GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) -Peyton Manning and Kurt Warner took vastly different routes to become two of the most prolific passers the NFL has known, and their paths have almost never crossed.
The two will lead their teams against each other for only the second time when the Indianapolis Colts meet the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday night, one week after the quarterbacks were at their best in big victories on the road.
“Both Hall of Famers and both championship players,” Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald said, “championship personalities, championship men.”
It’s been nearly eight years since Warner led the St. Louis Rams against Manning’s Colts on Dec. 30, 2001. Warner, on his way to a second Super Bowl, dominated that day, throwing for 359 yards to Manning’s 195 in the Rams’ 42-17 victory.
ith the lowly Cardinals.
Then came last year’s storybook resurrection and another run to the Super Bowl.
Now, they are regarded as among the best in the NFL in accuracy, in finding open receivers, in understanding the defense.
Warner is the NFL career leader in yards passing per game (262.4). Manning is second (259.7). Manning is second in career quarterback rating (94.9) – behind only Steve Young (96.8) – and Warner is No. 3 (93.8). They are second (Warner 65.5) and third (Manning 64.5) in NFL career completion percentage.
Indoors – and count on the roof being closed Sunday – nobody has been better than these two. Warner has an indoor passer rating of 104.4, Manning is No. 2 all-time at 103.8.
“They see things so quickly and they can take advantage of them,” Colts coach Jim Caldwell said. “Not only that, but their experience level is something that benefits them greatly. Both of them are very talented physically. Both of them are real gifted mentally. They are able to certainly dissect a defense in a very short period of time. There are not too many things that they have not seen.”
Warner said that when facing a team led by someone as good as Manning, he knows that there is little margin for mistakes.
night, can score quickly from anywhere and change the complexion of a game very, very quickly.”
He was talking about Manning’s performance in Indianapolis’ 27-23 victory at Miami, when the Colts won despite having the ball for less than 15 minutes. Manning threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Dallas Clark on the opening play, then capped his night with a 48-yard scoring pass to Pierre Garcon with 3:18 to go.
“There’s not too much he’s not good at, to be honest with you,” said Cardinals cornerback Bryant McFadden, who as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers faced Manning in some big games. “Reading defenses, calling his own plays, calling his own sets, putting the ball where only the receivers can get the ball, pump-faking you. All of that makes him that much deadlier. He’s very confident and comfortable. He’s seen it all.”
So has Warner. No quarterback has been more on-target than Warner was in Sunday’s 31-17 victory at Jacksonville, when he set an NFL record by completing 24 of 26 passes.
“He was just red hot…” Manning said. “He has been unbelievably productive throughout his career. Our defense will have its hands full with him and those receivers on Sunday.”
Manning echoed Warner’s feelings about the added responsibilities of facing a team with an outstanding quarterback.
are going to need to score points,” Manning said. “We know it is going to be tough to hold Arizona to field goals like we did the Dolphins.”
The Colts (2-0) will have a short week after playing Monday night in Miami, returning for a couple of days of practice in Indianapolis, then flying to Arizona for the Sunday night matchup. It’s the kind of scheduling that occurs when you are a good team with a marquee quarterback.
For the Cardinals (1-1), though, this national television stuff is still pretty heady.
“This is a great opportunity for us to go out and showcase what we’re all about,” Fitzgerald said, “about the Arizona Cardinals, about THIS year, about THIS team.”
Coach Ken Whisenhunt can only hope that the sharp, efficient team that beat Jacksonville shows up, and not the sloppy Cardinals who stumbled to a 20-16 opening loss at home to San Francisco.
He called the Colts’ Monday night performance “scary.”
“The players are all on the same page. They made the plays,” Whisenhunt said. “They had three scores where they averaged 45 seconds of time on those three scores. We are well aware of what a good team they are.”
Although he has yet to play there, Manning has fond memories of University of Phoenix Stadium. He was in a luxury suite watching his brother lead the late touchdown drive that gave the New York Giants their Super Bowl victory over New England two seasons ago.
“I certainly was impressed and proud as a fellow quarterback the way he handled that game and of course that famous two-minute drive at the end,” he said. “The fact that I’m his brother made me even more proud.”
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