DENVER — The last time he faced his former team, Peyton Manning’s emotions and the Indianapolis Colts both got the best of him.
Manning shouldn’t be nearly as drained or distracted when the Colts visit Denver tonight.
Jim Irsay isn’t getting under his skin with talk about how disappointed he was to win just one ring with Manning. And the five-time MVP doesn’t have to trouble himself with a pregame tribute — or Robert Mathis, for that matter.
“Well, I think it was different last year going back to Indianapolis,” Manning said coolly.
In speaking with reporters in both Denver and Indianapolis during the week, Manning didn’t elaborate on what it will be like facing his old team again. Instead, he segued right into what an honor it is to play in prime time.
“They don’t pick bad teams to open up ‘NBC Sunday Night Football,’ “ Manning said. “They’re not paying all that money to the NFL to put bad teams on.”
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No, but they did pick two teams that are dealing with lots of drama.
Injuries have turned the Colts’ O-line into a turnstile. Indy is without Mathis, the league’s sacks leader last year with 19ƒ, including two of Manning. Mathis was suspended for the first four games for violating the league’s performance enhancing drug policy.
“He’s in my opinion the best pass rusher in the NFL, and on top of that, a great leader, great teammate, great person,” Andrew Luck said.
The Broncos have two prominent players serving four-game banishments: receiver Wes Welker and Pro Bowl kicker Matt Prater, who combined to score 210 points last season.
Prater violated the NFL’s substance abuse policy by drinking alcohol in the offseason, forbidden since his 2011 DUI arrest, and Welker reportedly tested positive for amphetamine use in violation of the league’s rules forbidding performance-enhancing drugs.
