NFL

Peyton agrees with Sherman: ‘I do throw ducks’

What the duck is Richard Sherman thinking?

The Seahawks cornerback decided to criticize the passing ability of Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, and it did not go unnoticed by the record-setting future Hall of Famer.

Sherman actually first took a shot at Manning’s arm strength in a column he wrote for TheMMQB.com on Jan. 3, saying Manning throws “ducks.” Sherman then repeated that assertion this week.

Manning responded Thursday at his morning press conference.

“I believe it to be true as well,” Manning said with a smile. “They say he is a smart player, and I don’t think that’s a real reach with what he is saying there. I do throw ducks. I’ve thrown a lot of yards and touchdowns ducks. I am actually quite proud of it.”

It may not be the wisest idea for Sherman to provide extra motivation to Manning, who can read defenses with ease.

In Sherman’s defense, the original comment was made in a column in which he called Manning the smartest quarterback in the NFL

“Nobody else has both the authority to do that within their offense and the understanding to know when it’s appropriate,” Sherman wrote.

But he went on to write, “ His arm, however, is another story. His passes will be accurate and on time, but he throws ducks.”

Manning set NFL records this year with 55 touchdown passes and 5,477 yards and he is a heavy favorite to win his fifth MVP Award. So, whatever he is doing, it’s working.

“I didn’t know that he had made that comment,” Broncos tight end Julius Thomas said. “Whichever animal or word you want to use to describe Peyton’s passes, I’ll take them every day. Whether that be duck, goose, cat passes, I’ll continue taking them.”

Sherman did not back off his stance when given the chance Wednesday.

“I still feel the same way I felt,” Sherman said. “He’s a great quarterback, he does a great job. But at the same time, when he catches the ball, he doesn’t necessarily catch the laces all the time. But he throws an accurate ball, regardless of how he catches it, how he gets it — he delivers it on time and accurately.”

However Manning throws the ball, he will go down as one of the all-time greats. He was asked Thursday who he considers to be the top three quarterbacks of all time.

“I don’t have a list,” Manning said. “I think I could describe the perfect quarterback. Take a little piece of everybody. Take John Elway’s arm, Dan Marino’s release, maybe Troy Aikman’s dropback, Brett Favre’s scrambling ability, Joe Montana’s two-minute poise and, naturally, my speed in there.

“I could take a piece of everyone, of some of my favorite quarterbacks, and I could take 30 traits from different guys, and put them in that perfect quarterback. That is how I like to look at it. I don’t have the list. I know a lot of people have lists. ‘Anytime,’ as John Elway once said, ‘you might be kind of in the conversation of someone talking about some of their favorite quarterbacks, that’s a nice compliment in itself.’ ”