It was a bad weekend for punditry. For weeks, and in some cases years, people have been talking nonsense, and they got exposed this weekend. Let’s look at the media lies that were exposed this weekend.
Remember: these headlines are myths.
1. Peyton Manning had a bad game against the Jets.
The big winner this weekend didn’t step on the field. Suddenly, Peyton Manning’s 108 rating and four scoring drives look pretty good against that Jets defense, doesn’t it? As much as Bill Simmons, Peter King, Jason Whitlock, Kerry Byrne, Bob Kravitz and a host of others want to nitpick Manning’s performance against the Jets, the truth is that he had an incredible game. The Colts only had 8 possessions in that game and put up 16 points and four scoring drives. Ignoring the final drive, the Pats had 11 possessions and put 14 points on three drives. Tom Brady, coming off one of the greatest seasons in history, playing at the top of his game, didn’t have nearly the game against the Jets that Manning did a week earlier. Suddenly, all the ripping of Manning for throwing a low ball to Blair White on a drive where his team took the lead with under a minute to play seems patently ridiculous. Ok, so it wasn’t sudden. It was always ridiculous. But still.
2. The Colts play calling was too conservative.
Guilty. I was wrong. After watching the Jets clamp down on the Pats, I admit that I feel better about the game-planning by the Indy coaches. That’s an incredible defense. Given the personnel Indy had to work with and the field position they had, 16 points is a good effort. I apologize to the coaches. I still feel the end of half drive was too conservative, and I hated the second field goal decision, but I have to say that the offensive game plan made a lot more sense after watching the Jets destroy a vastly superior offense in New England. I had that wrong. Very wrong.
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