Peyton Manning: 2.35 Seconds

1st Quarter

9 Dropbacks, 22.26 total seconds, average time of 2.47 seconds from snap to release

"Pressure" is so subjective. Bottom line, if my eyes tell me the rush made things uncomfortable, that is how I'll mark it. Pressure here though still meant plenty of time for Manning to get the throws off. Manning went 5-9 in this quarter for 100 yards and 1 TD. Two screens, 5 short passes, 1 medium pass, and 1 deep pass. Short is within 10 yards of the LOS, Medium is the 11-20 range, Deep is more than 20 yards downfield. Chiefs blitzed twice.

2nd Quarter

12 Dropbacks, 25.74 total seconds, average time of 2.15 seconds from snap to release

9-12 for 102 yards. Three pressures, three blitzes, 2 screens, 6 short passes, 1 medium pass, 3 deep passes.

For the 1st half, that makes it 21 dropbacks, 48 seconds from snap to release and an average time of 2.29 seconds from snap to release. Keep in mind that Poe (2.8), Houston (3.1) and Hali (3.0) seconds all fall well outside of that time.

For the half, 7 passes (33.3%) took longer than 2.52 seconds with four passes (19%) taking longer than 3 seconds. On those four passes Peyton Manning was not pressured.

3rd Quarter

10 drop backs, 24.95 total seconds, average time of 2.5 seconds from snap to release

This was Peyton Manning's worst quarter by far. Why? Well at some point the Chiefs stopped trying to get to him all the time and would leave someone on the line to stay back, watch his eyes, and get their hands up to disrupt the throwing lanes over the middle. Houston and Poe between them had about 3 or four batted passes at the LOS. Luckily for the Broncos none of those passes got popped up into the air. Interesting tactic, and one that Manning and Gase should identify for the return trip to Arrowhead.

4-9 for 54 yards, 8 short passes, 1 medium and deep. Two pressures and two blitzes.

4th Quarter

9 dropbacks, 21.18 total seconds, average time of 2.35 seconds from snap to release

6-9 65 yards. 1 screen, 7 short passes, 1 deep. 2 pressures, 1 blitz.

For the 1st half 19 dropbacks, 46.13 seconds from snap to release and an average time of 2.43 seconds from snap to release.

For the half, 8 passes (41.2%) took longer than 2.5 seconds with four passes (21%) taking longer than 3 seconds. On those four passes Peyton Manning was pressured twice.

Final Numbers

40 drop backs, 94.13 total seconds, average time of 2.35 seconds from snap to release

• 5 passes were screen passes (12.5%, 0 pressures), 2-5 (40.0%)-2 yards
  
• 26 passes were within 10 yards of the LOS (65%, 7 pressures--28%) 19-26 (73.1%) 205 yards, TD
  
• 3 passes were from 11-20 yards of the LOS (7.5%, 0 pressures) 1-3 (33.3%) 29 yards
• 6 passes were 20 yards or more downfield (15%, 2 pressures--33%) 2-6 (33.3%) 90 yards

• 15 passes took less than 2 seconds from snap to release (37.5%)
• 9 passes took from 2.0-2.5 seconds snap to release (22.5%)
• 8 passes took 2.51-2.99 seconds from snap to release (20%)
• 8 passes took more than 3.0 seconds from snap to release (20%)

Pretty amazing when 60% of someones passes are off within 2.5 seconds. Bottom line, Peyton Manning neutralized this pass rush quick decisions and accurate throws. He may have struggled a bit with the deep ball, missing several open receivers, but his patience taking the dink and dunk approach still managed 7.88 yards per attempt.

The Chiefs threw a lot at him. Mixed coverage schemes (some zone later on), zone blitzes, overloads, delays from the LB or DB, 7-8 in coverage. Most of it didn't work. The most effective thing was to have a lineman hold back and get their hands up to clog the short passing lanes.

Orlando Franklin was by far the worse O-lineman. He was beat many times by Justin Houston. It seems as if Debo is still ailing a little bit on that ankle. Houston was able to bull rush and push him around which is not the norm against the normally strong big-man.

It will be interesting to see what both sides have in store for the rematch. As for the Chiefs, they blitzed 8 times or 20% of all Manning passes. Those 8 blitzes yielded 4 pressures. You might see a more aggressive unit at home.

GO BRONCOS!!!