Lonestar
12-13-2009, 03:39 AM
Posted: 12/13/2009 01:00:00 AM MST
Veteran wide receiver Brandon Stokley remembers what it's like to be one of Peyton Manning's favorite targets.
Stokley spent four years in Indianapolis as part of a Colts receiving corps that included stars Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison.
But what separates Manning from other quarterbacks, Stokley said, is Manning's ability to accommodate so many other offensive players, stars or not.
"He does a great job of getting everyone involved and making everyone feel like they're part of the offense and part of the team," said Stokley, whose Broncos play the Colts in Indianapolis today. "He makes everyone feel like they are contributing, and if they're not, he'll always try to feed them the ball a little more, little things like that that people don't see."
That has been even more evident this season, without Harrison (who was released in the offseason) and Anthony Gonzalez (who has been hurt for most of the season). Instead, Manning has helped make young players such as Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie legitimate receiving threats.
"This year has been a challenge because of our new players. We have to spend a lot of time with those guys during practice and in minicamps and training camps trying to get on the same page," Manning said last week. "I mean, it's hard. You can't get nine years of timing with an Austin Collie or Pierre Garcon in one training camp like you have with Reggie Wayne, but you do whatever you can to get as comfortable as you possibly can with those young guys."
No huddle? Oh, no.
The Broncos' defense has appeared flustered at times this season when opponents from Baltimore to Kansas City have run a no-huddle offense.
No team in the NFL plays that style better than Indianapolis, and the Broncos said they will have to better handle playing for stretches in their base or five-defensive- back formations instead of frequently substituting players in and out of the game.
"That quick pace works for them, and they don't give teams a chance to address their personnel," outside linebacker Mario Haggan said. "We have to know that some plays are going to be called when we're out of our regular personnel, so we have to know what to do when we have a different matchup."
Reunion arena.
A back injury will keep Indianapolis rookie running back Donald Brown out of today's game, but it shouldn't keep him from catching up with Denver's own rookie running back, Knowshon Moreno.
Moreno and Brown, first-round draft picks, grew up together in New Jersey and played together on several Pop Warner teams before attending rival high schools. Even with Moreno at quarterback and Brown, who starred at the University of Connecticut, at running back, Moreno said their team was never very successful.
"It'll definitely be good to see him," Moreno said.
Footnote.
The Broncos will find out by Tuesday if the telecast of their Dec. 27 game at Philadelphia will be flexed to NBC from CBS. The game is scheduled to be played at 11 a.m. MST. . . . Rookie safety David Bruton, one of the Broncos' top special-teams players, did not travel with the team and will be inactive because of a thigh injury. He had been listed as questionable.
Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13985686
Veteran wide receiver Brandon Stokley remembers what it's like to be one of Peyton Manning's favorite targets.
Stokley spent four years in Indianapolis as part of a Colts receiving corps that included stars Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison.
But what separates Manning from other quarterbacks, Stokley said, is Manning's ability to accommodate so many other offensive players, stars or not.
"He does a great job of getting everyone involved and making everyone feel like they're part of the offense and part of the team," said Stokley, whose Broncos play the Colts in Indianapolis today. "He makes everyone feel like they are contributing, and if they're not, he'll always try to feed them the ball a little more, little things like that that people don't see."
That has been even more evident this season, without Harrison (who was released in the offseason) and Anthony Gonzalez (who has been hurt for most of the season). Instead, Manning has helped make young players such as Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie legitimate receiving threats.
"This year has been a challenge because of our new players. We have to spend a lot of time with those guys during practice and in minicamps and training camps trying to get on the same page," Manning said last week. "I mean, it's hard. You can't get nine years of timing with an Austin Collie or Pierre Garcon in one training camp like you have with Reggie Wayne, but you do whatever you can to get as comfortable as you possibly can with those young guys."
No huddle? Oh, no.
The Broncos' defense has appeared flustered at times this season when opponents from Baltimore to Kansas City have run a no-huddle offense.
No team in the NFL plays that style better than Indianapolis, and the Broncos said they will have to better handle playing for stretches in their base or five-defensive- back formations instead of frequently substituting players in and out of the game.
"That quick pace works for them, and they don't give teams a chance to address their personnel," outside linebacker Mario Haggan said. "We have to know that some plays are going to be called when we're out of our regular personnel, so we have to know what to do when we have a different matchup."
Reunion arena.
A back injury will keep Indianapolis rookie running back Donald Brown out of today's game, but it shouldn't keep him from catching up with Denver's own rookie running back, Knowshon Moreno.
Moreno and Brown, first-round draft picks, grew up together in New Jersey and played together on several Pop Warner teams before attending rival high schools. Even with Moreno at quarterback and Brown, who starred at the University of Connecticut, at running back, Moreno said their team was never very successful.
"It'll definitely be good to see him," Moreno said.
Footnote.
The Broncos will find out by Tuesday if the telecast of their Dec. 27 game at Philadelphia will be flexed to NBC from CBS. The game is scheduled to be played at 11 a.m. MST. . . . Rookie safety David Bruton, one of the Broncos' top special-teams players, did not travel with the team and will be inactive because of a thigh injury. He had been listed as questionable.
Lindsay H. Jones, The Denver Post
http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_13985686