Peyton Goes on Vaca First!

After watching the Chargers’ backups beat the defending Super Bowl Champ Colts and then witnessing the NFL upset of the decade as the Giants took down the #1 seeded Cowboys… I got to thinking. When was the last time that Peyton’s season ended before Eli’s?

Well, as far as I can tell, this is it. Eli and the Giants will play again next weekend at Lambeau and based on my limited research this morning I think it’s the first time that Peyton will have the chance to watch his little bro play in a game after his own season has concluded. Since Eli was drafted, the Colts have always outlasted the Giants in the playoffs.

While Eli was at Ole Miss they went to three bowls but in each of those seasons Peyton played in a later playoff game and then the Pro Bowl. 2001 was Eli’s best chance as the Colts did not make the postseason, but Ole Miss wasn’t very good either that year and did not go to a bowl so their season ended on 12/1/01. That was also the last season before the NFL moved up the start of the season so Peyton’s season-ending final regular season game was actually on 1/6/02.

I couldn’t find any detailed info on Eli and Peyton’s seasons at Isidore Newman H.S. in New Orleans but based on the Louisiana playoff schedule, even if Eli took his team to the state finals I think he would have been done before Peyton’s last game since Tennessee went to four straight bowls while he was there. Add to that the fact that Newman’s best ever finish in the Louisiana playoffs was a semifinals appearance in Peyton’s sophomore year.

What’s it all mean? Nothing of course. Except that it will be amusing to see Peyton and Archie in some suite at Lambeau while Eli tries to continue the Giants’ improbable postseason. Personally, my money is on Favre and the Packers but this year, who knows?