November 15, 2015 - Is that the date that will be synonymous as the last time Peyton Manning plays football in the NFL?
That day Peyton Manning passed Brett Favre's career passing yards record. However, while it should have been a celebratory day, one that Peyton Manning and Broncos fans could remember with fondness, it was anything but. On the day Peyton Manning became the all-time leader in passing yards, he also had his worst day as a football player. He went 5-for-20 for 35 yards and four interceptions with a 0.0 passer rating before being replaced by Brock Osweiler.
That day was simply sad. Watching one of the best quarterback's in football history struggle so profusely was unfathomable. The same guy who threw 55 touchdown passes, had a 115.1 passer rating in a season, and led an offense that scored a record 606 points in a season just two years prior, is now struggling to get past the 50 yard line? How does that happen?
Two things factor into the steep decline.
Age. Peyton Manning is not only 39 years old, he is a 39 year old who has gone through four neck surgeries. Think about that for a minute, really understand how much work he would have to put in to compete at the highest level of football competition with those physical conditions. Very difficult to do.
Injuries. In order for Peyton Manning to be effective, especially at the age of 39, he needs to be as close to 100% healthy as possible. It has been noted by Denver media close to the team, that Peyton Manning's foot injury flared up in the Indianapolis Colts game. Peyton missed Wednesday's practice, which was not unusual, and was limited in practice the rest of the week leading up to the Chiefs game.
Hindsight is 20/20, it is easy to say after the Kansas City game that Peyton Manning should not have been playing. He simply wasn't healthy enough. As a 39 year old quarterback, you can't have a torn plantar fascia and expect to perform at a winning level. Now with that being said, what makes the situation abnormal, is even when Peyton Manning was healthy, he wasn't playing up to his normal standards. Throwing an interception in every game he has played this year. It is no secret that Peyton Manning isn't as comfortable in this hybrid offense with Gary Kubiak calling plays as opposed to Adam Gase.
So was Peyton Manning replaced in the Chiefs game because of poor play or injury? In my opinion, Peyton Manning's injury was much more severe than initially reported. He went to Dr. Robert Anderson, a highly regarded foot and ankle specialist in North Carolina, and returned with a walking boot. Is he struggling to mesh with Kubiak? Yes. But I also saw Peyton Manning look great against the Green Bay Packers a couple weeks prior, so I know he still has some juice left.
So how does this story end?
To figure out how it ends, lets go to the beginning, at least from a Denver Broncos fan perspective.
March 20, 2012. One of the best moments in Denver Broncos history. Peyton Manning decides to sign with the Denver Broncos. Wow. The greatest free agent to hit the NFL market decided to come to the Denver Broncos. Let's not forget where this franchise was before Peyton Manning came here.
The Josh McDaniels debacle had just ended. Broncos fans usually refer to Josh McDaniels as "Hurricane Josh" because when he had left, the franchise had so much destruction done to itself, that it looked like it would take years to recover.
Then the Tebow year happened. John Fox's first year as head coach started poorly with Kyle Orton struggling at quarterback, "suck for Luck" was in full effect throughout the league, and the Broncos decided to join the "Luck sweepstakes" by putting in Tim Tebow.
Now let me say this first before I go any further. I am not a Tim Tebow fan, I am a Denver Broncos fan. Tim Tebow has fans that became Broncos fans because he was on the Denver Broncos roster. I think Tim is a quality individual who does great things for many people and I respect that.
With that being said, Tim Tebow is not an NFL caliber quarterback. If he was, he would still be in the NFL. The NFL has one rule. If you are the best person to get the job done, do your part to help the team win football games, you will have a job. While distractions factor into whether or not to sign a player, there are plenty of examples of "distracting players" who have found a home on an NFL roster because they can get the job done consistently.
Tim Tebow provided one of the most exciting seasons that culminated in probably the single most exciting play in Denver Broncos history. I get chills every time I recall Tim Tebow throwing a dart to Demaryius Thomas and then DT stiff arming his defender and running all the way to the endzone to end the first playoff game, on the first play of overtime, in dramatic fashion. I am thankful to Tim Tebow for that season, it was one that had moments I will never forget.
But, what I also remember about Tim Tebow, is the 3 game losing streak to end the regular season, when every single one of those games were big games that mattered. The playoff game against the New England Patriots, where the Denver Broncos got destroyed and had no chance to win. Tom Brady punting on 3rd down...UGLY.
That is where this franchise was. Stuck between a rock and a hard place. Or stuck with Tim Tebow as your quarterback, which trust me, would not have ended well.
Again, March 20, 2012. The Denver Broncos go from an average team, to immediate Super Bowl contender by signing Peyton Manning. In my opinion, Broncos fans who have booed Peyton Manning or cheered when Peyton was benched against Kansas City, have forgotten why this franchise is and has been relevant the past 4 years.
Free agents like Aquib Talib and DeMarcus Ware don't sign with the Denver Broncos unless a quarterback like Peyton Manning is at the helm. The Denver Broncos don't make the playoffs every year, including a Super Bowl appearance if it isn't for Peyton Manning.
Sure, we all want to win the Super Bowl and that hasn't happened yet in the Peyton Manning era. But I would much rather be 13-3 or 12-4 than 8-8 or worse every year. Just ask the Denver Nuggets if they miss George Karl and the one and done playoff appearances or if they are happy being at the bottom of the standings the past 3 years.
Today being Thanksgiving, I am thankful for many things. One of them being Peyton Manning in a Broncos uniform.
So again, how does this story end?
Does Peyton Manning get another shot to do an "Elway" and win a Super Bowl in his last game?
I think a big part of that story will be written depending on the results of the next 2 games. Against the 10-0 New England Patriots and the 2-8 San Diego Chargers. If Brock Osweiler plays well and the Broncos win, then it may be his job, but he must play good if not great to keep Peyton Manning off the field and it starts with the New England Patriots.
The New England Patriots provide a tough test. However, they are not as dominant as you would expect a 10-0 team to be. First off, their strength of schedule is one of the weakest in NFL history for a defending champion. Their schedule rotation this year includes the 2 worst divisions in football, the AFC South and the NFC East (Cowboys without Romo). Both of those divisions, as it stands right now in week 11, do not have a single team with a winning record. So there is 8 wins right there. Next, the AFC East, which has been a weak division for the entirety of the Brady-Belichick era. While the Jets and Bills are improved, you can't tell me that Ryan Fitzpatrick and 1st year starter Tyrod Taylor provide the Patriots coaches a lot of sleepless nights. Rack up another 6 wins right there. So then you just have 2 other opponents, division winners from the past year for the AFC North and AFC West. That would be the Steelers and Broncos. The Steelers defense looked like it was still in pre-season form in the opening game of the year, confusion spread throughout the defense and they never got settled down. Also, the Steelers were without one of their best offensive weapons in LeVeon Bell.
So without question, this Broncos vs Patriots match-up could very easily be the toughest test the Patriots will face all year and may be their only true challenge in preventing them from going undefeated in the regular season.
If Brock Osweiler can play well and beat the New England Patriots, there is a chance Peyton Manning's last game as a starter will be marked by that November 15, 2015 date. Especially if Osweiler continues that trend into San Diego.
But I don't think the Peyton Manning story will end that way. A healthy Peyton Manning still gives this team the best chance to win a Super Bowl this year, not Brock Osweiler. The best game the Broncos have played offensively all year is the Green Bay Packers game. They dominated from start to finish, mixing in the run game with the pass game and putting up a season high 29 points. That is how the Broncos offense needs to look if they want to win a Super Bowl.
Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Vincent Van Gogh, and Leonardo Da Vinci are all some of the most influential artists of all-time. Would Da Vinci be as influential if it weren't for The Last Supper or Mona Lisa?
Peyton Manning is a football artist. No quarterback has changed the way the game is played like Peyton. His no-huddle offense, reading defensive coverage's is unmatched. He has painted many masterpieces in his career and his time of painting on the football field is almost over. The Peyton Manning football story is on it's last chapter, only a few pages left.
Let The Sheriff paint his final masterpiece.
