With the game on the line Thursday night, Peyton Manning ran the no-huddle, shotgun offense leading an 80-yard, game-tying touchdown drive in the Denver Broncos' eventual 31-24 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Scrapping the under-center snaps and inexplicable Manning bootlegs, the quarterback played his best football of the young season. Peyton looked comfortable, was able to set his feet and had more velocity on passes than any other point during the game.
Broncos' receiver Emmanuel Sanders told NFL Media's Deion Sanders following the victory that he hopes Denver incorporates more no-huddle into the offense moving forward.
"Honestly, that two minute drive he kind of turned into Peyton Manning. That's the offense that we are used to, that no-huddle offense, slinging the ball around. It felt good to get back to that," Sanders said. "That no-huddle offense is something beautiful. I know I love it, because I don't have to go back to the huddle ... I know Peyton likes it, too. We are going to keep trying critiquing this offense, keep getting better."
Following the contest, the coach said he might sprinkle more Manning-favorable series into the game plan, but sounded on the fence about scrapping the offense, even though it doesn't mesh with his veteran quarterback's traits.
"We're trying to help him, run the football better, do some things," Kubiak said via ESPN.com. "We also know what he's very comfortable doing. We're also trying to somehow find a meeting between the two; we think that would be good for our team. He took control, we got him in that environment, we struggled to run the ball but he continued to make plays ... if we can continue to get better around him he's going to be just fine; we've got to continue to get better around him."
Sanders pointed out that the Broncos are still trying to figure the offense and Kubiak is still learning where his personnel flourishes best -- especially after Demaryius Thomas missed time with a contract dispute and Sanders due to injury.
As for Peyton, Sanders believes we'll see more of the two-minute mojo Manning we got a glimpse of Thursday.
"I see a guy that's still got it, obviously in this league it's an every week you got to prove yourself," he said. "Peyton is one of those guys, he's being critiqued and criticized all the time. If he goes out and throws one touchdown pass, guys think that he's supposed to throw six touchdown passes and that's the level he's set himself at. But I'll tell you what, tonight proved that he's still got it, he still made all the throws."
During the no-huddle series, he did make all the throws. The other times, not so much.
