NFL 2004

1. Peyton Manning:  Was a near unanimous MVP winner (48 of 49 votes). He was also Offensive player of the year. He was also named first team All-Pro.

The Colts QB broke Dan Marino’s 20 year old record with 49 touchdown passes in a season.

He smashed Steve Young’s 10 year record for passer rating with a 121.1 rating.

Manning was 3^rd in the league with 4,557 yards and completion % (67.6) and 4^th in completions.

He threw for 2 TDs in his first 13 games, including four games with at least 5 scoring passes.

Manning was also named Player of the Month in November.

Peyton won his 2^nd straight MVP with 47 out of the 50 votes, first team all-pro and the offensive player of the year.

The MVP lit up the Broncos for the 2^nd straight year in the playoffs. He threw for the 2^nd most yards in postseason history with 457 yards and 4 scores.

He also scored on a one yard rush to put Indy up 35-3 at the half. They would go on to win 49-24.

The Colts would go on to lose to New England in the divisional round 20-3.

Manning led Indianapolis to a 12-4 record, AFC South title and the league’s top offense (32.9 points per game).

2. Tom Brady: Led the Patriots to their 3^rd Super Bowl win in 4 years.

He finished the regular season in the top 10 in the NFL in yards (3,692), TDs (28) and rating (92.6).

Brady opened the season with 335 yards and 3 touchdowns in a win over the Colts.

He was named to the Pro Bowl.

New England went 14-2 and won the AFC East crown. The Pats were 4^th in the NFL scored just over 27 points a game.

In the divisional round vs. the Colts Brady’s 5 yard TD pass to David Givens pushed the Patriots lead to 13-3 late in the 3^rd quarter. He added TD run in 4^th.

The Patriots raced out to a 24-3 lead in Pittsburgh vs. the top seed and 15-1 Steelers behind two scoring passes from Brady.

#12 finished with 207 yards and a rating of 130.5 for the game.

In the Big Game, Brady threw two TD passes including the go ahead score in the 3^rd quarter.

He was 23-33 for 236 yards.

New England would repeat as champions 24- 21 over the Eagles in Jacksonville.

The Patriots were the 1^st team in 11 years to repeat.

3. Daunte Culpepper: Led the NFL in passing yards (4,717) and completions (379).

He was topped the NFC with 39 TDs and just threw 11 INTs.

His 110.9 rating also topped the conference. It was the 4^th highest in a single season.

Culpepper was the starter for NFC Pro Bowl team and 1^st All-NFC by Pro Football weekly.

He had a statically historic season. His yards were the 5^th most in a single season, his 39 TD passes were good for 4^th most in a season.

The Vikings QB set a NFL record and held it for nine years with 18 TDs in his first five games. That included three games with 5 TDs in those first five games.

Culpepper torched Green Bay in Lambeau Field for 284 yards and four scores. That included this TD to Randy Moss to put the Vikes up 14 in the 4^th quarter.

He threw for 316 and had a TD rushing and throwing in Minnesota’s divisional round loss to the Eagles.

The Vikings were 8-8 but were 6^th in the NFL scoring over 25 points a game.