Peyton Manning Wins NFL MVP Award
Peyton Manning has been rewarded for leading the Indianapolis Colts to nine straight wins and a playoff berth after overcoming an early season knee injury, and the ensuing offensive struggles and injury woes experienced by the Colts this season.
Today, it was announced by The Associated Press that Peyton Manning won his third NFL MVP award, tying Brett Favre as the only three-time winners in NFL history.
And the voting was not even close.
The AP MVP voting is done by a nationwide ballot of 50 NFL sportswriters and broadcasters. Peyton Manning received 32 votes, which placed him miles ahead of runners-up Chad Pennington and Michael Turner, who each garnered 4 votes. Adrian Peterson and Steelers linebacker James Harrison each received three votes. Philip Rivers garnered two votes, while Titans rookie Chris Johnson and Arizona QB Kurt Warner each got one vote a piece.
According to the story at ESPN.com:
“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.”
Peyton Manning also won the MVP award in 2004 and in 2003, the year the was named co-MVP with Steve McNair.
For the season, Manning eclipsed 4,000 yards for the ninth time to go with a 27-12 TD:INT ratio and a 95.0 passer rating. During the team’s nine-game winning streak, after it fell to 3-4, Manning has been even better. He is 209-290 with 2,248 yards and a 17:3 TD:INT ratio.
Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts travel to San Diego on Saturday night for their wild-card weekend matchup with the San Diego Chargers. The two teams know each other well, and have a history of meeting for epic clashes in the playoffs. Sunday should be no different.
Congratulations to Peyton Manning. I did not throw in my two cents before the results were announced, but I most certainly would have given my MVP award to Manning. He put the Colts on his shoulders this season after overcoming quite a troubling preseason injury. Good for Peyton, and best of luck to the Colts this weekend.
Tags: awards, Indianapolis Colts, NFL, peyton manning
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Way to go Peyton, you totally deserve it.
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He deserves the award.. Landslide winner? No DOUBT.. Go Manning!! Go Colts!!
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It’s obviously a vote due to popularity! I don’t think he deserved it one bit. Of course I’m right b/c i just watched the game and Mr. Mvp is going home now!
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JRod Reply:
January 4th, 2009 at 9:37 am
@pioneer, thanks for the comment.
However, I think it is a somewhat myopic view to look at one playoff game and cite it as proof that Peyton Manning did not deserve the MVP award. The MVP is a regular season award, which is why it is announced before the playoffs — which is what the MLB should do. There were good arguments to be made for other players, but I don’t think any of them stacked up to Peyton Manning this year. He was an MVP in both the “outstanding player” sense and the “valuable to his team” sense.
Early playoff exit or not, this team was 3-4 and would not have been anywhere close to the playoffs without Peyton Manning’s superb play over the final two months of the season. He was and is a very deserving MVP in 2008.
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Peyton you are the best and you deserve this award
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