Not only was it cold, but the Broncos were also shorthanded.
But quarterback Peyton Manning is operating at such a high level right now, it doesn’t appear there’s much that can slow him down.
With temperatures in the teens and wide receiver Wes Welker leaving the game in the second quarter with a concussion, the Broncos didn’t miss a beat, beating the Titans 51-28. That moves them to 11-2, a game ahead of the Patriots for the top spot in the AFC playoff chase.
Manning’s 58 attempts were a career high, and he completed 38 of them for 390 yards and four touchdowns.
The Broncos already had four players with at least 10 touchdowns each (Welker, Knowshon Moreno, Demaryius Thomas, Julius Thomas), and wide receiver Eric Decker’s closing in on it with eight.
Throw in kicker Matt Prater kicking a league-record 64-yard field goal, and the offense was practically perfect.
The concussion for Welker is his second this month, which will bring his status for Thursday’s game against the Chargers into question. Welker took a hard shot from Titans safety George Wilson just before halftime, and didn’t return.
The Titans actually held the lead at halftime, but their physical style faded in the second half, which was primarily because of Manning. At 5-8, their chances are effectively over.