CHFF says Manning’s a story

Here’s an very interesting take on a tired story.

Peyton Manning

The Chosen One steps onto the field for the first time in his prolific career with a rookie head coach (Jim Caldwell) and without his binky, the great Marvin Harrison.

Granted, Harrison was something of a non-factor, by his standards, over the past two years (combined 80 catches, 883 yard, 6 TD) and Manning still managed to win MVP honors in 2008.

And, granted, as we noted earlier this off-season, Caldwell represents continuity more than an abrupt change: he’s been a long-time fixture in the Tony Dungy camp.

But these are big changes just the same. And the most interesting aspect of these changes will be how it impacts the sideline dynamics in Indianapolis.

The coach-QB dynamic there in Indy during the Manning-Dungy years was always a little bit different than it was on other teams. The quarterback seemed to carry an unusual amount of decisive weight, even when paired with a coach of the gravitas possessed by Dungy. Who could ever forget the image of Manning waving off the punt team on 4th and 11, during a December 2004 win over the Chargers?

We expect that Manning will come to dominate the always critical QB-coach relationship … and what that means for the Colts will be fascinating to follow.

This is a bit of a fresh look at the coaching change.  Manning twice waived off the punt team (he also did it in the the Steelers playoff loss in 2005).  The Colts ‘explained’ both plays by saying it was a miscommunication on the sideline that sent the punt team in.  I don’t know if any of us ever believed that.  This is an interesting angle on the Caldwell story, and bares watching.