Peyton Manning and the 6-0 Broncos host the also-undefeated Packers on Sunday. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)
Tony Dungy, an analyst on NBC’s “Football Night in America,” coached Peyton Manning for seven seasons in Indianapolis, helping the now Broncos quarterback to a Pro Bowl selection each season in that span, as well as a Super Bowl title and Super Bowl MVP award, in 2006.
As a coach, Dungy saw some of Manning’s finest moments in his 17-plus-year career. Now as an analyst, he’s watching from afar as Manning endures seemingly endless criticism, even calls for his benching.
In advance of the Broncos’ Sunday Night Football meeting with the Packers, Dungy — along with fellow NBC analysts Cris Collinsworth and Rodney Harrison — spoke with local and national media about what he’s seen from his former quarterback, and what’s missing in the Broncos’ offense.
“It’s strange to see them go 15 drives without scoring a touchdown and to see 22 incompletions in one game. That’s something I’m not used to seeing, but as Cris mentioned, I can look at it and some of it is just timing and not having that chemistry with the receivers, running a little bit different offense, some of it is balls not coming off his hand well,” Dungy said. “But I’ve seen enough throws in the money situations where they need them, and it seems like especially in the two minute situations, in crunch time, when they’re playing up-tempo, you see better rhythm.
“So, I think it’s probably a combination of a lot of things, but trying to get used to this offense as much as any. …
“I know Peyton is a creature of habit, and it’s not always good, but that’s what he is. The first two years that I saw him play in Denver, I don’t know what they called the plays, but I could call a number of the pass plays, most of them, and I recognized the routes. Now it’s different, so that’s new for him as well as new receivers.
“I saw timing had to grow with our receivers from Reggie Wayne’s first year to his fifth or sixth year, completely different chemistry with him, and every guy that came in there, just trying to find out how they run routes, how they’re going to make their breaks. So it’s not just a matter of how fast you can throw the football or how accurate, but for him it is, a lot of confidence and timing and comfortableness. That’s what’s missing right now from what I can see.”
