Today’s football question comes from Gene Lucero in Pueblo:
Q: I was really surprised to read your article on Peyton Manning. I agree with most of it, but you say he doesn’t get rattled with pressure. Wow! He gets very inaccurate and has happy feet under pressure. Maybe he gets up from a single hit and performs well, but under constant pressure during a game, he gets flustered and becomes highly inaccurate.
A: Gene, thanks for taking the time.
His “happy” feet often get pointed out, but I’ve talked to Manning several times about his reasoning for chopping his feet when he’s in the pocket — he has done it all the way since his years at the University of Tennessee — and that’s the way he was coached by David Cutcliffe with the Vols, and Manning is comfortable playing that way now.
So he certainly does move his feet more in the pocket than some guys and doesn’t always appear settled. But if you watch his shoulders and head, they remain fairly steady as he goes through his progressions.
And I think you’re right in that the defenses that can somehow get that consistent pressure have a better chance against him — with the trick being getting him to hold the ball a little longer than he wants to. That’s what flusters him.
He likes to work on schedule, and when that schedule is affected, he does play angry at times.
And I know folks sort of get tired of the Manning hype and all, but no player is complimented more by the coaches or players I know in the league. He’s a rare player, and people may not see another like him when he’s done as far as his preparation and ability to find the weak spots in a defense.
I will drop this in as an example of how difficult it is to shake his accuracy.
Since the start of the 2003 season, Manning has had just 20 regular-season games out of a possible 108 starts (six full regular seasons and 12 games this year) when he hasn’t completed at least 60 percent of his passes.
That’s a phenomenal number over that period. Over that same span, for example, Tom Brady has had 35 games when he didn’t hit a 60 percent completion rate, and Brady missed virtually all of the 2008 season.
And in those 20 games when Manning didn’t reach 60 percent, he still threw 25 touchdown passes to go with 16 interceptions. So, even on his “bad” days, he’s pretty difficult to deal with.
So, you’re right, constant pressure can change that, but it’s rare when a team gets the constant pressure that’s required.
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
