Disrespect Or Protection?

Having eighteen seasons as one of the most prolific passer, and overall quarterback in the NFL apparently meant nothing to the Denver Broncos. Peyton Manning is one of the few faces that are the NFL. His name will go down will Tom Brady, John Elway, and many other Hall Of Fame players. For the past few weeks Manning was out with an injury. A torn plantar fasciitis has had him benched. So the question was, who takes over while he is out on IR?

The Broncos scrambling to sign Vikings backup quarterback Christian Ponder, while already having backup quarterback, 6’7’ Brock Osweiler. Brock had stepped into some of the biggest shoes that the NFL had to fill. Brock was drafted in the second round of the 2012 draft, drafted from Arizona State, a well known football school. A school that New England Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski attended. In his fill in of five games he has 170 completions out of his career 187. With his inexperience under center, he was able to lead the Broncos to beating the Undefeated New England Patriots. Also a 3-2 record while leading the team. Having a backup quarterback that is able to put up numbers like a 61.8% passer rating, just under 2,000 yards, and ten touchdowns is special. Some might even say it can compare to when Brady took over in New England over Drew Bledsoe. The only difference is that Brady kept that job, Manning has fought his way back into the QB1 category.

In sight of all this, I am sure that Manning is happy that he has helped create the future of the Broncos franchise quarterback for when he is gone. Though suiting up on the sideline, and being listed as QB2, or backup is a punch in the face to future first ballot, NFL Hall Of Famer. For weeks people weren’t sure whether or not they would ever see Peyton play another down as a Bronco, or even in the NFL. I honestly thought this was Brady v. Bledsoe part 2. So, with Peyton’s injury was this a way for the Broncos to weed out the old and bring in the new? Did they see the short, well rounded performance that Brock had shown, and decide their future in a short five weeks? Is eighteen years of experience, over 6,000 career completions, and the NFL record of 71,940 passing yards that easily replaced? Manning did not think so, and nor do millions of others, including myself. It is Manning’s show until further notice. Let’s just not pull a Brett Farve, what do you say Peyton?