Osweiler on the emotions of being benched:
“The emotions were high and low, and as a player you always try to keep them right in the middle. Unfortunately, we weren’t putting up points on the board early in the first half. We were moving the ball, we just weren’t getting it in the end zone so it was tough on the emotions. To come out in the second half and as a team get a huge home win and win the AFC West, that’s what it is all about. When we show up for training camp, when we show up for spring ball that’s our number one goal: win the division, get to the playoffs. For us to do that today, I couldn’t be any happier. [I’m] so happy to be a part of this team and it was a huge team win.”
I feel bad for Brock. I really do. He didn’t deserve to be taken out of that game; the turnovers were not his fault. Nonetheless, it happened, and as always, he handled it perfectly.
I can’t imagine any scenario in which he starts for the Broncos in the divisional round of the playoffs; Gary Kubiak made his choice. And if the Broncos win under Manning, that’s even more of a reason to leave Osweiler on the bench.
Unless Manning completely falls apart, that C.J. Anderson fumble will likely be Osweiler’s last meaningful snap of the season.
And that’s okay.
Osweiler is still the future. Barring a surprising turn of events, he’ll be the Broncos’ starter come Week 1 of the 2016 season, and Denver should feel very good about that. He’s shown us enough over these last two months that there’s reason to believe he can be more than a backup quarterback. He’s still growing, but there’s a lot of potential in Brock Osweiler.
We’ll see it all come to fruition next season. For now, this is still Manning’s team.
