Will Peyton Manning Become the Best QB Ever With a Win In Super Bowl XLIV?

If you are looking for me to rank the top ten quarterbacks of all time, you've got the wrong article.  At this point, I'm not going to even try to rank the likes of Montana, Unitas, Manning, Favre, Brady, Elway, Graham, Marino, Young, or Tarkenton. 

That alone makes it difficult for me to write this article, seeing as after Montana, the number two quarterback could be Unitas, Manning, Favre, Elway, or Marino. So, in order for an easier comparison, I will put Peyton up against Joe Montana, who is widely considered the best quarterback of all time.

Joe Montana

San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs 1979-1994

117-47, 40551 passing yards, 273 touchdowns, 139 interceptions, 92.3 passer rating, 63.2 completion percentage, 1676 rushing yards, 20 rushing touchdowns

8 Pro Bowls, 3 First Team All-Pro, 2 AP MVP's, 3 Super Bowl MVP's, 1 Offensive Player of the Year, 1 Bert Bell Award (Player of the Year)

Five Time Completion Percentage Leader, Two Time Passing Touchdown Leader, Two Time Passer Rating Leader

Four Super Bowls, 16-7 Playoff Record

That is quite a resume.  Analysis will come after putting Montana's stats up against Manning.

Peyton Manning

Indianapolis Colts 1998-Present Day

117-59, 50128 passing yards, 366 touchdowns, 181 interceptions, 95.2 passer rating, 64.8 completion percentage, 704 rushing yards, 17 rushing touchdowns

10 Pro Bowls, 5 First Team All-Pro, 4 AP MVP's, 1 Super Bowl MVP, 1 Offensive Player of the Year, 2 Walter Payton Man of the Year Awards, 2 Bert Bell Awards (Player of the Year)

One Time Completion Percentage Leader, Three Time Passing Touchdown Leader, Three Time Passer Rating Leader, Two Time Passing Yards Leader

One Super Bowl, 9-8 Playoff Record

Analysis

At first glance, Manning has the stats advantage, beating Montana in touchdowns, touchdowns-to-interceptions ratio, passing yards, completion percentage, passer rating, Pro Bowl's, All-Pro's, and MVP's, but Montana clearly has the advantage in the playoffs, which is why this comparison is such a tough one to make.

However, Manning has blossomed into the clutch playoff quarterback Montana embodied. He has a serious opportunity these next several years to make a run at Montana's four Super Bowls.

Indianapolis is clearly the cream of the crop in the AFC, and will continue to be next year, with a healthy and more experienced defense coming back. I assume they'll get some secondary help in the draft, maybe a linebacker. 

The Colts defense was deceptively great, with the bend but don't break philosophy.  They allowed yards between the 20's, but once opponents got inside the 20, they were forced to kick field goals, time and time again.

The offensive cast is there, with Joseph Addai and Donald Brown at running back, and a slew of receivers. Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark are staples and Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, and (possibly) a healthy Anthony Gonzalez will return next year.

With so many weapons at his disposal, Manning will continue to keep the Colts offense the best in the league.

In other words, getting to the playoffs will be a walk in the park for Manning. 

His playoff performance will decide if he is better than Montana. Manning will need to take advantage of this Super Bowl and win it to take another step towards Montana's legacy. 

The Colts have an opportunity to go on a run similar to that of New England these next few years, and if they can win in Miami this Sunday night, Manning becomes one Super Bowl win away from Montana.

I believe three Super Bowls with Manning's stats trumps four Super Bowls with Montana's stats.

Two more Super Bowl wins shouldn't be that hard...

After all, he is Peyton Manning.