Previous Story
Peyton Manning’s future in the National Football League in doubt
Posted On Dec 29 2015
Comment: Off
Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler speaks with reporters during a news conference after an NFL football practice Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2015, at the team’s headquarters in Englewood, Colo.
The 39-year-old Manning scaled back his regimen after experiencing pain on December 18 following two straight days of practice. He was ruled out against the Steelers.
ESPN also reported that Kubiak added Osweiler will be their starter continuing the season as they try to get Manning healthy, which is top priority.
Following that outing, Denver will close the season with a division matchup taking on the struggling San Diego Chargers. Or any hurt Brock Osweiler may feel by Gary Kubiak’s delay in naming him the Denver Broncos’ starting quarterback this week.
Despite Osweiler filling in for Manning admirably, he’s only beaten one team with a winning record, which should give Cincinnati some confidence that they can do enough to get a win on the road. But that’s no sure thing with such an untested quarterback, and the Bengals can only hope their season doesn’t end before Dalton is ready to play again. His future in the game, however, depends heavily on a workout today at the Denver Broncos practice facility.
He hurt his shoulder on a 7-yard scramble at Pittsburgh last week and grimaced on handoffs afterward, but said it didn’t play a role in his poor second half that followed a four-touchdown first half in Denver’s 34-27 loss.
“Let’s work.’ That’s what he did”, Kubiak said.
The Bengals now are the conference’s third seed, meaning they are facing the prospect of having to play a first-round playoff game at home rather than having a bye. They’ve been outscored 36-0 in the second half of this month’s games, including a 21-0 deficit in Pittsburgh last weekend.
This will mark Osweiler’s sixth consecutive start, and it will be the biggest of his career. Though Denver has deep threat players in both Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas, they are using them quite a bit in middle areas of the field.
