Just when you thought Peyton Manning was finished, doomed, destroyed or otherwise just plain done, he’s heading back to the Super Bowl.
Manning has at least one more game to play after all.
And, boy, does he deserve it.
“No question, this is a sweet day, this was a sweet victory,” the Denver Broncos quarterback said after his team withstood a furious rally for a 20-18 decision.
“To me, this victory is a great example of what this entire season has been like.
It hasn’t been easy.”
Like his Super Bowl-bound team, Manning’s been through a lot this season.
For as much as the AFC championship game was another anticipated matchup in the epic Manning vs. Tom Brady rivalry (Manning’s up 3-1 in AFC title games, Brady leads 11-6 overall) or an ultimate challenge for Denver’s No. 1-ranked defense (passed, and that goes double for Von Miller), the stage was also set for what many suspected might have been the final game of Manning’s illustrious career.