Sporting News, The: Even at the top, there's room for improvement: Peyton Manning's arrow is pointed uuup

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Even at the top, there's room for improvement: Peyton Manning's arrow is pointed uuup—even if his numbers end up going down

Dan Pompei

The challenge for Peyton Manning in 2005 is not unlike the challenge Orson Welles faced after Citizen Kane. Or the challenge Neil Armstrong faced after Apollo 11. Or the challenge Tolstoy faced after War and Peace.

Top that.

Throwing for 50 touchdown passes or putting up a 125 passer rating probably aren't achievable goals for the Indianapolis quarterback. But being a more effective QB in a more efficient offense is. In other words, Manning could be a better player even if his numbers don't reflect it.

Colts coaches put together a tape from last season that showed the touchdown passes that could have been. They came to the conclusion that Manning could have had another 17 touchdown throws--66 total--if every play had been executed perfectly. If Manning throws for 66 this year, I'll tattoo a horseshoe on my forehead (hey, might be an improvement).

The chances are excellent Manning won't get within 15 touchdown passes of his total last year. His previous season high was 33 in 2000. And it's likely defenses will look at Manning's 31 touchdown throws in the red zone last season and adjust to make those passes more perilous. Manning dutifully will take what he is given.

"If we come out this year and if Edgerrin (James) and Dominic (Rhodes) have 30 touchdowns between the two of them and we're winning games, that's really what it's about for me," Manning says. "I get paid to get us into the end zone and help us win."

Last season, four of Manning's 10 interceptions came in the red zone. That explains why his red zone passer rating was only 89.0. According to STATS Inc., that ranked 20th among quarterbacks with at least 20 attempts. Manning wasn't even the highest ranked family member in the red zone. That honor went to kid brother, Eli, who had a 90.5 red zone passer rating as a rookie for the Giants.

"I know that's one thing he's conscious of going into this season, making sure we score points in the red zone every time, even if it means kicking field goals--not throwing away opportunities and fumbling away opportunities in the red zone," Colts coach Tony Dungy says.

Although Manning's touchdown total isn't likely to go up, his completion percentage could. Manning completed 67.6 percent of his passes last season, third in the NFL behind Tampa Bay's Brian Griese and Minnesota's Daunte Culpepper. Colts quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell believes Manning can complete 70 percent of his passes. But if that happens, it likely will mean a decrease in his yards per attempt. Last year, Manning led the NFL at 9.2 yards per attempt.

Those who know Manning best say the 29-year-old still is improving. "1 just noticed the other day how much better he's gotten with touch on the ball," Colts president Bill Polian says. "He's a lot better with that, even from a year ago." Says Manning, "My body feels good; my arm feels good. I am a firm believer that experience is your best teacher. You can learn every year, every game."

Toward that end, Dungy believes Manning can improve on the details--the precision of his steps, his handoffs, the execution of play fakes and the like. "He does it better than most--most who have ever played," Dungy says. "But he's trying to improve it. He has a great capacity to look at his season objectively in the offseason."

Before last season, for instance, Manning thought he needed to improve on throwing to his left. He worked diligently at it, and he ended up throwing for 632 more yards and eight more touchdowns to his left side in only 19 more attempts. Manning also improved his left-side passer rating from 90.2 to 117.2 and his left-side completion mark from 63.7 percent to 67.5, according to STATS Inc.

He'll probably make similar improvements this season. Just don't look for those improvements to show up in the record book.

RELATED ARTICLE: By any standard, Manning measures up.

Peyton Manning's 2004 season was the most impressive year ever by a quarterback statistically. His NFL-record passer rating of 121.1 was 8.3 points higher than the previous best, Steve Young's 112.8 in 1994. Manning's 49 touchdown passes were another record.

Some have argued that Dan Marino's 1984 season or even Bert Jones' 1976 season were more impressive if other factors are considered.

It's true the rulebook never has been more accommodating to passers. But the reason the rules became more accommodating was to offset more sophisticated defenses, Nuclear physics isn't as complicated as some of today's nickel defenses. Players of bygone eras never saw anything like the blitz packages Manning regularly faces.

So a good argument can be made that Manning's season was the best ever using any criteria to evaluate it.

RELATED ARTICLE: Inside dish.

The Patriots could end up with two rookies starting on their offensive line. First-round pick Logan Mankins is a good bet to beat out Russ Hochstein to replace LG Joe Andruzzi, who signed with the Browns. In addition, third-round pick Nick Kaczur might have what it takes to unseat RT Brandon Gorin, who was good enough to start for the Super Bowl champions last year. So far both rookies have impressed coaches with their ability to grasp the scheme and apply the techniques they have been taught. > Picking the most improved player in Falcons camp is easy: It's WR Michael Jenkins. Coaches say Jenkins looks like a different player in his second season. A first-round pick last year, Jenkins is running routes and catching the ball more like a pro. His confidence has given him a presence on the field that was missing last season. Before camp, Jenkins was promoted to the starting lineup at the expense of Peerless Price. The former Bill wasn't happy about the demotion but didn't squawk too much after coaches showed him game tape to explain their decision. Price has been on notice since the start of the offseason, when he was told he needed to be a model team member or else. > The Colts moved Joseph Jefferson to safety from cornerback in reaction to S Mike Doss' being suspended for the first two games of the season, but it's looking more and more like the move will be permanent. The coaches like Jefferson's grasp of the defense and his instincts, and they believe he has the body to play the position. Coach Tony Dungy thinks Jefferson could be a playmaker at safety. If Jefferson continues to improve, don't be surprised if Doss stays on the bench after his suspension. The team offered him around the league after Doss was arrested for firing a handgun in the air, and his superiors have been disappointed with the one-time second-round pick's lack of discipline on and off the field. > The Panthers hope WR Rod Gardner, whom they acquired from the Redskins for a sixth-round pick shortly before training camp opened, can help fill the hole left by Muhsin Muhammad's departure. The Panthers played their cards well in the Gardner deal, waiting until the Redskins had to make a deal in order to clear cap space to sign draft picks. The Saints and Seahawks also were in the bidding, but Gardner preferred to be traded to the Panthers because he went to Clemson and saw more opportunity with the Panthers. Gardner had a say in the deal because he had to redo his contract to make the trade work. It also helped that the Panthers were willing to give him a one-year deal, which gives him a shot as a free agent after the season. The Saints were interested in a two-year deal.

The Bears' Brian Urlacher is like no other linebacker, so it figures that his diet would be pretty unusual. None of this Atkins stuff for him--Urlacher altered his diet this offseason, attempting to consume as many carbs as possible. And we're riot talking just fruits and vegetables, either. We're talking pastas and breads, the kinds of foods that are anathema in the Atkins craze. Urlacher says he made the change at the suggestion of team nutritionists. The results have been encouraging, as he's maintained his weight of 255 and reported to camp feeling strong and energetic after battling injuries in 2004. In fact, Bears coaches say Urlacher had one of the best offseasons of anyone on the team.