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Why Denver will be better without Manning

Peyton Manning might go down as the best quarterback in history. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)
Roar Rookie
9th September, 2016
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Don’t get me wrong, I love Peyton Manning. He is easily in the conversation for the greatest quarterback of all time.

Most career touchdown passes, most career yards, single season touchdown record, single season yard record, most career wins, the list goes on.

But he wasn’t at his best last season, his league worst 9:17 touchdown to interception ratio is testament to that.

Manning won SuperBowl 50 and rode off into the sunset with the Lombardi Trophy under his arm and retired, but did so on the back of a league-best defence.

The Broncos have entered the 2016 season surrounded by quarterback controversy. Is Mark Sanchez the man? Can first round pick Paxton Lynch start?

In the end, 2014 seventh round pick Trevor Siemian won the quarterback battle and started against the Panthers in the nailbiting Super Bowl rematch, which the Broncos won by one point.

With all the talk surrounding the starting quarterback, we’ve missed the real transformation that will undergo the defending super bowl champions this season.

We know the defence will shine, we know Demariyus Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders will haul in catches.

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But this will be the first time since 2011 that we will get to see Denver run an offense of their own.

The signing of Peyton Manning brought fans, wins and a Super Bowl to Denver but he also brought his own offense.

We saw four years of a hybrid offense that was a mix between Manning and Adam Gase, then Manning and Gary Kubiak.

Former Bronco quarterback and now head coach Gary Kubiak is well known for his offensive genius.

Kubiak’s brilliance was proven by his top ten offense in Houston and in Baltimore where his offenses were putting out big numbers despite starting quarterbacks like TJ Yates and Matt Schaub.

In today’s game against the Panthers, the Broncos got to deploy rookie fullback Andy Janovich in multiple back sets and even giving Janovich a touchdown carry.

Finally able to run the offense his own way, Kubiak successfully covered a debut quarterback in a nailbiting win.

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Kubiak did no wrong on the opening day of the season, finally able to run the offense his way, the Broncos nearly matched their entire superbowl offensive output in the first half, with a rookie quarterback and two turnovers.

Kubiak’s offense opened holes and generated huge push from the new offensive line.

Sanders and Thomas repeatedly found space for their rookie quarterback to throw to.

Kubiak has built this team to suit him and is already benefiting.

The much maligned move to allow Brock Osweiler to walk out the door allowed them the room to re-sign the Super Bowl MVP as well as re-sign Emmanuel Sanders.

Trevor Siemian didn’t do anything other than play his role today and that suits Kubiak’s offense just fine.

The Broncos leant on C.J Andersons legs to the tune of 139 yards and looked comfortable in his lead back role that he can claim for himself outright this season.

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If not for an unfortunate first pro carry fumble from rookie Devontae Booker, the Broncos may have put the game to rest earlier.

Kubiak allowed Siemian to spread the ball around to five different receivers for his 178 yards and even escape the pocket for 20 important yards, including a first down that set up the broncos third touchdown.

Siemian will get all the plaudits today, but he has Kubiak to thank.

While we will all miss hearing Manning shout “Omaha” and sling the ball all over the field, we can look forward to a new era of Kubiak offense to sustain the Broncos and allow the defence to do what it does best.

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