INDIANAPOLIS – Peyton Manning is undeniably great. Few NFL quarterbacks have been better.

That was the phrase Seahawks coach Jim Mora used to describe Manning after the Colts’ 34-17 victory Sunday – the same way teammates have praised him year after year.

But it had been a while since the Seahawks had gotten the full Manning treatment – a deluxe 60-minute performance. He didn’t play much when the Colts visited Qwest Field in 2004 for a meaningless late-season game.

Not since 2000 – Manning’s third season – had Seattle faced the real Manning. The real tactician. The real field general. Most of these Seahawks weren’t around at that time, either, so Sunday was their first in-person experience.

He certainly delivered – a 31-of-41, 353-yard, two-touchdown performance – as the Colts went to 4-0.

“That is what I’ve said all week about this guy, he’s the type of guy who gets his players in the play call for that play, depending on what the defense is giving him,” Seahawks free safety Jordan Babineaux said. “The guy is smart.”

Seattle went into this week trying to offset a little of Manning’s acumen.

What coaches came up with was a different way to call plays on defense, so Manning couldn’t decipher what was sent in from the sideline.

So the Seahawks numbered their plays and put them on wristbands players wore.

“It was something new, and with more experience, I think it’s something we’d be better at,” Seattle linebacker Lofa Tatupu said. “But it was tough.”

Innovation wasn’t Seattle’s problem Sunday. Execution was.

Early on, they stayed conservative in their cover-2 scheme, forcing Manning to utilize his receivers underneath, like running back Joseph Addai on screen plays and newcomer Austin Collie on shallow crossing routes.

Using what the Seahawks would give him in the first half, Manning directed touchdown drives of 80 and 90 yards in building a 14-0 lead.

“Guys on the back end were just messing up on individual things,” said Seattle strong safety Deon Grant. “When you have a guy like that (Manning), he’s going to exploit everything.”

The deeper the game went, the more Seattle had to ratchet up its pressure. And Manning was waiting like a fox.

The game’s most crucial drive came late in the first half as Manning guided the Colts 78 yards in 74 seconds. He hit on five consecutive passes in the hurry-up offense, and capped it by tossing a perfect 21-yard scoring strike to Collie in the right corner of the end zone with 3 seconds to go.

“That is one area where our no-huddle offense … gives us an advantage,” Manning said. “It is not like a total change in tempo or a change in philosophy in the two-minute drill.

“We got to the 50 (yard line) pretty quickly and got out of bounds. From there, you start being a little more aggressive. I appreciate Coach (Jim) Caldwell’s trust in us allowing us to go for the end zone.”

And Manning extended his streak of 300-yard passing games to a career-high four.

“I’ve always said he’s the best quarterback to ever play the game. That is the way I felt,” said Edgerrin James, a reserve running back with the Seahawks who once shared the Colts backfield with Manning. “Hopefully, everyone feels that way by the time he’s done. Today, you saw the way he went out there and executed (the offense) to perfection.”

Todd Milles: 253-597-8442

todd.milles@thenewstribune.com

PASSING FANCY

The NFL career leaders in touchdown passes:

QuarterbackTD passes

Brett Favre469

Dan Marino420

Peyton Manning342

Fran Tarkenton342

John Elway300

Warren Moon291

Johnny Unitas290

Vinny Testaverde275

Joe Montana273

Dave Krieg261