In Football, A Lot Depends on Chance

[mouthofsouth]

When it all comes down to it, only one team out of 32 can win it all each year. And I think we all know a lot depends on chance. I think you all have to admit that last Sunday Peyton came in and started a spark that turned the game around. If he had not, the Broncos' chances of going to the Super Bowl this year would have been reduced tremendously. To go from the number one seed down to the fifth is a HUGE drop and means so much. That does not mean Peyton is 100% healthy, and the Broncos still have a big hurdle. But Kubiac made the right decision, and I applaud him for that. I have criticized him a lot, but he did the wise thing. Brock is young and the qb of the future. But he is young and inexperienced. You go with experience if you are able, especially in the playoffs. If Peyton is 75% ready to go, he should be the qb in the playoffs. If he falters, you put Brock in, but not the other way around. What you think? Seriously.

[Simple Jaded]

I think Denver wins that game either way. Manning starts though, I bet.

[mouthofsouth]

I think Denver wins that game either way. Manning starts though, I bet.

You think, but all the signs pointed to their losing. They were having one turnover after another and San Diego had the momentum. As soon as Peyton came in, the momentum changed. You could just feel it!

[Simple Jaded]

You think, but all the signs pointed to their losing. They were having one turnover after another and San Diego had the momentum. As soon as Peyton came in, the momentum changed. You could just feel it!

Yeah, I'm not denying that he gave a spark, I'm saying Denver finds a way to win with Osweiler too.

[NightTerror218]

You think, but all the signs pointed to their losing. They were having one turnover after another and San Diego had the momentum. As soon as Peyton came in, the momentum changed. You could just feel it!

It just took 1 spark and people HOLDING to the damn ball. Brock was having a great game but the TEAM turnovers were killing them. The offense in general was rolling SD and then losing ball. Oz had 250+ yards in first half and running game was killing it. Turnovers were just killer.

All Manning did was provide spark his play did not win the game.

[Joel]

It's really hard to say. On the one hand, only one of our five turnovers can be fairly placed on Oz, and Manning got help (i.e. FINALLY benching Schofield for Polumbus) Oz never did. On the other hand, in a situation very similar to the ONE turnover that WAS on Brock, Manning audibled to a run away from the blitz that scored a long TD (even if it took CJ three tries to punch it in.)

The playoffs DO change things though: We don't get to play a team like the Chargers again till next fall (which may be a good thing, because Mannings playoff record against Rivers isn't good.) In the playoffs, I agree we're better off with Mannings experience if he's healthy enough to be effective. Not just because of things like pre-snap recognition either: He has the experience to see and stature to correct teammate errors midgame the way Oz can't.

Can anyone imagine Oz ripping into Julius Thomas on the field because he "got open" when his assignment was to block for a screen? I sure can't.

Conversely (and I concede this is just my impression) I think our other players think about Mannings legacy and challenges, too, that there's a sense that "we can't let him down" to a far greater extent than exists for Oz. Oz can always say, "we'll get 'em next year," but for Manning, EACH game could well be his FINAL game. No one wants him going out a loser because of something THEY did.

[BroncoNut]

I just can't put your avatar with this op