Denver's new normal (MMQB)

[VonDoom]

It was only two years ago that the Broncos were exploding scoreboards and putting record books through a shredder. When 2013 ended, Peyton Manning’s Broncos sat atop the list of the most prolific offenses of all-time. Last night, the conversation about Manning couldn’t have been more removed from that image. “He managed the game right,” cornerback Chris Harris said. “No turnovers. That’s all we need.”

Peyton Manning, game manager, is tough to swallow. The numbers probably aren’t worth repeating. Manning is the most accomplished passer in NFL history, but as the Broncos prepare to face the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game, the two defining players of the NFL’s past decade and a half have assumed markedly different roles. Tom Brady continues to be the engine of a Patriots’ offense that remains one of the league’s best while Manning is forced to rely on the rest of his team to carry him toward the finish line. “Our defense has been outstanding all season,” Manning said. “They’ve led us to this point. Let’s make that clear.” Right now, that’s the only recipe the Broncos have, and the combination needed to make it work is a delicate balance.

http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/01/18/peyton-manning-denver-broncos-nfl-playoffs

[TXBRONC]

Even elite quarterbacks have to manage games. In many aspects Manning is still elite, he's just not elite in every aspect that he used to be.

[Cugel]

There are three things that are different from 2012 and 2013 to now which directly impact Peyton and the offense:

#1 - In the SB run the Broncos had FIVE offensive weapons, and teams couldn't cover all of them in the red zone. In addition to D.T. and Decker, they also had Julius Thomas and Wes Welker - and Knowshon Moreno was a good pass-catcher coming out of the backfield (he caught 60 balls in 2013). Julius T. demanded double teams because he couldn't be covered with a LB, and Welker needed a safety on him because he was too quick and elusive to be covered effectively by a LB. The result was a lot of single coverage on the outside for D.T. and Decker and the Broncos led the league in red zone TD scoring percentage.

But in 2015 Moreno, Welker and J.T. are gone and nobody has replaced their production. Teams can cover Owen Daniels with a LB no problem and Virgil Green has only 12 receptions on the season so he's no threat. Ronnie Hillman and C.J. are no threat to catch the ball either. Neither has more than 25 catches on the year and no TDs between them. HUGE drops in the Steelers game with wide open field in front of him.

Teams can double-team D.T. and Sanders and the rest of the Broncos can't make them pay.

#2 - OL.

The OL has been horrible all season and wasn't great in this playoff game. Once again RBs were being met in the backfield and stuffed for a loss. Once again Peyton overthrew Sanders deep downfield because his OL didn't hold their blocks long enough for him to complete that timing pass.

They were better after the week off than they had been in the regular season. Schofield surpassed expectations by not being horrible. But, they are far from a major source of strength and Peyton threw the ball in 2 seconds or less on almost every play.

That's a serious problem moving forward. If the Broncos don't win a SB it will be because the OL wasn't good enough to protect Peyton and give him time to throw the ball downfield.

Everybody looks to Peyton and blames him for everything but those factors, plus the change to the ultra conservative Kubiak offense that has stalled the high-flying Denver offense from previous years. It's not that Peyton is too old, it's that this offense is missing pieces and Peyton has been under constant pressure.