Steelers expecting same old Manning

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Save the skepticism on Peyton Manning’s health for somebody else. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin doesn’t want to hear it.

“He needs no endorsement from me,” Tomlin said. “His resume is his resume.”

One that includes four MVPs, a Super Bowl ring and a series of neck operations that robbed Manning of the 2011 season. The injury also led to his stunning departure from Indianapolis and more than a hint of curiosity on how he’s going to look when the Denver Broncos host the Steelers in the season opener on Sunday night.

Heck, even the Steelers understand why the NFL scheduling folks wanted to give Denver such a high-profile slot during the league’s opening weekend.

“It was a no-brainer that they were going to put Peyton’s first game back on a Sunday night or a Monday night, one of the two, and let him play at home,” quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said. “And they’ll let us come back to [Denver], I guess.”

It’s only been nine months since the Broncos and Tim Tebow stunned the Steelers in overtime in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, but this is a rematch in name only. It’s more like a coming-out party for Manning, who will wear something other than Colts’ speed blue and white for the first time in the regular season.

The sight of Manning’s No. 18 in orange-and-blue will certainly be strange. Once he takes a snap, however, the Steelers expect to see the same old Peyton.

“Guys like him make their reputations in rising up in moments like this,” Tomlin said. “He has battled some adversity with injury and being in a new city. We should anticipate his very best. That’s what guys like Manning do.”

Even if Manning hasn’t always done it against the Steelers. He’s just 2-2 facing Pittsburgh in his career, the most famous meeting an upset loss to the Steelers in the 2005 playoffs that ended with Mike Vanderjagt shanking a game-tying field goal attempt in the final moments.

Manning’s numbers against Pittsburgh are as solid as you’d expect — 90 of 151 for 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns against four interceptions — and so is his 85.9 rating. Except, of course, when compared to his career rating of 94.9.

The Steelers insist there is no secret formula, and their goal is to merely make the normally unflappable Manning as uncomfortable as possible.