Brock Osweiler starts again; Manning has foot checked out

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning spent Monday traveling to Charlotte, N.C. for a second opinion on his injured foot from specialist Dr. Robert Anderson.

Meanwhile, Brock Osweiler spent his Monday reviewing his first career start and beginning preparations for his second.

There was no surprise when head coach Gary Kubiak announced Monday that Osweiler would make his second consecutive start for next Sunday's game against the New England Patriots, who roared into their Monday night game with the Bills unbeaten.

Manning is considered week-to-week, and such was the nature of his rehabilitation that the Broncos opted to leave him back in Denver for the weekend so he could focus on his recovery. He met with Kubiak on Monday before heading to North Carolina for his appointment with Anderson, and the decision was set to leave him out for another game.

But the performance of Osweiler in Manning's stead could not be overlooked, either. Although you don't want to rush to judgment regarding Osweiler's debut -- especially with a Bill Belichick-led defense looming next week -- the 20-for-27, 250-yard, two-touchdown performance was a perfect start.

"It's encouraging," Kubiak said. "The thing that he's going to be able to do is see a lot of good things, but he's also going to look at some things and say, 'Boy, I can do that. I could have been better in this situation.' I think he's going to take a lot from that, but it was encouraging, I think, for a first start in this league."

Osweiler was composed all weekend -- from when he spoke to the team during its Saturday night meeting at a downtown Chicago hotel to the first series, when he guided the Broncos to a touchdown in just four plays.

"Everybody's asking the Brock questions, but we knew Brock could do this," said running back C.J. Anderson. "He's always been a part of our team and he got an opportunity to show the world, show you guys what he can do -- what we've always seen in him."

And with Osweiler at the controls, the offense did something it hadn't done all year: play a game without a giveaway. The Broncos' defense remains the league's best on a per-game and per-play basis; all the team needs is an average offense that doesn't make mistakes.

"The message this week was, 'Let's protect the football and play,'" Kubiak said. "We'll play great defense. We're consistent in what we're doing there. And let's not hurt ourselves as a team. I think that's what we ultimately did."

REPORT CARD VS. BEARS

--PASSING OFFENSE: B-plus. The pass protection for Brock Osweiler was shaky at times, as he absorbed five sacks from the Bears' pass rush. But that was the only negative from the Broncos' passing game Sunday, as Osweiler hit 20 of 27 passes without an interception, giving the Broncos their first game without an interception this season.

--RUSHING OFFENSE: B. The Broncos ran 51 of their 68 snaps from under center, and that appeared to help their running backs. Ronnie Hillman and C.J. Anderson were equally effective; each averaged 4.9 yards per carry with a long gain of 15 yards for each, and both kept the chains moving. The Broncos' 170-yard performance was their best of the season.

--PASS DEFENSE: B-minus. Some blown coverages led to open receivers downfield, but the Broncos' pass rush led to two sacks, an interception and a forced fumble. The Broncos had trouble generating pressure with four men, but when they blitzed, it was effective.

--RUN DEFENSE: A-minus. Jay Cutler's 18-yard scramble was the only breakaway run for the Bears, as Jeremy Langford and Ka'Deem Carey combined for just 57 yards on 22 carries. Denver kept the Bears' runners in check, which prevented Chicago from finding any offensive consistency.

--SPECIAL TEAMS: C. Brandon McManus was perfect on his placekicks, but Omar Bolden struggled on kickoff returns (a 15.0-yard average on three runbacks) and Britton Colquitt had a 25-yard punt with 4:30 left that squandered a chance for the Broncos to pin the Bears deep in their territory.

--COACHING: B. The Broncos ran the Kubiak/Shanahan offense, and at times, it worked to perfection. Osweiler rolled out, used the play-action, found open receivers on underneath routes and kept the Bears off-balance. If not for a failed fourth-and-1 run from the Chicago 2-yard line, the Broncos would have likely won comfortably.