Q. With the way [Peyton] Manning struggled in the absence of his elite receivers and offensive linemen, can we still treat him as one of the best quarterbacks ever in NFL?
— Kris

A. Without question Manning is one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history by any standard. And I would not agree with the assessment that he has "struggled" in the absence of Marvin Harrison and others. During the period Harrison has been out, Manning has had two terrible performances — against the Chargers and Chiefs. But he has had three excellent performances — against the Falcons, Jaguars and Ravens. In the other games, he has been pretty good.

What I would say is Manning has had to adjust to the circumstances around him. It isn't always easy to throw for 400 yards and four touchdowns when your receivers can't get open or your offense line can't keep pass rushers off your back. If Manning took the place of Tom Brady on the Patriots this season, he would be everyone's choice for MVP.

Q. Would the Bucs stand a chance to win the Super Bowl against New England?
— Richard Crooker, Tampa Fla.

A. I couldn't see it. The Colts are the most similar team to the Bucs that the Patriots have played, except they are better. The Patriots beat them 24-20 on the road. And that was before they got the ground game going. The one NFC team that could have a chance against the Patriots is the Packers. I think they could cause the Pats some matchup problems.

Q. Hey Dan, is “King Carl Peterson” on his way out? I am a loyal KC fan and if this is true I think it would be a great change. Look at how much wasted talent has been through KC in the last several years, coaches and players. Maybe we will stop being the has-been players retirement center.
— Scott Jennings, Kansas City, Mo.

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A. I have not heard any rumblings that the Chiefs have plans to fire Carl Peterson. He is signed through 2009 and indications are he will fulfill his contract and possibly retire at that point. Peterson had the ear of the late Lamar Hunt, but it also appears he gets along well with Hunt's son Clark Hunt. In fact, Clark Hunt was completely on board with signing Peterson to his last contract extension. If Peterson made a mistake, it was trying to get one more year out of an old team. In hindsight, it would have made more sense to blow up the roster last offseason and start from scratch. The Chiefs are in need of rebuilding.

Q. Who are NFL teams eyeing as the No. 1 pick in the draft so far? Would Darren McFadden be the best choice?
— Doug, Bellingham, Wash.

A. If the draft were held tomorrow, Darren McFadden would be No. 1 on most team's boards. A lot of teams find him comparable to Adrian Peterson, and he looks like the most gifted player in the draft. The other possibilities at this point would appear to be Louisiana State defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan.

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