Don't overlook Culpepper's season; it was one of the best ever.(NFL)

What timing. Daunte Culpepper turns in one of the greatest seasons ever by an NFL quarterback, and nobody notices. He can thank Peyton Manning for that.

It's like releasing a great film the same year Titanic comes out. Nice work, pal, and thanks for dropping by the Oscar ceremony; we have some consolation prizes for you backstage.

Manning's 2004 season was, well, titanic. He broke Dan Marino's season record for touchdown passes, a mark I thought would stand forever, and produced a passer rating of 121.1, surpassing Steve Young's 1994 record of 112.8. It was a phenomenal performance.

Culpepper? He was merely fantastic. He flirted with Young's record, finishing at 110.9. His completion rate of 69.2 percent was just a shade behind Ken Anderson's 1982 record mark of 70.55 percent. He passed for 39 touchdowns and 4,717 yards and was intercepted only 11 times.

His numbers were remarkable, but there was more to it than that. When I watched him play, 1 saw a quarterback who has blossomed as a decision-maker. He was much more patient within the Vikings' offense and forced fewer throws. Mentally, he was on top of his game.

Culpepper has improved steadily since he became a starter in 2000, but I think he still is perceived as a gifted athlete more than a gifted quarterback, a guy with mobility and a strong arm ...