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LIST: What are former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning's best games?

Posted at 12:56 PM, Sep 09, 2016
and last updated 2017-10-04 12:22:55-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- If you've been a Colts fan for a few years, you have memories of the best games you've ever seen.

Many of those are going to involve former Colts quarterback Peyton Manning. After all, he had one or two (or 141, to be exact) wins with Indy.

NFL Network recently put together a list of the 10 best Peyton Manning games of his career.

Here's the list, with a couple notes on each game.

10. Manning's first career win: Oct. 4, 1998 vs. San Diego Chargers

Not only was this game special because of Manning's first win, but because of the opposing quarterback. The Chargers started No. 2 overall pick, Ryan Leaf, who many believed should've went ahead of Manning in the 1998 NFL Draft. Of course, Leaf ended up being a huge bust. Manning went 12-of-23 with one touchdown and one pick in the 17-12 win. 

9. First playoff win: Jan. 4, 2004 vs. Denver Broncos

Manning had little playoff success before 2003. He was 0-3 and lost the previous year's playoff game 41-0. But he found redemption in 2003 against the Broncos. Manning went 22-of-26 for 377 yards and five touchdowns in the 41-10 win.

8. Thanksgiving Day in 2004: Nov. 25, 2004 vs. Detroit Lions

The only entry from his record-breaking season in 2004, this game encapsulated what made Manning ridiculous that year. He went 23-of-28 for 236 yards and six (six!) touchdowns. Oh, and he didn't even play in the fourth quarter.

7. "4th and 2" win over Patriots: Nov. 15, 2009 vs. New England Patriots

The Patriots had given the Colts their biggest challenge yet in the course of the could've-been-undefeated season of 2009. The Colts looked done late in the fourth quarter, down 34-21. But Manning and the Colts mounted a comeback and, with the help of a bizarre decision by Patriots coach Bill Belichick, won the game. Manning went 28-of-44 with four touchdowns and two interceptions as the Colts won 35-34.

6. (With Denver) Comeback win over Chargers in 2012: Oct. 15, 2012 vs. San Diego Chargers

Manning's first Denver game on the list, his Broncos were down 24-0 at halftime, but Manning came out of the half and threw three touchdowns to give his team the win. He ended up completing 24-of-30 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns, and one interception. Denver won 35-24.

5. (With Denver) Seven touchdowns in opener: Sept. 5, 2013 vs. Baltimore Ravens

The beginning of the other ridiculous record-breaking season of his career, Manning started 2013 off on the right foot by throwing seven touchdowns and no interceptions, torching the Baltimore Ravens for 462 yards in the process. He single-handedly won fantasy football matchups that week.

4. Comeback on Monday Night Football: Oct. 6, 2003 vs.Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Also known as the "I had already gone to bed" game, anybody who was a Colts fan at this time has a story about this game. The Colts were down 35-14 with about four minutes left in the game. Then, Manning and the Colts simply found something. They scored 21 unanswered points, and Mike Vanderjagt kicked a field goal in overtime for the 38-35 win. And by the way, this was coach Tony Dungy's first game against the team that had just fired him. How perfect.

3. (With Denver) Manning breaks the career touchdown record: Oct. 19, 2014 vs. San Francisco 49ers

After 17 years in the league, Manning broke one of football's biggest records -- he threw the 509th touchdown pass of his career. Manning hit Demaryius Thomas to take the record away from Brett Favre. The game was temporarily stopped so the fans and players could congratulate Manning on the record. 

2. Manning wins Super Bowl XLI: Feb. 2, 2007 vs. Chicago Bears

It wasn't a pretty game, but Manning worked his way to being a Super Bowl Champion in the 2006 season. The Colts beat the Chicago Bears and the pouring rain on the way to a 29-17 victory. He went 25-of-38 for 247 yards, one touchdown and one interception on the way to becoming a Super Bowl MVP.

1. The 2006 AFC Championship Game: Jan. 21, 2007 vs. New England Patriots

As if there could be any other No. 1. The Super Bowl two weeks later may have been a more important game in the grand scheme of the season, but you couldn't have written this game any better. Manning and the Colts finally bested their rival Patriots, coming back from a 21-3 halftime deficit to win 38-34. Running back Joseph Addai scored to take the lead with a minute left, then the Colts picked off Tom Brady to secure the win. Manning went 27-of-47, with one touchdown and one interception.

Manning Week: Leading up to the unveiling of Peyton Manning's statue on Saturday, RTV6 is chronicling the best of No. 18's career this week.

MORE MANNING | From 2015: Andrew Luck vs. Peyton Manning: A statistical look at their first 3 seasonsPeyton Manning statue to be revealed at Lucas Oil Stadium this October | Peyton is 'embarrassing' the Manning family in funny skit | Peyton Manning: Thank you to Indianapolis, the Colts and Colts fans | Peyton Manning guest stars on ABC's ‘Modern Family' | Peyton Manning tapped as host of 2017 ESPYS | Peyton Manning has 'no interest' in politics

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