I just can’t do it.  I can’t get all worked up when Miami waves a linebacker named Brian Johnston or signs a seventh round pick (no offense Chris McCoy).  This is the slowest part of the football year and everyone knows it.

So, I thought about doing something different.  I have spent the last few weeks pouring over Dolphins history and have come up with 50 plays that I believe to be the most significant in team history.  These aren’t the 50 best plays or even the 50 most memorable.  That’s been done.  Some of these plays didn’t even come in Dolphin wins, but they are no less important to remember.

These are the plays that have defined the Dolphins over more than four decades.  This project will be divided into a five-part series with 10 plays described in each article.  I haven’t ranked these plays in a particular order because during this series I want your feedback.  At the end of the process I want you to vote for the 10 most significant plays.  So without further ado, here are 10 plays to start us off.

1972 Larry Seiple’s fake punt

With the Dolphins trailing the Steelers 7-0 in the AFC Championship Game and the team’s perfect season in jeopardy, Seiple lumbered 37 yards all the way down to the Pittsburgh 12-yard line.  Earl Morrall flipped a nine-yard pass to Larry Csonka for a 7-7 halftime deadlock.  Legendary Pittsburgh coach Chuck Noll simply said of Seiple’s run, “That play changed the game.”  

Without the play 17-0 and the immortality of the 1972 team arguably never happen.

1982 John Riggins Super Bowl run

Many fans remember Riggins shrugging off Dolphin cornerback Don McNeal on his way to a 43-yard touchdown and a 27-17 Super Bowl victory for the Redskins.  But do you remember that the play, “70 chip,” came on 4th-and-inches?  

I talked to McNeal years later about the play.  The missed tackle initially haunted him so much that he wound up buying a huge picture of the moment and put it up in his living room.  Poignantly, this was a big step in McNeal facing his demons and moving on with his life. 

In terms of significance in Dolphins history, Riggins’ romp ended the team’s best shot of ending its Super Bowl drought that has lasted since the 1973 season.   

1971 Larry Csonka’s Christmas jaunt

On a play called ‘roll right trap left’ Csonka bruised for 29 yards to the Chiefs 36.  The run eventually put Garo Yepremiam in position to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day with a 37-yard field goal. 

In addition to being the NFL’s longest game (82 minutes and 40 seconds), it was Miami’s first-ever playoff win. 

1993 Marino Achilles Tendon Rupture

The previous year Miami had lost the AFC Championship game, but it was considered favorites to make it back and perhaps go the Super Bowl.  In game five of the season against Cleveland, after throwing a swing pass, Marino, who was untouched on the play, crumpled to the ground in pain with a torn Achilles tendon and was out for the season. 

The only major injury of Marino’s career took away one of his last best shots to win a Super Bowl ring.  It also made the Hall of Famer very immobile, and, as Dolphin fans know, he wasn’t ”fleet of foot” to begin with.  

2008 Ronnie Brown and the birth of the Wildcat
Something had to be done to stop the 21-game regular season winning streak of the New England Patriots, but no one could have predicted how it would happen. 

Running back Ronnie Brown lined up in the Shotgun and ran for four touchdowns, but it was a skill that very few knew he had that put him on this list.  Rolling to his left, he pitched a 19-yard touchdown to a wide open Anthony Fasano. 

The Dolphins crushed the Patriots, 38-13.  In terms of significance the new formation, and being able to pass out of it on occasion, has given defenses more to think about every since.

1994 Stoyanovich is wide right

Miami blew a 21-6 lead, and the lost advantage is one of Miami’s few memorable ones in the playoffs.  When Pete Stoyanovich, a great Dolphins kicker, lined up for a 48-yard game-winning field goal attempt with eight seconds left, I had the palpable sense that he would make it. 

Perhaps that’s when paranoia about the Dolphins being cursed set in for some fans.  The primary significance was that the Chargers went onto the Super Bowl, and it could have, perhaps should have, been Miami. 

2000 Lamar Smith’s career day and final touch

Lamar Smith had a productive 10-year NFL career with 4,853 yards and 38 touchdowns. 

Unfortunately, he is probably best known for a vehicular accident in which he had been drinking and driving.  The tragic car wreck left Carolina Panthers teammate Mike Frier paralyzed from the waste down. 

But for one day, Lamar Smith was able to shine as a player.  That day came against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card Round of the AFC playoffs.  Smith carried the ball 40 times for 209 yards, but it was the last carry that was most significant. 

In overtime, with Miami safely in field goal range, Smith ran 17 yards and just crossed the goal line as his teammates celebrated wildly. 

The play was especially significant because it capped arguably the best performance by a non-star in Miami’s history and was one of the most dramatic final plays in the team’s lore. 

1974 Clarence Davis and the Sea of Hands

Miami’s dream of three straight championships came to an abrupt nightmare when Oakland running back Clarence Davis somehow wrestled the ball away from three defenders in the end zone on a wobbly eight-yard pass from Kenny Stabler with 26 seconds left for a 28-26 Raiders victory. 

It was also the last game that Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick and Paul Warfield played for the Dolphins together. (Csonka returned for a year in 1979) The trio departed for the short-lived World Football League in 1975, and Miami’s dream of a dynasty left too.

1966 Joe Auer’s kickoff return

A franchise’s first touchdown probably belongs on a significant play list.  When the score is a 95-yard kickoff return to open the game and your owner (Danny Thomas) is sprinting down the sideline with the player, the play makes the Top 50 list. 

1981 Hook-and-Lateral

With only six seconds left in the first half and the Fins trailing 24-10 with the ball resting at the San Diego Charger 40-yard line, Miami quarterback Don Strock threw a pass to wide receiver Duriel Harris.  The rest is what announcer Don Criqui called, “What a play! What a play!  Hall of Fame!  Hall of Fame football play!  That goes to Canton.”

As he was about to go down, Harris lateraled the ball to running back Tony Nathan, who never broke stride on his way to the end zone.  That Miami eventually lost one of the greatest games ever played is important, but ask longtime Dolphin fans to associate one play with the Dolphins, and this is the most common answer.  I still get chills watching the play nearly 30 years later.

Read more Miami Dolphins news on BleacherReport.com

I’m sitting around with nothing to do, so my mind naturally turns to the Lions. Not sure what that says about me.

Fortunately this affliction has a large support group.

Anyways, I’m sitting here thinking what if Stafford takes the next step this year?

It happens all the time. Some QBs who made the Pro Bowl in their second year include Drew Bledsoe, Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb. It took Montana three years, but he had only eight starts going into that third season so I’m going to count him too.

Even John Elway and Troy Aikman had huge leaps in their games by the second year.

A quick rundown of those six QBs I mentioned shows that in their second year of starting, five of them made the playoffs. For three of those teams, it had been a while since that happened.

Most importantly, they turned a collective 29 and 67 record around into 67 and 29 in their 2nd year starting. Nice.

I would take an average 11 and 5 season and the playoffs this year.

So let’s just suppose Stafford fits in that group. The question becomes, “have the Lions done enough around him?”

How well do the moves the Lions have made over the last two years match what those teams did with their rookie QB?

I am dropping the Broncos from the mix because they were a good team before Elway got there. We don’t need things like having a defense in place mucking up the comparisons.

Montana and Aikmen are also different cases, as both made the playoffs in their third year. However, I will argue that it was a different NFL back then. It took a little longer due to the differences with free agency rules back then.

I considered counting the first two years as one but then why bother. We have three pretty good test cases now with Manning, Bledsoe and McNabb.

All three were taking over teams that were bad— maybe not Lions bad, but still pretty bad. Actually New England might have been worse, the Patriots had nine wins in the three years before Parcells came in while the Lions had ten wins leading into Schwartz.

Looking at the way they built their teams, there are some similarities.

For one, they gutted everything. Within two years, all three new regimes had changed 48 of the 66 starting positions. That’s an average of six remaining starters.

The Lions have kept Calvin, Backus, Raiola and Peterman. Guess we should count Cherilous, maybe Bullocks or K Smith. That sounds about right, five or six tops.

They developed players already on the squad. From players like Ben Coates and Todd Collins to Marcus Pollard or Jerimiah Trottier, the new coaching staffs found a couple of good players with a little work.

That’s good news for Cliff Avril and the handful of Millen draftees left. Most likely a player or two will emerge to be solid.

Not as many free agent signings as you might think.

Indy and Philly were the most conservative with only four starters; while Parcells went crazy in New England and had seven. Though most of Parcells free agents didn’t stick around long.

The Lions have added Sims, Burleson, Heller, Williams, KVB, Peterson and Houston through trades. That’s seven, and I did say the Patriots were the most similar in lack of talent.

Two of the teams went with a defensive line player with their top pick the next year after taking the QB. It was the Patriots with McGinest and Philly with Corey Simon, while the Colts of course went with a RB named Edgerrin James. Sounds like the Colts don’t it.

They all built through the draft, but maybe not as much as you would expect.

The Patriots hit a home run in the Bledsoe draft with four other starters and a nice compliment of role players. What you might not know is the next year, other than McGinest, the draft only netted a 6th round OT for four years and a two year punter.

Including Manning, the Colts only had three long term starters and two four year starters out of those two drafts. Oh, and a punter.

The Eagles only added three players who started four years to McNabb. No punter but they did add a handful of role players.

Add that up and it wouldn’t take much more for the Lions’ last two drafts to at least equal what they did. It looks like it might be six starters now from the last years’ class alone.

I have got to say there isn’t a lot of difference between what Schwartz and Mayhew have done and what the Patriots, Colts and Eagles did in the same situation.

The schedule really doesn’t make any difference, the Colts had nine teams on their schedule who made the playoffs the year before. The Lions have seven playoff teams to deal with on their schedule.

Teams go from bad to good and good to bad in the blink of an eye or a tear of the hamstring. Something clicks and all of a sudden no team looks too good to beat.

That’s what makes predicting a win total so hard. It’s not who will they add yet or who will be injured, while those things do matter it’s more about when will they get that spark?

The Colts started out 2 and 2 then went on a eleven game winning streak while the Cowboys struggled through ten games with a 3 and 7 record before they put together a four game winning streak near the end.

If the Lions hit their stride within four games double digit wins and the playoffs are possible. They take half the season or more and they finish around six to eight wins.

Does it matter?

Depends on your goal. If the goal is the Super Bowl than no, making the playoffs in their second year makes little difference. Dallas didn’t make the playoffs until the third year and won the Super Bowl in year four; while the Colts took nine years to do it.

Would you give up the playoffs on 2010 if it meant the Lions made the Super Bowl five years faster?

Let’s just count the nay votes, it will go faster.

2010 is still a developmental year for the Lions. It’s more about building that Stafford to Calvin connection and seeing some development out of some of these borderline players.

The Lions have put a lot of young defensive players in with a couple of hand picked veterans and how far those prospects advance is worth more than a 500 record in the long run.

So that’s what I am predicting.

Stafford and Calvin become deadly. Actually, Stafford and anyone can hurt you but with Calvin it’s lethal.

The offensive line continues to improve, with or without Cherilous.

Best brings a little excitement to the running game, should make a dynamic duo when K Smith is 100 percent.

Pettigrew works his way back to what they expected and the whole offense clicks a little better with the two TE offense working on all cylinders.

Suh plays well, flashes some greatness but exposes some of his inexperience. Looks like a leader though.

Levy, Hill and Delmas show improvement, great rookie years but a long ways to go yet.

A couple of players like Avril or Houston emerge as legitimate starters on the defense. I don’t expect a top ten defense but they need to keep finding and developing good players.

In the long run those are the questions we need answered in 2010.

Read more Detroit Lions news on BleacherReport.com

The purpose of this presentation is to highlight (lowlight?) the 10 worst teams in NFL history. While this is largely subjective, and you can certainly debate the order, there is no debating that each of these teams were really bad at football.

It’s also interesting to see how teams have improved over time. From a miserable 1990 season, the Patriots certainly have become one of the NFL’s winning-est franchises, thanks largely to a fellow by the name of Tom Brady.

Likewise, the 1991 Colts were abysmal, yet have gone on to achieve great things with a terrific QB of their won in Peyton Manning.

The 1989 Cowboys season was the first for Jerry Jones and Jimmy Johnson and also the rookie year for QB Troy Aikman. They improved to 7-9 the next year, followed by an 11-5 record and a return to the playoffs just two years removed from that miserable ‘89 season.

So let’s take a look at some of football’s worst teams. Hey, it just might make you feel better about your team going into the new season this year!

Begin Slideshow

It’s the middle of June and still nobody wants Terrell Owens. One team that could take chance on Terrell Owens could be the Tennessee Titans.

The Titans need wide receiver help. All they have is Kenny Britt, Nate Washington, and Justin Gage. They obviously could use Terrell Owens to take on Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts.

Jeff Fisher would be a great coach for Owens as well. If this were to happen, I would expect him to be on his good behavior with the team.

Even though the Titans are a heavy run team with Chris Johnson, Owens could help make Vince Young a better quarterback.

The Titans could turn into a more balanced offense with Terrell Owens.

When you look at Vince Young and Kerry Collins’s combined passing yards, they only had 3,104 yards. That’s worse then most NFL teams.

Terrell Owens could easily bring up that number by at least 500 to 700 yards.

Some people think Owens is washed up, but when he gets the ball he can be a dangerous wide receiver to cover.

Look what he did in with the Dallas Cowboys before he went to the Buffalo Bills, everyone thought he was washed up after his run with the Philadelphia Eagles, but he still was one of the best in the NFL.

The reason why he didn’t do as much in Buffalo is due to their running game and Lee Evans.

Owens would fit right into the Titans’ offense. He could help improve the passing game a lot.

Overall, Terrell Owens to the Tennessee Titans would be a great edition and possibly a playoff berth next season.

Read more Tennessee Titans news on BleacherReport.com

Money is the root of all evil.

Some people, however, are less greedy than others. They find goodness in their heart to make allowances for others.

In the 2000s, Tom Brady was that guy. With one last chance to cash in on big money, though, he may not be so charitable this time around.

I recently read a well-written article by Michael Schottey about Peyton Manning and his hunger for success, which goes above and beyond his desire for money. 

The same can be said for Brady, who has bowed to the Patriots’ front office on more than one occasion in order to allow his team to sign better talent.

Forget about guys like Michael Crabtree and JaMarcus Russell, who know more about getting paid than playing in the NFL, and who don’t have a shred of team loyalty when it comes to dollars and “sense.”

Forget about the laundry list of players who are refusing to show up for OTAs until their contractual demands are met, including Darrelle Revis, who possibly just committed the most selfish act of the OTAs by faking an injury to sit out while in the throes of a contract dispute.

Better yet, keep them in mind when you remember that Brady has sweat and laid his body on the line for the Patriots week-in and week-out for nearly a decade, all without even letting out a sigh of frustration.

Hometown discount? He’s so obsessed with winning that he was willing to give up money to allow himself to do that for a long period of time.

He has been the quintessential team-first guy from day one, so why shouldn’t he expect to be handsomely rewarded for years of selflessness?

His altruism in contractual matters has earned him respect not just in New England’s locker room and front office, but across the NFL.

Brady is making around $5 million this year, while other top-end quarterbacks are making closer to $15 million.

And we can’t expect him to take the home town discount forever.

Sad, but true.

It can’t help but to be looked at as a sick joke at times; last year alone, David Garrard and Jay Cutler both had higher salaries than the two-time Super Bowl MVP. Even the young padawan Matt Cassel was making more than his jedi teacher.

Like Manning, Brady has indulged in a few extracurricular gigs for extra cash flow, but we’ll let that slide on the ground that he wasn’t making as much as other quarterbacks worse than him over the years. 

So why not pay the man who has meant everything to the organization in the 2000’s?

It’s one thing to appreciate Brady while he’s a Patriot by verbally handing him the credit for New England’s recent success, and overstating the obvious in terms of how lucky we are as fans to have a quarterback of his historic caliber; it’s something different entirely to put your money where your mouth is, which should be located somewhere close to Brady’s bank account.

There’s no reason why Brady shouldn’t be comfortably compensated for his help in keeping his team in contention for the past decade.

That’s likely to be the case, with his new contract being at least slightly dependent on Manning’s future record-breaking contract extension.

And boy, it’s about time.

The promise made by Jim Irsay that Manning will be the highest-paid player in the league means that he’ll be getting around $22 million a year, while Eli Manning currently nets $16 million as the league’s highest-paid quarterback.

Brady is waiting because he wants to have a contract in comparison to Peyton Manning, not his younger brother.

The two are compared time and time again in every other way. It’s understandable that he would want to be competitive with Peyton in terms of their respective contract extensions. 

After all, that’s just the competitive nature we’ve come to expect from Brady.

Read more New England Patriots news on BleacherReport.com

Flashback to Feb. 4, 2007. Super Bowl XLI: The day the monkey—I take that back—gorilla was lifted from Manning’s back.

Feb. 4, 2007 was also the day that gorilla was lifted off of Tony Dungy’s back, Jim Irsay’s back, Bill Polian’s back and the Indianapolis Colts’ back. 

Feb. 4, 2007 was a great day for football. Whether you love him or hate him, Peyton Manning, arguably the greatest quarterback of all time, had “finally” won the big game. Notice the quotations around “finally.”

Flashback to the entire 1998 season, Manning’s first in the league. His Colts went a dreadful 3-13, but a lot of that can be contributed to a defense that allowed 27 points per game. He threw 26 touchdowns and was named to the All-Rookie team. He also threw an abysmal 28 interceptions, a terrible number.

He definitely showed signs of brilliance with a game-winning drive against the Jets, 26 touchdowns and 3,739 yards passing. On an interesting note, the Colts lost five games they had been leading by double-digit points, something that the defense could have prevented. With a good defense, Manning could have gone 8-8 in his rookie season.

Manning’s first 4,000-yard season was in 1999. Manning led the Colts to an amazing 13-3 season, a ten-game swing. The Colts earned a bye for the first round of the playoffs, but lost in its first playoff game to the Super Bowl-bound Titans. If you’re going to lose, lose to the best. 

Manning threw for 4,135 yards and 26 passing touchdowns while almost cutting his interception total in half, throwing 15. He led the biggest turnaround in NFL history, showing he could play when it mattered and how important he is to the Colts. Manning earned his first Pro Bowl birth.

2000 meant the first big prime time performance and the first heartbreak. After a 1-1 start, the Colts met the Jaguars on Monday Night Football. Manning showed up to play. He threw for 430 yards and four touchdowns. The Colts had its first decent season under Manning. Under a third-year quarterback, the Colts was woeful, great and decent.

In the playoffs, the Colts lost to the Dolphins 23-17 in overtime in the wild card round. The Dolphins won the toss in overtime, but was forced to punt. In comes Manning. On third and 12, he hit Marvin Harrison for a gain of 11. Mike Vanderjagt stepped in for a field goal. He missed wide right and the rest is history.

The Dolphins went 61 yards in 11 plays to win. Manning’s defense had again cost him. Manning finished the season with 4,413 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and again 15 interceptions. Manning had his first game with a perfect rating in 2000. Manning returned to the Pro Bowl.

2001 was the downfall, and the invention of the future. In 2001, the Colts introduced its signature no-huddle offense, something only previously used in the two-minute drill. It was a dominant performance in week one, but that was the bright spot of the Colts’ season. 

The Colts offense scored the second-most points in the NFL. Unfortunately for Manning and company, their defense gave up the most points in the NFL. The Colts finished 6-10 and obviously missed the playoffs. Manning threw for 4,131 yards, 26 touchdowns, ran for four touchdowns and threw a very high 23 touchdowns, a Brett Favre-like number. Manning did not make the Pro Bowl.

2002 was the second turnaround. The Colts hired Tony Dungy to coach. The first season was another decent season, but its playoff performance was horrendous. It lost to the Jets 41-0 in the wild card round.

Once again, Manning’s defense did not show up in the playoffs, but for the first time, neither did he. Manning fell to 0-3 in his playoff career. Manning threw for 4,200 yards, 27 touchdowns, 19 interceptions, a perfect rating and a pro bowl birth. The Colts began its push towards greatness in this season.

Manning had a great 2003 season. He led the Colts to a 12-4 record and won the MVP trophy. He threw for a league-leading 4,267 yards, 29 touchdowns, 10 interceptions and another game with a perfect passer rating. This was the only MVP trophy he shared

Manning also won his first playoff game throwing for 377 yards and five touchdowns. The Colts beat the Broncos 41-10. Manning’s defense decided to show up and they finally won. Manning had a very clutch performance. 

The next week, the Colts beat the heavily favored Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. They won 38-31. Neither team punted in the game. Even without the defense showing up, the Colts still won, largely attributed to Manning. The run came to an end in the AFC Title game, losing to New England 24-14. Manning threw four interceptions in what is sometimes regarded as the worst performance of his illustrious career.

In 2004, Manning won his second MVP. He threw for a then record 49 touchdowns. However, Manning had 49 touchdowns through 16 games compared to Brady’s 48. Brady threw two touchdowns in week 17, whereas Manning played two drives and rested for the playoffs.

Manning had a record 121.1 passer rating on the season. He threw for 4,557 yards on the season, 49 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. The Colts won the wild card round once again against the Broncos. Manning threw for 458 yards and four touchdowns. However, the Colts’ season ended once again in Foxboro, losing 20-3. Manning was a pro-bowler again.

Manning did not have a repeat of his 2004 season in the following year. He finished with 3,747 passing yards and 28 touchdowns. His low yardage can be attributed to sitting out much of the final two games with the top seed clinched.

After a bye week, the Steelers came to the RCA Dome. After a back and forth game, Manning threw an interception. The interception was overturned, and the Colts went on to score. The Colts got the ball back near the end of the game. Manning was sacked at his own 1-yard line. With the Steelers seemingly having the game in the bag, “the Bus” fumbled. Nick Harper picked it up. Harper had been stabbed in the knee two days prior the by his wife.

Once again, luck was against Manning. 

With a clear path down the sideline, Harper ran to the middle. Roethlisberger was able to trip him up. Manning and the Colts got the ball to the 27 for the most accurate kicker in NFL history. It seemed the Colts would finally get a break. Vanderjagt missed so far right he missed the netting as time expired. Vanderjagt was never brought back to the Colts. Heartbreak again set in for Manning.

The Super Bowl is so sweet. He finally reached it. Manning would not be denied. For once, his defense had carried him to this point.

Manning was named Super Bowl MVP in 2006. He threw for 247 yards, a touchdown and an interception. His shining moment however, was in the AFC title game. After falling behind 21-3, Manning took over. He led the Colts to 32 points in the second-half. He finished the game with 349 yards and two TDs (one rushing). People still say he isn’t clutch.

After a 7-0 start, the Colts lost to the Patriots in “Superbowl 41.5.” Manning did not bounce back well. He threw six INTs against San Diego the next week. After that performance, he still led the Colts back to win. 

People still say he’s not clutch. The Colts won its next five games and locked up the two seed. They lost in the divisional round to the Chargers. Manning threw for 402 yards and three touchdowns. If 400 yards in the playoffs isn’t clutch I don’t know what is. Manning finished the season with 4,040 passing yards and 31 touchdown passes, and a QB rating of 98.0, his first under 100 in three years.

Manning led the Colts to a 12-4 record. He won his third NFL MVP award. He tied Brett Favre for most MVP awards of all time.

Manning extended his record to nine seasons with 4,000 yards passing. He also extended the record of six straight seasons with 12 plus wins. The Colts played the Chargers in the wild card playoff game. Down 14-10 at the half, Manning rallied the troops. Manning put the Colts ahead 17-14 when he and Reggie Wayne hooked up on a 72-yard touchdown pass. 

His defense let him down again, with the Chargers hitting a 22-yard field goal late in the fourth. The game went to overtime and the Chargers won the toss. Once again, his defense failed, as the Chargers scored on its first possession. Manning finished the season with 4,002 yards, 27 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and even more doubters.

As most of you know, the Colts began the 2009 season 14-0. Jim Caldwell, the first-year coach, made the controversial decision to rest his starters. The Colts finished the season 14-2 with zero momentum going into the playoffs.

Manning however was brilliant during the season. He won his fourth NFL MVP, breaking the record. He finished with 4,500 yards, 33 touchdowns, 16 interceptions (seven INTs touched his own receiver’s hand before picking picked) and a 99.9 QB rating. Manning was absolutely brilliant. 

Manning and the Colts blew out the Ravens 20-3 in the divisional round. They then faced the New York Jets, the team that ended their undefeated season. The Colts won 30-17, Manning throwing for 377 yards and three touchdowns. 

The Colts was Super Bowl-bound again. Drew Brees vs. Peyton Manning, the two best QBs in the game today. What more could we ask for? The game lived up to the hype. Brees and Manning both played amazingly well. Manning made one mistake, allowing Tracy Porter to jump the route and take it to the house. The Saints won 31-17. 

Many put the loss squarely on Manning. Manning threw for 333 yards, on 31-45 passing. He only had one touchdown, but Reggie Wayne dropped a pass in the end zone with around a minute left. Manning and the Colts had another heartbreaking loss in the playoffs. People still said Manning could not win the big game

Fast-forward to Feb. 6, 2011 in Dallas, Texas. Expect to see the Colts, led by Manning, jogging out of the tunnel to take the field. Manning is too good not to get his team back there. Could we see a two-time Super Bowl MVP? I’d bet on it. With a healthy Dwight Freeney, a more experienced receiving corps, more experience at Head Coach, and Peyton Manning under center, they have as good a chance as anyone.

For all of the people who still believe Manning isn’t clutch, or can’t win the big game, maybe these stats will change your mind. These are his records in the playoffs.

Manning holds the record for most 300 yard passing games with nine.

Manning is tied for the record for most 400 yard passing games with two.

Led the biggest comeback in conference championship game history (18 points), 1/21/07 vs. New England

One of only four QBs to post a perfect 158.3 rating in a game (Don Meredith, Terry Bradshaw, Dave Krieg)

Most games with 20+ completions: 14

Most games with 30+ completions: 4

Most games with 30+ attempts: 17

Most games with 40+ attempts: 8

Most completions and attempts in a single postseason: 97/153 (2006)

One of only two quarterbacks to complete 80 percent of his passes in two playoff games (tied with Kurt Warner)

These are his career playoff stats.

18 games with nine wins total

A 62.9% completion percentage

5,164 yards

28 touchdowns

19 interceptions

87.6 passer rating

That translates to what would be a good 18-game season. If you subtracted his first two seasons, his stats are:

16 games with nine wins

4,743 passing yards

28 touchdowns

19 interceptions

62.5% completion percentage

86.7 passer rating

That is a decent season. He is high on interceptions, but has a good completion percentage and yardage. Manning does in the playoffs what he has to, to win games. You can take away two games from his playoff career and his interception total falls to 11.

Manning has not always performed well in the playoffs, but if you take away two or three games, Manning’s stats look great. 

Here are other records Manning holds that involve performing well in crunch-time:

Highest passer rating, season: 121.1 (2004)

Most seasons with at least 4,000 passing yards: 10 (1999–2004, 2006–2009)

Most consecutive seasons with at least 4,000 passing yards: 6 (1999–2004)

Most consecutive seasons with at least 20 touchdown passes: 12 (1998–2009; current, tied with Brett Favre)

Most consecutive seasons with at least 25 touchdown passes: 12 (1998–2009; current)

Most games with a perfect passer rating, career: 4 (includes one playoff game)

Most consecutive games started to open a career by a quarterback (current): 192

Most consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes: 13 (games 1–13, 2004)

Most consecutive games with at least four touchdown passes: 5 (games 7–11, 2004)

Most games with at least four touchdown passes, season: 6 (2004; tied with 1984 Marino)

Most games with at least five touchdown passes, career: 7 (includes 1 playoff game)

One of only seven QBs with at least six touchdown passes in two games (tied with Sammy Baugh, Y.A. Tittle, Daryle Lamonica, Tom Brady, Charley Johnson and George Blanda)

Most career touchdown passes in Thursday games: 23

Most touchdown passes on a Thursday game: 6 (tied with Bob Griese)

Largest career TD-INT differential: 185

Highest career passing TDs/game average (min. 150 TD passes): 1.91 TDs/game

Highest career passing yards/game average: 261.1

Highest career completions/game average (min. 100 games played): 22.0

Most consecutive games with a passer rating over 100: 9 (games 5–13 of 2004 season; record tied by Carson Palmer, 2004–05 and Tom Brady, 2006–07)

Highest completion percentage by a QB in one month in NFL history (min. 75 attempts): 81.8% (December 2008)

Most career games with a completion percentage of 70% or higher (min. 10 attempts): 59

Most consecutive regular season wins as a starter: 23 (2008–2009)

Most seasons with 10+ wins as a starter (regular season only): 10 (1999–2000, 2002–2009)

Most seasons with 12+ wins as a starter (regular season only): 8 (1999, 2003–2009)

Only QB with at least 12 wins as a starter in seven consecutive seasons (2003–2009)

Only QB with eight straight seasons of 10+ wins as a starter (2002–2009)

Only QB to lead five consecutive fourth quarter comeback wins (games 7–11, 2009)

Most fourth quarter comeback wins in one season: 7 (2009)

First QB to defeat the other 31 teams in the regular season (Tom Brady did this later the same day, and Brett Favre did it the following week)

Most wins as a starting QB in a decade, regular season only: 115 (2000s)

Most wins as a starting QB in a decade, regular & postseason: 124 (2000s)

Most AP NFL MVP Awards: 4 (2003, 2004, 2008, 2009)

Most Touchdown Passes in a decade: 314 (2000s)

Many of these stats show Manning’s ability to stay healthy, his ability to lead fourth-quarter comebacks and the fact that he truly does perform in the clutch.

Thanks for the read. Please comment on whether you agree or disagree, whether you like it or not, and leave any suggestions you have. Thanks.

Read more Indianapolis Colts news on BleacherReport.com

Knowshon Moreno :

He finished his high school career with 6,268 career rushing yards, 128 touchdowns, and 728 points. His rushing yards are second all-time in New Jersey high school ranks, while he is New Jersey’s all-time leading scorer.

Moreno was named the SEC Freshman of the Week three times and SEC Offensive Player of the Week once. He was named onto the all-SEC first team and was the unanimous SEC Freshman of the Year. He was the featured tailback on the Freshman All-American first team and was named to the All-Freshman SEC team. Sporting News named him Freshman Offensive Player of the Year.

Moreno finished the season with 1,334 yards on 248 carries for 14 touchdowns. He also added 253 receiving yards on 20 receptions. -freshman year college

He finished the 2008 season with 1,792 yards of total offense (1,400 rushing on 250 carries and 392 yards on 33 receptions) and scored 18 touchdowns (16 rushing, 2 receiving). He was named the team’s offensive MVP. He finished second in Doak Walker award voting, behind Shonn Greene . He was named first-team All-SEC for the second consecutive year, and was a second-team All-American selection. On January 7, 2009,- sophmore yr college

2010 outlook 1,000 yrds plus season.

Tim Tebow :

In 2007 he was named to FHSAA’s All-Century Team that listed the Top 33 football players in the state of Florida’s 100 year history of high school football.

Tebow played a role in the Gators’ victory in the 2007 BCS National Championship Game against Ohio State . He threw for one touchdown and rushed for another, finishing with 39 rushing yards. He finished 2006 with the second-most rushing yards on the Gator team- freshman 2006.

Tebow finished the regular season with 217 completed passes in 317 attempts for 3132 yards gained and 29 touchdowns with six interceptions—giving him the second highest passing efficiency in the nation with 177.8. Additionally, he rushed 194 times for 838 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground through 11 games- sophmore yr in coolege.

After the season was over, Tebow became a favorite for the Heisman Trophy, given to the most outstanding college football player of the year, which he won on December 8 in New York City. He also received the Davey O’Brien Award , annually given to the best quarterback in the nation, on February 18 in Fort Worth, TX.

Tebow led the Gators to a 12–1 record in 2008. After clinching the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division title, the team played for and won the SEC title in the 2008 SEC Championship Game against the Alabama Crimson Tide . The win secured the #2 ranking in the final BCS standings , which earned the Gators the chance to play the #1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners in the 2009 BCS National Championship Game , which they won 24–14.

In the 2010 Sugar Bowl , Tebow’s last college game, he had 533 yards of total offense—a record for a Bowl Championship Series game—and accounted for four touchdowns in a 51–24 Florida win against Cincinnati .

Tim Tebow ran for his 50th and 51st rushing touchdowns, breaking the SEC career record previously held by former Georgia running back Herschel Walker .

Brady Quinn :

Quinn accepted Willingham’s scholarship and attended the University of Notre Dame , where he shattered 36 Fighting Irish records during his four seasons with the team. There were ten career records, twelve single-season records, four single-game records and ten miscellaneous records broken by Quinn throughout those four years, including the record for career pass attempts with 1,602, completions with 929, yards-per-game with 239.6, touchdown passes with 95, and the Irish’s lowest interception percentage with 2.43. Quinn won 29 games as a starter at Notre Dame

not bad for Tebows backup. yup I went there.

Demaryius Thomas :

Thomas sat out the 2006 season as a redshirt . In 2007 , he saw action in all 13 games including 10 starts , and recorded 35 receptions for 558 yards to rank as the leading Georgia Tech receiver by a wide margin. In the 2007 Humanitarian Bowl , he made four receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown. The Sporting News named Thomas to its freshman All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) first team and a freshman All-America honorable mention.^{[ 2]}

In 2008 , Paul Johnson was hired as the head coach and implemented the run-heavy triple option offense . Thomas considered transferring but decided against it. During the season, he recorded 39  receptions for 627 yards and three touchdowns as the leading receiver. Despite being a heavily run-oriented system, as one of the team’s few experienced players, Thomas recorded relatively high numbers. Still, compared with other receivers in the Atlantic Coast Conference , such as leader D. J. Boldin of Wake Forest , Thomas’ statistics were much smaller. He said, “Sometimes I think about [not getting many passes], but most of the time I just want to win.”

Thomas’ mark was the best of any wide receiver from the school since Calvin Johnson in 2006. Against Duke , he caught nine receptions for 230 yards, the second-most in a single-game in school history.

In 2009, during his Junior (redshirt) year at GT, Thomas had 46 receptions for 1,154 yards and 8 touchdowns. This earned him 1st team All-ACC honors. He finished his career at Georgia Tech with 120 catches for 2,339 and 14 TDs.

Many draft experts had him gaining momentum with NFL scouts going into the last couple weeks leading up to the draft and most had him as the number one or two-rated wide receiver, along with Dez Bryant, in the 2010 NFL Draft , including Sporting News .

Eddie Royal :

2004

Royal received freshman All-America honors from The NFL Draft Report after hauling in 28 passes for 470 yards (16.8 avg.) with three touchdowns in 12 games (11 starts) as a true freshman… Returned 25 punts for 274 yards (11.0 avg.) and gained 346 yards on 12 kickoff returns (28.8 avg.) and totaled 1,101 all-purpose yards.

2005

Royal started all 13 games as a sophomore, finishing third on Virginia Tech with 27 receptions for 315 yards (11.7 avg.) with two scores while adding 10 rushes for 79 yards with one touchdown . He returned 32 punts for 263 yards (8.2 avg.) and 14 kickoffs for 293 yards (20.9 avg.) to account for 950 all-purpose yards .

2006

Royal played 13 games (9 starts) during his junior year and picked up second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors while being named an honorable mention All-American by Sports Illustrated . Royal caught 31 passes for 497 yards (16.0 avg.) with three touchdowns , he led the ACC and ranked 12th in the nation with a 13.2-yard punt return average (23-304) with one touchdown . he added 431 yards on 19 kickoff returns (22.7 avg.) and five rushes for 24 yards . He threw a 53-yard touchdown on a trick play against Georgia Bulldogs in the Peach Bowl . Royal finished with 1,256 all-purpose yards (96.7 ypg.).

2007

Royal during his tenure at Virginia Tech.

He played 13 games with 11 starts , earning first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors and second-team All-America accolades from The NFL Draft Report , he posted career highs in receptions (33-496) and receiving touchdowns (4). Led the ACC and ranked 10th in the nation with a 14.7-yard punt return average (31-455) and scored two touchdowns on punt returns . He Added 14 kickoff returns for 316 yards (22.6 avg.) and eight rushes for 112 yards (14.0 avg.) . Finished with 1,379 all-purpose yards (106.1 ypg.), he finished first in career all-purpose yards in school history (4,686), fourth in career receptions (119), fifth in receiving touchdowns (12) and sixth in receiving yards (1,778).

He was also the Atlantic Coast Conference ’s (ACC) all-time leader in punt return yards (1,296). Royal received second-team All-ACC honors in 2006 and first-team All-ACC honors in 2007 . The Hokies won the Coastal division and secured a bid the 2007 ACC Championship Game in Jacksonville, Florida , there, they faced a rematch with Boston College , champions of the Atlantic Division . Matt Ryan was unable to seize the victory with Two fourth-quarter interceptions , sealed the Hokie win and an automatic bid to the Orange Bowl game . Royal finished the game with 4 receptions , 63 yards and 1 TD . He also played in the 2008 Orange Bowl . Royal majored in sociology .

• 2-time Diet Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week – Weeks 1 and 10 (2008)
• First-team All-ACC (2007)
• Second-team All-ACC (2006)
• AFC Special Teams Player of the Week (2009)
• AFC Special Teams Player of the Month (October 2009)

Brandon Stokely :

Baltimore Ravens

Stokley was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens out of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the fourth round (105th pick overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft . Stokley won a championship ring in Super Bowl XXXV as a member of the Ravens . In the game, he caught 3 passes for 52 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.

Indianapolis Colts

In 2003 Stokley signed with the Indianapolis Colts . On December 26, 2004, Stokley received the record-breaking 21-yard touchdown pass for Peyton Manning in the hunt to break Dan Marino ’s record of 48 touchdown passes in a season. That year, he had a breakthrough season with 68 passes caught for 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns and an average of 15.8 yards per catch. Furthermore, the TD catch made the 2004 Colts the first NFL team to have three WRs with 1000 receiving yards and 10 TDs or more in a season, the other two being Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison . The next two seasons of Stokley’s career were marred by various injuries. After he participated in only four games of the 2006 season , the Indianapolis Colts terminated his contract on March 1, 2007.

Denver Broncos

Stokley signed with the Denver Broncos on March 14. On December 7, 2007, he signed a 3-year extension with the team. In the Broncos’ 2009 season opener, with 28 seconds left in the game, he caught a pass intended for Brandon Marshall but tipped by Leon Hall and took it 87 yards in to the end zone for the winning score. At the endzone, he ran six seconds off the clock ensuring a win for the Denver Broncos who at the time, were losing to the Cincinnati Bengals 7-6. With Stokley’s touchdown, the final score was 12-7 and the Denver Broncos got their first 2009 regular season win.

Jabar Gaffney :

On October 9, 2006, Gaffney signed a two-year deal with the Patriots . On March 5, 2008, Gaffney re-signed with the Patriots for one year worth $2 million.

In his first-ever playoff game , on January 7, 2007 against the New York Jets , Gaffney had a near-career day, catching eight passes for 104 yards, his second 100-yard performance as a receiver (in ten regular season games, Gaffney caught 11 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown.) Gaffney followed that performance a week later against San Diego with another 100-yard game, in which he caught ten passes and scored a touchdown^{[ 1]} .

Jabar Gaffney finished the 2008 season with 44 receptions for 468 yards and two touchdowns. His longest reception was 37 yards. His best game came against the Cardinals in week 16, when he had 90 yards receiving.

Denver Broncos

On February 27, 2009, Gaffney signed a four-year, $10 million contract with the Denver Broncos. The deal includes $3 million guaranteed. In the Broncos’ week 17 loss to Kansas City, Gaffney had a career day, catching 14 passes for 213 yards as the Broncos played without Brandon Marshall , who was benched for disciplinary reasons by head coach Josh McDaniels . Gaffney finished the 2009 season with 54 receptions for 732 yards and two touchdowns, ranking second on the team in receptions and receiving yards.

Daniel Graham :

Graham was a prolific receiver for the Colorado Buffaloes football team, where he also started two games playing fullback during his freshman season before switching to tight end.

After his senior season, he was named First-Team All-American and won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end. He finished his collegiate career with 106 receptions for 1,543 yards and 11 touchdowns.

New England Patriots

In the first round of the 2002 NFL Draft , the Patriots selected Graham out of the University of Colorado with the 21st overall choice. Early in his career he was known for dropping too many passes and suffering apparent lapses of concentration. In his rookie season, Graham recorded 15 receptions for 150 yards, and one touchdown . He added four tackles on special teams. In 2003, he started nine games and recorded 38 catches for 409 yards and four touchdowns. By 2004, Graham was fully integrated into the Patriots’ system. He had 30 receptions for 364 yards and seven touchdowns. The Patriots won the Super Bowl at the end of each of these seasons. Graham was named the Patriots offensive team captain on December 6, 2006.

Denver Broncos

Graham was signed by the Denver Broncos on March 6, 2007.  The Broncos awarded Graham a five-year, $30 million contract. The deal included $15 million in guaranteed money that was distributed as a $10 million signing bonus along with a first-year roster bonus of $5 million.

He was voted offensive captain along with quarterback Jay Cutler for the 2008 season.

Champ Bailey :

Bailey was regarded as one of college football’s greatest multiple threat.

Prior to the 2004 season, Bailey was traded to the Broncos along with a second-round draft pick.

On September 12, 2004, during the NFL’s opening Sunday Night Football game of the season, Bailey intercepted his first pass as a Denver Bronco.

On January 14, 2006, in a divisional playoff game against the New England Patriots , Bailey broke the record for the longest non-scoring play in NFL history. With the Patriots near the goal line, Bailey intercepted a pass from quarterback Tom Brady in the end zone and returned it 100 yards to the Pats’ one yard line before he was chased down and tackled by New England’s Benjamin Watson .

In 2006 , Bailey had ten interceptions (tied for the NFL lead with Asante Samuel ). Bailey also did not give up a touchdown during the season. Bailey, San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor were unanimous choices for the NFL All-Pro team in 2006. Also in 2006, Ron Jaworski stated during a MNF pre-season game against the San Francisco 49ers that Bailey only got tested 35 times and only four passes were completed over him, none for touchdowns.

Elvis Dumervil :

Dumervil was drafted in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos . Broncos coach Mike Shanahan stated that he planned to keep Dumervil at defensive end.

Early in his rookie season, Dumervil saw little playing time. However, his minutes increased as the season progressed and he finished the year with 8.5 sacks in 13 games. In the first game of the 2007 NFL season he would get the first interception of his career. Dumervil would go on to lead the Broncos, and finish among league leaders, with 12.5 sacks in 2007.

His half brother, Curry Burns , also played at the University of Louisville and was later drafted by the Houston Texans in the 2003 NFL Draft .

With the Josh McDaniels coaching regime entering the 2009 season, defensive coordinator Mike Nolan moved Dumervil around as an outside linebacker in his 3-4 defensive scheme, but keeping him as a defensive end on 4-3 passing down situations. Dumervil led the league in sacks with 17.

Brian Dawkins :

Dawkins was drafted in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles . As a rookie in 1996 he started 13 of the 14 games he played in, recording 75 tackles , a sack , and three interceptions . During his Eagles career Dawkins was elected to seven Pro Bowls in 1999 , 2001 , 2002 , 2004 , 2005 , 2006 and 2008 . In 2002 in a game versus the Houston Texans he became the first player in NFL history to record a sack , an interception , forced fumble, and touchdown reception in a single game. During the 2008 season he became the tenth member of the 20/20 Club and broke the Eagles record for games played surpassing Harold Carmichael who had 180. After the 2008 season Dawkins became a free agent . He finished his career with the Eagles starting 182 of 183 games, recording 898 tackles , 34 interceptions, and 21 sacks.

Denver Broncos

On February 28, 2009, Dawkins signed a five-year, $17 million contract with the Denver Broncos . He joined another teammate, Correll Buckhalter , who also signed with the Broncos. The contract includes $7.2 million guaranteed and a termination clause that says Dawkins can opt out of the contract after two years and receive an extra $1.8 million, virtually making the contract for two years and $9 million. Dawkins can also earn an additional $10 million in performance incentives.^{[ 3] [ 4] [ 5]}

On December 29, 2009, the NFL announced that Dawkins was the starter of the AFC Pro Bowl team as a strong safety.

Justin Bannan :

Baltimore Ravens

Bannan joined the Baltimore Ravens before the 2006 season and played for them until 2009. In the 2008 season, he set a personal-best with 30 solo tackles (56 total), one sack and three interceptions

Jamal williams :

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers switched to a 3-4 defensive scheme in 2004 and fielded Williams at nose tackle, arguably the most important position in the 3-4 defense. Williams recorded 32 tackles (25 solo), 4 sacks, and 4 pass deflections in 15 games. He became widely recognized as one of the top 3-4 nose tackles in the NFL and was named an AP 2nd Team All-Pro . In the 2005 season , Williams recorded 53 tackles (40 solo) and 4 pass deflections in 16 games and was named a Pro Bowl starter and was named 1st Team All-Pro by the Associated Press and The Sporting News . He finished the 2006 season with 69 tackles (49 solo), 2 sacks, and 2 pass deflections in 16 games and was again named a Pro Bowl starter, as well as 1st Team All-Pro by the AP, The Sporting News, and the Football Writers Association of America . During the 2007 season , Williams recorded 39 tackles (32 solo), 1 forced fumble, and 2 pass deflections in 13 games and was named a Pro Bowl reserve following the season. Williams finished 2008 with 56 tackles (46 solo), 1.5 sacks, and 3 pass deflections in 16 games. In 2009 , Williams suffered a season-ending triceps injury in the first game and finished with just 3 solo tackles.

On March 4, 2010, Williams was released by the Chargers.^{[ 2]}

Denver Broncos

On March 9, 2010, Williams signed a 3 year, $16 million contract with the Broncos with $7 million guaranteed and an additional $6 million available through incentives.

Jarvis Green :

New England Patriots

Green was drafted in the fourth round (126th overall) by the New England Patriots in the 2002 NFL Draft . In his rookie campaign in 2002 , Green recorded 2.5 sacks and started four games. In 2003 , Green started seven games and had two sacks; in the AFC Championship against the Indianapolis Colts , Green set career highs with 2.5 sacks and six tackles. Green played in all 16 games in 2004 for the Patriots, starting all three playoff games, including Super Bowl XXXIX . He finished the season with a four sacks. In August 2005, Green was signed to a five-year contract extension by the Patriots; he would go on to post 2.5 sacks while starting five games during the 2005 season.

Green would continue to see limited starting time in 2006 , filling in for an injured Richard Seymour . Green set a career-high in 2006 with 7.5 sacks and two passes defensed. With Seymour injured again in 2007 , Green would start 10 games and pick up 6.5 sacks, plus a career-high 39 tackles. Green himself missed time in 2008 with an ankle injury, but still managed to play in 14 games and record two sacks.

In 2009 , Green was active for 13 games for the Patriots, starting 12 and missing three games in November after knee surgery. He finished the season with 36 tackles and one sack.

Denver Broncos

Green signed a 4 year, $20 million deal with the Denver Broncos on March 9, 2010.

Robert Ayers :

College career

Ayers began at the University of Tennessee as a redshirt outside linebacker in 2004. As a sophomore he moved to defensive end and was a backup, recording five tackles and one sack. In 2006 he once again was a backup, totaling 25 tackles and one sack. In 2007, Ayers was once again a backup, but led the team with four sacks and 12 tackles for losses. He also had 34 tackles, two pass breakups and four quarterback pressures. As a senior in 2008 Ayers became a starter at right defensive end, recording 49 tackles, a team leading three sacks, and a team and league leading 15.5 tackles for losses. He also had six pressures and an interception.

Alphonso Smith :

Smith holds the ACC record for career interceptions (21), he broke the record (previously held by Dre’ Bly of UNC) in the 2008 Eagle Bank Bowl in a rematch against Navy.

In 2008 Smith started all 13 games as a senior for Wake Forest, totaling 37 tackles (28 solo), seven interceptions, 20 pass breakups and two forced fumbles and tied for first in the nation in both interceptions and pass breakups. He was First-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and a consensus First-team All-American . He was named one of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Award.

As a junior in 2007, Smith started all 13 games as a junior for Wake Forest and had 44 tackles (36 solo), eight interceptions, three sacks, 18 pass breakups and four forced fumbles and returned three of the interceptions for touchdowns. He tied for first in the nation with a school-record eight interceptions and was First-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection and picked up Second-team All-America honors from Walter Camp. In 2006 he played 14 games (3 starts) as a sophomore for Wake Forest, registering 48 tackles (37 solo), three interceptions, four sacks, 11 pass breakups and one forced fumble. In 2005 Smith started all 11 games as a redshirt freshman and finished the year with 60 tackles (52 solo), three interceptions, two sacks, 12 pass breakups and one forced fumble. He received First-team Freshman All-America honors from ESPN.com, Scout.com and CollegeFootballNews.com. In 2004 he redshirted as a true freshman.

Parish Cox :

College career

In his true freshman year at Oklahoma State, Cox became the first Cowboy since Barry Sanders to open a season with a kickoff return for a touchdown when he went 96 yards against Missouri State . Playing both on defense and special teams, Cox had 24 tackles on defense while breaking up five passes. His 595 kickoff return yards in 2006 represent the third best single-season total in OSU history.

Cox became a starter during his sophomore year, as he started the last eight games of the regular season at cornerback. He tied for second on the team with two interceptions while breaking up eight passes, and was also credited with 42 tackles. Cox averaged 21.5 yards on 31 kickoff returns and his 631 kickoff return yards are second best for OSU in a single season.

As a junior, Cox again returned the first kickoff of the season 90 yards for a touchdown against Washington State . He finished the season with 32 tackles, eight pass break-ups, and two interceptions.

Cox entered his senior season just 110 kickoff return yards short of the Big 12 career record. He was named the 2008 kickoff returner of the year in 2008 by College Football Performance Awards . In November 2009, he was named one of the twelve semifinalists for the 2009 Jim Thorpe Award .

The true reason behind all the hoopla and such is the fact that Denver seems to have been quietly stacking up on quality talent. The NFL analyst seem to put Denver pretty low as far as talent goes but Denver actually is one of the most talented teams in the NFL. With the Draft bringing Denver Tebow it looks as though Josh McDaniels may have  a true winner on his hands.

To add to the help Denver is projected by many ( mostly Oakland fans) to come in 3rd to last this year in their division. This aslo relieves the pressure of having to put all that talent to use. Denver is the biggest sleeper in the NFL.

If all the pieces come together Denver will see the playoff’s this year or the next period. Kyle Orton  Eaton was not put on the list because I believe Denver will use this year to build his value before trading him in the next off season. Maybe they will get rid of Quinn. I dont know. Both are good back ups for Tebow.

Knowshon is my favorite Bronco. I have written many times. This is his year. Go get em kid.

Put the NFL on notice Denver is coming. They will be a very dominant team in the next couple years. They way of a New coach is starting to form and it is looking good.

Injuries aside I see Denver going 9-7 at worst this year. Breaking the 8-8 seasons we have had the last Couple years. If you live in Denver you know 8-8 simply Wont Do.

I used a lot of wikki on this but it was for a reference guide a quick over view if you would of Denvers pieces. Let me know what you think.

Just some observations I have had. We have a good team. Lets play some football!

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Here we are: the fantasy football mother lode. The Colts have an offense that is nearly impossible to slow down. Their biggest concern is they are too good and shut it down early.

Fantasy Playoffs Schedule: Moderate

They take on the Titans on the road, the Jags at home, and the Raiders on the road. Though the week 16 matchup with Oakland appears favorable, you can’t count on the Colts’ starters to play the whole game.

Five-Star Fantasy Options

Peyton Manning: Manning is consistently one of the top fantasy QBs. Everybody knows that.

Reggie Wayne: Though he has to share with the Colts’ plethora of other options, he still managed to average 1,249 yards and 8.7 TDs over the past six years.

Dallas Clark: He’s so big and fast that it’s not fair he’s an excellent route runner with soft hands. He had 100 catches for 1,106 yards and 10 TDs last year.

Four-Star Fantasy Options

Joseph Addai: Everybody was ready to write him off because of Donald Brown’s arrival, but all Addai did was pick up 1,164 total yards (828 rushing) and 13 TDs (10 rushing). He’s only 27 years old.

Three-Star Fantasy Options

Donald Brown: Brown has big play ability, and the Colts would like to give him a larger role in the offense assuming he can stay healthy. The Colts have the ability to have two fantasy-relevant RBs at the same time.

Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie: I like Garcon more than Collie (or Anthony Gonzalez). He took his game to a new level in last year’s playoff fun. Don’t think Manning didn’t notice. Collie has to have the upper hand for the slot position thanks to Gonzalez’s injury.

Two-Star Fantasy Options

Anthony Gonzalez: After last year I am putting Gonzalez on “double secret probation.” A ton of fantasy owners got burned not so much by his injury, but by the fact that they wasted a roster spot for him for so long in anticipation of his return.

Colts Defense/Special Teams: The Colts face the Texans twice, the Titans twice, and the Giants, Eagles, Bengals, Patriots, Chargers, and Cowboys. Their easiest matchup is against the Raiders when they could be resting starters like Dwight Freeney in Week 16.

Click here for additional 2010 NFL Team Previews.

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Trent Green, is a man who to me is the epitome of an NFL star, and one who on and off the field made me stop and take note.

His presence on the field was felt by those who played with and coached him, and his style off the field affected the communities he touched.

Trent Green, although no longer with the NFL, should not be forgotten by those who come after him.

Why? Some ask, laughingly…he played for the Redskins, the Rams, the Chiefs…the Dolphins….no teams of great note.

And perhaps that is true. Yet, Trent Green made an impression on most of the teams he played for…and more importantly, the people he played with.

I am not writing in an effort to display his stats. I mean, Trent Green played for the Chiefs between the years of 2001-2005, and spent most of 2005 injured.

But you are all football fans, so you already know that, between the years of 2001-2005, Peyton Manning (20,902) was the only QB who threw for more yards than Green (20,117) did.

I’m sure that you all recall that he had four consecutive years with a passer rating of 90.0 or better, a feat topped at that time only by Hall of Famer Steve Young.

Of course you all realize already that in 2004, he joined Drew Bledsoe, Brett Favre, Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Dan Fouts, Drew Brees, Kurt Warner, Tom Brady and Warren Moon as the only QB’s to go three years in a row with 4,000 yards+.

And the fact that, with Green calling signals, the Chiefs led the NFL in offense, for the first time in franchise history, in 2004. And that, in 2003, the Chiefs got off to a 9-0 start, finishing the year w/ 13-3, and leading the NFL in scoring.

We’ll forget about his Pro Bowl berths….I’m sure you all know about those. Besides, Green was HIGHLY undervalued as a QB and should have gone more often.

And of course you know that he earned a Super Bowl ring while playing for the Rams.

He was injured most of that year, so most do not take note of that fact. While with the Rams, both he and Kurt Warner seemed plagued with injuries, although, in the year 2000, the two of them led the Rams to the highest team passing yard total in NFL history, with 5,232 net yards.

They went to the playoffs that year, losing in the first round due to a poor defensive unit.

OK…I said I wasn’t writing to display his stats….since we all know and appreciate them already.

I’m writing because of the type of player that he was.

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Chiefsmom is a Jabberhead and an SJ contributing author

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