Brock Osweiler to start Sunday against the Patriots

He took checkdowns and was decisive.

Even more impressive, Osweiler’s family was there to see it. After their flight was canceled, his parents John and Kathy Osweiler drove from Denver, arriving in Chicago in the middle of the night. He ran a very nice two-minute drill before halftime. “He’s got to feel good about the first step”.

Not only did Osweiler perform well in Chicago yesterday, but he cemented the trust of the team.

The long-term discussion that we will begin to hear this week is what Osweiler’s performance means for Manning.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday morning that Manning might not get his job back if Osweiler performs well in what amounts to an in-season audition.

As for Manning, Kubiak said the quarterback is visiting a specialist in Charlotte, N.C. on Monday for a second opinion on the torn plantar fascia in his foot. “There’s all kinds of stuff throughout the offense that we try to take advantage of”. The Broncos reportedly talked about dealing Manning to Houston (the Broncos denied it). What would you do with Peyton Manning given these circumstances?

“I think it’s the ACL and MCL”, Flacco said. They went into that game without star receiver Alshon Jeffery, slot receiver Eddie Royal, and star running back Matt Forte on offense. You hope Peyton sees it too, but you are suspecting he doesn’t because that’s how it works. The spinal fusion of Manning was still under evaluation during this time. Manning will return to Denver on Tuesday. They could face an unbeaten Patriots team, which plays Monday night against the Buffalo Bills.

Remember the Gatorade commercial with Peyton Manning, Yao Ming and Derek Jeter in it. They all went to a kid named Jimmy’s house to get him so they can play their respective sports with him.

There’s going to be a lot of that. Cutler underthrew the ball a tad, but Wilson got no separation and Trevathan beat him to the ball.

The Denver Broncos had to be concerned as they traveled to Chicago to face the Bears with unproven Brock Osweiler under center for a hurt and ineffective Peyton Manning.

Word on the street is Manning plans to play in 2016 even if not for the Broncos. The Broncos have put together what is widely viewed as the best defense in the National Football League, so Osweiler will have that going for him.

But he has no velocity and when the field compresses inside the 20, he can’t throw to tight windows. I recognize he may be the greatest quarterback to play, if not the greatest. Combine that with Manning’s injuries, and it nearly seems like a given that he will be retiring at the end of 2015, no matter what happens through the rest of the season, playoffs, or Super Bowl.

He drove the Broncos 74 yards in four plays for a touchdown on their first possession, finding a wide-open Demaryius Thomas for 48 yards and the score on his second pass. It was the longest completion of Osweiler’s four-year career, previously all spent as Manning’s backup.

“Yeah, we’re missing a few guys, but that’s nothing new”, Cutler said.