Broncos: Peyton Manning in walking cast, out at least 2 weeks

For the first four years of his National Football League career, Brock Osweiler served as a traditional backup quarterback.

The Broncos are a lock to make the playoffs in the AFC, but they could shut Manning down to rest him for the post season, or they could shut him down completely, based on what happens with his injury.

For his part Osweiler held up his end of the bargain in the win over the Chicago Bears, where he was 20-of-27 passing for the 250 yards and two touchdowns.

Linebackers were slow closing in run support early and overmatched in pass coverage, leaving too many receivers open underneath when linebackers’ primary job was to drop into coverage underneath. But Langford’s attempt to run the ball into the end zone for a 2-point conversion went nowhere fast. He was sacked five times, compared to just 15 sacks of Manning in nine games.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Osweiler had a neat 25th birthday. “We’re used to his cadence, his calls, and he’s really been each week in the game plan”, Harris said. “I would not want to see him going to another team”. After taking a $4 million pay cut over the winter, he and Kubiak spent all offseason and the first two months of the season trying to mesh offensive philosophies, and it usually wasn’t very pretty. “I kind of came out here and expected it. What he did is what I expected him to do”.

GETTING HEALTHY: The Bears got some starters back.

“Everybody’s asking the Brock questions, but we knew Brock could do this”, said running back C.J. Anderson. And linebacker Pernell McPhee was back after missing last week’s game. And we won our eighth game.

Chicago also came up short in its bid to hit the. If the Bears can master their communication issues they may have a chance to overcome their deficit and win against the Green Bay Packers come Thursday night. The offense he ran with Manning at quarterback was limited and skewed towards Manning’s limitations and preferences. He had an interception and lost a fumble in the fourth quarter with the Bears on the Denver 33.

He could face a fine for the hit on Cutler.

Do the Denver Broncos have a bit of a quarterback controversy on their hands? That backfired when Hillman tripped on Osweiler’s foot and got stopped for no gain. “The first drive has killed us”, Prosinski said.

The veteran quarterback will be in a walking cast for at least one week. His body is falling apart but the Broncos wanted Manning to manage the game on the way to a Super Bowl with their great defense.

-Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Sam Bradford, who suffered a concussion and left shoulder injury in the Week 10 loss to the Miami Dolphins, participated in Monday’s practice.