Peyton Manning is setting modest goals for his first preseason game with the Denver Broncos, who visit the Chicago Bears on Thursday.

"We want to get some short-yardage work, some third-down conversions, we'd love to get some red-zone, goal-line," Manning told reporters. "In all four games, if you can get all the situations that we work on out here, that would be ideal.

"So however long we play, whatever coach (John) Fox wants to do, we're good with. We just need to play well when we're out there. I think we'd like to have some offensive rhythm out there, for however long we're out there. I know the Bears are looking for the same thing defensively. There's always some give and take in the preseason. You want it all to go perfectly and try to get some kind of rhythm, some kind of execution on offense."

Manning hasn't faced a live pass rush since Jan. 8, 2011 when his Indianapolis Colts lost to the New York Jets in a wild-card game. A nerve injury in his neck led to him missing all of last season and facilitated his exit from Indianapolis.