Quick flashback: At the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine, we had a chance to speak with a stadium worker who had something to say about the retractable roof at Lucas Oil Stadium.
In a nutshell, it was useless.
While the roof is a nice accessory, it was slammed shut as a rule during Colts games unless the reading outside was an unswayed 72 degrees, windless and posing zero threat to Peyton Manning's mojo.
Manning spent most of his career rocking opponents in the controlled settings of the RCA Dome and Lucas Oil Stadium -- but those days are over.
Manning will play 15 games outdoors in 2012, and good luck controlling the weather in Denver, but maybe we shouldn't read too deeply into this. After all, Manning is 3-1 in his career in the Mile High, with a mouth-watering 100.6 quarterback rating.
Indoors or out, Manning's one of the best, even if his rating drops 8.3 points in natural environments (how many quarterbacks post better numbers on the road to begin with?).
The bigger concern, of course, is Manning in frigid conditions. His record in games trapped in sub-40 degree temperatures is 6-5, with a pedestrian 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, but this includes late-January playoff games against the best in the AFC.
Bottom line: Whatever can be mined from these numbers, it wasn't about to sway John Elway and the Broncos. Today in Denver, the sun shines bright.
