Brennan Linsley/AP
With Peyton Manning still recovering from a partially torn plantar fascia, the Broncos will start Brock Osweiler at quarterback on Sunday against the Chicago Bears, a decision that is actually a blessing in disguise for all involved.
The game, which will be Osweiler's first career start, has left many wondering whether we've seen 39-year-old Manning's last plays on a football field.
There's a long article on ESPN Insider this week speculating that we've seen the end of Manning. The feeling is that general manager John Elway will want to move on to a younger, healthier, and all-around better quarterback while his team is still filled with dangerous receivers and a great defense.
This means Osweiler as the starter for the remainder of the season, and come the off-season, the Broncos will either stick with Osweiler, draft a rookie, or go after a veteran (Matt Stafford is one name that has been floated). Manning, meanwhile, is conveniently sidelined with an injury, and come the off-season he'll likely retire to make things easy for everyone.
Despite the speculation, head coach Gary Kubiak has said outright that Manning is the Broncos starter and that when he's healthy he'll have the starting job back.
In fact, for the Broncos, who at 7-2 still have a comfortable lead in the AFC West, keeping Manning sidelined for a big chunk of the regular season and then bringing him back fresh and healthy for the postseason, might actually be their best shot at making a deep run in the playoffs.
It's no secret that Manning has struggled all season long: during Week 10 against the Chiefs he had the worst start of his career, leading to Kubiak benching him. He's thrown at least one interception in every game he's started this season, and his passer rating (67.6) is the worst of his career. Physically, he's broken: he can't take off his own shoes and can't feel his fingers as a result of neck surgeries, not to mention the partially torn plantar fascia that makes it difficult for him to walk.
Playing a full 16-game schedule at age 39 and with all his body has been through in recent years was probably never an ideal scenario. Meanwhile, the Broncos get an extended look at Osweiler to see if he is their quarterback of the future and Osweiler finally gets a chance to prove that he is.
Everybody wins.
But the end of the day, Manning is still the team's best bet to compete in the playoffs. Despite his struggles this season, he has shown flashes - albeit infrequently - of his old self. He completed 21 of 29 passes for 340 yards against the Packers just a few weeks ago. He can read a defense better than anyone. A fully healthy Manning and the Broncos defense can go father than an inexperienced Osweiler, plain and simple.
So assuming Osweiler and the defense can do enough in the remaining weeks to get the Broncos to the playoffs (and with seven wins already this isn't a tall task), Manning should take as much time as he needs to recover. And then lead one final shot at a Super Bowl. If the Broncos come up short, at least Manning will have gone out competitively.
Or maybe this works perfectly and Manning gets that elusive second Super Bowl ring and rides off into the sunset the same way Elway did, as a champion. You never know.