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All those good young QBs? Don't forget the one in Indy

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Posted: Wednesday October 13, 1999 01:35 PM

By John Donovan, CNN/SI

	• Storylines • Flags and Flattery • Direct Snaps • Must Sees & Mismatches • The Bottom Line

The hot-button analysts want to praise Brad Johnson. They want to fawn all over that quarterback du jour in St. Louis, Kurt Whatshisname. Who is, by the way, unbe-byjiminy-lievable.

But we say, let's not forget Peyton Manning.

The Indianapolis Colts' quarterback may not be the best in the NFL -- right now. He may not have the gaudy number of TD passes, or the highest completion percentage. His team isn't unbeaten.

But good? Soon to be great? You betcha.

"If I was starting a franchise today," Miami coach Jimmy Johnson said the other day, after his Dolphins somehow escaped the Colts, "and I had a choice of everyone in the league, a strong consideration would go to Peyton Manning. He is a big-time quarterback."

Manning is fifth in the league in passing rating -- that Rams' dude is No. 1 with a 136.0 rating, for goodness sakes -- he's completed better than 60 percent of his passes and he's thrown 10 touchdown passes against six interceptions. More importantly, he has the Colts in the thick of the AFC East, with a 2-2 record including two coulda-beens against the New England Patriots and the Dolphins.

The Colts' offense is the best in the AFC, averaging better than 384 yards a game. The passing game, too, is tops in the conference, at almost 294 yards a game.

Manning and Marvin Harrison have supplanted Young and Rice as the most dangerous pass-catch duo in the league -- if you don't count that St. Louis duet that is ripping up the league.

How far can Manning take this team? With a few tweaks here and there, it's clear this is a team that could make it to the playoffs. If they can get past the New York Jets this week, they'll have passed a huge test.

"Peyton Manning is a special player," said Johnson, "and gave us as many problems as we have had in the last couple of years against any offense."

So let's not forget Manning when all those accolades are being passed around to all those young quarterbacks this year.

That said, it's on to the Glance, which this week asks the always-rhetorical question: Have we no shame?

The answer: It's rhetorical, dummy!

Kurt Warner Did you know that CNNSI.com is the official Web site of the Rams' red-hot QB? Well, we're not. But, heck, we're all for jumping on the bandwagon. Come on aboard, bud. After all, we're owned by Time Warner, Kurt.

Brett Favre and the comebacks Forget the fact that he shouldn't be getting behind all the time. The trick worked wonders for John Elway's rep. And it's downright fun.

Steve Young We at the Glance thought he should have retired before last season. With the 49ers in the state they are, this may be as good a time as any.

Flag -- Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson: There has to be a better way of getting a good game out of Dan Marino than basically ripping him in the press. So what if it worked. It may backfire next time.

Flattery -- Dolphins QB Dan Marino: Mostly kept his mouth shut and didn't once mention, as far as we can tell, Jimmy's hair. And then played his guts out. Good for him.

Flattery -- Bucs defensive lineman Warren Sapp: Sapp, right now, and Deion Sanders in his prime. Two defensive players we'd pay to see play.

Flattery -- Bengals RB Corey Dillon: On a team with no future, Dillon's running like he has one: 28 carries for 168 yards as the Bengals get win No. 1, over the Browns. The league's No.1 runner. .

Kurt Warner RULES! He can do no wrong. He's the best. We love the guy!

Dallas oughta be ashamed. That's all we have to say.

We'd rather watch a good offense, no defense team (Redskins, Colts) than the other way around (Giants, Jets, Eagles, etc.).

The way Cleveland is going, the Browns are staring at 0-10 before another chance at a win.

St. Louis at Atlanta (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET). Any game with Kurt Warner in it is good enough for us.

Indianapolis at New York Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET). Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison is as pretty as ... OK, we won't bring up Isaac Bruce and you-know-who.

Dallas at New York Giants (Monday, 9 p.m. ET, ABC). A 2-2 tie? As sad as that Cowboys' offense looked vs. Philly, the Giants look like that all the time.

Let's face it. The NFL is a quarterback's league. Always has been. And right now, there is no better QB than Kurt Warner. Our man. The Warnermeister. Call us, wouldja, Kurt?

 

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