Jay Cutler grew up in Santa Claus, Ind., about 180 miles from Indianapolis.
Any guesses about which quarterback he followed as a kid?
Now that he’s a fellow NFL quarterback, it’s not so much Peyton Manning’s talent Cutler appreciates. It’s Manning’s savvy, his instincts, his football IQ.
When the Broncos play the Colts on Sunday at the RCA Dome, Manning will flap his arms, twist his neck and point his fingers. Then, just when the play clock approaches :00, he’ll get around to taking the snap.
And, more often than not, he’ll find a receiver open downfield for a big gain. Why? Because he just changed the play after getting a look at the defense.
That’s the part of the game that only time can teach Cutler. It took Manning awhile, too, but, as we speak, he may be playing the quarterback position at a higher level than any player ever.
“He always knows what the defense is bringing,” Cutler said. “It seems like he could check to anything in the playbook at any time. I could stand up here for an hour and talk about Peyton Manning. He’s on a level by himself up there.”
And he has hurt the Broncos more than any other quarterback in the league. Manning in four career home games vs. the Broncos: 77-for-112, 1,172 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions.
How do you beat the guy? If you’re the Broncos, your only hope is to control the clock and keep the ball out of his hands.
It happened once. The Broncos revved up their running game at Indianapolis in 2003 and controlled the ball for more than 40 minutes. Two weeks later, they returned to Indy and got blown out 41-10.
Follow Jim Armstrong’s daily Broncos commentaries on The Jimmy Page at 7 a.m. and noon. And read his Third & Short column on Sundays and the day after Broncos games.
He can be reached at 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
