Peyton Manning: Iconic QB Will Lift Broncos over Steelers in Week 1

One only had to witness Peyton Manning's performance against the San Francisco 49ers' first-team defense in the preseason to know he's going to be just fine.

The Denver Broncos' new signal-caller not only completed 10-of-12 passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns in the Broncos' third preseason game, he bounced back up after some big hits by the 49ers' vaunted defense. 

There has been a lot said about Manning's three neck operations and the time he's been away from the game. But if Manning plays this season the way he did against the 49ers, there won't be much left to say except, "We never should have doubted one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history."

Manning and the Broncos host the Pittsburgh Steelers in Denver on Sunday. The Steelers, of course, are the team the Broncos shocked in the playoffs last season, courtesy of some guy named Tim Tebow and a young promising receiver in Demaryius Thomas. They are also a team looking for some payback.

But while the Steelers may have had a chance if Tebow was still the starting quarterback, it's a completely different ballgame with a future Hall of Famer under center and an emerging receiving corps.

On top of that, the Steelers are getting seriously old. Mike Sando of ESPN.com recently pointed this out, highlighting the fact that Pittsburgh has the oldest defensive starters in the league, averaging 30.1 years of age. That tends to come into play when you are facing starting receivers in their mid-20s, evidenced by Thomas burning the Steelers in the AFC wild-card game last season.

You add the fact that the running game is in shambles now with Rashard Mendenhall on the PUP list and Isaac Redman battling injuries this preseason, and Pittsburgh has plenty to worry about come Sunday.

The last time Manning faced the Steelers was on Nov. 9, 2010. He went 21-of-40 for 240 yards and three touchdowns.

Manning will come back to haunt Pittsburgh in Week 1 of the 2012-2013 season.

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