For Manning, a 23-16 comeback victor over gallant Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers, it represents a chance to dramatically change the narrative of a season during which his 39-year-old body betrayed him and left him looking like a shot fighter taking the mandatory eight count against Father Time.
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The prospect of this possibly being his swan song, at least as a Bronco, makes Manning, trying desperately to summon every last genius resource of yesteryear to keep one from the Brady thumb, the sentimental favorite.
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half in an NFL football divisional playoff game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, in Denver. Later he stood at a press conference lectern in a room down the hall and spoke in an nearly melancholy way about this one season he worked so hard to get and doesn’t seem to have enjoyed. You got Ben (Roethlisberger), you know, gutsy effort by him tonight. To kind of quote Bill Belichick, we’ll be on to New England. I give them credit for that. The playoff series is an even split, 2-2.
The New England Patriots are getting healthy at the right time and Tom Brady is playing some of the best football of his storied career. Which but for Manning is hardly a murderer’s row of quarterbacks.
The first Brady-Manning meeting of the 2015 season never happened, as the Broncos quarterback suffered a foot injury that knocked him out for six games, including the Broncos’ 30-24 win November 29. I don’t care who wins the game. Brady led the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots (13-4) to the AFC title game for a fifth straight season. Denver is 10-3 in games decided by seven points or fewer, and Manning said being battle-tested helped them on this blustery night.
This one turned when Broncos cornerback Bradley Roby punched the ball out of Pittsburgh running back Fitz Toussaint’s hands with 9:52 left.
Manning knew the correct play and the right read against the coverage (he said any of the four receivers were options, based on what the Steelers did), and he knew he’d have a window to get Fowler the ball.
“They made a great play. In that situation, I put it on myself”. From there, running backs Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson alternated on key runs to move the chains before Anderson broke through for a touchdown from 1-yard out with 3:00 remaining.
Days after the finale, coach Gary Kubiak announced that Manning would return as the Broncos’ starter in what could be his final season. Carolina and Arizona scored more points than any other teams in the regular season, and they have an over/under of 47 points.
Earlier in the third, the Steelers got a 28-yard field goal from Boswell. “It was a tale of two halves and we’ve got to be better than that”. We didn’t force anything and we didn’t give them any short fields.
Pittsburgh responded with a field goal in the final minute to pull within seven points but they were unable to gain possession of the ensuing onside kick.
– Martavis Bryant, Steelers, made nine catches for 154 yards and added 40 yards on two rushes in a losing cause as Pittsburgh fell to Denver 23-16.
Manning completed 21 of 37 passes for 222 yards, including five to Emmanuel Sanders for 85 yards. On Sunday afternoon, the two most high-profile players on the underdog Cardinals and Broncos are both guys that you can feel great putting your support behind.
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Brady – who else? – stands in his way.
