Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning may have to have a combined MVP awards and Super Bowl Rings totalling four or five to be considered an all-time great. But today, in his prime and well on his way to a Hall of Fame career, he found Brett Favre at his best and still came away with a victory and a five touchdown performance. Not just his arm, but his management of the game was impressive.

I'm a Packer fan, obviously disappointed in the loss, but the Colts are an elite team. The fact that the Pack are 1-2 rather than 2-1 isn't because the Pack lost today, but because they lost to the Bears last week.

I recall three other impressive duals like this since I've been an NFL fan in the regular season. I used to watch far more games than I do now, so the list is skewed, not official:

1. John Elway vs. Joe Montana, 1993, Monday night. Elway does his two minute comeback in just one minute. Montana replies with a one-minute comeback and wins it for the Chiefs.
2. Dan Fouts vs. Joe Montana, 1982. Fouts' fifth touchdown pass late in the game wins it for the Chargers.
3. Barry Sanders vs. Emmit Smith, 1994. Monday night. I believe the Lions won in overtime, but both players, the best on their teams, had career games.

What was special about Favre vs. Manning is that their teams won't meet again until 2008 in the regular season. Favre might be retired by then. Yes, as a Packer fan, I'm disappointed about being 1-2, but as a football fan, I offer my congrulations to Peyton Manning.