Peyton Manning believes Broncos can be even better this season

How much of a perfectionist is Peyton Manning? Well, after leading the Denver Broncos to a blowout victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday -- and throwing for 479 yards and career touchdown No. 500 (as well as Nos. 501, 502 and 503) in the process -- Manning, 38, made it clear Wednesday that he thinks he can do better.

"Numbers can be misleading," Manning said on a conference call with Jets reporters. "There's still things that we need to improve on, and that's what we're trying to do . . . We study the film very hard after a win or after a loss, and we try to be very critical and constructive and try to get better."

So that's what the Jets' banged-up secondary is going to be facing on Sunday: a surefire first-ballot Hall of Famer who has thrown for 1,293 yards and 12 TDs in four games this season and isn't satisfied with that.

"Oh, that's going to be easy," Jets coach Rex Ryan deadpanned when asked about trying to defend Manning. "I've got my share of welts from him, as does every [defensive] coordinator in this league. I don't know who can stop him."

The contrast between Manning and struggling second-year Jets quarterback Geno Smith is stark. While Manning is on the verge of breaking Brett Favre's all-time record for touchdown passes, Smith was benched at halftime in the Jets' loss to San Diego and is under fire as detractors call for him to be replaced by Michael Vick.

Manning was asked on Wednesday how much importance he placed on attending a team meeting at the end of the week, after all the practices and all the preparation for the upcoming game had been completed. It was a thinly disguised reference to Smith's missing a meeting on Saturday in California. Manning wasn't falling for it.

"I think I know where you're going with that question," Manning said. "I don't have a whole lot of answer for you on that."

Meanwhile, Favre said he is happy that it is Manning who will break his mark of 508 career TD passes.

"I'm glad it's Peyton that's doing it," Favre told The Associated Press. "I think a lot of Peyton. I know him well. I know his family well. His dad was one of my idols."

For Manning, the respect is mutual.

"Brett is a guy at the quarterback position who just defines the word longevity and productivity over the course of his career," Manning said. "One of the true tough guys. Nobody will ever break that record, his consecutive [games started] streak. Well, let me say this: It'll be awfully tough. Eli [Manning] just might do it. But I think it just goes to show how impressive his starting streak was and his toughness and his longevity, and his production as a player. And Brett was always a big fan of my dad's growing up in Mississippi, and so, obviously, if you grew up in the South and liked quarterbacks, Brett Favre was always one of your favorites, because of the way he played the position."