Osweiler Settles Into Familiar Role as Manning’s Backup

Denver coach Gary Kubiak told his team on Thursday morning after meeting with Manning and Brock Osweiler, the Broncos announced. He also has a chance to reach a dubious milestone: a Broncos loss would mark the 10th time in Manning’s career that his team lost its first playoff game with him as the starting QB.

Earlier this week, though, Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak said he wouldn’t name a playoff starter until Manning’s left foot was evaluated further.

The Broncos will start their postseason when they host a divisional-round playoff game on January 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans or Kansas City Chiefs. When Manning was out with injury, Osweiler stepped up admirably and led Broncos to a 4-2 record including the impressive 30-24 overtime victory against New England Patriots on November 30. He returned to action Sunday when he relieved Osweiler in the second half and led the Broncos to a 27-20 win over San Diego that secured the AFC’s top seed.

Starting Peyton Manning is more a political thing than going with Brock who led them to the division title. “We spent so much time together, it’s like a college vibe, an esprit de corps that you have in college”, Miller said as he reached out to do a one-handed hug on Ware. “If he’s healthy and ready to go, Peyton’s our quarterback”.

Throw in the Al Jazeera report that linked his wife to HGH shipments and Manning is motivated to write the final chapter in Denver – and quite possibly on his brilliant career – with a three-game run to greatness.

“I’d be lying to say I’ve never thought-I know people say I’m not thinking about that, I’ve never thought about that”, Manning said.

But here we are in the postseason, and Manning’s getting the shot Kubiak always intended for him to have.

It’s the latest issue with the 23-year-old, whose future in Cleveland is uncertain at best following a second straight problematic season.

The renewed confidence in Manning extends to the rest of the roster, including the receivers who have adjusted to catching passes from Osweiler over the last two months.

While this move is a hard one for Brock Osweiler to accept, it’s something the team probably had to do.

And just like on Sunday night, Kubiak reiterated, “He know’s exactly what we think of him”. But unless something surprising happens which has something to do with a very good Cincinnati Bengals team, Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are going to be battling for another berth in the Super Bowl on part of the AFC, with the Denver Broncos hoping home field advantage means something once again.