Broncos QB Peyton Manning to start in playoffs
Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning will start for his team in the divisional round of the playoffs, the team announced Thursday.
Manning, who had been sidelined by a torn plantar fascia in his left foot for the latter part of the season, replaced stand-in signal caller Brock Osweiler in a Week 17 win over the Chargers for his first action since Nov. 15. Osweiler had started the previous six games for the Broncos, with rookie Trevor Siemian serving as the backup.
Osweiler sat out of practice Thursday due to a knee sprain, reports Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post. He also did not observe practice.
With Manning under center, the Broncos outscored San Diego 20–7 on their way to a 27–20 victory. Denver leaned more heavily on the running game with Manning on the field, as he completed five of nine passes for 69 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
• Tracking coach firings: Bucs move on from Lovie Smith
The Broncos, who are the No. 1 seed in the AFC, have a bye in the first round of the playoffs. Denver plays the lowest winning seed from the AFC wild-card round on Jan. 17 at Mile High Stadium.
