Oct 28 2012; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) prepares to throw during second quarter of the game against the New Orleans Saints at Sports Authority Field. (Credit: Ron Chenoy-US PRESSWIRE)

Peyton Manning has been proving his doubters wrong on a routine basis and he did it again on Sunday night. Manning got the best of Saints quarterback Drew Brees behind 3 touchdowns, 305-yards passing and a QB rating of 138.9. In the process he became the first player in league history to throw for at least 3 touchdowns, 300 yards, and a completion percentage of 70% in 4 straight games. Manning not only has the Denver Broncos in the driver’s seat of the AFC West with a 4-3 record, he is a frontrunner for the league MVP and Comeback Player of The Year awards.

Here are some thoughts on the Denver Broncos 34-14 dismantling of the New Orleans Saints:

• How long has it been since you’ve come away from a Broncos game feeling like they can legitimately contend for a Super Bowl? The answer should be a very long time. The Broncos proved against New Orleans that they are a team to be reckoned with the rest of the year. Nearly everything the Denver offense did worked yesterday. Granted, they were playing the worst defense in the league, but good football teams dominate an opponent’s weakness, and the Broncos did just that.
• The offensive statistics are mind boggling. Manning went over 300 yards, Willis McGahee finished with 122-yards rushing and a score, Ronnie Hillman pitched in with 86 yards including an electrifying 31-yard scamper in the third quarter, and Demaryius Thomas racked up 137 yards and a touchdown. The Denver stars shined on the biggest stage yesterday and decorated the stat sheet. Denver is not going to lose many games where they have production like that at all levels of the offense. In total the Broncos finished with 530 yards and put on a clinic against the beleaguered Saints defense.
• It simply isn’t possible to praise the defense too much for their effort against Drew Brees. They gave up only 252 total yards and held the Saints to a 1 for 12 conversion rate on third downs. And they accomplished that while only registering a single quarterback sack! Typically a team would have to hammer Brees in the pocket to hold him down, but the Broncos played sound defense all the way around and did a great job in the secondary to slow the prolific New Orleans passing attack. Clearly the defense is starting to come together, and if they can keep this edge going the Broncos are going to be very tough to beat.
• Wesley Woodyard was the brightest spot on the defensive side of the ball by a large margin. He had the only Denver sack, the only Denver interception, and he also chipped in 13 tackles, 2 deflected passes and a tackle for loss. Linebacker was a position of concern for this team coming into the year, especially with the D.J. Williams suspension, but Woodyard is doing his best to alleviate those concerns.
• Trindon Holliday started to make up for his fumble issues two weeks ago in San Diego. He returned 4 punts for 43 yards and showed some of the flashes that Denver needs to see in their return game. Keep an eye on him; there are some big plays in his future.
• For everything that this team has going for them right now, their Achilles heel showed itself again yesterday. This team MUST get their fumble problem figured out. A McGahee fumble early in the game led directly to a Saints touchdown, and Hillman fumbled after a big play in the second half that luckily bounced out of bounds. In total Denver has lost 10 fumbles this season and it’s easily the biggest concern going forward. Most Denver fans find themselves holding their breath every time a Bronco gets the ball in the open field. Hopefully John Fox makes solving this problem a priority at practice.
• The most telling moment last night was when the cameras caught Peyton Manning coaching up the offense on the sideline after they scored to go up 24-7. He was animated and worked up. The strength of his leadership seeped through the television screen. Everything was going Denver’s way at that point and Manning had every reason to take a breather. But that’s just not who he is. Manning is never satisfied and is always striving for bigger and better. He is seeking perfection in everything the offense does and won’t rest until they reach it. If that didn’t give you goose bumps as a Broncos fan you weren’t paying attention. Peyton Manning is taking this team to high places, and we are truly lucky to be able to see it.
• The Broncos looks like they are finding their groove. They had the hardest schedule in the league over the first 6 games and they have the weakest schedule over their final 10. If Denver keeps playing like they did last night the wins are going to start piling up. In recent years past, it was a concern when the Broncos hit a soft part of their schedule because they had a knack for playing down to the level of their competition. With Manning behind center, that is no longer a concern. He is a killer and will take care of business against teams they should beat. One of Manning’s best attributes is he dominates divisional competition. He did it for years and years in Indianapolis, and he’s already 2-0 in the AFC West. Look for that record to improve in 2012.
• Sunday was a dream day for Denver fans. Not only did the Broncos destroy the Saints in a nationally televised primetime game, but the San Diego Chargers fell in embarrassing fashion to the lowly Cleveland Browns. Denver sits alone in first place in the AFC West and is above .500 for the first time since the season opening victory against Pittsburgh. Next up they hit the road for a matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon. Go Broncos!

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Saints QB Drew Brees, left, and Colts QB Peyton Manning greeted each other following a game in 2007. (Michael Conroy/Associated Press)

Two of the best quarterbacks in the league go head-to-head Sunday night in what is sure to be an epic scoring fest between the Denver Broncos and the New Orleans Saints.

As a former San Diego Charger, Drew Brees is all too familiar with Denver, it’s altitude and it’s fans. The memories related to the Broncos aren’t all positive, however.

On Brees’ last play as a Charger in 2005, he tore his labrum when he was hit by defensive tackle Gerard Warren on the ground after John Lynch caused a fumble.

Brees missed that year’s Pro Bowl after having surgery, and the Chargers turned their head on the quarterback by not offering him a top-5 salary, so Brees interviewed with other teams.

As Brees was recovering from his injury, New Orleans was recovering it’s city after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area. It was a seemingly match made in heaven. A quarterback and it’s city would rehab together and try to get back to the greatness that defined them.

In 2006, Brees guided the Saints to a 10-6 record and the NFC South division title. This was after the team went 3-13 the year before. Three years later, the Saints of course won the Super Bowl, beating Peyton Manning’s Indianapolis Colts.

The success that Brees has had in New Orleans has to make Manning smile on some level (except on the day that the Colts lost the Super Bowl). Manning grew up there, and his father, Archie, played for the Saints. It was his hometown team, a team that tugged at his heartstrings.

Recovery efforts at the forefront, Manning is trying to mimic Bress’ success post surgery and post team change. Brees thinks that Manning’s situation is on another level.

“You’re talking about a neck versus a shoulder,” Brees said. “I’ll say this: I know what I had to do to overcome my injury. I can only imagine what Peyton had to overcome with his injury. I know it was multiple neck surgeries, I know it was a much longer period of time than what my rehab was, and you’re talking about your neck. It’s been pretty unbelievable what he’s been able to do, coming off of that. I can only imagine being out of football for that time, and then getting back in it, just all the things that come along with that. It just shows his dedication and his love for the game, his passion to play and compete.”

Shoulders and necks aside, we’re about to watch two of the greatest arms in NFL history air it out. Whether you’re a Broncos’ fan or a Saints’ fan, you have to appreciate the triumph and heart of these two game changers, and these two future first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterbacks. They show that there is grace amidst struggle, which is ultimately why we watch sports.

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees calls a play in the huddle during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Invesco Field on September 21, 2008. The Saints will visit Denver again on October 28, 2012 (Mandatory Credit: Andrew Carpenean-US PRESSWIRE)

In approximately eleven weeks the 2012 NFL season will be upon us.   Considering that it has been 5-1/2 months since the 2011 season came to an end in New England, we are well over the hump and on the very edge of another Bronco season.   To help pass the time between now and the start of the regular season, I am continuing my look back at past Bronco games against teams they will face in 2012.   Next up – the New Orleans Saints.

After getting a week off with their bye in Week Seven, the Broncos will make their second appearance of the season on Sunday Night Football when Drew Brees and the Sean Payton-less New Orleans Saints make their sixth trip in franchise history to Colorado to face the Broncos.   The Broncos have won four of the five contests held in Denver.   Continue reading for a brief synopsis of the five games in Denver.

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