Peyton's Last Go Round

[BernardB]

Peyton Manning's last go round shares a few similarities with John Unitas of 1970: reduced arm strength, getting by with experience and guile, sitting out part of the year.

Tom Matte, not unreasonably, believed that of all the Colt teams from say 1964 to 1971, the 1970 team was the weakest, but it was the one which won the championship. Championships consist of so many factors: opponents, weather, injury, refereeing, randomness of the game itself... .

[Jay Z]

1970 Colts were better than the 1969 Colts. Better defense. 1969 Colts wound up benching Gaubatz, Shinnick, and Lyles midseason.

Seven of the eight 1969 playoff teams were worse in 1970. Cowboys were about the same. Adderley helped the defense, but passing game was worse after Rentzel went out.

Dolphins were improved but it's their first year in the playoffs. Bengals were a miracle team. Raiders made the playoffs but were weaker. Lions, it was the only year in the playoffs for that team. 1970 49ers were probably the best of the 1970-72 Niner teams, but not as good as the 1967-69 Rams. Vikings made the playoffs but Cuozzo replacing Kapp did not help.

Maybe a half dozen 1969 teams were better than the 1970 Colts, but 1970 was a different year.

[BernardB]

1970 Colts were better than the 1969 Colts. Better defense. 1969 Colts wound up benching Gaubatz, Shinnick, and Lyles midseason.

Seven of the eight 1969 playoff teams were worse in 1970. Cowboys were about the same. Adderley helped the defense, but passing game was worse after Rentzel went out.

Dolphins were improved but it's their first year in the playoffs. Bengals were a miracle team. Raiders made the playoffs but were weaker. Lions, it was the only year in the playoffs for that team. 1970 49ers were probably the best of the 1970-72 Niner teams, but not as good as the 1967-69 Rams. Vikings made the playoffs but Cuozzo replacing Kapp did not help.

Maybe a half dozen 1969 teams were better than the 1970 Colts, but 1970 was a different year.

An argument for the 1969 Colts could run along the lines of their first two losses. The opening loss to the Rams had to be psychologically damaging. In the two previous years one loss was the maximum allowed to make it out of the coastal division (and given the Rams went on to win their next ten, the Colt players would have had good reasons to be down). Then after the debacle against the Vikings, it had to seem like the season was over. Even with Don Shula and Mike Curtis ranting and raving some players had to be just going through the motions for the rest of the year.