ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Peyton Manning stood under a warm sun, his game face already on 10 days before what could be the crowning moment of his Hall of Fame football life at MetLife Stadium.
The press conference lasted a mere 6¹/₂ minutes, undoubtedly on his orders, because there is no time to waste, not now, not two months from his 38th birthday, not with Richard Sherman and the Seahawks standing between him and that treasured Lombardi Trophy.
He had warned his teammates about the media locusts that will ambush them Sunday upon the Broncos’ arrival, then grabbed his team by the throat with his field general command and showed them up close and personal how you go about trying to win a Super Bowl. A game he lost IV years ago. A game he has won only once, VIII long years ago.
“He’s so passionate about the game, the way he’s out there, you’d think it was game day tomorrow,” receiver Andre Caldwell said.
“He keeps his game face on when he’s out there on the field, he’s always ready to go, so it’s no different from Week 1.”
Even in the meeting rooms, the legendary Manning laser focus was on full display.
“He demanded things on the practice field that the starting quarterback should demand, and he led the offense through a Wednesday — I know it’s Thursday — but a Wednesday practice like it should be. I thought he was his normal self, he showed up … and went to work today,” backup quarterback Brock Osweiler said.
Manning gave the impression he had spent the past two off days browsing the marijuana joints around town. Talk about blowing smoke!
“Still kind of going through the preparation,” Manning said, “still trying to get to know ’em at this point, but from what I’ve seen so far it’s certainly an excellent defense.”
If anyone can detail the horrors of the Seahawks defense to him, it is kid brother Eli, and naturally, Peyton plans on picking his brain.
“Give him two weeks to prepare for a team, you know he’s going to know everything about the other team, and he’s not going to be fooled,” Caldwell said.
Manning was tight-lipped when asked what his message to his teammates had been about what to expect once they arrive in New York-New Jersey.
“What I told ’em was probably what I told them in the team meeting, and probably not to tell at the press conference,” Manning said.
In other words, none of your business!
“The main thing was don’t try to change your routine … do the same thing you did throughout the season,” receiver Demaryius Thomas said.
“We’re not there to party. When you’re not playing in the Super Bowl, you’re there to party,” linebacker Shaun Phillips said. “When you’re playing in the Super Bowl, it’s a business trip, and that’s the main thing that we talked about.
“He just said, ‘Enjoy it. But you’ll be much more happier winning the game as opposed to losing the game. Losing the game, you’re the ultimate low. When you win the game you’re the ultimate high.’ ”
“Just because it’s a Super Bowl, it’s still a football game,” Caldwell said.
It’s a football game Manning wondered if he’d ever get back to following four neck fusion surgeries. Eye on the prize already.
“Some of those Indianapolis teams that he was on, they weren’t the most talented teams, but Peyton just does a hell of a job of making everybody around him better,” Phillips said, “because he makes sure he prepares not only for himself but for the guy next to him.”
Phillips, asked if he was tired of hearing about how good the Seahawks defense is, said: “No, no, no. We enjoy hearing about how good their defense is. Less pressure for us, more pressure for them. Which is OK, it’s going to come down to a defensive game, most Super Bowls do, so we’re looking forward to it.”
No one more than the quarterback.
“The Super Bowl is always special, no matter where it is played,” Manning said. “For a lot of our players, it is their first time playing in one. So I think the fact that it is in New York is certainly going to be special, but it is a big deal because we worked so hard to get to this point. Two teams that have worked hard and have really laid it on the line all season long to be here. This is why you work hard all offseason — for this opportunity. There is no question it is a big deal and it is very special to be playing in this game.”