Best: Indianapolis Colts – Peyton Manning
No quarterback is more befitting of the description of “cerebral assassin” more than Peyton Manning; there’s a great chance the he knew everything about the opposing defensive scheme he was playing against, better than the opposing defensive coordinator himself. During his 11-year career with the Indianapolis Colts (and four-year stint with the Denver Broncos), Manning piled up yards and touchdown passes like hoarders pile up… well, anything and everything.
Mentioning that Manning led the Colts to their first Super Bowl win in 36 years doesn’t even scratch the surface of his unquestioned Hall of Fame career. His 539 touchdown passes remains the most in NFL history, and until 2018, he previously held the record for most passing yards in NFL history.
Worst: Indianapolis Colts – Curtis Painter
You’d think after watching Peyton Manning from the sidelines for a couple of years that Painter would have learned a thing or two. When veteran Kerry Collins, who was signed to replace Manning following neck surgery, got hurt early in the season, Painter took over and fell flat on his face. Even with a playoff-caliber roster around him, Painter had trouble moving the ball and avoiding costly errors, failing to lead the Colts to a single win.
Indy was 0-8 in games Painter started, as he completed 132 of 243 passes (54.3%) for 1,541 yards with six touchdowns and nine interceptions.