Brock Osweiler making most of make-or-break preseason

Brock has been solid as a rock.

Sure, the fourth-year quarterback hasn’t been perfect – what was he thinking on that interception-turned-touchdown last night? – but over the last two weeks, he’s been at his best since joining the Broncos.

Simply, for Brock Osweiler, the heat is on. As an old ball coach used to say, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” Osweiler has been slicing and dicing defenses, cooking up scoring drives in this preseason.

With Peyton Manning‘s career coming to a close, it’s a make-or-break preseason for “Oz” and he’s done very well.

Rewind to Week One of the preseason and Osweiler went 15-20 for 151 yards and touchdown. His first four drives ended in field goals, but he showed poise in the pocket and in the face of pressure with an ability to deliver footballs with both accuracy and a strong arm.

His touchdown came on a pass up the seam to tight end Virgil Green, one in which he dropped in with perfect touch.

Osweiler’s worked with Green and Cody Latimer so much in training camp, their chemistry is easy to see. As is the youngster’s comfortability with running the offense and being the leader when he’s on the field.

In Week Two, “Oz” was nearly as impressive against the Houston Texans. In fact, his 57-yard touchdown to Andre Caldwell up the sideline was his best pass of the preseason, hands-down. The accuracy and timing of the pass are perfect, as is the tight spiral he spun the football with. He even looks off the safety! It was a strike the likes any starting NFL quarterback would love to throw; it was one of Osweiler’s flashes of brilliance.

Later in the game, Osweiler stumbled; while being rushed he threw a silly interception right to linebacker Kourtnei Brown, who returned it all the way to the house for a score. Brock didn’t see the linebacker, which was inexcusable and resulted in a huge momentum-swinging play.

After the play, he was willing to learn from it as he was seen on the sideline reviewing the film with Manning, soaking up the legendary quarterback’s knowledge and how to improve.

When his day was done, Osweiler went 7-16 for 121 yards with one score and one pick. So, he’s 22-36 for 272 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT in about a game’s worth of action. Granted, it’s been mostly against second-team defenses, but Osweiler is opening some eyes.

He has two more weeks to continue to prove the Broncos should seriously consider him as their next quarterback in the post-Manning era.

It’s the question on every Broncos fan’s mind: Will Osweiler be the team’s next quarterback?

Before the preseason, that answer would be a clear “No.” But Osweiler should be commended for making the most of his opportunity right now and playing solid football.

Step up a bit more and he may turn that answer into at least a “Maybe,” if not a “Yes.”