Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, winner of a league-record four Associated Press MVP awards, eventually could be remembered as the greatest NFL quarterback of all time.

To get there, however, he needs to win at least one more Super Bowl. Maybe two.

With 12 pro seasons under his belt, Colts QB Peyton Manning already ranks in the top five of NFL career passing leaders.

And as Dan Marino learned 25 years ago, getting to a Super Bowl brings with it no guarantee of a return visit.

So whenever Manning gets within sniffing distance of a Lombardi Trophy, he needs to get his fingerprints on it. Otherwise, he'll land in that vaguely-defined group of four or five guys who each can make a claim to being the best ever.

Currently, pro football history has three distinct groups of all-time great quarterbacks, with minimal overlap. In one camp resides the winners of three or more championships — Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Troy Aikman, and Tom Brady. Then there are the men with one title or fewer who generated gaudy stats — Brett Favre, Fran Tarkenton, Warren Moon, and Manning. Finally, we have the pre-Super Bowl era greats, none of whom has the kind of career stats that stack up to the numbers generated by the guys who benefited from the '70s-era rules changes that opened up the passing game — John Unitas, Otto Graham, Sid Luckman, and Sammy Baugh.

Special feature Greatest NFL QBs How does Peyton Manning compare to the other greatest signal callers of all time? NBCSports.com

John Elway, with two Super Bowl wins and top-five all-time stats, currently is the only guy who has earned a spot in the two most prominent categories. With another Super Bowl win, Manning would match Elway in total titles. Already, Manning is right on Elway's heels when it comes to the career passing numbers, and he'll easily surpass him.

At a minimum, then, Manning needs that second ring to separate from the career statistical leaders, and he arguably needs a third in order to fully break into the Marino/Bradshaw/Aikman/Brady ranks.

Manning, a well-known student of the history of the game, surely knows it.

That's why the Colts are generating a vibe that suggests they're here for one reason, and that success is not defined by merely making it to the championship game. (The Saints, on the other hand, seem to be somewhat content to regard the season as an overwhelming success based simply on qualifying for the Super Bowl.)

Even with the injury to defensive end Dwight Freeney, which could allow the Saints to send tight ends and running backs who otherwise would be chipping Freeney into the pass patterns, the key man for the Colts is Manning.

He has proven it throughout the season, as the one constant amid a sea of change that at times threatened to become turmoil. Even with a new head coach, a new defensive coordinator, a new special teams coordinator, the retirement and return of offensive coordinator Tom Moore and offensive line coach Howard Mudd, the departure of receiver Marvin Harrison, the multiple injuries to safety Bob Sanders, and the lack of a threatening running game, Manning has carried the franchise to one of the greatest single seasons the league ever has seen.

Arguably, his performance this year bolsters the notion that he's the greatest ever, even if he never wins another title. But in a sport where the concept of immortality ultimately is driven by the number of rings a player possesses, Manning needs more than one in order to be regarded as the one who stands above all others.

He stands one victory away from number two. He appreciates the effort required to get to that point, and he realizes the rarity of simply playing for a Lombardi Trophy.

And Manning likewise realizes there is no consensus as to the greatest quarterback of all time. Given he's on pace to break all of Brett Favre's records (except career interceptions), Manning will thrust himself into the top of the conversation with another Super Bowl win.

With two more, it'll be a no-brainer — Manning will be regarded as the best of all time.

To get to No. 3, he needs No. 2. And he'll do absolutely everything he can to get there.

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