Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the league has slowly but surely shifted from a run-dominated game to one built around the passing attack. More passing means more yards and touchdowns … but it also means more interceptions.
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Surprising, then, that there have only been 24 games where a QB has thrown 6+ INTs (the record is 7, held by three QBs). And you wouldn’t expect a Manning to be on that dubious list either. And if there was a Manning, you would expect it to be Archie, whose 4.8 INT rate is fifth-highest all-time since the merger.
Or even Eli, who led the league in interceptions thrice and whose 244 INTs are fifth-most since the merger. But no, it’s the great Peyton Manning who earned the dubious honor as the only member of this royal NFL family to throw six picks in a game. In fact, he actually threw more interceptions (251) overall than Eli did, too.
From 2003 to 2009, Peyton Manning was an All-Pro and Pro Bowler every single year. Except 2007. He was just a Pro Bowler that year, which by his standards was falling short.
He didn’t have a bad year, but that one especially bad game against the San Diego Chargers in Week 10 really dampened his entire season. Not to mention, one of those six picks was the one-handed grab by Antonio Cromartie (who had three interceptions that day), which still stands as one of the great INTs of all time:
17 years ago today Peyton Manning through the most interceptions in a game in his career vs the Chargers with 6 interceptions
Including this one by Antonio Cromartie pic.twitter.com/EHC7TKr3DR— ChargersMuse (@ChargersMuse) November 12, 2024
The Colts, who were defending champions from the previous year, came into this prime-time game at 7-1. The Chargers were 4-4. And despite those six picks from Manning—which remain an Indianapolis Colts franchise record—they nearly left 8-1, only falling short after Adam Vinatieri missed a 29-yard game-winning field goal in the final two minutes to lose the game 23-21.
Five of Manning’s six interceptions on the day came in the first half, but the Chargers were only able to muster 10 points off those turnovers against Indy’s No. 1-ranked defense. The Chargers actually got two of their three touchdowns on the day courtesy of Darren Sproles in the return game. And the Colts, for their part, also scored their final TD of the game via a Gary Brackett fumble recovery in the end zone.
It would have been quite the feat to actually win that game. The Colts were missing Marvin Harrison and Dallas Clark, among other injuries that left them with just 17 offensive players to choose from. Had Manning completed the comeback, he would have managed to offset his dubious six-interception game by becoming the first QB ever to win a game in which he threw that many picks.
Manning’s loss was one of just five out of the 24 six-interception games where the team throwing all those interceptions lost by a score or less. Most of the time, that kind of performance earns you a blowout loss. But not these Colts, who went on to a 13-3 record on the season.
Unfortunately, they met these Chargers again in the Divisional playoffs, and Manning threw two interceptions in another tight loss. Those were the only two games in which Manning threw multiple interceptions that year, as he finished with 14 regular-season interceptions … over 40 percent of which came in that one game.
Interestingly, it seems the six-interception game has become a relic of the past. Manning had his dark day back in 2007, and he’s the second-most recent guy to do it. Ryan Fitzpatrick matched him in 2016. But since 2016, there have only been five games where a QB has thrown even five INTs. And only one of those was more recent than 2019.
Clearly, NFL quarterbacks are better than ever … or perhaps they are just more risk-averse?
