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Brock Osweiler Gets First Start After 3-And-A-Half Year Apprenticeship

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (The Sports Xchange/CBS4) - Battered and beaten, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning didn't look or feel like the league's all-time leading passer Sunday.

He looked old. Forlorn. The torn plantar fascia in his foot that was exacerbated in the previous week's loss at Indianapolis prevented him from being able to push off on his throws. His passes fluttered, floated and died. Kansas City Chiefs defenders intercepted more of his passes that went beyond the line of scrimmage (four) than Broncos receivers caught (three).

And by Monday afternoon, he was ruled out for next week's game in Chicago.

Brock Osweiler will make his first career start after a three-and-a-half-year apprenticeship that began when the Broncos took him in the second round of the 2012 draft. Now, just seven regular-season games before his contract expires, he has the chance to show that he can, indeed, be the Broncos' quarterback of the future.

Brock Osweiler During The Broncs 29-13 Loss To The Chiefs
(credit: Evan Semón/CBS)

Manning is still considered the quarterback of the present. After an MRI on his rib cage Monday, Manning will receive what he called a week of "active rest," and then will have his status re-evaluated on Nov. 23, six days before the Broncos face the New England Patriots.

"I think that I need to use this week and use the time," Manning said. "I'm not going to be on the practice field, so I can dedicate the time to being in the training room and active rest, if you will. Hopefully, it helps me out."

Given the extent of Manning's injuries and the degree of his struggles Sunday -- he finished the game with a 0.0 passer rating -- the Manning-Tom Brady showdown could be on hold.
But he still hopes to return after one week away.

"I want to try to get healthy this week," Manning said. "I'm disappointed that I'm injured. I'm disappointed at the game yesterday, certainly, one day after. I will try to take advantage of this week and try to get to feeling better and getting healthy. We'll see where everything stands next week."

Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak said that Manning remains the team's starting quarterback. But in the interim, Osweiler has his long-awaited shot.

"It takes you a little bit by surprise," Osweiler said on Monday. "Manning has been the starter here for this team for a number of years now, ever since I've been here. To hear Kubiak say, 'Hey Brock, you're going to start this week at Chicago' in front of the whole team, yeah, it's a little abnormal."

REPORT CARD VS. CHIEFS

--PASSING OFFENSE: F. Although Brock Osweiler rallied the offense to a pair of late touchdowns, it wasn't near enough to overcome a calamitous performance by Peyton Manning, who finished with a 0.0 passer rating. Manning's season-long touchdown-to-interception ratio is 9-to-17, and he has thrown at least one interception in every game this year.

--RUSHING OFFENSE: C-minus. Another early deficit ensured that the Broncos got away from any semblance of offensive balance. Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson combined for just 13 carries against 49 pass plays and three scrambles by Osweiler.

--PASS DEFENSE: B-minus. Two screen passes scorched the Broncos for 116 yards, with the 80-yard Alex Smith-to-Charcandrick West screen pass standing as the Broncos' worst defensive misplay of the season, right down to T.J. Ward's punch on Jeremy Maclin that led to his ejection at the end of the play.

--RUN DEFENSE: B. After being gashed for 25 yards on its first series, Denver's run defense contracted and allowed Charcandrick West few holes and little room. West and Spencer Ware combined for just 48 yards on 22 carries after the first series, and the Chiefs finished with just 3.3 yards per carry. Alex Smith was Kansas City's most dangerous runner, picking up 33 yards on six carries as quarterback runs continue to be a problem for Denver's top-ranked defense.

--SPECIAL TEAMS: C. Desperate to get something going, coordinator Joe DeCamillis' unit tried an onside kick to open the second half -- and then had two more after fourth-quarter touchdowns. None succeeded. Brandon McManus didn't have any placekicks until after the two-minute warning at the end of the game. Britton Colquitt had a net punting average of 45.2 yards and was one of the Broncos' few bright spots.

--COACHING: C-minus. Gary Kubiak gave Peyton Manning the due respect that comes with being the league's all-time leading passer -- and the player primarily responsible for the Broncos' 47-15 record since 2012, which followed five consecutive years with no winning seasons. He gave Manning a chance to play through his injuries. But Manning's performance hurt the team, and it was apparent from the first attempt to TE Vernon Davis that Manning didn't have any power on his throws. The Broncos didn't quit; the energy of the defense kept comeback hopes alive, particularly in the third quarter. But if Manning had been pulled earlier, this would have been a winnable game.

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