There is no topic of conversation in Denver quite like the Peyton Manning situation. The future Hall of Fame quarterback is off to a rocky start in 2015, proving to be one of the weakest links on a 6-0 team; that’s a shocking statement, given how No. 18 has typically carried his team throughout his 18-year career.
But so far this season, Manning has continually hurt his team. One look at the statistics proves this fact, as the Broncos quarterback has thrown 10 interceptions, to just seven touchdowns. At one point, his offense went 27 consecutive drives between touchdowns, and they’ve gone two full games without reaching the end zone. Those are staggering facts for a guy who is used to putting up “Star Wars numbers.”
Most people attribute this decline in production to age; they contend that the 39-year-old quarterback simply doesn’t have the physical tools to play the game at a high level anymore. That sounds reasonable, especially because it can be backed up by catchy phrases like “Father Time is undefeated,” but it’s not accurate.
Going beyond the numbers and actually looking at the mistakes Manning is making this season shows that his interceptions aren’t happening because he’s physically unable to make the play. Rather, they are occurring because he’s making mental errors.
That’s right; the smartest quarterback in the history of the game is making bad decision on the field. An interception-by-interception breakdown of Manning’s 10 picks illustrates this point. Here’s a look at how they’ve all gone down:
