Sometime ago I blogged on an article that spoke of Peyton Manning's drive in terms of preparation. It was from earlier in his days as a Colts. Today, after a near career ending injury, Manning is still among the very best in the NFL -- and he still is a master of preparation. Below our excerpts of an article on his attention to detail in preparation. You can read the entire article at: http://tinyurl.com/ckm3ul7
Manning wrote the notes at some point between summer school of his freshman year and the time practice started.
"What I learned very quickly," said David Cutcliffe, now the head coach at Duke, "was the amount of time he was willing to put in. He wanted such detail. I just walked out of the room and grinned."
Nearly 20 years after Manning looked at those cut-ups of "62 Meyer" and other plays from the Tennessee game tapes, he's still up there with the best when it comes to preparing. It could be for the upcoming game, season, or, in the most recent instance, for a comeback from what many thought was a career-ending neck injury.
His work ethic is the gold standard when it comes to breaking down an NFL opponent. And though he's had to adjust his schedule, accommodating for the physical changes he's encountered after his neck surgeries, the Broncos quarterback hasn't shown any signs of letting his preparation slip.
"I always felt like doing that work was something that could make me better," Manning said of the study time he spent before college, before his coaches could even come in and help decipher those Xs and Os. "Even if I didn't really know what I was looking at, sometimes if you just think it's helping you, then it's helping you."
This year, the preparation helped to the tune of 4,659 yards, 37 touchdowns and a passer rating of 105.9, all the second-best marks he's had in 14 NFL seasons he's played. The Broncos finished 13-3. Heading into their playoff bye week, they were the odds-on favorite to win the Super Bowl.
"I think a lot of people now are doing things he's been used to doing for a long time," said John Elway, the quarterback-turned front office executive for the Broncos. "He does such a good job. His preparation and the way he goes through it helps him have such a good idea of where the ball is going before it's even snapped."
Earlier this year, coach John Fox said Manning "has it down to a science when it comes to time management," recalling instances when he's seen the quarterback soaking in the ice tub while watching video of an upcoming opponent on his iPad.
The time-management element has become even more important this year, with Manning playing with what is, essentially, a new body after missing a season while his neck healed. Manning says he often refers back to something Bill Polian, the longtime president of the Colts, told him when he came into the league.
"He said you can't substitute for the physical," Manning said. "You can't shortchange a lift or a body session or rest for a film study. I took that advice and it helps even more with my injury. I used to be a guy who was going to stay up as late as I had to in order to get this film watched. Now, it's, 'I've got to go to bed at this time because that's important to me.' Or, 'I've got to get the weight work in because that's important to me.'
