Manning Returns To Help Broncos Earn AFC Top Seed

Peyton Manning replaced Brock Osweiler in the third quarter Sunday and led the Broncos a 27-20 win over the San Diego Chargers that clinched the top seed in the AFC playoffs for Denver.

Coach Gary Kubiak said he played a hunch, but he refused to reveal who will be his starter in the playoffs – or even acknowledge he has quite the puzzle at the position.

And really, Manning’s health has always been at the crux of the quarterback debate, even as Osweiler went 4-2 during his absence. “[He] came over to me… and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to go with Peyton now, Brock”.

Bills 22, Jets 17: Ryan Fitzpatrick threw interceptions on each of New York’s final three drives, and the Jets’ playoff hopes were dashed with a loss to host Buffalo on Sunday.

Gary Kubiak has a big decision to make.

SEAHAWKS 36, CARDINALS 6: Russell Wilson threw three touchdown passes in a second-quarter outburst and Seattle snapped Arizona’s nine-game winning streak. Peyton Manning is the quarterback of this team for the rest of the season. But the passing game was directly responsible for four of the Broncos’ five giveaways thanks to an unblocked corner blitz, a failure to contain Melvin Ingram, a pass that bounced squarely off slot receiver Jordan Norwood’s hands and a downfield fumble by Emmanuel Sanders. Osweiler has performed admirably in his first true action as a starter. It’s hard to imagine them blowing that opportunity while No. 18 holds a clipboard; if they’re going to come up short, it’ll be with the future Hall of Fame quarterback at the helm.

“I thought everybody was cheering for me”, deadpanned Polumbus.

Manning’s average pass attempt has traveled 9.1 yards compared to Osweiler’s 8.6.

Manning, who missed seven weeks with a foot injury, received a thunderous ovation and promptly launched an 80-yard, eight-play drive capped by C.J. Anderson’s one-yard touchdown that gave Denver a 14-13 lead.

Manning also got rid of the ball quicker than Osweiler, although he did sustain a vicious hit from Damion Square that left him wondering how his body would feel this week. Quarterbacks dropped like flies on many teams, including our beloved Denver Broncos. “My least favorite thing in all of sports”, she said on Mile High Sports AM 1340, “is a quarterback controversy”.

Nor was he concerned about Osweiler’s confidence being churned. They still speak about him as if he’s not only the Manning of 2006 but can be counted on to elevate his game in January (and, as anyone who’s being honest with himself knows, Manning has not consistently been that guy in his career).

I have been a vocal critic of Manning this year, not necessarily because of how he played for the first 10 weeks of the 2015 season (which was not good), but because of how the media continued to protect him. “Peyton did a great job earlier this season before he went through the injury”.

The Chiefs (11-5) are the hottest team in football right now, having won 10 straight entering the playoffs. Yesterday it took both of them.

For the six games that Osweiler started and completed, we have seen the team take part in two different halves.

Kubiak played a hunch Sunday so it follows that he’ll go with his gut again for the playoffs rather than go over stat sheets and all the analytics over the next 72 hours.

“I don’t think Brock did anything wrong”, Kubiak said.