kidhawk":2innk67f said:
I think you are confusing with preparation with attitude. You can prepare like crazy and still have a fairly loose attitude...just look at Wilson. He prepares as hard as Manning does, no question in my mind about that, but the team has a more relaxed atmosphere about it. I don't think that a team's attitude is due to how any single player prepares. I put it on the coach. I also don't think one way is better than another, each has it's positives. Pete's way DOES work for our players though, and it shows in everything they do.
Considering how much was being made about this game affecting Manning's "legacy," I have to imagine it was hard for him to block that kind of stuff out. That ratchets up the pressure something fierce.
I think the thing about all Manning teams is that his talent, skill, and preparation are always so consistently excellent that teams are built around him and his abilities. And that's understandable to a degree. When you have a transcendent talent like Manning as your QB, why wouldn't you build the offense around that? And then why wouldn't you develop a defense that complements it?
The problem with that approach, obviously, is what happens when that core you've built around has an off day? What happens when he gets rattled, rushed, and forced off his spot? What happens when his quick hit passes get zero YAC? What happens when his WRs aren't where they should be because of DBs checking the receivers at the line? Well, then, EVERYTHING falls apart. And you get SB XLVIII.
That's why I love the way the Seahawks were built. A great defense can cover up an off day. It gives you more leeway in how you build your team identity. It allows you to build an offense that is balanced and doesn't have to score 40+ points to win. Goes back to what Marshawn said when Deion Sanders noted that the Broncos were going to gear up to stop him: "I'm a piece of it, but we got some dogs."