Osweiler back in saddle for sliding Broncos

PHILADELPHIA Congratulations on the starting gig, Brock Osweiler. Now go beat the best team in football.

Osweiler will be under centre for the first time since January with Houston when the Denver Broncos (3-4) visit the Philadelphia Eagles (7-1) on Sunday. He has a tough task in a game the Broncos must win to prevent them from falling further behind in the standings.

“This week is not about me,” Osweiler said. “This week is solely about our team finding a way to get a win on the road in a hostile environment against a great opponent. We know we have a huge challenge.” Indeed. The Eagles have won six straight games and six in a row at home going back to last season. Their average margin of victory in the past three games at the Linc has been 20 points.

“Starting with the best is a good way to make a statement about us getting back on track,” linebacker Shaquil Barrett said.

Osweiler was 5-2 as a starter filling in for Peyton Manning in 2015. He returned to the bench as Manning and the defence led the Broncos to a Super Bowl victory.

Osweiler signed a big contract with the Texans after that season and went 9-7 in 2016, including 1-1 in the playoffs. He was traded to Cleveland, released, and came back to Denver as Trevor Siemian’s backup.

“He has experience on the big stage,” Broncos coach Vance Joseph said. “I’m hoping that move can simply stabilize the offence so that we can get into a fair game so we can win some football games, or to simply see where we’re at as a football team.”

Turnovers are a big reason the Broncos have lost three straight games. They have 10 giveaways during the stretch and are minus-11 overall.