Manning sidelined by injury

LOS ANGELES: Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning faces at least two more weeks on the sidelines his team announced on Tuesday as he struggles back from a foot injury.

Manning, who was replaced by understudy Brock Osweiler for Sunday’s win over Chicago, has suffered a plantar fascia tear which means he will not play again until mid-December.

“Peyton and I had a good visit today, and we’ve got a plan in place for his recovery,” Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak said on the team’s website.

“His foot will be in a cast for at least a week, but he’ll be able to be part of meetings and do some workouts with the rest of the team.

“We expect him to be unavailable for at least a couple of games. We’ll proceed from there and will continue to support him as he does everything he can to get healthy.”

The latest injury setback is certain to fuel speculation about Manning’s future. The 39-year-old legend is reportedly ready to fufil his contract in 2016 but has struggled to find his best form this year for Denver.

With Manning out, the Broncos will rely on Osweiler to spearhead their offence as they aim to advance to the play-offs.

Osweiler threw for two touchdowns and 250 yards while making 20 completions from 27 attempts in the win over the Bears.