Peyton Manning faces defining year with Broncos

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Peyton Manning faces defining year with Broncos

By Dan Hanzus
Writer
Published: May 29, 2012 at 11:34 p.m.



Around the League will examine one key figure under pressure on each team heading into the 2012 season. Next up: The Denver Broncos.

Under Pressure: Peyton Manning



Will the Broncos get "the old" Peyton Manning or just an old Peyton Manning?

There's plenty riding on the answer to that question. John Elway's reputation as a front-office decision maker, for one. The fate of the 2012 Denver Broncos for another.

The massive scope of the Manning pursuit and acquisition hangs pressure all over Broncos headquarters. Elway put his faith in Manning over the magnetic-yet-inconsistent Tim Tebow. John Fox went from leading an underdog team to coaching a perceived Super Bowl contender. And then there's offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, who was praised for changing Denver's attack on the fly last season and must now form a bond with a legend who's accustomed to complete control.

But make no mistake: It's Manning himself who faces the most pressure here.

He's now 36 years old. He's coming of multiple neck surgeries and hasn't taken a meaningful snap since January 2011. Manning should be given time to re-adjust to this type of stage, but he won't get that. The $96 million contract he signed in March means there's no dipping his toe in the wading pool. Into the deep end he goes, and his ability to swim will determine the fate of his new team.

Can Manning stay healthy and put up the 35-touchdown, 4,000-yard season we came to expect for 13 seasons in Indianapolis? It's a mighty challenge -- and the pressure is enormous -- but don't expect No. 18 to shrink from any of it.
 
If he does bad then Elway will get all the blame for getting him and rightfully so. 36 after a major injury is a big gamble.
 
Anything less than a deep playoff run is a failure. I mean afterall Tebow did it with the same team.

I agree. IF they would have taken the risk with less money.... I would have easily stated they were "playing with house money"...but they are paying him ELITE QB money on a very questionable neck with an offensive line that was built for a running game. Manning was never nimble when he was young...what makes people think that he will be nimble now? ALL of the pressure is on the Broncos.
 
One big mistake that the Broncos are making so far is that they don't have a short term quality back up QB for Peyton. Brock Osweiler is great for the long term development at QB but Caleb Hanie? Caleb Hanie couldn't even keep the Chicago Bears in contention last season when Jay Cutler went down. I wonder if the Broncos could(to John Fox' possible chagrin) pry "Mr. Hand Grenade" Matt Moore away from the Dolphins? Matt Moore did a very serviceable with the Dolphins last year & put up very good numbers passing.

God forbid,if Peyton goes down & Hanie is a failure at replacing him. The only choice that the Broncos might have then is to (gasp) sign Donovon McNabb. In THAT case,I'd just start Brock Osweiler & accelerate his development.......anything but McNabb.
 
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One big mistake that the Broncos are making so far is that they don't have a short term quality back up QB for Peyton. Brock Osweiler is great for the long term development at QB but Caleb Hanie? Caleb Hanie couldn't even keep the Chicago Bears in contention last season when Jay Cutler went down. I wonder if the Broncos could(to John Fox' possible chagrin) pry "Mr. Hand Grenade" Matt Moore away from the Dolphins? Matt Moore did a very serviceable with the Dolphins last year & put up very good numbers passing.

God forbid,if Peyton goes down & Hanie is a failure at replacing him. The only choice that the Broncos might have then is to (gasp) sign Donovon McNabb. In THAT case,I'd just start Brock Osweiler & accelerate his development.......anything but McNabb.

Where do you come up with these outlandish ideas?

I mean, seriously???
 
Where do you come up with these outlandish ideas?

I mean, seriously???

Caleb Hanie did nothing to keep the Bears in playoff contention after Jay Cutler went down. There's nothing outlandish about THAT claim. I would definitely back Brock Osweiler as the number 2 QB after Peyton Manning over Caleb Hanie being the number 2 QB. Maybe if I had followed Hanie's career at Colorado State,like you must have,I'd have a different opinion on him,but I only have his last season with the Bears to go on.
 
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Caleb Hanie did nothing to keep the Bears in playoff contention after Jay Cutler went down. There's nothing outlandish about THAT claim. I would definitely back Brock Osweiler as the number 2 QB after Peyton Manning over Caleb Hanie being the number 2 QB. Maybe if I had followed Hanie's career at Colorado State,like you must have,I'd have a different opinion on him,but I only have his last season with the Bears to go on.

How they do in college and how they do as a pro is a hit-or-miss
 
Caleb Hanie did nothing to keep the Bears in playoff contention after Jay Cutler went down. There's nothing outlandish about THAT claim. I would definitely back Brock Osweiler as the number 2 QB after Peyton Manning over Caleb Hanie being the number 2 QB. Maybe if I had followed Hanie's career at Colorado State,like you must have,I'd have a different opinion on him,but I only have his last season with the Bears to go on.



I'm talking about your idea regarding Matt Moore, and even mentioning McNabb, or crazier yet, your suggestion awhile back about Vince Young.


.
 
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I'm talking about your idea regarding Matt Moore, and even mentioning McNabb, or crazier yet, your suggestion awhile back about Vince Young.


.

I still stand by my opinion that having Vince Young for one season would be worth the short term risk while grooming Brock Osweiler & getting him up to speed to become the number 2 QB behind Peyton. Sell me on Caleb Hanie,because I just see a big catastrophe for the Broncos if Peyton was to go down to injury this season. When John Elway said that there was no plan B concerning Peyton Manning,he wasn't kidding.
 

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