Denver Broncos vs. Chicago Bears: Full Denver Game Preview

The Denver Broncos jumped out to a 7-0 start, following a dominant victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football. That has been all but forgotten after the team has dropped its past two games in a row, including a disastrous 29-13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday.

The Broncos couldn't have put forth a worse effort against the Chiefs, and for quarterback Peyton Manning, it was one of the worst games of his career. Manning tossed four interceptions before being replaced by Brock Osweiler.

Now, the Broncos face perhaps the most critical juncture of their season, heading to Soldier Field to face the Chicago Bears. Manning will sit out the game due to injury, allowing Osweiler to make his first career start.

But that won't be the only storyline in this game. The Broncos will also face several familiar faces in Chicago. Former head coach John Fox now coaches the Bears, and former offensive coordinator Adam Gase now handles those duties in Chicago.

Oh, and there's a guy named Jay Cutler who plays quarterback for the Bears.

Though Chicago got off to a rough start this season, they've looked vastly improved, having picked up wins over the San Diego Chargers and St. Louis Rams. In other words, this game looks much tougher for the Broncos now than it did when the schedule for the season was released.

The all-time series between these teams is tied 7-7. Denver won the last meeting 13-10 in December 2011. On an interesting note, the last two times these teams have played, both games have gone into overtime.

For a complete preview of this game, including key matchups to watch, read on.

Location: Soldier Field, Chicago

Time: 1:00 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Week 10 Recap

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In Week 10 against the Chiefs, Manning became the NFL's all-time leader in passing yardage, surpassing the record previously held by Brett Favre. That was the only positive note in this game from the Broncos' perspective.

He threw four interceptions, and the Broncos turned the ball over five times en route to a 29-13 loss to the Chiefs. It was Denver's first loss to Kansas City since January 2012. It also marked the team's second defeat in a row.

Manning completed just 5-of-20 passes for 35 yards before being pulled from the game. Osweiler was able to find more success, but the result was no longer in doubt.

In addition, Denver ran for just 69 yards while allowing 106. It also gave up an 80-yard touchdown pass to Charcandrick West. Though Denver's defense did a solid job with the bad spots it was continually put in, Chiefs kicker Cairo Santos still kicked five field goals.

The turnovers, and more specifically, Manning's play, were the story of this game. Manning appeared to be far less than 100 percent. In two games against the Chiefs this year, Manning went 31-of-65 with three touchdowns and five interceptions.

AFC West Standings

Denver Bronco: 7-2

Kansas City Chiefs : 4-5

Oakland Raiders: 4-5

San Diego Chargers: 2-7

News and Notes

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T.J. Ward Won't Face Suspension

As reported by ESPN.com, Denver safety T.J. Ward will not face a suspension for taking a swing at Kansas City wide receiver Jeremy Maclin during Sunday's game. 

The incident occurred during West's 80-yard touchdown reception as Ward contacted Maclin after pushing West to the ground. The act was enough to get Ward ejected from the contest.

This is good news for Denver, particularly after having cornerback Aqib Talib miss last week's game due to poking Dwayne Allen of the Indianapolis Colts in the eye in Week 8.

Ward and Talib both let their frustrations boil over, and this is something the entire team must work on going forward. Hopefully, it is a topic that head coach Gary Kubiak addressed at length this week.

Broncos Add Center, Waive Shelley Smith

Looking to improve its offensive line, Denver added Sam Brenner off of waivers from the Miami Dolphins on Wednesday, according to Andrew Mason of the team's official website. 

Brenner has spent the last three seasons with the Dolphins, mostly as a member of the team's practice squad. He appeared in 10 games for the Dolphins and started three games in 2013.

To make room for Brenner on the roster, the Broncos waived Shelley Smith. Though he was one of the first free agents the Broncos brought in this offseason, Smith didn't appear in a regular season game.

Latest Injury News

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Peyton Manning

As mentioned, Manning isn't going to play this week and it seems he could be dealing with more than one injury. Manning has had trouble with plantar fasciitis in his foot and, as Andrew Mason of the team's official website reports, he went for an MRI on Monday to have a look at his rib cage.

Denver should be in no rush to get Manning back on the field. Though the competitor in him probably doesn't want to miss more than one game, it's hard to imagine at this point that Manning won't miss multiple games.

Emmanuel Sanders

Emmanuel Sanders has been battling injuries all season, but he has been there for the Broncos every week. 

Sanders has had issues with a hamstring this season, as as Mason notes, he suffered a finger injury against the Chiefs last week. He was also knocked out of the game in the third quarter after taking a hard hit when going up to make a catch. 

Though Sanders was able to pass the league's concussion protocol, the coaching staff chose not to put him back in the game.

Mason reports that Sanders took part in Wednesday's walk-through. Barring a setback, fans should expect to see him on the field Sunday.

DeMarcus Ware

A back injury forced DeMarcus Ware to leave the game against the Colts in Week 8, and he missed the game against the Chiefs. He has yet to practice, reports Mason.

Ware and his 6.5 sacks on the season were sorely missed against the Chiefs, and that will be the case until the Broncos get him back. But as Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports, he's not likely to take the field against Chicago.

Week 12 against the New England Patriots could be the game Ware is targeting to come back. The Broncos would love to have him for that one, as the team will need all the help they can get on defense to face Tom Brady and his offense.

In the meantime, the Broncos will continue to turn to younger players Shaquil Barrett and Shane Ray to pick up the slack.

Key Matchups

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Denver Linebackers vs. Jeremy Langford

Though Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com writes that running back Matt Forte is close to returning to the field, the Broncos must be ready for the rookie running back who has filled in during his absence, Jeremy Langford. 

Over the last two games, Langford has racked up 324 all-purpose yards. That includes an 83-yard touchdown last week against the Rams. On that play, there was no one covering the center of the field. Cutler found Langford on a short pass and it turned into a big play.

Inside linebackers Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall will need to lock in on Langford and be wary of him as a receiver out of the backfield. On the season, Langford has 210 yards receiving.

Demaryius Thomas vs. Tracy Porter

Demaryius Thomas and Tracy Porter are familiar with each other, as Porter played for the Broncos in 2012. They went up against each other on a daily basis.

Because of that, Fox and his defensive staff may feel they can slow Thomas down, knowing his tendencies. Porter has played well this season, with six passes defensed. Pro Football Focus currently ranks him at No. 58 out of 110 cornerbacks scored this season.

Thomas is the No. 1 target in Denver, and Osweiler may need to lean on him in this game. This is a matchup Thomas must get the best of.

Wade Phillips vs. Adam Gase

Denver's defensive coordinator against its old offensive coordinator. This will be an interesting chess match between two of the better coordinators in the league.

Gase spent two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Broncos. During that time, he was an aggressive play caller. Gase has already proven his worth in Chicago, as the 95.3 quarterback rating that Cutler holds would easily be the highest of his career for one season.

Phillips is equally aggressive. It will be interesting to see how he attacks Gase and his offense, particularly when it comes to the blitz. Does Phillips scale that back or does he turn up the heat, forcing Cutler, who has thrown 135 career interceptions, to make plays?

X-Factor Player

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Broncos X-Factor Player of the Week: Brock Osweiler

Osweiler is easily the biggest X-factor player of the week. In his fourth season with the team, fans still have no idea exactly what they're going to get out of him. That's probably because he's only attempted 54 passes in his career.

But that's why this moment is so big for him. In fact, it goes beyond this game, and even this season. While Osweiler will be doing everything he can to keep Denver's Super Bowl hopes alive for this season, he will also be looked at closely by the organization.

After all, he is a free agent after the season and a decision about his long-term future in Denver will need to be made soon.

He has sat and watched Manning play the quarterback position for 62 games, including postseason appearances. That doesn't count all of the practices he's taken part in and all of the game film he's studied. Though there is no substitution for real game experience, Osweiler won't be allowed any excuses.

This is his chance to shine, and he needs to grab it and take full advantage. A win—or loss—at Soldier Field, likely rides on his shoulders.

Prediction

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This is a tough one to call. Odds Shark currently lists the line at even, showing that this game is really a toss up. Hardly anyone would have bought that at the beginning of the season, or even three weeks ago.

But things have changed. While the Broncos have dropped two games in a row, the Bears have won their last two. Their 24-point win over the Rams on the road was particularly impressive. Now they return home to face the Broncos, a team that Fox, Gase and Cutler will likely have extra motivation to defeat.

For Denver, it comes down to Osweiler. Does he struggle in his first career start, or does he play like a veteran who has been a starter for years? That is the big question heading into this game.

To help Osweiler out, the Broncos really need to get something accomplished running the ball. The Bears come into the game ranked No. 26 against the run, giving up 118 yards per game. With that said, they rank No. 4 against the pass. Denver needs to come in with a run-heavy game plan.

Defensively, the Broncos need to force some turnovers. Creating extra possessions could help manufacture points. They probably don't want to get into a shootout with Chicago considering their offensive limitations. The Broncos will only win if it's a low-scoring affair.

Osweiler will play well enough to win, but the game could definitely go either way.

Final Prediction: Broncos 16, Bears 13