Monday Morning Headlights – Devastating Dream Shatter for Peyton Manning
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During the 1970s, the Patriots had some success, earning a berth to the playoffs in 1976—as a wild card team—and in 1978—as AFC East champions. They lost in the first round both times. In 1985, they returned to the playoffs, and made it all the way to Super Bowl XX, which they lost to the Chicago Bears 46–10. Following their Super Bowl loss, they returned to the playoffs in 1986, but lost in the first round. The team would not make the playoffs again for eight more years. During the 1990 season, the Patriots went 1–15. They changed ownership three times, being purchased from the Sullivan family first by Victor Kiam in 1988, who sold the team to James Orthwein in 1992. Orthwein intended to move the team to his native St. Louis, Missouri, but sold the team two years later to current owner Robert Kraft in 1994.
Though Orthwein’s period as owner was short and controversial, he did oversee major changes to the team, first with the hiring of former New York Giants coach Bill Parcells in 1993. A change was also made that same year to the Patriots uniforms, changing their primary colors from their traditional red and white to blue and silver, and introducing a new logo. Parcells would bring the Patriots to two playoff appearances, including Super Bowl XXXI, which they lost to the Green Bay Packers by a score of 35–21. Pete Carroll, Parcells’s successor, would also take the team to the playoffs twice in 1997 & 1998 before being dismissed as head coach after the 1999 season.
The Bengals have endured many games in recent years like the Broncos experienced Sunday. They don’t have them anymore. Andy Dalton and his team have grown out of what Peyton Manning just aged into. If the Broncos have to travel to Cincinnati in the playoffs, they will get hammered.
Ben Roethlisberger should have been on a sofa with his foot elevated, but instead he took the field and helped the Steelers look far superior to the Broncos. The Colts already made their point against the Broncos; when they stumble backward into the playoffs, Andrew Luck will be healthy. Peyton Manning may be Old Man Fredrickson from Up by then.
It’s shocking to be here, two weeks before Brady-Manning XVII, wondering if there will really be a Brady-Manning XVII or if the game will even be worth watching. It’s depressing to watch what has so obviously become one of those final seasons, the ones you look at 20 years later at the bottom of a Hall of Famer’s career record and wonder: Was that season really necessary?
There’s the matter of the all-time passing record. When we think of Manning’s 71,871 passing yards, we should think of the glory days of Omaha, not what we saw Sunday. We should think of how it all started back in 1998: a time before wireless Internet, smartphones and Tom Brady; a time before careers or children for some of us, maybe before first grade (or birth) for a few of you. We should think about the years, the wins, the touchdowns, the Super Bowls.
But when we think about Sunday’s game, we have no choice but to be realistic and think about the end.
The great Manning is long gone. The good Manning could have led these Broncos to the Super Bowl. But all the current Manning can do is echo a hollow reminder of how things used to be.
By Mike Tanier,Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2589788-monday-morning-hangover-peyton-manning-headlines-a-sunday-of-shattered-dreams
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