Oakland Raiders Vs. The AFC West: Quarterbacks
By Kevin Saito
Jan 11, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) reacts against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2014 AFC Divisional playoff football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. The Colts defeated the Broncos 24-13. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Last season, Manning most definitely began to show his age. He was most definitely not the same QB he has been in the past. Whether that was because of his leg injuries, or whether it’s a sign that Manning is decline, he is still the gold standard within the division. Until somebody knocks him down and takes his crown, Manning is still the king.
From a production standpoint, Manning seemed to be as steady as he always is – more than 4,700 yards, 39 touchdowns, a 66.2 completion percentage, and a 101.5 QB rating. But this is a case of the numbers not telling the whole story. Over the second half of the season, you could see that Manning wasn’t himself. That seemed to crystallize in a 24-13 home playoff loss to Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts.
New HC Gary Kubiak is installing his run heavy system, which might actually be beneficial to Manning. While he won’t be putting up the eye popping numbers we’ve all grown accustomed to, feeding the ball to C.J. Anderson, Montee Ball, and Ronnie Hillman will take much of the offensive pressure off of Manning, allowing him to pick his spots.
While wideouts Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders won’t be getting as much work as they’re used to, when they are called upon, if Manning truly does have some gas left in his tank, he’ll still be able to use them to devastating effect.
The 2015 version of Manning is going to look much different than any other version of him we’ve seen. We’re not used to seeing Manning in a ball control, run heavy offense. The Manning we all know is chucking it all over the field. But it could potentially preserve him a bit, keep him fresher, and allow him – and the Broncos – to remain at the top of the AFC West.
Manning may be in the twilight of his career, but he’s still the gold standard for quarterbacks in the division.