Front Office Insider: How Broncos could tailor offense around limited Peyton Manning
Peyton Manning's regular-season debut against the Baltimore Ravens left a lot to be desired.
Entering his 18th season, the Denver Broncos quarterback appeared to struggle in new coach Gary Kubiak's system, and — for the first time since Manning donned the orange and blue in 2012 — the Broncos failed to score an offensive touchdown.
"He just looked real slow, and his throws didn't have much behind them," an NFC offensive coach who watched Sunday's game told FOXSports.com.
When asked whether it's something Manning can fix or whether the offensive staff will have to game plan around deficiencies brought on by age and/or injuries, the coach responded, "Honestly, I'm not sure."
At the end of last season, Manning, now 39, was a far cry from the quarterback who in 2013 helped the Broncos set the league's single-season scoring mark with 606 points. That was reportedly the result of a quad injury that was supposed to be behind him, but there was little doubt that a continuation of spotty play in Week 1 would have Broncos fans worried.
For his part, Manning says relax.
"Everybody is looking for these summaries of our offense and our team after Week 1, and I just don't think we're going to be able to do that," Manning told reporters after the game. "It's Week 1. We're a work in progress."
Manning began last season in MVP form, throwing 24 touchdown passes and five interceptions in the team's first eight games. In Denver's next eight games, the 14-time Pro Bowl selection had 15 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions.
But Manning's Week 1 troubles might be more about what's around him than anything. The veteran QB is learning how to operate the offense on the fly with a new coaching staff and without top target Julius Thomas, who left as a free agent. Compounding the problem is the Broncos offensive line includes two rookie starters: left tackle Ty Sambrailo and center Matt Paradis. The result: Manning was sacked four times against the Ravens and finished 24 of 40 for 175 yards and one interception.
"Peyton is going to be fine," an AFC scout said. "They're going to rely on the running game and alleviate a lot of pressure off of him like when (John) Elway was gearing up for his (Super Bowl) run. The thing on it is he doesn't have the athleticism that Elway had to get out of the pocket. Peyton might struggle statistically, but they will rely on the running game and save his arm for December and January."
Late in Elway's career, the Broncos leaned on West Coast offense principles and a healthy amount of running plays mixed in. For Manning, it's likely they will do the same.
C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman shared carries in Week 1, and the Ravens' strong run defense held the two backs to 70 yards on 24 carries.
"This offense is going to look a lot like the ones from the days of the Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe and Rod Smith era," the scout said. "Expect a lot of 21 personnel and 11 personnel (the type of offensive personnel groupings). They will flood the zones on the outside. Kubiak was the offensive coordinator back then, so he's well aware of how they want to distribute the production. They will still be a good team."
As the Broncos navigate toward their fifth straight AFC West title, Manning and the entire offense will certainly be something to monitor. This week, he will be back on three days rest in a Thursday night game against Kansas City.
Taylor Mays tailor-made for Raiders: Oakland found its starting strong safety Monday when it signed street free agent Taylor Mays. After losing Nate Allen and Charles Woodson to injuries in Sunday's loss to the Bengals, the Raiders had Mays on speed dial. Defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. was extremely influential in recruiting the 27-year-old 2010 second-round pick of the 49ers, a source close to Mays told FOXSports.com. Mays chose to play for the Silver and Black over the Seattle Seahawks, who are without Kam Chancellor because of a holdout. Other teams that pursued Mays were the Jaguars and the Giants. One reason Mays was signed this week instead of before Week 1 is because he's a vested veteran, which means he's guaranteed only 25 percent of his salary if he's cut during the season. Mays would've been guaranteed his entire base salary if he were on the roster during the first week of the season.
Cashing in: Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman's pick-6 last Sunday against Jacksonville's Blake Bortles was an ideal springboard in a contract year. Norman, 27, figures to be one of the top cornerbacks in next year's free-agent class should he hit the open market. Norman, who tied for the league lead in yards per reception allowed last season with 5.1, seems to have doubled down on a strong offseason. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott told FOXSports.com this summer that he's proud of Norman's development and consistent play. This week, he draws an intriguing matchup against Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins.
