Indy quarterback Peyton Manning and Minnesota QB Daunte Culpepper are seen as the top two quarterbacks in the NFL today.  This year, Manning broke Marino's 20-year touchdown passing record with 49 this season.  Culpepper was in a zone all year, throwing for over 5,000 passing yards this season.

On Sunday, both of these great quarterbacks were stopped yet again in their quest for a trip to the Super Bowl.  Culpepper was humbled by Philadelphia, while Manning was completely shut down by New England.  Both of them have to wait for another January to reach the pinnacle of any football player's career.

What can these two do to get their teams on the same page as they are in order to get over the hump? 

Culpepper's scenario is much easier to figure out, yet much harder to accomplish.  They need help with the secondary, which gave up more yards than any team to make the playoffs in NFL history.  They also needs a defensive coordinator that isn't afraid to get physical and can come up with defensive schemes that will finally put some pressure on the opposing quarterback.

Unfortuately, the Vikings aren't willing to do that.  Mike Tice will continue to be a player's coach, which means he will bring on someone - or keep someone -  that will work around the players instead of the players conforming to the gameplan that's desirable and effective to score victories.  As many games as Minnesota lost due to last minute defensive chokes, heads should have rolled.

The best way to help them through this situation is by trading Randy Moss.  Culpepper can get by without Moss, and his talent and the defensive personnel gained by doing so could make up for the loss of Moss's talent.  But it's obvious that in order for Minnesota to make it to the next level, something's got to change.

As for Manning, Indy's problems are much harder.  The team is as good as it's ever been.  However, they do need to invest in some secondary that can get physical with receivers and make plays against some of the taller wideouts.  Being a former defensive coordinator, Dungy should be able to get those guys trained to knock some receivers around.

But the main problem is how the Indianapolis receiver corp reacts to physical defenses, as they were dropping passes left and right throughout the game.  Temperature and weather conditions may have been a factor in their loss, but the bottom line is that the receivers need to man up.  Edge needs to step up his game next year too, if he decides to stay at Indy.

Regardless, it's going to be hard for both teams to do anything that will make them stronger teams and get over key obstacles next season.  Hopefully, these two won't suffer the same fate Dan Marino did; a good quarterback who never won the big one.