Forget the neck injury that may or may not heal, the age factor, or Andrew Luck. There’s another reason why Peyton Manning won’t ever play another game as an Indianapolis Colt.
Actually, there’s 14 reasons. As in those 14 games the Colts lost this season.
With the Super Bowl set to take place in Indianapolis this year, lots of people are talking about Eli’s brother, Peyton, who made Indy’s Colts one of the best teams of the 21st Century. But while an Indianapolis Super Bowl offers a great opportunity to celebrate what the elder Manning brother did for Indy’s sports reputation, the Colts will cut him loose before the MVP packs for Disneyland.
Had the Colts had even a mediocre season without Manning — say, 9-7 or 8-8 — he might very well be asked to return to the Colts. (And I’m operating on the assumption that he will be healthy enough to play next year — even if that’s in doubt.) Because had the Colts finished close to .500, you could assume that with Manning, they would have at least won 10, maybe more.
But 2-14?
Even Manning at his best couldn’t have done much for a team that bad.
Last year, you could see the slide begin, as the Colts – who had won 12 or more games the previous seven seasons – struggled to win 10 and looked sad in the playoffs. This year the slide continued, and you can’t merely blame a Manning-less offense. After all, this was a team that gave up 27 points a game.
This team needs a super overhaul. And, with Manning getting older, what’s the point in having him around?
Some other team — one that’s closer to winning — could use Manning, just as the Chiefs did when Joe Montana took them to the playoffs in 1993 and 1994. But this Colts team, after suffering its worst season in 20 years, is in full-on rebuilding mode.
The only argument for keeping Manning , I figure, is that it would allow the Colts to save that #1 draft pick for a badly needed defensive player. But even then, how many more years would Manning, who turns 36 in March, have?
Not enough to see this team compete again.
If a team is rebuilding, a new, young quarterback is the best place to start — which is exactly what the Colts assumed when they drafted Manning back in 1998.
And Luck is the closest thing to a rookie Peyton Manning out there.
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