Brock Osweiler and Peyton Manning are obviously the center of attention at the Broncos facility this week. The news that Manning will sit out and Osweiler will get his first career start in Chicago on Sunday has rocked the NFL world and shaken up the Broncos locker room in recent days.
While head coach Gary Kubiak professes faith in his young quarterback’s skills, there is a group of players that will have a big hand, or two, in whether he fails or succeeds at Soldier Field, and their mindset has changed as they prepare for the game.
Almost every receiver on the roster has confessed the fact that playing with Manning, one of the smartest and most talented quarterbacks ever, was nerve racking at times. The receivers were understandably afraid to make mistakes and incur the wrath of Manning’s glare or worse. Under that pressure, the Broncos flourished for three and a half seasons as it motivated the young pass-catchers to learn their playbook. Monday, their motivation to perform shifted as a new starting quarterback was named. The 25-year-old Osweiler gets his first crack at the most scrutinized job in Colorado. Andre Caldwell, among others, will be ready to help out in any way possible.
“I think as a receiver corps, we carry more of the load knowing it is Brock’s first start. Most of us have been out there and made plenty of big plays, so I think we feel that we need to step up for him. It is saying more in the huddle, giving him tips throughout the game. It is even doing a little more. Even if it is blocking a little harder, running a little harder. Anything, a little more of everything, because he isn’t used to it yet.”
Osweiler’s performance last Sunday in the loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was only his 14th appearance in a regular season game and he has only 54 throwing attempts in those outings. However, Osweiler played admirably last week in relief and helped score the team’s only 13 points. But it was his attitude that rubbed off on several teammates.
“He came in there and said, ‘Lets keep fighting. Let’s keep working. Let’s keep grinding and do what we got to do.’ That is all you can ask for,” Virgil Green said Wednesday. “When he took the huddle like that I told myself I was going to make sure I was going to do what I had to do to make sure Brock was successful.”
Demaryius Thomas, who was in his third NFL season when Osweiler (and Manning) showed up in 2012, put it in simpler terms Wednesday when he was asked how to help his young teammate.
“Make plays is what we’re paid to do. Just go out and make plays. Be playmakers and also help in the run game – block safeties, block corners and do whatever we’ve got to do to try to help the team have a better week.”
Thomas leads the team in receptions with 68 on the season and Emmanuel Sanders trails closely behind with 46. Sanders availability is still unknown for the Sunday’s contest and he sat out Wednesday’s practice with ankle and finger injuries. The Broncos will be facing the Bears’ fourth-ranked passing defense Sunday and Thomas will get heavy attention from their cornerbacks and safeties, leaving other receivers with heavy responsibilities to play big for No. 17.
Caldwell has embraced that role his entire career and caught two passes Sunday afternoon, including a touchdown from Osweiler. Second-year receiver Cody Latimer got in the mix as well. Two of his first three catches of the game (and his season) came from Osweiler. Each one’s familiarity with Osweiler stems from not only scout team repetitions, but practices Manning has missed from last season and the Wednesday’s that Kubiak has rested him this year. Kubiak admitted that Latimer gained some confidence in the loss to Kansas City. The young receiver expects it to continue into this week along with Osweiler’s growth.
“We are motivating each other,” Latimer said Wednesday of his relationship with Osweiler. “We have been playing behind Pro Bowlers, so finally we get our shots. We are in this together. We will stay positive. If you mess up, you mess up. Go to the next play because we have a game to win.”
While the receivers and the rest of the team prepare as usual, it will be slightly different for Osweiler, although he maintains he has always prepared like a starter, a statement Caldwell echoed from his locker.
“Since I’ve been here, Brock has prepared every day like he is a starter; so it is nothing different for him this week. He is going about it as a starter. Its just like a normal day for him except he gets to play on Sunday.”
That mentality is easier said than done, but if the receivers can come through on their end of the deal, Osweiler’s “dream” of starting in the NFL will be that much sweeter. Without big performances from the receivers, from Thomas all the way through to Latimer, it won’t be possible. The most inexperienced Broncos receiver certainly believes it will go better than most expect it to.
“Brock got a taste of it last week,” Latimer said, “I got to do a little something but this week he actually gets to get a full game in. I’m excited to see what he does. I’m expecting him to put up big numbers.”
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