With two games remaining in the 2015 NFL regular season, Denver Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak says his team is “starting over from scratch” at the quarterback position.
Heading into Week 13, the Broncos were 10-2, tied for first place in the AFC playoff standings, and Brock Osweiler had won his first three games as the starter in place of the injured Peyton Manning. Two games later, both losses in which Osweiler failed to lead scoring drives in the second half, and suddenly the AFC West isn’t even guaranteed — let alone a first-round bye.
When asked about the quarterback situation Monday, Kubiak responded by saying “Starting over, starting from scratch,” per Pro Football Talk. He also said the Broncos would have a “plan in place when we get to Wednesday.”
Osweiler needed x-rays on his left, non-throwing shoulder after the game, so you know he’s sore. Couple that with the fact he’s clearly having chemistry issues with his receivers, and it’s no wonder Kubiak is balking at sticking with the young signal-caller going forward.
It’s worth noting that Manning didn’t even make it through a full week of practice last week and needed to sit out Friday to rest his sore foot. However, given his competitiveness and the tenuous nature of Denver’s playoff seeding, nobody should be surprised if he tries to gut it out next Monday night when the Broncos host the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Kansas City Chiefs are just one game behind their AFC West rivals and could potentially win the division if Denver continues to stumble and the Chiefs win out. Needless to say, the Broncos cannot afford any more losses this season if they want to host a home game in the upcoming playoffs.