INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Peyton Manning has never missed an NFL game and he’s not about to start now.
The NFL’s new active leader for consecutive starts by a quarterback plans on being out there Sunday, as usual, when the Colts play Jacksonville. It will be regular-season start No. 206 for Manning.
Two days after Brett Favre finally gave the only four-time league MVP a record to chase, Manning said he hasn’t even calculated what it would take to make up the gap between himself and the only other three-time MVP in league history. It would take 93 games – five-plus seasons – to break it.
“I’ve always had a tremendous appreciation for that streak, and I think when it ended, everyone kind of took time to realize how amazing and impressive that was,” Manning said Wednesday. “I think when you say or write 297 games, it doesn’t really do it justice. What he’s done for his teammates, to be there every game, truly is amazing.”
By that definition, Manning has been every bit as impressive.
During Favre’s 19-season span of consecutive starts, which included 24 postseason games for a total of 321, he played through pain, injuries and personal tragedy. The injuries sometimes put Favre’s streak in jeopardy, though it didn’t end until an ailing right shoulder finally put Favre on the bench Monday night.
Manning has made his 223 consecutive starts – including the playoffs – look more routine.
He has rarely even been listed on the injury report and the significant injuries Manning has endured can essentially be summed up this way: Injured knee in a preseason game in 2001, fractured jaw later that season, neck surgery this past offseason and injured hamstring last season. The most serious injury was the infected bursa sac in his left knee, which kept him out of training camp in 2008 and hampered the first half of that season.
If Manning starts the Colts’ next three games, as expected, he’ll break Gene Upshaw’s record for most consecutive starts (207) to open a career at any position and head into next season in full chase of Favre’s record.
What it would take is this: Three more starts this year and five more 16-game seasons, which would make Manning 39 years old. It could happen sooner, if the league goes to an 18-game schedule, but either way teammates think Manning could break Favre’s mark.
“It’s possible because he (Manning) has a streak of his own going and he’s the closest one to it,” said defensive captain Gary Brackett, who had to be reminded Favre missed Monday’s game. “You know, hopefully, I’m going to be here four more years, and it would be nice during that time for him to keep this thing rolling.”
Clearly, starting every game means a lot to Manning and his teammates.
But this week, The Streak is secondary.
Instead, the Colts must beat Jacksonville (8-5) to avoid getting dethroned as the AFC South champs on their home field. A loss would virtually eliminate the Colts (7-6) from playoff contention, too.
“That’s something we’d certainly like to avoid,” Manning said.
With Manning in charge, though, the Colts know anything is possible.
Indy’s franchise quarterback needs eight more TD passes to become the third member of the 400-club. Next season, he could pass Dan Marino for second all-time in completions. He needs 11 more regular-season wins to move past John Elway and Marino for second and third, respectively, in career victories. He’d likely need two more seasons to move past Marino for second in yards passing, and then only Favre would stand ahead of Manning on the all-time leaderboard in every major passing category and consecutive starts.
And after enduring the worst three-game slump of his career, Manning rebounded last week with a showing at Tennessee that earned him AFC Player of the Week honors.
“He’s been great for years, and I’m sure he’ll do all of the necessary things off the field in terms of rehab and what not to take care of himself,” Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney said.
How much does The Streak really mean to Manning?
“All I will say is that it’s important for me to be there for my teammates every single Sunday,” Manning said. “I want my teammates to be there for me, and I want to be there for them. That’s the way I’ve always treated it.”
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