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He's got the look


Receivers know to watch for the ball by reading Manning's eyes.

By Reggie Hayes of The News-Sentinel
 
Peyton Manning approaches the line of scrimmage, gestures, shouts formation changes and points at this or that area of the defense. He's a heavily padded symphony orchestra conductor.

 

But you should see the look on his face.

 

Indianapolis Colts receiver Reggie Wayne anticipates and relishes the Manning eye contact and nonverbal cues. They signal the football coming Wayne's way. Sweet private music to a receiver's ear.

 

"When he wants you," Wayne said, "he gives you that look."

 

What's the look look like, a reporter inquired after the Colts' 30-21 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday in the RCA Dome.

 

"I"m not going to demonstrate it," Wayne said. "He has a wide range of faces."

 

Manning's public face is that of a winner, a perennial All-Pro quarterback who has never been sharper. His numbers on Sunday - 22 of 30 passing for 269 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions - were typical of his season.

 

As was the outcome, which put the Colts at 6-1 for the first time since 1977.

 

Manning's rapport with his receivers is at a peak, his control of the offense never better.

 

The Colts' repertoire used to be Manning-to-Marvin Harrison and an occasional screen pass. Now the options seem limitless. Manning still favors Harrison - who wouldn't? - and hit him eight times for 100 yards Sunday. But he's also comfortable going to Wayne (six catches, 96 yards, two touchdowns), tight ends Marcus Pollard or Dallas Clark, or lesser-known talents such as Troy Walters and Brad Pyatt.

 

If running back Edgerrin James is back from his broken back, and his 104 yards rushing Sunday indicates he is, Manning will have a full playbook to work with as the Colts shoot for championship contention.

 

"Compared to turnovers, where we're playing, how we're scoring points, this is the best I've ever seen him play," Pollard said of Manning. "We're not running the ball as well as we'd like, but as for Peyton, his area - golden."

 

Pollard has played with Manning during all six of Manning's seasons in Indianapolis. He can testify that Manning is now sizing up all the options and making sublime choices like never before.

 

Pollard caught his first touchdown pass of the season late in the first half Sunday, jump-starting the Colts after they fell behind 14-3. But it was another pass, when the Colts were up 24-14 in third, that stuck in Pollard's mind afterward.

 

"It was third-and-six and he called a play for me to block, but at the line he said, 'No, Pollard, I need you to get open.' " Pollard said. " 'Get open,' he said. 'I"m counting on you to get open,' and he threw the ball and got it to me for the first down."

 

It's a sixth sense Manning has always possessed. The difference this season is how he's harnessed his gift. He's resisting forcing the throw that has to be perfect to get through, between or beyond the defense.

 

Manning's most telling statistics are his 15 touchdown passes to five interceptions. With nine games left, he's within range of his career-best 33 touchdowns, set in 2000. He's never thrown fewer than 15 interceptions.

 

"Peyton's making great decisions, he's throwing to the right areas, he's keeping his poise," Colts coach Tony Dungy said. "The big thing is, he has confidence in a lot of guys."

 

At times in the past, a sense of panic seemed only a touchdown-deficit away. Manning and the offense are flinching no more.

 

The prime-time example was the record-setting Monday-night comeback against Tampa Bay. But the Colts also came from behind to force overtime against Carolina, and erased Houston's 14-3 lead on Sunday.

 

After Pollard's touchdown with 1:54 left in the half, the Colts' Raheem Brock recovered a fumble by Houston's Domanick Davis. A completion to Harrison and a pass-interference call on a pass to Brandon Stokley set up the first of two touchdown passes to Wayne.

 

Manning shot Wayne the look. Wayne cut hard across the end zone. Manning put the ball where only Wayne could catch it. The Colts led 17-14.

 

Then, on the second play from scrimmage in the third quarter, Manning turned to Wayne again. He told Wayne to stutter-step and go deep, then hit him for a 57-yard score.

 

"My motivation is, whenever he throws me the ball, I'm gonna catch it," Wayne said. "I try to make him believe I'm always there, even if he's in trouble. I can bail him out. I have to keep doing what I'm doing to keep him coming my way."

 

Manning doesn't necessarily subscribe to the theory he's playing better. The versatility and freshness of the offense has more to do with familiarity between quarterback and receivers. Wayne spent the summer as close to Manning as possible without actually moving into his house, a trick he learned from Harrison.

 

"More consistent personnel helps the timing," Manning said. "I've always said the reason Marvin and I have such great timing is that he's always there. Now Reggie's always there, too."

 

The Colts are where they are offensively because of Manning. His confidence sets the tone. His delivery finishes the job. If he's not playing the best of any quarterback in the league, then he's second to Tennessee's Steve McNair. And since the Colts beat the Titans in Indianapolis in September, give Manning a temporary edge. The rematch is set for Dec. 7.

 

Keep an eye on Manning's face during those six games between now and then. You'll see the look of a man hitting his professional prime.

 

This column is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The News-Sentinel.

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