Will Peyton be manning the ship?
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. – The Indianapolis Colts might play their starting offense for one quarter against the Denver Broncos today, or maybe just a possession or two.
But the Colts’ offense is so explosive, the Broncos might find themselves a score or two behind by the time Colts quarterback Peyton Manning hands the offense to rookie backup Jim Sorgi.
The Broncos are preparing as if Indianapolis’ starters will play the whole game, because they can’t afford to be surprised by the Colts early in the game.
The Colts have the third seed in the AFC clinched; the Broncos are in the playoffs with a win.
“They’re going to play. (The idea that they’ll rest their starters) is a crock,” Broncos defensive coordinator Larry Coyer said. “They’re going to play their football team and we have to get ready to go. They’re the best offense in this league, period. There’s them, and there’s Kansas City.”
Nobody has figured out how to stop Manning this season. He has thrown for 49 touchdowns, a NFL single-season record, and 4,551 yards.
Colts coach Tony Dungy offered some advice to the Broncos.
“You have to do what people have tried to do the last few weeks – do different things and mix it up,” Dungy said. “You can’t give him a steady diet. You have to be pretty versatile on defense. You can’t just be a straight bump-and-run, man-to-man (coverage) team or an all-zone (coverage) team or an all-blitz team.”
Coyer heard Dungy’s theory and he didn’t disagree. Manning’s preparation and ability to adjust at the line of scrimmage is the reason a defense can’t be predictable.
Manning’s stats this season when teams blitz him are incredible: He has completed 101 of 148 passes for 1,355 yards with 22 touchdowns and no interceptions.
“He’s the master,” Coyer said. “And he’s getting better, better, better. He’s the master of what he’s doing. It’s obvious by his stats.”
The Broncos retooled their defense after last season’s 41-10 playoff loss at Indianapolis. They’ll get a chance to see if their moves have put them in a better position to slow down the Colts, even if they play against Indianapolis’ starters for only a short time.
The Broncos, who were torched for 327 yards and four passing touchdowns in the first half of that playoff game last season, acquired cornerback Champ Bailey and safety John Lynch in the off-season to improve the depth in the secondary.
Last season the Broncos lost safety Nick Ferguson to an injury and cornerback Kelly Herndon played with a broken hand in the playoffs.
This year the Broncos have lost cornerbacks Lenny Walls and Willie Middlebrooks to season-ending injuries, but Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said the Broncos are “much stronger” in the secondary going into their rematch against Indianapolis.
“I feel much better about our depth this year than I did a year ago,” Shanahan said. “Last year we lost a couple guys, and we were devastated. This year, we were able to play and play at a fairly consistent high level with the injuries.”
The Broncos might think they are better than last season, but their problem is that Indianapolis has improved too.
Indianapolis is the 10th team in NFL history to score 500 points in a season. The Colts have three receivers (Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley) with at least 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns, the first time that has happened in NFL history.
Colts running back Edgerrin James is second in the NFL with 1,550 rushing yards.