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Peyton Manning makes one ‘bad throw’ and he is one-and-done again 01.12.13 at 11:01 pm ET
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Peyton Manning (18) had to congratulate Ray Lewis (52) after handing the Ravens a win in double-overtime Saturday. (AP)

Peyton Manning (18) had to congratulate Ray Lewis (52) after handing the Ravens a win in double-overtime Saturday. (AP)

It’s one of the central themes we’ve heard all week from the Patriots.

One bad decision at the wrong time and your season can come to end before you knew what hit you.

Certainly, that’s what the Patriots must have been thinking to themselves as Peyton Manning made a horrendous decision at the wrong time late in overtime that ended his Super Bowl dreams and those of his Broncos teammates and fans.

Rolling to his right late in the first overtime against the Ravens, Manning decided to force a pass back to the middle of the field to Brandon Stokley on second-and-6 from his own 38. Ravens cornerback Corey Graham undercut Stokley and was in the right place at the right time as the pass hit him right in the stomach as he fell to the ground at the Denver 45.

“Bad throw, probably the decision not great either,” Manning said [watch Peyton Manning's press conference on NFL.com]. “Thought I had him open, didn’t get enough on it. Trying to make a play and certainly a throw I’d like to have back.”

“He was trying to make a play,” Broncos coach John Fox said. “I’m not going to be critical.”

Six plays later, Justin Tucker nailed a 47-yard field-goal to give the Ravens a 38-35 win over the Broncos in double-overtime, and send Baltimore to the AFC championship for the second straight season. They will either play at Gillette Stadium against the Patriots or Reliant Stadium in Houston depending on the outcome of Sunday’s Patriots-Texans game.

So, after being named to the Associated Press All-Pro first team earlier in the day and earning praise for leading the Broncos to a 13-3 season in one of the more remarkable comeback stories in recent NFL history, Manning must now watch the rest of the playoffs again from home.

“I accomplished a lot more this year than I thought I would have,” Manning said of his return from multiple neck surgeries. “I think this team exceed expectations. It’s a hard one to swallow.”

Manning has lost his first game in the playoffs eight times, six of those times he was a prohibitive favorite, including on Saturday when he was close to a double-digit favorite. Manning falls to 9-11 in the playoffs.

Manning finished 28-of-43 passing for 290 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, including one returned by Graham in the first quarter that was returned for Baltimore’s second touchdown of the day. He also had a fumble in the second half that led to a Ray Rice touchdown that tied the game, 28-28.

Manning may well win the NFL MVP award but there’s no comfort in coming up short again when it matters the most.

Read More: Baltimore Ravens, Brandon Stokley, Corey Graham, Denver Broncos Print  |  Bark It Up!  |  Digg It
  • Captain Obvious

    Well, looks like the Patriots have a great chance to go to the Superbowl again. Unfortunately, looks like they’ll have to face the 49ers

  • Manbow

    Tebow took Denver further in the playoffs than Manning.  Interesting.

  • Papa Ooh Maw Maw

    The difference between being a great coach and a good coach. In the snow bowl playoff against the Raiders, BB chose to take a shot at winning in regulation. Fox, though there were 30 seconds and 2 timeouts at his disposal, chose to go into overtime to try to win. I’m not a Manning fan, but it you don’t give your QB a chance to win in regulation, you get what you deserve.

  • Bhdyer20

    Nope they both lost in the divisional round.

  • HonusWagner

     LOL, you said it Manbow.   Hey Elway, how do you like them apples?

  • big93mike

    Ty Law would have taken that one to the house.

  • Anonymous

    After watching that second half where the Pats went no huddle, that’s a rematch I want!

  • Manbow

    Meaning he actually one a playoff game.

  • ScoopBurton

    the 49ers will not take their foot of the gas like they did the first game vs the Pats

  • ScoopBurton

    Be careful what you wish for

  • ScoopBurton

    Ty Law was the bomb….oh wait…..he got dealt

  • Bruinman86

    Just when you thought Manning finally had a solid defense around him…..

  • Brian

    Tebow is such a fag though

  • Brian

    Man bow??? Tebow sucks a big black one

  • Fred

    Dude. Blow yourself… Defense was fine

  • Fab4ever

    But Tebow has one more playoff win in a Bronco unifrom that Peyton does….

  • Fab4ever

    Stay classy dude…

  • Ponchomoe

     They didn’t take their foot off the gas. We made adjustments.

  • Manbow

    Wow, so in according to your logic, gay Tebow is still a better playoff QB in a Bronco uniform than straight Manning.  I bet more teams wish they had gay QB’s.  

  • Manbow

    Ah, right.  I forgot the ol’ ‘sucks a big black one’ argument.  Point noted.

  • big93mike

    It’s good to see that multiple neck surgeries had no effect on Manning’s ability to choke in the playoffs.

  • Sid Vicous

    Do your knuckles scrape the ground when you walk. What a dope!

  • Donalmcl27

    Manning & Rodgers were 1st & 2nd team All Pro. Both gone already, not sure what that means
    for MVP voting………….??

  • http://www.facebook.com/darrell.guay Darrell Guay

    Thats why Dennis and Callahan,  This why they play the game, first then make the script next, , thank god I have never made my prediction not listening to all of your preditions, cannot wait til Monday morning,s Dennis and Callahan show to listen to you two numbskulls next predictions, it was great to listen to yours go upside down and with your bold and exact choices go upside down.

  • Uncle Buck

    Sober up kid.

  • Uncle Buck

    I gave Peyton too much credit.  I thought he knew better than to release a duck like that, off balance, cross body, into coverage late with the game on the line…..Veteran, winning QB’s don’t do that.

  • Pc

    Who gives a crap about Tebow?

  • Pc

    So, I guess, if you want to win your fantasy leagues, choose Peyton, Rodgers, Romo, etc.?

  • Ztigr

    Fox got to conservative at the end the of the game.  Not throwing on 3rd down, and not going for it with 30 seconds and 2 TO”s left….Hello?   You play to win the game!

  • anguillaman3

    Its always nice to see Denver lose…the pleasure is doubled when its Peyton Manning losing in game one of the playoffs for the 8′th time in his career.

  • Ronjb441960

    tebow a tool……

  • Uncletimmy

    beautiful, absolutely beautiful

  • Fab4ever

    Man, I never saw this coming. I thought the Ravens would put a hurt on Denver and soften them up a bit should the Pats move forward…but Peyton was average.at best…what I found very interesting was Peyton taking that knee with 31 seconds and 2 TO’s left in regulation. Granted they were on their own 20 but John Fox didn’t trust Manning enough to at least take a shot of getting into FG position? For a chance to host the AFC Championship? Belichick would’ve never taken a knee, never! And what was up with all those running plays…I get the fact that they were nursing a 7 point lead but come on…3rd and seven and it’s a draw play that goes nowhere? One more 1st down and it’s game….and then there was that 70 yard bomb by Flacco…ESPN broke down the play and I could not get over the coverage the Broncos had ..tightened up, poor decisions from everyone…Peyton Manning is now 9-11 in playoffs and he’s lost 8 times in his first round…Peyon is simply not a great “cold weather” QB….

  • Natedizel

     Haha ya that is pretty funny.

  • Everyone

    Yeah, Tom Brady would neve throw into coverage in a big game in Indy to get picked off and lose a chance to play Chicago in the Super Bowl.  Never.

  • Anonymous

    Just happy the Pats will play at home next week, if we get past the Texans.

  • Bruinman86

    Do I guess you didn’t watch the game then. Manning wasn’t great, no doubt, but the defense by Denver on the game tying drive in regulation was awful. If there was any “Blowing” to be had, it was by the Bronco’s defense blowing a 35-28 lead with :31 seconds to go. What “Fine” defense gives up a 70 yard pass play with their foot on the throat of the opponent in the playoffs? Manning made some mistakes alright, but it was a first class Choke job by the D that put this game into OT. Oh, and If I could “Blow Myself”, I wouldn’t be on here as often as I am. If you want to have an intelligent conversation about sports, come back sometime when you get some class and learn some manners.

  • Bruinman86

    I hear ya there. I expected more as well, but perhaps the 11 game winning streak got to his head. I honestly think the Pats would have been better off in 2007 had they lost against either the Giants or Ravens before the playoffs started. It most likely would have re-focused them and the undefeated season pressure would have been gone. That sort of thing can serve as a reminder that you can’t just take it for granted that you are going to win every time – in other words, too complacent.

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