The title of this blog is borne in the fact that it seems like every Monday morning we are tabulating new facts and statistics recently accomplished by Peyton Manning, all of which have never happened previously.
This is a heck of a ride, Broncos fans, and it is really just hitting the first curve.
On Sunday night against the New Orleans Saints--which happened to be the 13th consecutive Denver game televised on either Sunday night, Monday night, Thursday night, or by the number one CBS crew of Jim Nantz and Phil Simms—Peyton Manning completed 22 of 30 passes for 305 yards, three touchdowns, no interceptions and a 139.9 rating.
Just because we get used to it does not mean it is not remarkably special.
He became the first player in NFL history to hit the 300-yard, three-touchdown, 70-percent mark in four consecutive games.
Nobody else has done it even three times in a row. That word "nobody" is a really big one.
Let's create some perspective by listing some great quarterbacks.
John Elway, Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, Bart Starr, Steve Young, Jim Kelly, Steve Young, Warren Moon, Sammy Baugh, Otto Graham, Sid Luckman, Bob Waterfield (who for a time alternated with Norm Van Brocklin on the sensational Rams teams, Norm Van Brocklin (who for a time alternated with Bob Waterfield on the sensational Rams teams), Dan Fouts, Bob Griese, Terry Bradshaw, Y.A. Tittle, and Bobby Layne…..those are all quarterbacks who are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but not one of them ever did what Manning has done over the last four games.
By the way, Manning has 15 touchdowns to just one interception in the Broncos' last 23 quarters of play, and this week Denver is third in the NFL in total offense.
Just stunning.
He has had five straight 300-yard games, tying his career high, and his passer rating in each of those five games, in order, is 83.0, 130.0, 115,4, 129.0, and 138.9.
Sunday Drew Brees of the Saints reached the 300-touchdown mark in just his 161st pro game—but Manning is the game's all time leader, having done it in just 157 games.
The game against the Saints was Manning's 68th 300-yard game, which is the NFL record.
The two quarterbacks with the most career passing yards per game, with a minimum of 100 games, are Brees (267.4 passing yards per game) and Manning (264.8 passing yards per game).
Denver Broncos fans are delirious with the results so far and very optimistic about the 2012 season.
The one thing we know for sure is that the Broncos will play one game per week, and I suspect a lot of those games will be followed by more "Monday Morning Manning" stats.
