IRVING, Texas – Cowboys defensive coordinator doesn't mince words when it comes to his admiration for Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning.
"He's special, now. He really is," Kiffin said Wednesday at the Cowboys' practice facility. "To be honest, the guy's better now than he ever was. I'm shocked, you know, after the surgery and after getting up there in age."
Manning's numbers support Kiffin's assessment. He's thrown an NFL record 16 touchdown passes in the first four games. He leads the NFL in every major passing category and has yet to thrown an interception.
So how do you defend him?
"You just gotta hang in there," Kiffin said. "Minimize the explosion plays, then you just gotta line up and play the next play."
One of the problems in facing the 37-year-old Manning, who visits AT&T Stadium on Sunday, is that he probably knows as much about disguising defenses as most coordinators.
"Most of the quarterbacks do (study opponents), I think there's a select few that they are like coaches on the field," Kiffin said. "But he is special. He's been doing it so long. There's no look you can give him that he doesn't know."
Follow Keith Whitmire on Twitter: @Keith_Whitmire
