Manning Was Mic’d Up During Record-Breaking Game
(Credit, Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
By Rich Kurtzman
On Sunday night, Peyton Manning set a world record for everyone to see.
The stage was set, and in front of the bright lights and rolling cameras, Manning and his Denver Broncos provided the action. We were all witness to the first touchdown throw of the night to Emmanuel Sanders, in which one official picked a San Francisco 49ers defender to leave Sanders open. We saw the second TD, a new play Manning drew up on Friday, sending Wes Welker deep through two defenders as they jumped up to tackle Demaryius Thomas on the bubble screen that didn’t come. And we saw Thomas run across the front of the end zone, Manning finding his tall receiver for the NFL-record 509th touchdown pass in his career.
What we didn’t get were all the sounds of the game from the field. But, we can get them now.
NFL Films mic’d up Manning during the game, so now we can get all the sounds from the soon-to-be Hall of Fame quarterback himself. Showtime’s Inside the NFL played the full video Tuesday night at 9 p.m. ET (7 p.m. MT) for all to see and hear. See a preview here.
Manning wasn’t the only one mic’d up during the game, Welker was too. You can see that full video here.
Demaryius Thomas In The Zone
To begin the season, Demaryius Thomas’ commitment to the team, to studying and being mentally aware were in question. His focus was clearly lacking, leading to sloppily run routes and dropped footballs. For a player of his caliber, it was indefensible.
If the Denver Broncos want to compete for a Super Bowl, they need Thomas to be at the top of his game. Luckily for the entire team, he’s back to competing at that Pro Bowl level.
According to the Denver Broncos, over the last three games, Thomas set a new Broncos record with 521 receiving yards. Of course, that includes his single-game team-record performance in the win over the Arizona Cardinals, with 226 receiving yards. He’s also caught five touchdown scores over that span, contributing greatly to Denver going 3-0.
It’s not just that Thomas is putting up these incredible numbers, it’s how he’s doing so that makes him special. At 6’3” and 230 pounds, DT is a beastly fellow, blessed with blazing speed and crazy quickness.
Take his five most recent touchdowns for instance, they were all scored in different ways. On one, he juked Antonio Cromartie out of his shoes, and stiff-armed another defender on the way to the end zone. His second against the Cardinals was simply a speed show down the sideline. Against the Jets, he caught a laser from Manning in traffic. And last Sunday, Thomas caught one coming across the goal line that was placed outside, and his second was a screaming seam pattern bomb up the field.
Having a player like Thomas is a must to compete in today’s NFL, and compete they are as these Broncos currently lead the AFC West at 5-1.
Rich Kurtzman is a Denver native, Colorado State University alumnus, sports nerd, athletics enthusiast, and competition junkie. Currently writing for a multitude of websites while working on books, one on the history of the Denver Broncos and Mile High Stadium. Rich is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
