Week 12 Warmup: Could Osweiler earn starting job from Manning with win over Patriots?

The Week 12 Warmup takes an in-depth look ahead at the most intriguing storylines surrounding the NFL's weekend slate of games.

It's becoming increasingly possible that Peyton Manning, just two weeks removed from breaking Brett Favre's record to become the NFL's all-time leading passer, has already taken the last snap of his Hall of Fame career.

Still on the sidelines recovering from a foot injury, Manning has at least temporarily given way to Brock Osweiler under center.

While not exactly spectacular in his first start at the professional level, Osweiler ran the offense far more efficiently than his veteran teammate managed to do for the majority of the nine games prior.

The 25-year-old completed 20-of-27 passes on the day, throwing for an impressive 250 yards and two touchdowns against a resurgent Bears defense that went on to shut down Aaron Rodgers on Thursday night.

More importantly than the stats will show, however, the Broncos managed to end their two-game losing streak and escape with a win to comfortably remain in the driver's seat of the AFC West.

Osweiler enjoying similar success against the New England Patriots this week is, of course, far from a guarantee. Even the NFL's most accomplished quarterbacks have long had trouble with Bill Belichick's defenses.

At the same time, with a dominant defense holding a clear advantage over a New England offense now decimated by injuries of its own, Osweiler and the Broncos appear to be catching the AFC's best team at the perfect time.

As unfathomable as it once was to picture a healthy Manning relegated to a backup role, helping to end the Patriots' bid for an undefeated season should be more than enough to earn Osweiler the starting job down the stretch and into the postseason.

What to Watch

• Things could get ugly with DeAndre Hopkins going up against the league-worst Saints defense. Should the game remain the least bit close - forcing the Texans to keep their foot on the ga - it wouldn't be surprising to see the star wideout turn his unbelievable target rate into a record-challenging performance. A change at defensive coordinator isn't going to be enough to give New Orleans an answer for Hopkins' abilities in the secondary.
• The Redskins have been a far more competitive team than expected this year, and Sunday's matchup with the Giants gives them an opportunity to create a tie atop the NFC East. While bouncing back from last week's blowout loss may be difficult, the dominant performance put forth the game prior certainly suggests Washington is capable of getting it done. Tying up the season series would also be imperative when it comes to a possible tiebreaker scenario.
• An early afternoon matchup between the Bills and Chiefs could prove to be the deciding game in an intriguing race for the second AFC wild-card spot. Kansas City enters with plenty of momentum after bouncing back from a 1-5 start, while the Bills just can't seem to get on any sort of winning streak. With an incredibly favorable schedule to follow, another win this week could very well put the Chiefs in position to walk into the postseason.

Must-See Matchups

Julio Jones vs. Xavier Rhodes

Limiting the production of the NFL's leading receiver will be key to the Vikings' chances of getting back in the win column this week, and Rhodes can be expected to earn that assignment for the better part of the game.

Rhodes continues to impress in his third season out of Florida State, but Jones has long proven capable of producing at a high level against any opponent. Atlanta going without Devonta Freeman, and likely having the running game take a step back as a result, should see the Falcons feed Jones throughout.

Broncos' pass rush vs. Patriots' O-Line

Tom Brady's presence will almost always give the Patriots' offense an advantage over opponents, but several skill-position injuries will leave the passing attack hard-pressed to maintain a rhythm in the coming weeks.

With a thin offensive line facing its most daunting matchup yet, taking on Von Miller and what may be the league's best pass rush, the receivers certainly won't have much time to uncover before Brady is under pressure. Any sort of protection issues up front could play a significant role in the Patriots dropping their first game of the year.

Antonio Brown vs. Richard Sherman

Sunday afternoon's game between the Seahawks and Steelers will give football fans the opportunity to watch arguably the NFL's best cornerback and receiver go head to head.

While teams have largely avoided Sherman's side of the field since his emergence as a shutdown defender, the Steelers not giving Brown his share of opportunities would be inexcusable. An elite combination of route-running ability and short-area quickness may even give Brown a considerable advantage heading in.

Upset of the Week

Steelers over Seahawks

Seattle is certainly still one of the NFL's most difficult places to play, but that home-field advantage has slowly become less of a factor as the team has lost the look of a Super Bowl contender.

The Steelers, meanwhile, appear poised to go on a late-season run after the bye week gave Ben Roethlisberger some much-needed rest to recover from a foot injury. Look for Pittsburgh to start that stretch with a statement win on the road, getting it done by a convincing two-score margin.