Game manager; a quarterback who makes relatively few mistakes but little is expected other than not losing the game. Often times, a game manager is asked to play conservative and allow a strong defense to win the team the game.
On the other hand, the definition of an elite quarterback is a lot more ambiguous in terms of what characteristics and traits they hold. Most would agree, that an elite quarterback makes everybody around them play better, therefore the QB significantly boosts the production of the offense. Being an elite quarterback means that you’re consistently putting up big numbers on a weekly basis and you are potentially in the MVP debate. Well, Peyton Manning was among the elite class for the bulk of his career until 2015, where he has put up his worst numbers since his rookie season. It seems that Manning has taken a sharp turn to the other face.
According to the Pro Football Focus scale, Manning ranks as the 28th rated best quarterback in the whole league. Another interesting stat that displays how strange of a year it has been for the veteran is that he has thrown 3 picks this season when blitzed. Last year he only had 4 picks for the whole year when being blitzed.
So why has Peyton been reduced to a quarterback that dwells among the bottom half of the league?
Some would say it’s his arm, which is weaker than one-ply toilet paper. Others would say that he is still adjusting to the newly installed Gary Kubiak system. I believe that Peyton’s dip in production can be primarily attributed to his lack of arm strength and the fact that Denver has one of the worst offensive lines in the league.
It isn’t unusual for a future Hall of Fame quarterback to suddenly start putting up below average numbers toward the end of their career. Look at Brett Favre; in his last season, he only played 13 games, but put up abysmal numbers. Favre had 33 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 2009 but then in 2010, his final season, he had 11 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. Or take Hall of Famer Dan Fouts, who in his last two seasons in the NFL, threw a combined 26 touchdowns and 37 interceptions. The age old saying that Father Time is undefeated is most certainly applicable to the NFL.
Another reason Manning has been so ineffective this season has been his running game. Gary Kubiak was brought to Denver to help Peyton Manning succeed in the waning years of his career. Kubiak’s offense is designed around a balanced offense where the running game sets up the passing game. The Broncos running game is ranked second to last in the league as they have averaged a dreadful three yards per rush attempt. So who is to blame here? The offensive line, yet again, is not doing the Broncos skill position players any favors.
The Broncos O-line consistently ranks negatively on the PFF scale, and trhey are 21st in sacks allowed thus far. Peyton Manning has had some very poor offensive lines throughout his time in Denver and Indianapolis. But he has been able to have success because his arm allowed him to make any throw necessary on any given Sunday. As Peyton’s arm has deteriorated over the last year, i has limited his ability to make elite level throws. Peyton is having a poor year because his offensive line is consistently giving him a tight pocket that evaporates within a second of the snap. This type of protection, along with his lack of arm talent, is resulting in an offense that is performing with the cellar dwellers of the NFL.
So if Peyton is truly a game manager now, can the Broncos still win the Super Bowl? If you believe that defense wins championships then you probably say that yes, Denver has a great shot. Unless Denver establishes some sort of running game and balance on the offensive side of the ball, then I feel it is unlikely they go all the way. No matter how good a defense is, if they are on the field for 36 to 40 minutes of the ballgame, then they will deteriorate as the game goes along. If Denver’s offense can regain their effectiveness from the past, then Denver is an extremely dangerous team capable of winning the Super Bowl.
