Someday, when Peyton Manning’s career highlights are spliced together, the 2003 and 2004 Broncos will play a supporting role — as the team Manning dominated with his relentless, precision passing.
In the wild-card round of the 2003 playoffs, Manning’s Indianapolis Colts blasted the Broncos 41-10 at the RCA Dome. One year later, Manning helped the Colts demolish the Broncos 49-24 at the same stadium.
Those are the only times the Broncos and Colts have met in the playoffs. Both times the Broncos played doormat to Manning’s greatness.
He threw for 377 yards and five touchdowns in Round 1, then came back to punish the Broncos with 457 yards passing and four touchdowns in Round 2.
“I said coming in that this was the best offense I have ever played against,” Broncos Pro Bowl safety John Lynch said after the Colts’ 49-24 victory. “Today they confirmed that. They have a quarterback who puts them in the right situations. I’ve never been in a game where so much of it felt like we were almost helpless.”
Manning, now in his third season as Denver’s star quarterback, faces his former team in an AFC divisional playoff game Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. He is 38 now and a different player, playing under a different system. His gun-slinging days have been tempered as the Broncos seek a balanced offense.
“We’ve tried to find different ways to win football games and hopefully that prepares us well when you get into these playoff games and anything can go on,” he said. “Different games take on different identities. You never know what it’s going to be, but I think we’ve proven we can win games differently and hopefully that serves us well potentially on Sunday.”
When he was with the Colts, Manning’s passing attack was nearly unstoppable. The Denver defenses that lined up in those wild-card games a decade ago were no match for his accuracy.
After the debacle in the 2003 playoff game against the Colts, Broncos coach Mike Shana- han acquired Lynch and star cornerback Champ Bailey. But Manning still found a way to exploit Denver’s weaknesses.
The soft spot in Denver’s secondary in the 2004 playoff game against the Colts was rookie cornerback Roc Alexander, Denver’s nickel back. With Bailey playing man-to-man coverage on Marvin Harrison — the Colts’ best wide receiver — Manning attacked Alexander, throwing early, often and effectively to wide receiver Reggie Wayne. Wayne caught 10 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, setting a Colts postseason record for yards receiving.
Wayne, now 36, could be playing his final game Sunday unless the Colts can find a way to pull the upset and advance.
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or
