Peyton Manning wins NFL MVP Award

[Oiler35]

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 sports writers 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 before sharing 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, eventually, 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).1

Off ESPN.com

 

[DC4]

Congrats to Peyton Manning. Deserved it.

 

[MapleLeaf]

I guess someone had to get it. There was no clear choice and noone really stood out, but I guess this was a good decision. Last couple of weeks I actually thought Deangelo Williams should have won it. But Congrats Peyton

 

[PiStoL31PeTe]

he saved the Colts season's but they've been ok these few years and Pennington did a hell of a job to get his team into the playoffs. Idk i feel that Pennington was a good player for it this year. But either way he's a great player Congrats Peyton

 

[A.E]

Peterson would have received a vote or two had he had another monstrous rushing game last week. Aside from him 64-yard td scamper, he didn't do much else, but nickel & dime his way to 103 yards.

I also feel like Drew Brees deserved a vote. His team failed him. In New Orleans, Brees is a "god" playing amongst garbage.

 

[Dice-J]

Congrats

 

[Gtown81]

DeAngelo shoulda won it.

 

[Yankees2772]

If we beat the Giants (which we should have >_>), DeAngelo would have won. I can't disagree with the decision to give it to Peyton.

 

[Lake Louise]

Definately not the easiest decision this year, but I do know DeAngelo, Brees, or Harrison were just some of the many qualified candidates as well.

In any case, Congrats to Peyton.

 

[.loggie]

good choice having Manning win it but i personally think he didn't deserve 32 votes. there were other stand-outs this year like Rivers, Pennington (he deserved more than 4), Williams, and maybe even AP but only 3 players recieved votes.

 

[Gtown81]

Oh yeah I forgot about Brees, I'm sure if the Saints made the playoffs he would've won it.

BTW yankees are you a panthers fan?

 

[Yankees2772]

Absolutely.

 

[jarrod2323]

hmmm... I thought Warner or maybe even Ware... though, Peyton did do ALOT without any running game this year

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

Well deserved MVP Peyton Manning. He's definitely impressive to watch week in week out.

 

[Oiler35]

May I just state... if anyone things he doesn't deserve it...


No running game. Patchwork offensive line. Two knee surgeries. No pre-season warm-up games.
He deserved it.

 

[cruzg24]

Congrats to Peyton Manning. Deserved it.