Gary Kubiak confirmed that Osweiler will start on Sunday.
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“We shouldn’t read anything into it”, Kubiak said.
The breakout came last week when Osweiler won his starting debut at Chicago when 11 of his 20 completions went to his tight ends, accounting for 146 of his 250 yards. He wanted his quarterback to go from under center rather than the shotgun or the pistol formations; ones that Peyton was more comfortable with.
Osweiler has already been named the starter in the Broncos’ next contest against the undefeated New England Patriots – a development that could fall into the be-careful-what-you-wish-for category. Manning continues to deal with an injury more serious than Eli’s, torn plantar fascia in his left foot. They ran the ball very well and I think that’s what they’re trying to get back to, is running the ball well and then setting up the play-action and boot game with it. “He’s always been a part of our team and he got an opportunity to show the world, show you guys what he can do – what we’ve always seen in him”. In his first three years in Denver, he totaled 136 TD throws and just 36 interceptions.
Manning has more career completions, attempts, yards and touchdowns than Brady, but the Patriots quarterback could even overtake those numbers if his prediction is true that he has seven or eight more years left in his 38-year-old arm. He did miss all of 2011 after spinal fusion surgery before joining the Broncos as a free agent following his release from Indianapolis. He is an athletic quarterback that is capable of getting outside of the pocket which may work in Kubiak’s scheme. The lingering injury has attributed to the worst season of the five-time NFL MVP’s career and triggered speculation that he’s contemplating retirement as he approaches his 40th birthday. “That’s disappointing. I know how hard he is working to get back and help his football team”, he added.
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“We’re off to a good start, but it really doesn’t mean anything”. I have thought for the longest time the two share a distinction of dominance in this league – Manning the best in the regular season and Brady in the post season. Kubiak would not comment if the injury was enough to keep Manning off the field for the rest of the year, stating the team is taking things game by game. Going through stuff like this is aggravating for anybody, but his frame of mind is as good as it can be. “We’ll play great defense. Basically nothing has changed”, Kubiak said. “It just happens to be this week”, Brady said.
