Cutler is a similar case: His passer rating is 16th-best in the league since 2007, just a hair above Manning.

FORBES

In the case of Citigroup, the rating agency said that the bank no longer enjoyed quite the same high level of financial support from the US government as it used to.

BBC: Fitch downgrades seven banking giants

In September Moody's, a credit-rating agency, estimated that the case-by-case approach had barely made a dent in the problem, with only 1% of adjustable-rate subprime loans recast.

ECONOMIST: Mortgage restructuring

Wall Street is not looking forward to this possibility and many have moved into gold, silver and other commodities, or are building short dollar positions in the case of an eventual downgrade by any one of the three major rating agencies.

FORBES: Fox News' Cavuto Says US Credit Downgrade "Welcome"

Guys who are long never want to see a bear case get built for their holdings, but John Ayling, an analyst at Morningstar, has a painful two star rating on the stock.

FORBES: Biggest US Investor of China's Focus Media Not Selling