Quote Originally Posted by Jer View Post
Struggled to move the ball efficiently? Brock threw for over 200yds in the first quarter? How much more efficient do you want them to be? The picks were more on his teammates than Brock. He gets no help at times from his line and receiving crew and this is the same performance you will see from those guys regardless of who's under center... I mean in the backfield since Peyton is never under center and scraps 90% of the offensive system simply by being in there. Give good AFC teams a week to prep for an offense led by THIS Peyton Manning and it will be same old Peyton, different game. Brock is missing on the deep balls but it's reasonable misses. Peyton was missing in a manner that made it look like he was putting EVERYTHING he had on the ball because the accuracy was just gone. He was all over the place. At least most of Brock's misses deep are close showing an ability to actually control the deep pass but barely missing the mark. It's also funny that you say the O-line has improved the last few weeks but put none of that credit on Brock and the existence of the ability to actually scramble and reemergence of a run game which is also due in no-small-part to a credible pass game once again. If Peyton isn't far closer to 100% than he's shown Denver is doomed because an AFC playoff team with a week to prep for Peyton will game plan to load the box to combat the run game and pressure Peyton. Peyton won't be able to hit his intermediate passes and the long ball will not be a threat because he won't have time. People forget that it was over an entire season (going back to mid-season) of exactly that minus one or two games of good play. The debate is over the QB but the Broncos will go as their defense goes this year because it's all riding on them regardless of if it's Brock or Peyton. Even if Peyton is 100% he's aged considerably and it will be cold and shitty in Denver for the playoff games. He has historically done lousy in the post season and inclement weather and aging doesn't help those out.

It amazes me how short-term some Bronco fan's memory is at times.
And the run game didn't get going against the Chargers until Manning came in. It's not like the run game has improved drastically under Osweiler either:
Rushing with Manning as starter: 106 and 3.85 YPA
Rushing with Osweiler as starter: 126 and 4.45 YPA

The running game has been improving all season long and I place the late success more on CJ Anderson finally getting healthy and the o-line figuring out how to run block. They still can't pass block to save their life but at least Manning takes less drive ending sacks than Osweiler.

Both QBs have their strengths right now, Mannings is more suited for a post season run. Manning was getting better as the season progressed, up until his injury. Brock has been getting worse as defenses continue to perplex him. The fact is that right now Brock is easier for defenses to scheme for and that completely negates any physical advantage he has over Manning. Manning can change the play at the line enough to keep defense honest.