What Peyton Manning Must Do for Denver Broncos to Succeed in 2012

Peyton Manning will need to be brilliant if the Denver Broncos are to succeed in 2012.

The Broncos ranked 31st in the NFL last season in passing offense, and will need Manning to bounce back quickly from neck surgery in order to make it back to the postseason.

Although they say that defense wins championships, there is no denying that future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning is the biggest key in determining how far the Broncos go this season.

Here we analyze what Manning must do for the Denver Broncos to succeed in 2012.

Spread the Wealth

Manning won't have any stars like Reggie Wayne or Dallas Clark to throw the ball to in Denver, so he'll need to spread the wealth by slinging the ball around to a number of serviceable wideouts. With 36-year-old Brandon Stokley running routes and Eric Decker returning as the Broncos' leading receiver from a year ago, Manning will need to be both solid and generous.

Tight ends Joel Dreessen and Jacob Tamme will provide Manning with additional down-field options this season. Manning has always loved to hit his tight ends when open, and shouldn't change this season. The more players Manning establishes confidence in early, the better off the Broncos' aerial assault will be in 2012. 

Limit Turnovers

Manning must cut down on his turnovers in 2012 if the Denver Broncos are to challenge in the AFC West. Manning threw 17 interceptions in 2010 with the Indianapolis Colts, the most since he tossed 19 picks with Indy in 2002. When you add in Manning's two fumbles in 2010, his turnover count balloons to 19 total.

Denver was -12 last season in turnover differential, ranking them 14th out of 16 AFC teams. Somehow they managed to survive their brutal turnover rate to win the division, but rest assured that won't be the case if they give the ball away 30 times in 2012 like they did last season. Limiting turnovers starts with Peyton under center. 

Check Down to the Run

Although good things usually happen when Peyton Manning drops back to pass, he would be wise to let last season's No. 1-ranked rushing attack go to work on the ground in 2012. If Manning and the Broncos make a consistent effort to run the ball and wear down the defense, great things will develop for them.

Willis McGahee, Knowshon Moreno and Lance Ball form a solid trio of running backs, and will do a lot of the dirty work for Manning and the offense on the ground. Running the ball will take a lot of pressure off Manning and also open things up in the passing game. 

McGahee rushed for 1,199 yards and four touchdowns in 2011, while Ball ran for 402 yards and a touchdown. Moreno only played in seven games last season and has the potential to be a dependable safety valve for Manning in 2011 playing out of the back field. 

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