Peyton’s pace to stay fast
The Broncos have a new system, but Kubiak and the QB are on the same page.
The burden of excellence falls on Peyton Manning. The Broncos view themselves as three-dimensional this season, but if championship goals aren’t reached, Manning will receive the blame. It’s the reality of his ability — he’s a five-time NFL MVP — and the position.
Quarterbacks represent the center of the sports universe. They are the hub holding the spokes together. Manning rolled into his 17th training camp last week determined to erase the bitterness of last season’s finish — a one-and-done playoff exit — and prove he still can play at a high level after a second-half slump.
The degree of difficulty increased with the change in coaching staffs. Manning is learning coach Gary Kubiak’s zone-blocking, play-action system, something he has found “stimulating.” And there is another important layer to this adjustment. Manning must not only know the plays but become comfortable with how he receives them. Gone are the days when former offensive coordinator Adam Gase stood on the sideline and existed as the lone voice in Manning’s headset.
Kubiak will be involved in play-calling along with offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, who watches from the press box, leaving quarterbacks coach Greg Knapp as the final verbal baton. Kubiak said it sounds more complicated than it is, insisting the dots will connect quickly.
“Knapper is the one who communicates with (Peyton) all the time. I did that in Houston with Knapper. So he knows the drill if I am calling plays or if Rick is calling plays. It’s going through Knapper to the
field,” Kubiak said. “As a head coach, I have used it before, and I think there’s too much on your plate, so I think somebody else needs to be the direct line to him. I think Greg is the best guy to do it.”
Seconds matter to Manning more than any other quarterback. He remains the maestro of the audible, the master of the dummy calls — “Omaha,” anyone? He waits longer than anyone else for the defense to reveal its coverage before the snap. Can he do that with the play-caller not relaying the cadence directly to him?
“I believe in the same things as he does. I believe in getting things to him fast,” Kubiak said. “If I don’t, we will get a lot of ‘You go ahead.’ ”
Manning has embraced change this offseason, from more time under center to a focus on establishing a physical running game. At 39, Manning still relishes the studying process, craves finding the smallest detail to exploit, evidenced in how he peppers Dennison with questions. Manning said Friday the result of the plays remains more important than how they are communicated.
“It’s football,” Manning said. “There are not many new plays out there. However you call them or whatever that is, it’s not that big of a deal. It’s about executing them. I know I’ll get the plays in and we’ll be able to have the plays that everybody feels good about. We’re going to try to find out during training camp.”
While the Broncos underachieved last season, Manning did not under Gase. He threw 94 touchdown passes over the past two years, shattering the standards for a quarterback at 37 and 38 years old. Or any age, for that matter. Manning finished with 39 touchdowns last year, second best in the NFL, despite dealing with a strained right quadriceps over the final three games. Unable to plant consistently and use his legs, something that surfaced periodically in November, Manning lost his laser accuracy and lacked velocity to overcome command issues.
His legs appear strong after a rigorous offseason of training. He showed them off with rollouts in Friday’s first practice. Part of what makes Manning elite goes unseen. Forget the hardware: No one has better software, his brain serving as a decoder on game days. Will that be minimized with a new playcalling protocol?
“He will be able to change when he feels he needs to,” said veteran tight end Owen Daniels, who has spent his entire career in Kubiak’s system. “In Houston and in Baltimore, I don’t remember any problems getting the play fast. We didn’t have any issues with the play clock. We didn’t audible as much. We had some checks, but not as much as Peyton has in his back pocket. I think for sure that he will have time to use them.”
Since he was hired, Kubiak has stressed his system will be adjusted to fit Manning’s strengths. He is trying to win games and likes the process in place. There are no plans to call an audible on how plays are communicated, because he believes Manning will have time to, well, call audibles.
“To watch a guy as long as he’s been doing it the way he takes care of himself and how important it is to him, I’ll be honest with you, it’s a blast right now,” Kubiak said. “We’re trying to fit everything together and we’ll do that.”