The Denver Broncos named quarterback Peyton Manning their starter for the AFC Divisional round over Brock Osweiler on Thursday, but it’s no clear-cut indication the 39-year-old is fully fit and healthy enough to help the No. 1 seed advance in the postseason.
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In week 17 against the San Diego Chargers (4-12), Manning came on in relief of Brock Osweiler late in the second quarter and recorded five completions for 69 yards.
Coach Gary Kubiak informed his quarterbacks of his decision and then his team on Thursday morning when players returned from a three-day furlough.
The Denver Broncos have made their decision for their starting quarterback in the playoffs and it will be Peyton Manning. Manning played in 208 regular season games with the Colts and completed 64.9% of his passes for 54,828 yards and 399 touchdowns with 198 interceptions for a 94.9 passer rating.
“The games we won have been, we wins, or us wins, whatever you want to call it. Everybody has done their part and that’s the only way we are going to have a chance in the post season everybody doing their part and I want to do my part”, Manning said. I could see it happening throughout the course of the last two weeks.
The Peyton Manning era in Denver may very well come to an end after this season, and if they don’t win the Super Bowl they’ll fall short of their biggest goal; the one they created when he originally committed to the Broncos back in March 2012.
Manziel was in the NFL’s concussion protocol last week after the team said he got hurt in a December 27 game. Either way, it just goes to show how quickly things change for National Football League players and teams. Immediately after the game, Kubiak was noncommittal about the team’s quarterback situation and still refused to name a starter for the playoffs during his Monday press conference. “Coach felt like that was the best way to generate a spark, and it did”. He knows exactly what we think of him. The Broncos rushed for a season-best 210 yards in the game.
ILB Brandon Marshall is expected to return for the playoffs after being limited to three snaps against the Chargers. The Broncos hope to have him back for the playoffs. Still, it seems that Kubiak prefers Manning’s leadership and 17 seasons of experience to Osweiler’s flashes of brilliance mixed with occasional inconsistency.
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If the opponents defense are going to penetrate the offensive line, Osweiler will keep the play alive and Manning will go down easily.
