Adams: Manning's critics should save their barbs

Oh, and one more thing: The NFL playoffs can't be far away. So get ready for every Tony, Joe and Mike to belabor Manning's post-season failure.

Manning's inability to reach a Super Bowl is well documented. It's also well documented that he hasn't played well in some of the biggest games. The criticism is justified.

And if the Colts fall short of another Super Bowl, there's nothing wrong with revisiting Manning's post-season history. As one of game's best and highest-paid players, he's fair game.

But is that a relevant theme for every regular-season game?

I realize the importance of giving perspective to a story. I also realize the importance of living in the present.

If Alex Rodriguez hits three home runs in an August baseball game, is it necessary to point out his playoff struggles with the Yankees during every at-bat? When the Lakers' Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in a regular-season game, was it necessary to remind viewers that he hadn't won a post-season championship without Shaquille O'Neal?

Manning was brilliant on Monday Night Football. He completed 29 of 36 passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns against the Bengals. He dominated a team that had won four consecutive games and appeared to be peaking on its way to the playoffs.

No, it wasn't the AFC title game. It wasn't even a playoff game. But it was a crucial victory for the Colts, who had lost three of their previous four games and seemed to be positioning themselves for an early playoff mishap.

MNF's three men in the booth didn't shortchange Manning's performance. They just felt compelled to balance the praise with post-season perspective. Again and again.

In a way, Manning played too well for his own good. Had the game been closer, the announcers would have been more concerned with on-the-field play and less concerned with post-season history.

It's a good thing for Manning fans that eight Bengals have been arrested this year. Otherwise, the broadcast time devoted to their criminal activities would have been utilized for further delving into Manning's post-season shortcomings.

Never mind if Manning makes it to a Super Bowl. His body of work will rank with the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game. And he has excelled off the field as well.

He's not only an all-pro quarterback. He's the guy in the commercial with a laser arm and a toupee.

He hasn't just made millions. He has helped raise millions for charity.

But he's not perfect. You will be reminded of that repeatedly if the Colts falter in the playoffs.

A pre-Super Bowl crash should surprise no one, but it likely will have little to do with the man driving the offense. The Colts' running game is ordinary. Their defense ranges from mediocre to spectacularly inept.

The Colts gave up 375 yards to the Jacksonville Jaguars just two weeks ago. How does a quarterback overcome that?

This is football, not tennis. The star needs a supporting cast.

The star also needs to be at his best in the games that matter most. And if he isn't, critics should feel free to fire away.

But if Manning passes for four or five touchdowns in a victory over the Houston Texans this afternoon, critics should save their post-season barbs for the post-season.