Bears to face Osweiler, not Manning

Peyton Manning will not be on the active roster against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, as Brock Osweiler will make his first career start for the Broncos.

Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler (17) throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, November 15, 2015, in Denver.

Those injuries may have affected Manning’s performance and benching against Kansas City Sunday.

Though he has played sparingly for the Broncos during his four seasons with the team, this will be Osweiler’s first start.

Manning finished 5 of 20 for 25 yards in the game, which came out to a career-low 0.0 QB rating.

No, Brock Osweiler did not expect to get the starting nod against the Bears. But after that, he completed nine of 13 attempts for 90 yards and a 7-yard touchdown pass to Andre Caldwell. Joe Horrigan was at Sunday’s game to receive the ball on behalf of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “All of a sudden I knew I was supposed to play football, and I knew I was going to Arizona State”.

It’s been readily apparent to anyone paying attention – and being honest with themselves – that Peyton’s arm is a far cry from what it used to be and he doesn’t have the strength to play at the level we’re used to seeing, let alone for a 16-game season well into winter. “He moved around, made a few great plays, made a few guys miss”, Kubiak said Monday.

This is me saying Manning’s torn plantar fascia – the sheath of ligaments that runs under the foot – is why he couldn’t get anything on his passes.

One day after playing arguably the worst game of his career, Peyton Manning has been benched by the Denver Broncos.

“Hopefully, he’ll figure out a way to feel as good as he can and get a plan for getting back to playing the way he knows how to play”, Eli Manning said Monday. Manning will spend lots of time with team athletic trainer Steve Antonopulos.

Manning needs to step away, if for nothing else but out of respect for John Elway, Gary Kubiak and the rest of the franchise who gave him a second chance after his injuries in Indianapolis nearly forced him into retirement. The coach wouldn’t entertain that notion and said the team is focused only on this week. But to still be among the best players in the game at such an advanced age is a testament to the hard work that Manning-quite possibly the game’s most talented overachiever ever-has put in over the years. I probably should have made a decision not to play him in the game. Why does every one want Peyton out of the game or continue to say he is done. “Hopefully I can use it my advantage”, Manning said.

On Osweiler’s first two possessions Sunday, he went 5-of-11 for 56 yards with an interception and two other passes that were almost picked off by Sean Smith and Eric Berry.

Despite the rampant speculation that we have seen the last of Manning, we still believe that the record-setting quarterback has plenty of gas left in his tank to go on another postseason run in 2015. “But I know he’ll do a great job in his preparation, and Knapper [Quarterbacks Coach Greg Knapp] will do a great job with him”.