The Manning offense - Parts 1-6

[TonyR]

Manning said at his introductory presser that he wasn’t going to be the offensive coordinator. That’s literally true, in the sense that he won’t have that title. He almost certainly will be leading the installation of his own offense, though. John Fox said on Sirius the other day that he expects there to be a collaboration process between what Manning and McCoy like. Translation: Manning's offense will be used.

Manning’s offense is the simplest in the NFL, which has the benefit of making it 100% callable from the line of scrimmage, and with every play available. For all the talk about audibling, most teams in the NFL primarily use a check-with-me system. That means that there will be a call made in the huddle, and also a coach-selected second call that should exploit a defense which is aligned well to defend the first call. By doing it this way, the QB can just yell out “ALERT! ALERT!” or something to that effect, and switch the play to the alternate call that everybody is expecting. Nothing is given away to the defense, because the check-off play will be something different every time the offense huddles.

The Manning offense (I call it that, because there’s nothing else like it) features about six running plays and 10 pass concepts. Each of those plays will have a number of different code words related to them, so that if I call out GLENGARRY once, and it’s an inside run, I don’t have to use GLENGARRY again for the same inside run later. I can have GLENGARRY, NEBRASKA, CHATTANOOGA, MARLINESPIKE, and AVALANCHE all mean the same inside running play.

I can also use a lot of dummy words, and have an activating word, which changes by the series. Manning has used that approach over the years. You might hear:

Odd 44, stack, calliope, 52’s the Mike, yellow 13, alert, alert, slide left, extra, reliable, GLENGARRY, maximum, overload right, green 27, set hut!

Most of that doesn’t mean anything – I just made it up, but let’s say Odd 44 means that the defense is in a three-man front and the two DEs are in 4-techniques. 52 is the Mike is self-explanatory. Reliable is the activating word, meaning that the word that comes after it, GLENGARRY, indicates the play call. The rest of it is dummy information. Maybe Manning says slide left, but that doesn’t mean the offensive line will. He says overload right, even if there isn’t an overload to the right.

Manning is the only QB in the NFL who is afforded the ability to call his own plays at the line of scrimmage whenever he feels he should. It’s worked really well, so there’s no reason to change that. We’ll get into recognition a little later, and how he chooses plays. For now, just understand that it’s up to him in those moments when he’s barking out random-sounding words, and that some of those words mean things.

Read the whole thing here: http://www.itsalloverfatman.com/bron...offense-part-1

[GreeleyGrizzley]

I can't wait to see Manning stand up there and do his thing, in orange! I still can't believe he's a Bronco. It's so great because I've seen him do it week in and week out, victimizing defenses across the league. Let's do it Manning!! I am pumped...

Alright, back to technical discussion of the offense...

[Hulamau]

Originally Posted by GreeleyGrizzley

I can't wait to see Manning stand up there and do his thing, in orange! I still can't believe he's a Bronco. It's so great because I've seen him do it week in and week out, victimizing defenses across the league. Let's do it Manning!! I am pumped...

Alright, back to technical discussion of the offense...

Me too ... I just wish he was 31 when we got this gift! Still with a whole year off and never having taken a tremendous beating I think he can last at an elite level until he is 40 to 41 with solid protection.

Like a fine wine somethings get better with age ... up to a point.

[TonyR]

Originally Posted by Hulamau

I think he can last at an elite level until he is 40 to 41 with solid protection.

I agree. Keep those knees healthy and there's no reason he can't play another 3-5 years.

[Rohirrim]

That's all well and good, but I'll bet I'll still be sitting there on Sunday thinking, "Snap the goddamn ball!"

I kid.

I'm looking forward to seeing this operate.

[Agamemnon]

It will certainly be better than anything McCoy would be able to manage. I'll say that much.

[Cito Pelon]

This pretty much illustrates what a ridiculous signing this was.

[TonyR]

Originally Posted by Cito Pelon

This pretty much illustrates what a ridiculous signing this was.

How so? Just curious what you mean.

[Cito Pelon]

Originally Posted by TonyR

How so? Just curious what you mean.

Manning's not gonna come in here and run some kind of kickass, no-huddle call it at the line offense, no way.

[Hercules Rockefeller]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

It will certainly be better than anything McCoy would be able to manage. I'll say that much.

Yeah, McCoy was able to run an offense with a QB who couldn't complete 1 out 2 passes and succeed. ****ing moron probably can't do jack with a real QB who can actually throw the ball.

[jerseyguy4]

The "Peyton Manning Offense" has evolved a lot of his career.

Offhand, I would mark the huddle evolution points as:
- (start of career) regular QB who huddles except under 2 minutes
- started stretching the 2 minute no-huddle into longer stretches when needed
- no huddle all the time

similarly, the play calling has evolved....I only know what the articles said at the time. but it went something like this:
- regular. Tom Moore was calling the plays
- Moore would call in 3 plays, and allow Peyton to choose among them
- Moore would call in an "idea", and Peyton would work with that. Possibly it would be scrapped at the line if necessary
- Moore stopped calling plays, and instead would call in whatever information Peyton and he agreed was most useful. Peyton was basically running his own show.

Actually, I would be a little surprised if the Manning/McCoy agreement was straight "do whatever you think works" right out of the gate. One of Manning's best qualities is that he's been flexible over the years. McCoy and Manning need to come up with a new system, a Denver Broncos system, and a Manning-McCoy system.

Honestly, it could be just about anything and I wouldn't be surprised. I do expect it to be a damn good show though. As fans, we might need a little patience too. Might take a few games to find a rhythm.

[Dedhed]

Originally Posted by jerseyguy4

The "Peyton Manning Offense" has evolved a lot of his career.

Offhand, I would mark the huddle evolution points as:
- (start of career) regular QB who huddles except under 2 minutes
- started stretching the 2 minute no-huddle into longer stretches when needed
- no huddle all the time

similarly, the play calling has evolved....I only know what the articles said at the time. but it went something like this:
- regular. Tom Moore was calling the plays
- Moore would call in 3 plays, and allow Peyton to choose among them
- Moore would call in an "idea", and Peyton would work with that. Possibly it would be scrapped at the line if necessary
- Moore stopped calling plays, and instead would call in whatever information Peyton and he agreed was most useful. Peyton was basically running his own show.

Actually, I would be a little surprised if the Manning/McCoy agreement was straight "do whatever you think works" right out of the gate. One of Manning's best qualities is that he's been flexible over the years. McCoy and Manning need to come up with a new system, a Denver Broncos system, and a Manning-McCoy system.

Honestly, it could be just about anything and I wouldn't be surprised. I do expect it to be a damn good show though. As fans, we might need a little patience too. Might take a few games to find a rhythm.

The problem with the model is that most of the skill players on offense were also a part of that evolution over a 5-6 year period.. We don't have the time to evolve on offense if we're going to have success within Manning's window.

[Bronco Boy]

Originally Posted by Dedhed

The problem with the model is that most of the skill players on offense were also a part of that evolution over a 5-6 year period.. We don't have the time to evolve on offense if we're going to have success within Manning's window.

Colts were 13-3 Mannings's 2nd season.

[jerseyguy4]

Originally Posted by Dedhed

The problem with the model is that most of the skill players on offense were also a part of that evolution over a 5-6 year period.. We don't have the time to evolve on offense if we're going to have success within Manning's window.

Running backs came and went. Wayne and Harrison were long term, but I think less important in the evolution of the Colts offense. The hardest part I thought was the O line, which is why I was surprised to see Elway let Saturday get away to GB.

I agree with you, but I don't think it has to evolve in the same way it did for the Colts (meaning back to ground 0). There's a lot of experience to build upon. It'll be a different process altogether, as it should be. No reason to recreate the Colts here.

We sit here discussing, but I almost guarantee that process has already begun. Manning was previously working out with old friends at Duke. But I would bet that has already changed, that he's reached out to the Broncos WR group, and that they are already throwing passes together.

[Mediator12]

Originally Posted by Dedhed

The problem with the model is that most of the skill players on offense were also a part of that evolution over a 5-6 year period.. We don't have the time to evolve on offense if we're going to have success within Manning's window.

Nah. Not really. They added new guys all the time. New WR's flourished in the slot, Tamme played better than Dallas 2 years ago, New RB's moved in and out of the lineup.

The thing about INDY, is those skill position guys were Not super-talented guys outside of Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James. There are a Lot of just solid guys like Dallas, Reggie, Collie, Garcon and others who rolled in and played well in a real simple system.

The one thing the experienced guys could do is change route setups on the fly. They could extend a comeback 2 steps to get a deep CB to flip his hips and turn as they shortened his cushion and then throw the ball (ala Darrent Williams). Then, they would adjust a Sluggo to that new depth and score the Winning TD as the CB bit on the underneath read with no help overtop and getting pummeled on outs, comebacks and slants all game.

Still can not believe Manning threw that pick to Porter in the SB when they had him so set up for that same move with Wayne on third down.

That is the adjustability that he has at the LOS. That versus, a two route half field zone read. I'll take the former please

[Gort]

Originally Posted by Dedhed

The problem with the model is that most of the skill players on offense were also a part of that evolution over a 5-6 year period.. We don't have the time to evolve on offense if we're going to have success within Manning's window.

this. this. this!

why don't people understand that what Manning built in Indy takes time to implement and perfect. he and his OL and his receivers need to work together to put his system in place and it cannot be done in 1 year and it cannot be done with rookies. this is why i was concerned about this signing and this is why the FO had better get its act together and start bringing in players who can pick the system up quickly so Manning can start practicing with them and getting the timing down. we have a 2-3 year window and the clock is ticking. we cannot put the other pieces into place via the draft. rookies generally don't walk off the college campus and into an NFL locker room ready to be starters. that's why the rebuild is over. we will need to sign FAs and make trades and that's why we will have no real draft this year (picks traded away) if the FO really intends to win now.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Originally Posted by Agamemnon

It will certainly be better than anything McCoy would be able to manage. I'll say that much.

Why are you here?

[SonOfLe-loLang]

Yeah. How

[Cito Pelon]

Originally Posted by SonOfLe-loLang

Yeah. How

Manning won't come in here and take off from where he left off 3 years ago. Not gonna happen. Sorry, but it's not gonna happen. He wasn't the kickass guy people like to think of him anyway, except for reg season.

[TonyR]

Originally Posted by Cito Pelon

Manning won't come in here and take off from where he left off 3 years ago. Not gonna happen. Sorry, but it's not gonna happen. He wasn't the kickass guy people like to think of him anyway, except for reg season.

3 year ago? The season before last he passed for 4,700 yards (his best ever) and 33 TD's.

[bombay]

Originally Posted by Cito Pelon

Manning won't come in here and take off from where he left off 3 years ago. Not gonna happen. Sorry, but it's not gonna happen. He wasn't the kickass guy people like to think of him anyway, except for reg season.

Three years ago?

I wonder what happened in 2010.

[BroncoBeavis]

Originally Posted by bombay

Three years ago?

I wonder what happened in 2010.

Had to rally to make the playoffs then one n done loss to the Jets in the Wild Card game.

[extralife]

Originally Posted by Cito Pelon

Manning won't come in here and take off from where he left off 3 years ago. Not gonna happen. Sorry, but it's not gonna happen. He wasn't the kickass guy people like to think of him anyway, except for reg season.

whelp, I'm convinced

[Cito Pelon]

Originally Posted by extralife

whelp, I'm convinced

Yeah, yeah, whatever to you and Tony and Bombay and whomever. I'll get behind Plan A one of these days I guess. Here's my new favorite song :

Sad Songs (Say So Much)

Music: Elton John
Lyrics: Bernie Taupin

Guess there are times when we all need to share a little pain
And ironing out the rough spots
Is the hardest part when memories remain
And it's times like these when we all need to hear the radio
`Cause from the lips of some old singer
We can share the troubles we already know
Turn them on, turn them on
Turn on those sad songs
When all hope is gone
Why don't you tune in and turn them on
They reach into your room
Just feel their gentle touch
When all hope is gone
Sad songs say so much


Cry for me, Manning-boners.

[Rohirrim]

Originally Posted by Cito Pelon

Manning won't come in here and take off from where he left off 3 years ago. Not gonna happen. Sorry, but it's not gonna happen. He wasn't the kickass guy people like to think of him anyway, except for reg season.

Like the OP says, it's not that complex of an offense. I'm sure the Broncos won't have any trouble with it.