Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning suffered the worse game of his career this past Sunday against the Chiefs and was subsequently benched which makes way for backup QB Brock Osweiller to get his NFL starting debut. I can picture Peyton hearing that song ringing in his head from the Tom Cruise movie Edge of Tomorrow which repeats the chorus “this is not the end.”
But is it? Manning was apparently injured before the Chiefs game which begs many questions. Should he have played at all? Did they cover it up and shoot up his foot so he could get the NFL record for most career passing yards by a quarterback? Why was he in that game?
Manning got the record, now Brock gets his shot. Time to see what the Brocket Launcher can do.
Peyton Manning has long been described as a player-coach. That title is only relevant when he is playing and coaching the players on the field that are playing with him, not other quarterbacks. Manning has been excused by coach Gary Kubiak from practices and meetings and has not spoken with Brock Osweiller all week. When Manning was with the Colts he was never known for tutoring his backup quarterbacks either.
While it’s not Manning’s job to coach up his backup QB’s it makes one wonder about his team commitment when you consider other situations like the Steelers earlier this season when Ben Roethlisberger was sidelined with an injury, Michael Vick went in to replace him. After the game Vick said of a 73 yard TD he threw to Marcus Wheaton, “The touchdown pass was all Ben…He put the play together on the sideline.”
Broncos fans from the late 90’s Super Bowl runs can remember when Bubby Brister took over for John Elway during a stretch of the regular season and it was smooth as silk. Elway recovered while Bubby took over for five games where he went 5-0 and had a higher passer rating than Elway. The transition was described as Bubby “getting the keys to the Ferrari,” in reference to running the Broncos high-potent offense that had upset Favre’s Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII the year before. Elway returned after’s Bubby’s undefeated stretch that season and played the Broncos through the playoffs then into Super XXXIII where he was named MVP.
Will the same fate await Peytong Manning? Is he going to be the Elway 2.0 in a Broncos uniform? That, like Elway’s retirement, would be quite the story. One of dreams just like Elway’s final two-seasons. However, it doesn’t look as promising for Peyton.
Meanwhile Peyton Manning hasn’t said a word to Brock Osweiller all week per reports and will more than likely not make the trip to Chicago for this week’s Broncos game against the Bears.
