The Sports Monitor

The most exciting game to watch this weekend -- for me, anyway -- was the Ravens' upset of the Broncos. I know, there was a fantastic finish in the Falcons-Seahawks game, but I give the edge to the Broncos' game. I guess it's because I'm biased. As much as I don't like rooting for the Ravens, I was happy to see Peyton Manning and the Broncos lose. It's probably because I'm so sick and tired of the Manning show. Since the midway point of the season, we've been told how great he is and it hasn't stopped. CBS' telecast was a Manning lovefest. Going into the game, I heard analysts rave about the Broncos' defense. They actually called it the best defense that Manning has had. That Super Bowl-winning team Manning had with the Colts was led by Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders. I thought that was a pretty darn good team. That's not the only thing that had me scratching my head. Everyone had pegged the Broncos for an AFC ti...

Adrian Peterson just capped one of the greatest seasons in NFL history. The Minnesota Vikings running back rushed for 2,097 yards, just a few feet short of Eric Dickerson's record of 2,105 set in 1984. Oh, he did it less than a year after a gruesome knee injury. Yet it's not a lock for him to win the league's MVP award. Some guy named Peyton Manning is getting a lot of the love. Manning finished the season with 4,659 yards and 37 touchdown passes with the Denver Broncos after missing the 2011 season with a career-threatening neck injury. Pretty impressive numbers, but A.P. is my pick, and it's not even close. Manning took over for a Broncos' team that made the playoffs in 2011. He has two high-end wide receivers in Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker. They have a solid running game with Knowshon Moreno and, before him, Willis McGahee. Peterson? He was the Vikings' offense. The Vikes lost their top receiver, Percy Harvin, and had no one else. The...

I look at the Denver Broncos' pursuit of Peyton Manning and I see an intricate storyline. It's almost like AMC's "The Killing," where multiple plots are weaved together. If you missed "The Killing" or are boycotting the show because of its Season 1 ending, try a more popular example, "Seinfeld," where two plots meet at the end. First, there's Manning's search for a new home after the Indianapolis Colts decided to go in a different direction. While there are plenty of people hailing the Broncos as Super Bowl contenders with Manning as quarterback, let's not crown them -- or Manning -- just yet. Manning missed the entire season with multiple neck surgeries. He's also 36. Those are two big strikes against him. He'll also be without All-Pro receivers like Marvin Harrison or Reggie Wayne. Manning's top running back, Willis McGahee, will hit an over-the-hill-for-a-running-back 31 during the 2012 season. And will th...

Robert Griffin III a Redskin? Mark Sanchez an extension by the Jets? Peyton Manning could be a Bronco? Crazy stuff. The biggest, boldest move was the deal reported by FoxSports.com, where the Redskins will trade up to get the Rams' No. 2 pick. The deal, everyone is assuming, was made to get RG3, the Heisman Trophy winning QB from Baylor. It's quite a move, which could set up the Redskins or doom it. It also allows the Rams to beef up their roster. They'll get two future first-round picks and a second-round pick from the Redskins. The move I don't like is the three-year extension of Sanchez by the Jets. Sanchez has been overrated and overhyped by the New York media. Clearly Manning wasn't interested in the Jets or this move wouldn't have taken place. I'm still not sure what to make of Manning's visit to the Broncos. I don't think Tim Tebow is the answer for Denver, but I don't think Manning makes them an instant Super Bowl favorite.

The push for the Super Bowl begins in earnest later today, with more than an outside chance of all four home teams losing this weekend. Will it happen? Take a look below. Saints at Seahawks: The Seahawks are the first team with a losing record to make the playoffs. Does it make them a lock to lose? When the Cardinals made the playoffs two seasons ago, they were considered a lock to lose in the first round. That, of course, didn't happen and they made it to the Super Bowl. I think that's where the parallel ends, even though the Saints have never won a playoff game on the road and are missing two running backs. Drew Brees should have a field day. Saints 34-17. Jets at Colts: This is a rematch of last year's AFC title game. Rex Ryan makes it very easy to root against the Jets in this one. New York has been uneven down the stretch and Peyton Manning has had success against Ryan-coached teams. When it comes down to it, however, I don't see Mark Sanchez making a big...

Random thoughts from Super Bowl XLIV: Give Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams some credit. He was masterful with his adjustments. After giving up 10 first-quarter points, the Saints outscored the Colts 31-7. Drew Brees is a logical choice for MVP. I couldn't argue with Tracy Porter being picked, too, after his game-clinching interception. Heck, coach Sean Payton deserved consideration if a coach could get the award. What about Thomas Morstead? He's the kicker who had the best onside kick ever. It doesn't get much better than that. My memory's fuzzy, but I recall Santonio Holmes having a touchdown overturned in last year's AFC Championship Game against the Ravens. He fumbled after diving into the end zone after getting two feet down to make the catch. I'm still not sure how that was ruled incomplete and the Saints' Lance Moore got credited for a catch on the 2-point conversion. That said, Payton made a great call to challenge the catch.  Porter ...

Peyton Manning had a chance to cement his legacy Sunday night. The Colts were trailing the Saints 24-17 with less than 6 minutes left in Super Bowl XLIV. The Colts needed a touchdown. Manning needed to lead his team. Neither happened. Manning's pass was intercepted by Tracy Porter and returned 74 yards for a touchdown. It wasn't James Harrison rumbling 100 yards for a score, but it was the nail in the coffin for the Colts. Game over. A year ago, a quarterback with something to prove needed to lead his team down the field at the end of the game to win the Super Bowl. Ben Roethlisberger did it. Manning didn't. Manning can have the statistics and MVP awards. Roethlisberger has two Super Bowl rings to Manning's one. I'll take the titles. Whatever he does the rest of his career, Manning will never be able to join Joe Montana or Terry Bradshaw as having a perfect record in the big game. Roethisberger still has that chance. And Manning still had a lit...