The Denver Broncos are in a sticky situation.
Here’s what we know: Peyton Manning is injured, the offense is in disarray and Brock Osweiler received the first meaningful snaps of his career.
Here’s the question everybody wants an answer to: Is it time to move on from Manning?
And as far as I’m concerned, there’s only one correct answer: We don’t know. But I can promise you that not many people are going to be towing that line this week. This has become a diametric issue, and the only person we can blame is Gary Kubiak. There’s no going back from what we witnessed yesterday. The fans aren’t going to forget that Peyton Manning. And it’s Kubiak’s fault.
I have no idea how injured Manning was or is, which means that I have no idea how severely his play was limited on Sunday. But I know that if there was any doubt about his ability to perform, he should have sat; the Broncos never should have allowed Manning to put himself in a position where he would embarrass himself that thoroughly.
Now, because of that performance, the calls for Osweiler are louder and more serious than ever. More importantly, they’re warranted.
The Broncos addressed the subject following the game, but this is an issue that has to be handled carefully; nobody in that locker room can speak the truth, the full truth and nothing but the truth.
Luckily, I can. Let’s break down what the Broncos had to say about Manning in this version of “Read Between the Lines” :
