In one of the columns that he wrote for The Monday Morning Quarterback this year, Richard Sherman listed who he thought were the five smartest quarterbacks in the NFL. Peyton Manning was No. 1 on his list, but that is no fun for reporters who are looking to drum up controversy the week before the Super Bowl. That’s why some have focused on Sherman’s assessment of Manning’s arm strength.
“His arm, however, is another story,” Sherman wrote. “His passes will be accurate and on time, but he throws ducks.”
Sherman was asked on Wednesday about what he wrote, and he did not back down.
“I still feel the same way I felt,” he told reporters. “He’s a great quarterback, he does a great job. But at the same time, when he catches the ball, he doesn’t necessarily catch the laces all the time. But he throws an accurate ball, regardless of how he catches it, how he gets it — he delivers it on time and accurately.”
Anyone who has watched Manning play over the years can tell you that he throws the prettiest ugly ball in NFL history. At least half of all of the completions Manning has thrown prove how overrated the spiral is. He had no problem admitting that this week, and even said that he takes pride in it.
“I believe it to be true as well,” Manning said Thursday morning, via Pro Football Talk. “I do throw ducks. I’ve thrown a lot of yards- and touchdowns-ducks, so I’m actually quite proud of it.”
When Manning first returned from his neck procedures, analysts loved to talk about how his passes seemed wobbly and his velocity was lacking. He’s been throwing balls like that throughout his entire record-breaking, Hall of Fame career. The ugliness of Manning’s passes has never been much of an issue, and I don’t expect it to be one on Sunday.
