Denver Broncos Peyton Manning Out Two Weeks

After visiting with Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, North Carolina on Tuesday, Manning was put in a foot cast and is on orders to sit out at least the next two games.

Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak announced that Manning’s long-time backup quarterback Brock Osweiler will start for the second straight game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, per ESPN.

Manning went five of 20 for just 35 yards and four interceptions when he was removed from a 29-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

In his first career start Osweiler, a 2012 second round draft choice out of Arizona State, fired 27 passes completing 20 for two touchdowns and no interceptions in a 17-15 victory for the Broncos in Chicago.

The Denver Broncos did something extremely important over the weekend – they won without Peyton Manning behind center.

If Ponder is signed on Wednesday, as expected, the Broncos now have ample depth at TE and could choose to create some room on the roster by making a move there, possibly with Richard Gordon. “On Saturday when we were fixing to leave town and he and DeMarcus Ware were in rehab, the decision was made”, Kubiak said. He had excused Manning from practices and meetings last week although the quarterback did attend Friday’s workout. Vernon Davis had his best game in a Broncos jersey, catching all six targets for 68 yards.

Manning is in the midst of one of the worst statistical seasons of his career, alongside his rookie season of 1998.

Hoyer ready to return • Brian Hoyer is done with the team’s concussion protocol and will start for the Houston Texans on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. It is obvious he has lost a step or two, but a less than 100 percent Manning is still better that most of the quarterbacks in the league. Once he sheds the boot, he will begin rehabilitation for the plantar fascia tear in his foot.

“We said that we would go back and review the entire situation at the beginning of this week, which we have done. That’s a great game for him”, cornerback Chris Harris told the Denver Post. If Osweiler continues to play well, however, Kubiak, whose offenses traditionally have employed quarterbacks with more mobility than Manning has shown in years, may well decide to stick with the younger quarterback.

Harris said the offensive linemen for the most part enjoyed the battle in the trenches in Sunday’s game, one in which the Broncos racked up 170 yards on the ground.