Peyton Manning: What to Expect from New Broncos QB in Opener vs. Steelers

Peyton Manning is the biggest story of Week 1 in the NFL. The newest Denver Broncos superstar will be playing a meaningful game for the first time in more than a year and doing it in a new uniform, something fans probably never expected to happen.

It's impossible to know whether Manning will ever again live up to the standards he set while he was running the high-powered Indianapolis Colts offense for so many years, but the Broncos really don't need him to.

Denver won the AFC West title and a playoff game with Tim Tebow serving as the quarterback for the majority of last season. The upgrade from Tebow to Manning alone gives the Broncos incredible potential in 2012.

Thinking about division titles, playoff victories and perhaps even a Super Bowl appearance right now is a bit premature, though. As the old saying goes, you have to walk before you can run.

Manning is a perfectionist that has been working hard to get back to full strength. He's never had the strongest arm in the league, but always had a little extra zip in reserve for the deep throws. Getting that back has been a slow, and likely incomplete, process so far.

Yet, he was still able to have a lot of success in the preseason. He completed 71 percent over his passes for nearly 350 yards in 42 attempts, slightly more than one regular season game's worth of work. He did throw three interceptions, but two of those came on tipped balls.

Manning seemed to focus on accuracy over power, never appearing to truly give full effort on any of his throws. Fans will find out on Sunday night if that was by design or if he still doesn't have his all of his strength back.

Getting to go against a Steelers defense that has given him some problems over the years should be a great test of where he stands now in relation to his years with the Colts. You know the Steelers aren't going to pass up a chance to hit him.

How he responds to those hits and the pressure surrounding his debut as a member of the Broncos decide exactly how optimistic the Broncos should really be about this season. If he looks like vintage Peyton Manning, they are a title contender.

The most important thing to watch is the decisions he makes.

If Demaryius Thomas is sprinting down the sideline with a step on the cornerback, will Manning immediately uncork a bomb or hesitate and go for the safer, underneath throw instead?

If there's a small window to complete a pass to Eric Decker for a first down does he let rip a fastball or look for a different option, unsure if his pass will have the pace to beat a breaking defender?

The answers to those questions and ones like them will let us know how Manning feels about himself after so much time away from the game.

Based on his outings in the preseason, expect to see an efficient showing from Manning that will put the Broncos in position to win. There will still be plenty of room for improvement, but John Elway and Co. understood the risks going in.

As long as expectations are kept within reason for a 36-year-old quarterback who just finished the toughest year of his professional life, he should have no trouble meeting them.

Anything less would be a surprise. Manning wouldn't have come back unless he truly thought he could still perform at an All-Pro level.