Manning has a strong arm, a quick release, is extremely accurate and rarely makes mistakes but his most significant strength is his intelligence and therefore his ability to read defenses is unparalleled.

He is two guys in one – an offensive coordinator and a quarterback. In fact, the Colts’ coaching staff relies on him heavily to not only call the plays at the line but to audible out of ones that will not work based on what he sees from the defense.

No other quarterback does it with his proficiency. Indeed, no other offense bases its system on this attribute.

With their limited protection, normally a defense can get an advantage by blitzing a spread offense like the Colts but Manning’s quick release and ability to attack weak spots in the secondary usually results in big plays for the Colts.

The Jets’ blitz is predicated on confusion. With overloaded fronts they pressure the opposition’s blockers to think quickly and account for all possible rushers.

The problem for the Jets is that the Colt’s linemen have a ton of experience and are not easily fooled. Besides, Manning usually knows where he wants to go with the football before the ball is even snapped and this makes it nearly impossible to get a beat on him.

Manning’s quick release also makes it hard to pressure him, much less sack him. The Colts have given up the fewest sacks in the league (10).

Thanks to Manning’s skills, the Colts are ranked #1 in passing offense. They also lead the league in plays of 20 yards or more with 57 and are tops on 3rd down, converting 53% of their attempts. They are the only team in the league that has a conversion rate better than 50%.

But the Jets are no slouch either. They are #1 against the pass and tied for second on 3rd downs, holding opponents to a 34% conversion rate.

To stop this high-powered offense, the Jets must mix up their looks, showing equal parts zone and man-to-man coverage while also varying their blitz vs. cover tendencies.

The Jets are dead if they show familiar looks to Manning which makes Rex Ryan and his defensive calls a key in this match up.

The Colts use a spread formation with 4 or 5 wide receivers on the field at any one time. They go no huddle on almost every play and this will put pressure on the Jets to make substitutions and get lined up; both have been problem spots for the Jets this year.

The Jets’ defense has looked confused on way too many series this season and has been flagged for twelve men on the field numerous times. This will be a weakness Manning will exploit if given the opportunity.

Manning’s favorite targets are Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark who have 92 and 89 receptions respectively. Both guys read defenses extremely well and put in extensive practice time with Manning.

As a result, they are in lock step with him and know when to break off their routes based on what the defense is showing. This is what makes the Colts’ passing game so difficult to defend; all their players are in sync with their adjustments.

Manning’s ability to incorporate new players is impressive. Rookies Austin Collie (53 catches) and Pierre Garcon (47 catches) have played like they have been in this system for years.

Every week Darrelle Revis has matched up against the opposition’s best receiver and shuts him down. In doing so, he limits the entire attack but that will not be the case this week. Manning rarely focuses on one receiver and prefers to spread the wealth.

This will put pressure on the rest of the Jets’ secondary which has stood up well against other team’s second and third options. With Manning’s accuracy, he transforms average receivers into #1 targets.

Lito Sheppard, Drew Coleman, Donald Strickland and Dwight Lowery (if he plays) will have to earn their keep this week as they will be on the field a lot. To make matters worse for this group, second year man Anthony Gonzalez is expected to return from injury and is just as dangerous as any one else in their receiving corps.

Manning’s focal point has been his tight end, Dallas Clark who is having another Pro Bowl season. No tight end in the league finds openings in zones like Clark so the Jets must make sure they do not give him a clean release off the line.

Manning will bring Clark in motion to identify whether the defense is in man or zone coverage. The Jets must be careful not to tip their hand when they respond to this action.

The Colts also like to put pressure on the secondary with a lot of bunch formations. They will cluster three receivers in a triangle who will then criss-cross after the snap to force natural picks on the defenders.

The Jets’ defensive backs must communicate well in these situations and define their assignments pre-snap. These formations are also designed to flood zones so the Jets must be flexible to switch to man coverage when facing these alignments.

The Colts are last in the league in rushing offense with 86 yards per game but this is merely the result of their scheme. They use Joseph Addai just enough to keep the defense honest but otherwise prefer to have the ball in Manning’s hands, using short passes as most team’s use the run.

With a ridiculous 69% completion rate, Manning is money in the bank. He fits the ball into such tight windows that he makes it nearly impossible for defenders to make a play on the ball.

This is why it will be difficult for the Jets’ defense to not only get off the field but to keep the Colts’ offense under their 28 point average. But this will be another interesting test for the Jets’ defense which leads the league in points allowed (15.8 per game).

The Jets’ pass rush does not have to sack Manning a lot to be effective. All they have to do is disrupt his rhythm with his receivers.

It will also be important for the Jets’ defensive backs to be physical with the Colts’ receivers. They must jam them at the line to slow their release and force Manning to hold the ball a split second longer than he would like.

The Colts’ offense vs. the Jets’ defense is the match up to watch. The unit that wins out will go a long way in determining the outcome of this game.

The odds are stacked heavily in the Colts’ favor. With the exception of Tom Brady, no one delivers in the clutch like Peyton Manning and with an undefeated season within his grasp, it is hard to imagine him not coming away with a victory.

He has beaten better defenses than the Jets and despite Gang Green’s #1 ranking, they will have a tough time containing this offense.

An inspired effort against the Colts would be great but frankly it will be an empty victory. Jets fans will ask, “Where was this effort last week?” when a stop at the end of the game would have solidified their chances for the postseason.

It is a heck of a lot easier to play loose when nothing is on the line than to pull out a tough win with your season hanging in the balance.

This defense – this team – does not have a killer instinct, which makes it hard to believe they will win when Indy has so much to play for.


Keys

• The Jets must be sharp and maintain a fast tempo. The Colts’ no huddle will force them to make quick substitutions and get lined up quickly.

• Rex Ryan will have to mix up his schemes to keep Manning off balance. He must balance his blitzes with coverage schemes as well vary his secondary calls and use zones will equal frequency as man coverage.

• The Jets’ defensive backs must communicate well when the Colts come out in a bunch formation.

• The Jets’ DB’s must also be physical with the Colts’ receivers and not allow them clean releases off the line. By jamming them, they will disrupt the Colts’ rhythm passing game.

• Pressure Manning. He will make them pay at times but they cannot allow him to sit in the pocket and get comfortable.