for 296 yards and 1 touchdown. He seems to be the polar opposite of his brother; he is average during the regular season but he really comes alive in the post-season. I think Eli relishes playing the Patriots as he has a good idea of how to counter Belichick thanks to some clever tactics from Tom Coughlin (who completely deserves his second Super Bowl as well). Eli has earned the right to be considered separate to Peyton and no longer has to be regarded as a lesser player. In 2008, I thought Manning matured throughout the course of the game but tonight he was simply in the zone from the off. Nothing distracted him from winning, even when the Patriots had possession with the Giants holding only one timeout. He trusted his wide receivers more than Brady trusted his. I think Brady was still technically better and is still in a class of three with Brees and Rodgers but Eli is knocking on the door of that class. There’s no reason why he can’t go on and win another couple of Super Bowls, especially if they keep that offense together.

That was Super Bowl XLVI then. I thoroughly enjoyed it with the exception of Madonna’s half-time show – LMFAO as special guests, really? – and it was as tense as XLII right up until the very last seconds of the game. A special kudos to Ahmad Bradshaw too for scoring the game winning touchdown. It wasn’t really the most spectacular in Super Bowl history but it was well deserved and I’m glad he stamped his mark on the game. The Giants can look forward to a ticker tape parade through Times Square while the Patriots have to take a long hard look at themselves and ask how they let the lead slip away so easily… again. It’s been a great season of NFL and this was the perfect finale. Don’t forget that this year’s International Series game at Wembley is between the St Louis Rams and the beaten finalists tonight, the New England Patriots. Tickets go on sale today at 2pm and the cheapest seats are £50 (it’s worth it, trust me!). If you’re new to American Football, I hope the wackiness of the game and the event didn’t put you off and instead you embraced it. Either way, I’m sure everyone will remember Super Bowl XLVI for a very, very long time to come!

Super Bowl XLVI Preview

So, I know I said there’d be a Six Nations preview and a look at all the F1 cars launched so far but time restrictions have meant that the plan is altered slightly. Firstly, the Six Nations will have to be done in weekly reviews seeing as a preview would be pointless now and secondly, the F1 car analysis will be done tomorrow after the launch of Red Bull Racing’s RB8. But forget about all that, tonight is about one thing and one thing only: Super Bowl!

For anyone who doesn’t follow American Football, the Super Bowl is the biggest event on the American Football calendar and on the American sporting calendar as a whole. The two teams who contest the Super Bowl have had to qualify from their respective divisions – teams are allocated a division based on which Conference they are part of (either AFC or NFC) and their geographical location) – as well as at least two Playoff games. That’s a grand total of 18 games of hard-hitting, bruising football just to reach the toughest game of the season. The two teams who have made it this season are the New England Patriots and the New York Giants.

For those of you who are familiar with American Football then I apologise for wasting your time. This Patriots vs Giants contest is an exciting prospect. The last time these two teams met in a Super Bowl was in 2008 and the game turned out to be an all-time classic and my favourite Super Bowl ever. Back then, the Patriots were aiming to become the first NFL team to go 19-0 for the season and an unfancied Giants team were just looking not to embarrass themselves. The video below shows just how amazing the finale to that game was:

There’s no reason why tonight’s game can’t match what happened in 2008 as the teams are much more evenly matched. The Patriots have looked strong if not overwhelming in the last few months while the Giants surged back into form after a torrid start to their regular season when a playoff berth looked unlikely. We’ll preview the two teams and round it up with one of my famously wide of the mark predictions!

New England Patriots

The Patriots are most famous for winning three Super Bowls in the last decade namely in 2001, 2002 and 2004. Their success tonight relies, as ever, upon their star quarterback Tom Brady. He is widely regarded as the best all-round quarterback in the game at the moment and can pick out a wide receiver from virtually anywhere. His former receiver of choice, Randy Moss, left the Patriots in 2010 and after initially struggling to find a WR capable of replacing Moss, they have turned to Tight End Rob Gronkowski  throughout this season. He has really stepped up to the mark, having a storming season by anyone’s standard without even considering the fact that he is a Tight End. He’s broken the record for the most touchdowns made by a Tight End in a single season and amassed the second highest total of touchdowns in the NFL with 18 for the regular season. He has been able to carry his form through into the post-season and was instrumental in the Pats 45-10 win over the Denver Broncos in their first Playoff game. Yet he might not get his chance to shine in the biggest game of his life as he is a major doubt to even feature tonight due to an ankle injury. The latest reports are that he will play but the ankle injury is a major opportunity for the Giants defense to exploit.

Will Rob Gronkowski be able to cap his impressive campaign with a Super Bowl ring?

That being said, the Pats have a formidable offensive line as Wes Welker and Deion Branch are both capable of producing big plays at key moments. It is on the Patriots defense that there is real cause for concern. It finished the regular season ranked as the second lowest defense in the NFL and has not really improved in the post-season. Against the Baltimore Ravens they were shaky and relied on a fluffed field goal attempt to get the win and in the otherwise convincing win against the Broncos, the defense were the major weak link. That could be the Giants way through tonight’s game: target the defensive weaknesses and make sure their own defense is tight. Bill Belichick has to make sure his defense is working as a unit tonight while coming up with a game plan that does not solely involve getting the ball to Gronkowski.

New York Giants

The Giants game plan all depends on one man: Eli Manning. If he can get his A game working like he did in 2008 then he could be looking at being a double Super Bowl winner. He has improved as a quarterback since Super Bowl XLII and has better wide receivers than he did now. His main option is Victor Cruz who broke the franchise’s single season record for receiving yards this season with 1,536 of them. His pace is fearsome and could pose some major problems for the weak Patriots defense. He also has Hakeem Nicks to aim for, who also surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the Giants this season. Nicks’ routes can bamboozle the best defenses in the NFL and that could be where the Patriots find themselves in real trouble.

The Giants offense isn’t solely based on the passing game. Ahmad Bradshaw has proven himself to be a class running back who adds another string to the Giants offensive bow. He’s not quite at the same level as Brandon Jacobs but he’s getting there and this could be his moment in the sun.

The defense of the Giants aren’t exactly going to give the Pats an easy ride into the endzone. Michael Boley is about as good a linebacker as you will find in the NFL right now and Osi Umenyiora has stated his determination to disrupt the Patriots offensive line with some hard tackles.

Can Eli Manning lead the Giants to another Super Bowl win?

As I said though, this all boils to Eli Manning. Tom Coughlin will have tried to dispel that awful mid-season slump from the mind of his prized player but the Super Bowl has a habit of exposing hidden frailties in teams and there have been questions about Manning’s mental toughness in the past. He really wants to win this though, not just because it’s the Super Bowl but because if he does he’ll have overtaken his more illustrious brother at least when it comes to how many Super Bowl rings on the hand. If he wins tonight, he’ll have finally stepped out of his brother’s shadow. It won’t be ‘Eli Manning, brother of Peyton’ anymore, instead he’ll be known as ‘Eli Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion’ and that is a powerful motivation for victory.

I’ve not been as excited for a Super Bowl since the last time these two met on the greatest stage of them all. If you’re not American, like me, then sit back and enjoy the Americanness of the spectacle. It promises to be a great game and it should even be a laugh to see Madonna pretend to be 21 again!

So, it’s prediction time. This game is so tight to call. If the Giants get their offense and defense working then the Patriots really aren’t going to win but if Brady is on top form and his defense starts to close up the holes that have been there throughout the season then the Vince Lombardi Trophy is coming back to New England. I’m going to stick my neck out and say that the Giants are going to win this one; they have the better package all-round and I’m excited to see what their wide receivers can produce tonight. My one worry is that the mid-season slump comes back to haunt them. I’d love to see a Patriots win too; Tom Brady really deserves it and they deserve some form of compensation for not going 19-0 don’t they?

Whatever happens, have a good one!