Manning's most memorable and most heartbreaking throw of Super Bowl XLIV went for a pick-six by Tracy Porter and led to the Colts' 31-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints on Sunday night at Sun Life Stadium. That one throw cost Manning a possible second Super Bowl title and second Super Bowl MVP and - worst of all - gave his critics another round of ammunition to question his legacy.
It's harsh but inevitable that Manning shoulder the burden.
We should credit Porter, certainly. The former Indiana University player read the fourth-quarter, third-down wide pass to Reggie Wayne and jumped in front of it. He grabbed it on the run and stuck it in the end zone 74 yards later. He also stuck a dagger in every Colts fan's heart.
"He made a great play," Manning said. "That's all I can say. Porter made a heck of a play."
If we give Manning credit for his endless incredible moments, we have to hang some blame on him when he comes up short.
It doesn't make him any less of a great quarterback. But it takes some definite shine off a once-special season, and it does keep him still on the outside of the Super Bowl superstars.
"I don't think it will have any bearing (on Manning's legacy)," Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. "He's a great player. It never comes down to just one single play in a game. There are a lot of different things that happened in that game that could have put us in a different position."
That's true. The Colts didn't help themselves when they were caught unprepared and flat-footed by the Saints' onside kick to open the second half. But we've watched Manning direct so many game-changing drives, it was stunning to see him let loose a throw that went the wrong way.
Manning had protection. He had time. He made the worst possible split-second decision.
It's unfair that this decision, with the Colts driving hard, trailing 24-17, will mar what has been an incredible season by Manning. But it's also reality.
No one will spend today talking first about the great plays Manning made.
There were multiple great plays, too. Remember the classic 11-play, 96-yard drive that put the Colts up 10-0, capped by Manning's 19-yard strike to Pierre Garcon for the score? Remember, too, an unbelievable throw to Dallas Clark - nestled in the midst of five Saints defenders - that kept alive the third-quarter drive that helped the Colts regain the lead?
Within that drive was one gutsy play, when Manning put the Colts in a four-wide formation, with no running back, practically begging the Saints to blitz. He dropped, looked and hit Clark. Joseph Addai, who played a great game, finished with a spinning, touchdown run.
None of those moments stick today. Today, we won't talk about Manning's 333 yards passing, we'll talk about the pick-six and the crushing blow to a Colts season in which they were previously 16-0 in games they tried to win.
"It's the Super Bowl; you never know how it's going to turn out," Manning said. "I thought we just didn't play well enough in certain times and certain phases. They deserved to win."
Caldwell says this doesn't affect Manning's legacy. Maybe he's right. Maybe Manning will be back two or three more times and add more Super Bowl wins to his resume. Too bad that can't be guaranteed. Manning's Super Bowl mark is 1-1 now, and he's still outside the elite group of 10 quarterbacks with two Super Bowl wins.
There are many aspects in winning or losing a Super Bowl that are beyond the quarterback's control. Manning couldn't slow down Saints quarterback Drew Brees and, apparently, neither could his teammates. Brees hit 32 of 39 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns. His 81 percent completion percentage ranks second all-time.
Manning couldn't hop on the onside kick that turned momentum the Saints' direction. Manning doesn't decide whether to try iffy 51-yard field goals.
But there was one thing Manning could control - where to throw the ball - and he made a mistake. He's human. Sometimes we forget that.
"It's hard to address at this point," Manning said when asked about the city of New Orleans' reaction. "I know how excited our team was three years ago and how excited our fans in Indianapolis were, so I understand how excited the Saints players, their families and the city of New Orleans is going to be.
"Obviously, on behalf of the Colts and our team, we're very disappointed and want to say we're sorry to our fans for not being able to get it done."
Manning didn't get it done.
That's the first time I've written that line all season, and it's still hard to believe.
This column is the commentary of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The News-Sentinel. E-mail Reggie Hayes at rhayes@news-sentinel.com.
