Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
In the third edition of the infamous “Manning Bowl,” Peyton Manning and his Denver Broncos took on Eli Manning and the New York Giants Sunday. After throwing for seven touchdowns in week one, you’d think [Peyton] had the advantage in this one overall. However, the difference-maker was not the reigning comeback player of the year.
Against New York, Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno established himself as the clear-cut number one back atop the depth chart. Not only that, but he was the key to victory Sunday as he ran for a total of 93 yards on 13 carries and a pair of touchdowns.
Moreno’s two touchdowns came on 20-yard and 25-yard dashes in which he gashed the Giants’ defense. On each of his carries, Moreno found his way through defenders gaining ample yardage — thus his 7.2 yards-per-carry average on the day.
If it wasn’t for Moreno, the Broncos’ rushing attack would have been non-existent. Rookie running back Montee Ball fumbled on the goal line in the first quarter, and never really recovered after that. Ball ended with 16 yards on 12 carries. Third string back Ronnie Hillman only had one carry for three yards on the day.
[Peyton] Manning wound up throwing a pair of scores and 307 yards without an interception, so his performance cannot go overlooked. Even dealing with a couple of drops, Manning’s final stat line was nothing short of efficient.
If the Broncos want to reign as the Super Bowl favorite throughout the season, their rushing attack has to stay consistent like it was on Sunday, totaling 109 yards in comparison to New York’s 23. Moreno looks like he’ll be a huge part of this attack in the future, and Sunday proved he was by far their best option in the back field.
Ryan Heckman is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanmheckman, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
