Just when you thought Peyton Manning was finished, doomed, destroyed or otherwise just plain done, he’s heading back to the Super Bowl.<br />Manning has at least one more game to play after all.<br />And, boy, does he deserve it.<br />“No question, this is a sweet day, this was a sweet victory,” the Denver Broncos quarterback said after his team withstood a furious rally for a 20-18 decision.<br />“To me, this victory is a great example of what this entire season has been like.<br />It hasn’t been easy.”<br />Like his Super Bowl-bound team, Manning’s been through a lot this season.<br />For as much as the AFC championship game was another anticipated matchup in the epic Manning vs. Tom Brady rivalry (Manning’s up 3-1 in AFC title games, Brady leads 11-6 overall) or an ultimate challenge for Denver’s No. 1-ranked defense (passed, and that goes double for Von Miller), the stage was also set for what many suspected might have been the final game of Manning’s illustrious career.
