The Best Ever

See this guy? Yeah, Manning and Brady are better than him.

I'm now caught up on emails and news after coming back from an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. I've done my weekly SB Nation podcast (funny show last night), and now I'm absorbing all the media swirling out there about the Colts and their chances to repeat. Also over the weekend, I cooled off a bit regarding ESPN, and I'll start referencing their crap again, especially when they write good stuff about Indy. Of course, I can't trust the lying ratings vampires again, but hey... if they want to call Peyton Manning the best QB in football, I'm not going to argue. All I'll say in response is this:

Duh!

We've all known this for some time, ESPN. Most people who know football, and who aren't some mindless drone born and raised in the New England area, know Peyton Manning is the best. He might be the best ever. If we're all fortunate enough to have him play another eight or nine years, he'll likely shatter just about every passing record, and win another Super Bowl or four. And unlike our New England brothers, who take every opportunity to bash the guy that has owned them the last few years, we loyal Colts fans have (and always will have) tremendous respect for Tom Brady. If Tom never wins another Super Bowl, if he falls on his face and questions start to mount that it is more Belichick's "genius" that helped win those titles than Brady's pose, we Colts fans will be some of the first to stand up and yell "bunk!"

As I've always said, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady will go down as the two best of all time. Manning, right now, is better than Montana, Elway, and Marino were in their primes. Yes, I know people still think those guys are better. Most of them are Broncos, 49ers, or Dolphins fans. It doesn't take a genius to see that Manning's play has raised the QB position to a new level. Teams like Cincy and Pittsburgh have adopted no huddle offenses that allow the QB more control over the playcalling. Such an offense went out of style in the 1970s. Manning brought it back.

We all know Brady is better than players like Steve Young, Phil Simms, or Terry Bradshaw. The only thing lacking from Brady's resume is proof he can win without a great defense. This is, of course, crap because no QB can win without a defense. Brady really just needs to put up some great livetime stats, win a league MVP, or maybe even another Super Bowl to completely cement his legacy. One of those things will happen before his career ends.

So again, guys like Montana, Elway, Unitas, and Marino are all inferior players to Manning and Brady. I know people don't like saying stuff like that. Sorry, but that's the truth folks. Joe Montana never threw 49 TDs in one season. Manning did. John Elway needed 15 years to win a Super Bowl. Brady needed just two years. It is no slight to these men that I rank Manning and Brady better. It simply puts into perspective just how unbelievably GREAT Manning and Brady are.

Like I always say folks, relish this. We may never see again, in our lifetime, two QBs as great as Brady and Manning playing at the same time.