Peyton Manning has steadily improved over last two weeks

Don’t look now, but Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is making a little comeback this season, and is playing some really good football over the last couple of weeks (games vs. GB, @ IND).

Manning came out of the bye week with a renewed purpose this season, and while the Broncos are just 1-1 in record since the bye, it’s been encouraging to see their five-time MVP playing up to par once again.

Here’s what I’m talking about…

Off-balance throw/arm strength

This was a play the Broncos absolutely had to have at a critical time against the Indianapolis Colts this past season. The offense came out in the 2nd half of this game looking a lot like it did in the 2013 season when they would maintain a nice and quiet first half and then explode in the second.

This drive by Manning and the offense culminated in a throw that proves Manning isn’t playing with a dead arm, and the throw is more impressive than anything else. Look how Manning throws off-balance off of his back foot and fits the ball into an extremely tight window where Owen Daniels makes a phenomenal play on the football.

Deep ball accuracy/Footwork

This is probably one of my top five throws from Manning this season. Why? Because we’ve seen him so many times already this season take a seat deep in the pocket when the pressure collapses and not even attempt to step up into the traffic and try and make a throw.

Look at the quickness with which he reads the separation Emmanuel Sanders is getting on the cornerback, and look at how he vaults up into the pocket, gets clean, and sets his feet to rocket fire an absolutely perfect pass to Sanders.

And here’s one where Manning has a perfect pocket to begin with…

My Personal Favorite

Click on this link and scrub to 1:52. Peyton Manning rolls to his left on a beautifully designed play-action fake, and then heaves the ball across his body to Owen Daniels for a huge gain.

1. This is an incredibly hard throw for any quarterback to make, much less one who has wide-spread concern about his ability to throw deep.
2. This is an incredibly difficult throw to make against even bad defense by a linebacker or defensive back, who will usually have plenty of time to recover.
3. This is a #BrassNutz throw by Manning who makes an All-Pro throw look easy. The Colts tried this play later in the game and Andrew Luck significantly overthrew his receiver. This is just one of many reasons why Peyton is a Hall of Famer.

To Conclude

Watch the Green Bay tape as well as the Indianapolis tape and you’ll certainly find flaws yet in Manning’s game. I hate that the last pass he threw at Lucas Oil Stadium this weekend was an interception, and I hate that Aqib Talib’s insolence cost him a second chance at the end of the game, but when all is said and done, I feel much better at this moment about Manning’s play than I did heading into the bye week, when he was not only a question mark but essentially a liability.

I think he’s just getting started, too.