Gone is the pace, Peyton Manning sprinting to the line and directing traffic to the point that opposing fans feared the worst.
Distant are the memories of deep-pass accuracy, but arm strength and aesthetically pleasing spirals never were his strong suit.
And while the Rain Man-esque football computer in his head is still plugged in, it seems to have a slower Internet connection than a few years ago, likely the product of too many hits as well as the disconnect between what he can do now and what he always has been able to do before.
Still, Peyton Manning won.
He stood tall and used all the weapons at his disposal - a trait for which he never has received enough credit through the years. He leaned on his defense and realized that a punt against a Pittsburgh Steelers team that had a soon-to-be high school coach at running back and a rookie with all of one career catch starting at wideout was not a bad play.
In the end, Manning has gotten more grief for not winning enough than any player in NFL history. Dan Marino was labeled for not winning one Super Bowl; Manning has been brandished forever for not having won more than one. (Side note: Every Peyton basher loves to remind everyone that li'l bro Eli has two, and anyone who truly believes Eli is better than Peyton needs a rubber room at Moc Bend. Heck, even mom Olivia Manning would have a hard time keeping a straight face claiming they are the same.)
To label Peyton Manning as underachieving or less than immortal in this game because of his postseason struggles is to ignore the all-encompassing essence of the most complete team game in sports. Manning has worn the bull's-eye of public scorn far too often after a playoff loss that was decided on a missed kick or a defensive lapse or the dreaded "cold weather" conditions.
The losses are undeniably there, and they certainly have a place in the discussion of the greatest quarterback ever. In truth, that's modern-day sports. When comparing the greatest of our all-timers, we focus far too much on the shortcomings of the rest of the field. Tom Brady supporters point to Manning's playoff shortcomings; Manning boosters call Brady a cheater.
It's how we are and how we argue. It also hides the fact that we somewhat selfishly and self-servingly have missed the greatest individual rivalry in all of team sports. This is Russell-Chamberlain played out in the 24/7 news cycle. It's LeBron-Jordan going toe-to-toe in their heydays. It's a young Mike Tyson reminding us that a young Ali, like everyone else, has a plan until he gets punched in the mouth, and then getting to see Tyson and Ali settle it in the ring over and over again.
Those are the surroundings and the settings for one more Manning-Brady showdown this coming Sunday, one that we should treasure since it very well could be the last.
And we are here for the first time in recent memory because Manning led the Broncos by Pittsburgh by turning the heckles of postseasons past into a solid if not spectacular performance.
That showing two days ago was as juxtaposed as Manning playing the role of a careful, gunslinging sheriff knowing his posse of a stout defense was never more than a third down away.
Manning's stats Sunday - 21-of-37 for 222 yards, no touchdowns, no picks - were far better than they looked because of dropped passes and purposeful incompletions.
That too is an outlier to his narrative. After a career filled with 300-yard postseason losses, Manning's middling stats Sunday are small compared to engineering the game-winning TD drive and the only numbers that matter: Denver 23, Pittsburgh 16. For the guy who has posted record-setting stats but headed to the losing locker room in the playoffs more times than not - and for those who say Manning is the greatest ever - this was a performance that his critics cannot criticize with the same line of thinking.
It's fitting that the quarterback who mentally has made his way to Canton - be it through his preparation or "Omaha! Omaha!" audibles - leaves us pondering about how he flipped the script of the moment.
Well-played, Peyton. One more Sunday in the sun. One more dance with Brady. One more chance to be Super again.
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6343. Follow him on Twitter @jgreesontfp.