Manning set to return to practice

Gary Kubiak named Osweiler the starter for the fifth straight game this week as the Broncos travel to Pittsburgh, but the head coach wouldn’t comment further with his future Hall of Fame quarterback returning to practice in a limited capacity Wednesday.

Now even though Peyton Manning practiced on Wednesday Coach Kubiak says he will not suit up against the Steelers on Sunday.

Peyton Manning returned to practice for the first time in a month but not to his starting job.

Now, his father Archie is saying the injury did not begin during a Week 10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs when he was forced to leave the game. “… We’re a football team and we go about our day that way all the time”.

While Denver’s offense has struggled behind both quarterbacks, tight end Virgil Green said the Broncos (10-3) believe they can win with either one.

Charlie Whitehurst, who finished last week’s loss at Jacksonville, operated the first-team offense on Wednesday for the Colts as they prepare for a Sunday showdown with divisional co-leader Houston. The Broncos are first in total defense, but asking the team to win 9-6 or 12-9 against the Steelers is asking a lot.

After speaking with Manning and trainer Steve Antonopulos, Kubiak mapped out a practice plan for Manning this week, but his partially torn left plantar fascia will keep him out Sunday.

Who knows, maybe Osweiler has more than meets the eye to him and the learning process will give the Broncos a better quarterback who can move better than he is right now and be a more risky passer than he is right now.

Denver Broncos fans are left frustrated by the latest Peyton Manning news. Manning was on pace a career-worst 16-game pace with nine touchdown passes and 17 interceptions through nine games. Although Brock Osweiler is still scheduled to start Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, that Manning is beginning to practice this week means he’ll likely replace Osweiler before the playoffs. The Broncos have just two more regular-season games – a week from Monday against the Cincinnati Bengals and January 3 against the San Diego Chargers.

The interceptions have been a problem for Manning all season long.

Mallett said that “the best thing, probably, was for me to be cut” after missing a team flight to Miami. “We thought he would be ready to go”, Kubiak said.