DENVER — When the Broncos’ playoff victory over the Chargers was complete Sunday, Peyton Manning was like a lot of guys who just finished a day of hard work.
“What’s weighing on my mind is how soon I can get a Bud Light in my mouth,” the Broncos quarterback said. “That’s priority No. 1.”
Manning earned his beer after exorcising some playoff demons with a 24-17 divisional round victory that sets up another showdown with Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. Even the Coors town of Denver will forgive Manning for his beverage choice after he did just enough to get the Broncos to their first title game since the 2005 season and one step closer to the MetLife Stadium Super Bowl.
First, though, he must defeat Brady, who he is 4-10 against in his career (1-2 in the playoffs).
“Tom Brady has just been an outstanding quarterback for such a long time,” Manning said. “The game next week is the Broncos versus the Patriots. I know there will be some individual matchups that will get headlines, but it will be a battle between two good teams, teams that have been through a lot and have overcome a lot to get to this point. That’s where my focus will be in trying to help the Broncos get a win against the Patriots.”
Manning went 25-for-36 with 230 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and a couple of huge late third-down conversions to send the Chargers home. The win came exactly one year after the Broncos fell to the Ravens in double overtime, a loss that stirred up all the “Peyton can’t win in the playoffs” talk that followed him for years in Indianapolis.
The 37-year-old answered that talk Sunday, though, with the 10th playoff win of his career.
Bronco Blitz
HERO
Peyton Manning did not put up huge numbers (25 of 36, 230 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT), but he would have taken the blame if the Broncos lost, so let’s give him some props. Manning was efficient all day and made a huge third-down throw at the end of the game.
ZERO
The Chargers’ defensive line was atrocious. They jumped into the neutral zone five times and could not stop the Broncos’ rushing attack in the first half when the game was in doubt. This unit had been a strength of the team, but did not play well Sunday.
UNSUNG HERO
The Broncos should send a gift basket to referee Clete Blakeman and his staff. The pass interference call in the fourth quarter kept the Broncos final scoring drive alive. It would have been interesting to see how the game turned out if the Chargers had stopped them there.
KEY STAT
21 Yards, the Broncos’ longest pass of the day. It was from Manning to Julius Thomas to pick up a first down on a third-and-17 late in the game when the Broncos were clinging to their lead.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“What’s weighing on my mind is how soon I can get a Bud Light in my mouth. That’s priority No. 1.” — Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning when asked if possible retirement because of his neck is weighing on his mind
“Every playoff game just has its own identity,” Manning said. “I know everybody else summarizes. I don’t feel you can do it. Every one has its own identity. This was a good team win. … That’s what you have to have in the playoffs to beat good teams and certainly what we’ll have to have next week.”
Manning and the Broncos did not want to discuss the Patriots much after the game. Instead, they were savoring the win over the Chargers, who they had lost to a month earlier.
For most of the day it felt like the Broncos would run away with the game, but they left some points on the field with an end-zone interception at the end of the half and settling for two field goal tries, one that was missed.
That left the Chargers in the game into the third quarter and they stormed back in the fourth quarter. The Broncos held a 17-0 lead entering the final quarter, but the Chargers took advantage of a Matt Prater missed field goal and moved 63 yards in six plays, cutting the score to 17-7 when quarterback Philip Rivers found rookie wide receiver Keenan Allen for a 16-yard touchdown.
The Broncos’ next drive benefitted from a questionable pass interference call against Chargers safety Marcus Gilchrist after Manning’s third-and-7 pass sailed well over Wes Welker’s head. The penalty kept the drive going and Denver scored on a Knowshon Moreno 3-yard run to push their lead to 24-7 with 8:12 remaining.
Rivers, who had just 44 yards passing in the first three quarters, responded with another touchdown drive, this one 80 yards in seven plays. He again found Allen for a touchdown and it was 24-14 and you could feel the crowd at Sports Authority Field having flashbacks to the Ravens game a year ago.
The Chargers then recovered an onside kick, but had to settle for a 30-yard field goal from Nick Novak to cut their deficit to 24-17.
Manning took over with 3:51 left in the game and his objective was clear.
“Philip got hot there in the second half,” Manning said. “I did not want to give him the ball back there at the end. There was some real want-to on our offense’s part to stay on the field during that last series.”
The Broncos were able to do just that. They converted a third-and-17 with a 21-yard pass from Manning to tight end Julius Thomas and another third-and-6 on a 9-yard pass from Manning to Thomas and then ran out the clock on the Chargers’ season.