Kurt Warner doesn't see Peyton Manning's recent struggles as a product of age.
"I think the biggest thing is rhythm," the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback said on NFL GameDay Morning."What they did after the Rams game is, they said, 'Hey we need to run the football more. So we're going to call more designed runs. We're going to put situations out there where Peyton can't do what Peyton does. He can't just change plays and call the best play. We're going to call a run and run a run.' I think that's taking him a little out of rhythm."
Over his last four games, Manning has just four touchdown passes to five interceptions and has had a passer rating under 80. His completion percentage is also down from his career average.
Perhaps to Warner's point, Denver has had just one game over the last four where Manning attempted more passes than the Broncos running backs had rushes.
Although it could simply be a problem of Manning suffering from flu-like symptoms and a banged-up hip, it will be interesting to see how consistent the Broncos remain with their rushing numbers with the season on the line. Denver has had enough of a buffer in the division to be able to tinker with its offense and build it more for the winter months.
But if it's truly taking Manning out of his rhythm, expect No. 18 to air it out again soon.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps every Week 16 game and breaks down the playoff picture. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
