griz37 wrote:When was the last time an active Peyton Manning missed a snap? Doesn't matter who the backup is.
That's the point, 37. For years, people believed that Manning would NEVER go down. But he did. Look at the results. You HAVE to have a proven backup in this league. The Bills proved that when Mr. Never-Get-Hurt Jim Kelly went down. While I don't fear Hanie pulling the same stunt Billy Joe Hobert pulled (he got fired after he copped to not studying the game plan the week Kelly was injured), he's probably not enough should Manning get hurt, particularly if it's during preseason.
That said, the Broncos would be well advised to avoid Colts-style strategy as regards Manning. That is, should the team be involved in a blowout, Hanie should replace Manning so that if he goes down at the end of the season or during the playoffs, you're not dealing with a completely cold guy coming off the bench. I would even advocate giving Hanie one series during the second quarter so he gets some "real" action as opposed to mere mop-up duty. (I said ONE series, not extended time.) This "every snap" thing is VERY over-rated....