Your 2008 NFL MVP: Peyton Manning!

[Razor Shines]

Manning joins Favre as 3-time MVP
Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Peyton Manning can tell Brett Favre to move over and make room for him atop the roster of NFL most valuable players.

For the third time, Manning won the award by The Associated Press, tying Favre as the only players in that elite category.

The Indianapolis Colts' quarterback was a landslide winner Friday in balloting by a nationwide panel of 50 sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Manning also was the league MVP in 2003, when he shared it with Tennessee quarterback Steve McNair, and in 2004.

Favre, then with Green Bay, took MVP honors in 1995 and '96, and shared it with Detroit running back Barry Sanders in 1997.

"I know it's an individual award, but ... truly, in my opinion, a team award," said Manning, who received 32 votes, far ahead of Miami quarterback Chad Pennington (4) and Atlanta running back Michael Turner (4).

"It's been the most rewarding regular season that I've been a part of in my 11 years, and I have to believe a lot of the other players and even coaches might feel the same way."

This has been a most unusual season for the Colts, who normally have the AFC South just about clinched by Thanksgiving. Manning had two operations on his left knee in the preseason, cutting into practice time, blunting his usual precision as a passer and leading to a 3-4 start.

From there, with Manning getting sharper by the week, the Colts won nine straight games to secure a wild-card berth and a meeting Saturday night with San Diego.

In that streak, Manning is 209 of 290 for 2,248 yards and 17 touchdowns, with only three interceptions. He extended his NFL record with his ninth 4,000-yard season and finished with 27 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and a 95.0 passer rating.

"It's just been different," Manning said. "It's been an entirely different season. I think the one thing that's been inaccurate is that the seasons we were starting out 13-0, 8-0, 7-0, that it was easy. So all of a sudden this year we are 3-4 and now things are hard. Believe me, it's never easy to win a game. I've never taken for granted winning a football game."

The folks in Indianapolis might take for granted having Manning behind center, just as Packers and now Jets fans have assumed Favre would be there every week. Favre has started 269 straight regular-season games, the record for quarterbacks. Manning's string is 176 -- every game since he was the No. 1 pick in the 1998 draft.

"In other years, everything started fast," Colts running back Dominic Rhodes said. "He's still breaking records. But this year, there were a bunch of negative things said in the beginning, and he brought his best when we needed his best.

"This is probably the best ball I've seen him play."

Tony Dungy would agree. The Colts' coach said several times he favored Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison for MVP -- Harrison tied with Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson with three votes. But after Manning's flawless work in the second half of the season, Dungy, while admittedly biased, changed his mind.

"I said after we left Pittsburgh [on Nov. 9] that I would vote for James Harrison," Dungy noted this week. "If I was voting today, I'd vote for Peyton Manning."

A vast majority of the voters did.

Also receiving votes were San Diego QB Philip Rivers (2); Tennessee rookie RB Chris Johnson (1); and Arizona QB Kurt Warner (1).

I think he really deserved this one. Manning's play in the second half of the season was outstanding, his game management in particular.

On a related note I'm super pissed at the Broncos for letting San Diego get into the playoffs. No matter how down San Diego is the Colts never play well against them. They only beat the Chargers by 3 earlier this year, I think it's going to be a struggle again.

[WVRed]

Originally Posted by Razor Shines

I think he really deserved this one. Manning's play in the second half of the season was outstanding, his game management in particular.

On a related note I'm super pissed at the Broncos for letting San Diego get into the playoffs. No matter how down San Diego is the Colts never play well against them. They only beat the Chargers by 3 earlier this year, I think it's going to be a struggle again.

Mike Shanahan lost his job if that makes you feel any better.

[HeatherC1212]

Congrats Peyton!!

[Hybrid]

Well deserved no doubt.

[Jack Burton]

I disagree, what makes him deserve it any more than Rivers? Turner? Pennington? I'd say they got it wrong.

Favre has two mvp's, Barry deserved it outright that year.

[redsfanmia]

Originally Posted by Jack Burton

I disagree, what makes him deserve it any more than Rivers? Turner? Pennington? I'd say they got it wrong.

Rivers' team did not beat a team in the playoffs all season. Turner had a great season and deserved some mention as mvp. Pennington had a great season but how could he be mvp when their best offensive set had him at wide receiver?

Manning led his team to 9 straight wins and 12 total wins against one of the hardest schedules in the league, including a 5 - 1 record against playoff teams, with no training camp and virtually no running game. Peyton deserved this MVP more than the other two he has won.

[Razor Shines]

Originally Posted by redsfanmia

Rivers' team did not beat a team in the playoffs all season. Turner had a great season and deserved some mention as mvp. Pennington had a great season but how could he be mvp when their best offensive set had him at wide receiver?

Manning led his team to 9 straight wins and 12 total wins against one of the hardest schedules in the league, including a 5 - 1 record against playoff teams, with no training camp and virtually no running game. Peyton deserved this MVP more than the other two he has won.

I agree. Peyton was easily the most deserving, IMO.

[mth123]

Originally Posted by redsfanmia

Rivers' team did not beat a team in the playoffs all season. Turner had a great season and deserved some mention as mvp. Pennington had a great season but how could he be mvp when their best offensive set had him at wide receiver?

Manning led his team to 9 straight wins and 12 total wins against one of the hardest schedules in the league, including a 5 - 1 record against playoff teams, with no training camp and virtually no running game. Peyton deserved this MVP more than the other two he has won.

Yep!

[Jack Burton]

Originally Posted by redsfanmia

Rivers' team did not beat a team in the playoffs all season. Turner had a great season and deserved some mention as mvp. Pennington had a great season but how could he be mvp when their best offensive set had him at wide receiver?

Manning led his team to 9 straight wins and 12 total wins against one of the hardest schedules in the league, including a 5 - 1 record against playoff teams, with no training camp and virtually no running game. Peyton deserved this MVP more than the other two he has won.

You're probably right, but I'll go with Rivers because;

1. He had better individual numbers
2. I don't care for the Colts

[redsfanmia]

Originally Posted by Jack Burton

You're probably right, but I'll go with Rivers because;

1. He had better individual numbers
2. I don't care for the Colts

The only way I could dislike Rivers more is if he played for the Steelers. He just looks like a cocky frat boy.

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by Jack Burton

I disagree, what makes him deserve it any more than Rivers? Turner? Pennington? I'd say they got it wrong.

Favre has two mvp's, Barry deserved it outright that year.

Last name. The real reason Manning won the award was his last name. He may have had a great second half of the season but Kurt Warner is a guy who had a great first half. Rivers and Turner had great seasons but they don't have the star power that Payton has.

[Razor Shines]

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

Last name. The real reason Manning won the award was his last name. He may have had a great second half of the season but Kurt Warner is a guy who had a great first half. Rivers and Turner had great seasons but they don't have the star power that Payton has.

Whatever. He carried the Colts offense the entire season, he was recovering from two knee surgeries in the first half, so the Colts struggled along with him. Think about how well he played even when the opposing defenses knew the Colts had no running game, their running game was near the bottom. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that the O-line was so beaten up.

[Michael Young]

[redsfanmia]

Originally Posted by Michael Young

Apparently the officials did not get that memo. I thought the players were supposed to decide who won or lost? The Chargers deserved to win but they were handed that win in the overtime.

[gilpdawg]

Originally Posted by redsfanmia

Apparently the officials did not get that memo. I thought the players were supposed to decide who won or lost? The Chargers deserved to win but they were handed that win in the overtime.

You serious? I'm a Colts fan...but come on. What call didn't need to be made? The face mask was blatant, and the defensive holding probably should have been a PI instead of just a hold.

I'm seriously angry about this game. I never minded losing to the Pats or Steelers in the playoffs, because those teams were our equal or better, but San Diego 2 years in a row stings. But whenever I get mad about the Colts, I just look at our records from the 80s and 90s and I feel better.