Peyton Manning

Indianapolis Colts

Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts set a new standard for quarterback excellence in 2004. He set the NFL record for touchdown passes in a season with 49, breaking the mark set by Miami's Dan Marino in 1984. He also finished the season with a 121.1 quarterback rating, easily surpassing the previous high of 112.8 set by San Francisco's Steve Young in 1994.

"I don't think people understand what a feat that was," said Denver coach Mike Shanahan, who was the 49ers offensive coordinator when Young set the record. "I was with Steve that season and I just couldn't imagine anyone breaking that record. So for Peyton to shatter it just speaks volumes about what he's been able to accomplish this year."

Manning had one six-touchdown game, three five-touchdown games, two fours, three threes and five twos. He set an NFL record for most consecutive multiple touchdown games in a season with 13, topping the mark set by Colts' Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas in 1959. He passed for a career-high 4,557 yards, making him the first player in league history to reach the 4,000-yard plateau in six consecutive seasons.

Given those accomplishments, Manning was a clearcut choice for the Maxwell Club's 46th annual Bert Bell Award as the Professional Player of the Year. He won the award last year as well, making him only the second player to win the honor in back-to-back years. Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers was the other, winning in 1995 and '96.

Manning completed 67.6 per cent of his passes during the regular season and threw just 10 interceptions, a career low. With Manning directing the offense, the Colts scored a league-high 522 points, fourth most in NFL history, and they were the first team ever to have three receivers with ten or more touchdown receptions: Marvin Harrison (15), Reggie Wayne (12) and Brandon Stokley (10).

"Offensively, it's been a fun year with the freedom Tom Moore (offensive coordinator) has given me and the expansion of the offense, even going to a higher level because of the players we have," Manning said.

But clearly, Manning is the guy who makes the jet-propelled Indianapolis offense go. His meticulous film study allows him to call most of his plays at the line of scrimmage and pick apart even the best defenses.

"He's just a great field general," said Joe Namath, the Hall of Fame quarterback who called his own plays in the New York Jets epic upset of Baltimore in Super Bowl III. "I think he has to be the best field general I've ever seen."

"He's playing the best football I've seen by a quarterback," said Green Bay safety Darren Sharper after Manning shredded the Packers, 45-31, in Week 3. "The numbers he's putting up, the decision-making process, he's playing better than anyone. When I came in the league, Brett (Favre) was the best quarterback playing in a West Coast offense. But what Peyton is doing is sitting at the line of scrimmage, running the game by himself. He's a coach on the field."

"I look at him as the best player in this league just because of what he's responsible for and what he does for our team," Stokley told Mike Chappell of the Indianapolis Star. "I don't think anybody else in this league has an idea of all the stuff he's responsible for. Then to do it at such a high level is what's impressive."

Colts coach Tony Dungy agreed.

"I've never seen a guy with so much ability and the dedication to match," Dungy told Michael Silver of Sports Illustrated. "People can't imagine what he does in this offense and how much we put on him, not only changing plays at the line but also getting us in the right formations and protection schemes. We do things casually that most teams can't do or wouldn't want to try."

Perhaps the best observation on Manning's 2004 season was offered by Boomer Esiason on the set of "The NFL Today" on CBS. Esiason said: "What we are witnessing now, with all due apologies to my esteemed colleague (Marino, who also appears on the show), is the greatest single season by any quarterback in the history of the NFL."