Peyton Manning is still out and recovering from a partially torn plantar fascia. Brock Osweiler will play in Manning’s place, and some are saying this could be a blessing for the team.
This will be the first start of Osweiler’s career. Some are questioning Manning’s game and his age. At the age of 39, could this be the end for the popular quarterback? ESPN’s Insider is speculating that this is the end. Jon Elway is the general manager of the team. Many feel that he is looking to move on to a quarterback that is healthier, younger and just all around better. The Broncos have a great defense and many tough receivers, but the quarterback part is lacking.
This could affect the NFL bets since Osweiler is going to be the starter for the reason of this season. When the offseason begins, the Broncos will have a couple choices. They can either keep Osweiler as their quarterback, draft a rookie ready to play, or they can bid on a veteran. Some are speculating that Manning will do the right thing and just retire to make things easy. There are some veteran names floating around, Matt Stafford being one of them. No matter what the talk, Gary Kubiak, the head coach, says that Manning is the starter and when he is healthy enough to play, he will have a job to come back too. The question is how long he is going to be out of commission.
As far as the AFC West is concerned, the Broncos still have a 7-2 lead. To make a run for the playoffs, it may be in their best interest to keep Manning on the sidelines and then bring him back postseason ready to play. Since they have a comfortable lead, it may be the way to go. Manning has been struggling this season. The worst start of his career came in week 10 when he was playing against the Chiefs. Kubiak had to bench him and this was a first. Then he’s had at least one interception in every single game this played this year. His passer rating for this year is a low 67.6. This is the lowest of his career and physically it seems his body is just broken down. This new plantar fascia is a new problem, but he has had many neck surgeries that have left his fingers numb. He also has problems just removing his own shoes.
Those who have always counted on the Broncos as a sure bet for NFL bets may find that they need to pick another team while things are being re-organized. This season has been a real struggle, even though the team is still ahead. Without Manning, it’s anyone’s guess on Osweiler. Many are hoping that he can take the time to heal and be back for the super bowl. There are still hopes that he’ll recover, but the jury is out on whether or not he will return to play football. He may just ride out on a high like Elway did.