Sooooooo lets go ahead and say it: Peyton Manning looked like his old self

[WhiZa]

I hate to say it, but he looked good. His OL certainly helped him and I don't think he moves as fast as I've seen him in the past. He certainly had control over the team and looked accurate. I really wish he played poorly though :explative

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I'm not saying he will tank, but we haven't seen a lot of evidence to suggest that even barring his health concerns he can 'improve' as the year goes on in one of the toughest weather environments in the entire league. He's never really had to do that.

Starting Sept. 30 here's what he has to do:

v. Oak - mild weather bad team horrendous QB
@ New England - probably decent weather but tough opponent
@ San Diego - they don't have weather and are always a crapshoot
bye
v Saints - they struggle more in weather than Manning ever did
@ Cincinnati - we still have to see who the Bungles are this season
@ Panthers - Cam will come back to earth and results will be similar
v. SD - See above advantage Denver being used to thin air
@ KC - Not looking great out of the gate after losing home opener.
v. TB - Tough D but anemmic O
@ Oak See above
@ Baltimore - OK I'll give you that one
v. Cleveland - Pahleeeeese.
v. KC

that's 10 games in potentially tough outdoors environments and 3 more in mild outdoor environments. That's a stretch he's never had to go through yet in his career and could prove challenging if he is truly having velocity issues. I think it's safe to say that the dome benefactor argument is going to be tested.

Playing with a better D he may not have to put up domed stats.

 

[PatsGirl2011]

Playing with a better D he may not have to put up domed stats.

I really don't think their D is that great.

 

[patsfan13]

Well he definitely didn't have the arm strength he had in the past. The real question is how much stronger will his arm become?

That said he is still one of the smartest QB's to ever play the game and will compensate, it will however require his receivers run precise routes and get some separation, if this happens Manning will be successful.

Glad to see him get this far hope his recovery continues.

Not sold on wither the Denver OL or their D.

 

[Kid~Brady]

Its not so much Manning....I believe that Broncos OL is not all that good and Manning will not have a lot of time in the pocket.

Peyton had a very solid OL unit for years in Indy with Jeff Saturday leading the group....the Broncos are nowhere near as solid on that line.

And we all know that Manning will be tested when playing out in the cold and snow at home for the last 4-6 home games...no more cushy indoors.

I guess you're right but he had adequate time yesterday to throw the ball and who are we kidding? Manning is probably the best QB with releasing the ball fast to deter pass rush, you know this.

 

[TyronePoole]

Playing with a better D he may not have to put up domed stats.

Oh I wasn't really even talking about wins and losses, i just meant Manning's individual performance. I agree that they'll be a good team and should win most of those even if he can't finesse the ball up and down the field at will.

 

[Boomer B]

How's his neck gonna be feeling in the Colorado weather in Nov/Dec? I know people with neck and back problems and it gets worse in cold/damp weather.

It will also be interesting as the season progresses if he loses any more strength from the wear and tear or if things continue to get heal and get better.

I think Mannings best choice would have been the 49ers. Great D, better weather, strong running game. He wouldnt need to do as much and would be a much better game manager then A.Smith. Maybe his ego got in the way and he wanted more control of the Offence.

 

[Buchanty]

Credit where credit is due, PM played very well. You could even say exceedingly well given his protracted absence from the game. He made his opposite number look positively cumbersome, however I suspect that a number of teams are going to make the Steelers look mundane.

I agree with other posters that the zip is not where is was in days gone by, but it is still early in the season. He does appear to have more difficulty throwing to the right, including a spectacular duck that made Pennington's noodle throws look like missiles. But in the no-huddle he was majestic, and it was nice to see if for no other reason that we can stop the Rogers hype (never thought I would prefer the manning adulation to discount double check).

I know the Steelers were hobbled by the lack of Clark and Harrison on the D, and an imperfect OL trying to recover from the loss of their #1 draft pick, and Mendenhall is still on the road to recovery BUT - I dont think I have ever seen such an anemic running game (tho' Dwyer sparked a little at the end but not so much as to make a difference). I also think that opening up the season at Mile High is such a disadvantage for the visiting team, as they are not at peak condition and the thin atmosphere just gassed them. Polamalu was sucking hard on the oxygen mask mid way through the first quarter, and I dont think the mounted much of a pass rush after that point either. I dont know who I was more disappointed in - the Steelers or the Bills. Strike that - the buffalo gals were much worse.

I do think the Denver D looked better than last season, especially with the addition of Porter, but does he remind anyone else of Asante Samuel? Von Miller is a beast, but Dumervil seems to be doing a Haynesworth now that he has his money.

I really look forward to seeing 18 v 12 again - the two of them and their rivalry really define the last 12 years of the NFL.

 

[upstater1]

The thing that concerns me about the Broncos is that Manning is going to gas defenses in that thin air. I said this as soon as they signed him. With Manning, they have the QB that can accentuate the best home field advantage in the league.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I really don't think their D is that great.

It's better than the one he finished up with in Indy. Indy's D was always it's achilles heel. It peeked 2-3 years into the Dungy era and then Polian began to let it and his OL and Peyton's elite weapons just fall into disrepair once he had possession of a ring. You saw the shell that was left absent Manning last season. Heck, we picked at the scrap heep and came away with nothing.

I don't know that together they form the nucleus of a superbowl team or even a conference contender, but they will be competitive especially within that division. I think KC is snake bit between coaching choices and injuries. I think SD is on Norv's last hurrah, and I think Carson Palmer is what he is. I think the AFCS isn't very competitive, nor will the AFCE be, and it remains to be seen if the AFCN is a 2 or 3 team division because Cleveland is toast. All in all if he was intent on remaining in the AFC it was the best landing place for him. Not sure he has quite enough talent around him, but it seems to be coming together if it can stay healthy. He could probably have used another familiar face or two, but then again he's running a new system, not adapting an old one to his. That D was enough to keep them in it with Tebow at the helm last season and he's not even a real QB.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Credit where credit is due, PM played very well. You could even say exceedingly well given his protracted absence from the game. He made his opposite number look positively cumbersome, however I suspect that a number of teams are going to make the Steelers look mundane.

I agree with other posters that the zip is not where is was in days gone by, but it is still early in the season. He does appear to have more difficulty throwing to the right, including a spectacular duck that made Pennington's noodle throws look like missiles. But in the no-huddle he was majestic, and it was nice to see if for no other reason that we can stop the Rogers hype (never thought I would prefer the manning adulation to discount double check).

I know the Steelers were hobbled by the lack of Clark and Harrison on the D, and an imperfect OL trying to recover from the loss of their #1 draft pick, and Mendenhall is still on the road to recovery BUT - I dont think I have ever seen such an anemic running game (tho' Dwyer sparked a little at the end but not so much as to make a difference). I also think that opening up the season at Mile High is such a disadvantage for the visiting team, as they are not at peak condition and the thin atmosphere just gassed them. Polamalu was sucking hard on the oxygen mask mid way through the first quarter, and I dont think the mounted much of a pass rush after that point either. I dont know who I was more disappointed in - the Steelers or the Bills. Strike that - the buffalo gals were much worse.

I do think the Denver D looked better than last season, especially with the addition of Porter, but does he remind anyone else of Asante Samuel? Von Miller is a beast, but Dumervil seems to be doing a Haynesworth now that he has his money.

I really look forward to seeing 18 v 12 again - the two of them and their rivalry really define the last 12 years of the NFL.

Someone, I think it might have been Deion on NFLN, was saying last night that Ben simply can't make the on time throw, however he excells at salvaging somehing out of the chaos that creates. Especially since losing the gut and prior to suffering his first of the season ankle or knee injury. Haley might as well be the after game buffet coordinator for all the effect he'll have on Ben.

Porter took some gambles and made a boneheaded play or two. But he more than made up for it at least last night. Lucky for us we have a few more weapons at Tom's disposal than Ben has and we don't often employ the random chinese fire drill offense Ben favors.

 

[slopkinz]

Manning will still do better than tebow.