No more monkey on his back

Peyton Manning’s smile reaching from ear to ear, and the look of absolute relief washing over his face. That little primate, snugly fastened to the back of Manning’s jersey, loosened its grip and was forcefully thrown to the ground with the help of millions of Americans. The most prepared, devoted and hardest-working player in the business finally received his just due-he finally became a Super Bowl champion.

We doubted, questioned and wondered whether Manning really had the heart of a champion. After a hard-fought 29-17 victory over Chicago in Super Bowl XLI on Sunday, Manning answered each question with the air of an MVP who has the confidence of his teammates behind him.

Steve Young said it best, asking a teammate to pull the monkey off his back after San Francisco’s 49-26 stomping of the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. Well, after Manning and the Colts hoisted the Vince Lombardi Trophy high over their heads following the final moments of Super Bowl XLI, Archie’s son didn’t even need to ask.

It wasn’t pretty on the soggy turf and wet conditions, but Manning sure was effective. He threw for 247 yards on 25/38 passing, with one TD and one interception, definitely not the best stat line in a career full of individual awards and accolades. On this night, like he has throughout the playoffs, Manning threw his personal agenda out the window and focused his attention on his team winning the game.

Manning’s fingerprints left on the game’s chrome symbol of success will forever be etched in Super Bowl lore for his MVP performance against the Bears. He will be remembered for throwing a spectacular 53-yard touchdown off his back foot to Reggie Wayne and orchestrating a potent running attack that required tons of selfless play. Before we remember Manning for his antics on the biggest stage, we should realize what he and the Colts did to make it to Miami.

The road to the Super Bowl was anything but a straight shot for Indianapolis. Actually, it was a bumpy, winding road that could have taken the life out of the Colts’ playoff existence. But the Colts faced every challenge head on and made a statement with each victory.

On wild-card weekend, Indy had a date with Larry Johnson and the Chiefs that had the potential of going very sour. The Colts came into the game with the worst rush defense in the NFL and Johnson is one of the league’s most feared backs, meaning this game had LJ’s signature all over it. But the Colts’ defense awoke from a long coma, containing Johnson to a meager 13 yards and only allowing 8 points from Kansas City.

The Colts’ revived defense played the starring role throughout the playoffs. Showing up as a determined unit for the second week in a row during the divisional playoff against Baltimore, Indy held the Ravens to under 100 yards rushing and Manning, Marvin Harrison and the Colts’ offense played just well enough to get Adam Vinatieri into range for five field goals. This got them to their final, most intense chapter-the AFC championship matchup with hated rival New England.

Many will say this was Manning and head coach Tony Dungy’s Super Bowl, a pivotal game against a team that has had their number in years past. Down 21-3 late in the second quarter, the Colts displayed the resiliency of a true championship team. Manning rallied the team in the second half, throwing a key TD pass to the most unlikely target, defensive tackle Dan Kleco. But it was the final and game-winning drive that gave us a glance of things to come.

With the goal line in sight and only a minute on the clock, Manning illustrated the faith in his teammates that ultimately transformed him from a lifetime loser to a Super Bowl champion. Instead of being selfish and opting to kill his demons himself through the air, Manning graciously handed the ball off to Joseph Addai, who pranced in from three yards out to take a 38-34 lead once and for all.

A win over the Patriots and a trip to the Super Bowl festered Manning’s monkey a bit, causing its grip to slightly relax. But, it was up to Manning to do the rest. However, this isn’t how it played out.

In recent years, the discouraged frown Manning and his Colt teammates sported as they left the field after being prematurely exited from the playoffs was a result of Manning trying to win single-handedly. He tried to force the ball into spots. He fumbled the ball because he didn’t trust his teammates’ protection. And most of all, he put too much pressure on the offense to score because he lacked confidence in the defense.

On Sunday, Manning left the field with a smirk of happiness and relief, mainly because he finally embraced his teammates. He may have won the MVP, but without the confidence in the other 52 guys bearing the horseshoe, Manning wouldn’t have gotten rid of that pesky monkey.