Coloradoans have worshipped Peyton Manning since the summer of 2012, when John Elway lured him to D-Town. Super Bowl rings were in both of these legends’ crosshairs.

Coming off a year filled with “Tebow Time,” miracles and sloppy W’s, the Blue-and-Orange gang wanted consistency — something you never saw roll off Tebow’s fingers.

However, Manning’s days on the field inevitably will come to an end, and the Broncos must have a succession plan.

Before coming to Denver, Manning had spent the previous 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts, and he had sat out the entire previous season because of a neck surgery. During that year, the Colts were hurting without “The Sheriff,” and they posted the worst record in the NFL – earning them No. 1 overall draft pick. Andrew Luck was their selection for the future.

Colts Owner Jim Irsay did not have faith in Manning following his surgery, and the veteran quarterback bolted into free-agency – and the Denver Broncos signed him.

Since the Denver chapter of the Manning saga began in 2012, the Broncos have posted an impressive 44-12 record. This is extraordinary, especially for a quarterback who underwent several neck surgeries.

Manning proved the doubters wrong in his first season, and he has prospered here in the Mile High City.

Coming off a heart-breaking home playoff loss last year to his former team, and successor QB, many wondered if his fountain of youth was drying up. Peyton just hasn’t been, well, Peyton. Though some of that has to do with new head coach Gary Kubiak’s slower paced, under-center, play-action offense, Manning has shown signs of decline since last year. His mobility is limited and his throws lack that extra zip. His accuracy also recently has been questioned. He finally is showing signs of mortality.

Many Bronco fans are living in the moment, taking it one week at a time, as Peyton is doing. But we need to start thinking about what will happen next year, if he hangs up his cleats.

Will the front office, like the Colts, draft a quarterback?

No. The Denver Broncos will win too many games this season to have any chance of snagging a quality quarterback this year. Despite Denver’s famous high-flying offense of the past, this season’s been all about the D in D-Town. Peyton hasn’t needed to be Peyton in order to pile up the W’s so far. In previous seasons, Denver struggled to win games when Peyton threw for fewer than 300 yards and a pair of touchdowns. That hasn’t been the case this season. Denver’s resilient defense is equipped with the best pass-rushing platoon the NFL has seen since perhaps the Giants when they had Strahan, Pierre-Paul, and Tuck, along with a linebacking crew loaded with chemistry and athleticism. Top that off with a turnover-forcing squadron of defensive backs.

These Denver Broncos will live and die by their defense. Sound like a recent Super Bowl championship team?

The same Seattle Seahawks that embarrassed Peyton’s best Broncos team the in Super Bowl 48 XLVIII [Super Bowl uses Roman numerals] relied on their defense to pulverize opposing offenses. Seattle didn’t have a great offense. In fact, the Seahawks offense had a poor passing game and featured more running, something uncommon in the modern NFL.

Some say the best offense is a great defense.

If you have a stellar defense, you don’t need six touchdowns per contest just to contend for that victory. Great defense takes a lot of pressure off the offense. This year’s Broncos have given up 25 points in their second and third victories combined. That’s 12.5 points allowed on average per contest. That means the offense needs only two touchdowns to come out victorious—or to be technical, a touchdown and two field goals. With Manning’s age limiting his capabilities, the defense’s dramatic success has made Peyton’s potential final season accommodating.

But what about next year, and the next?

Denver needs to continue to solidify its defense in the offseason, regardless of whether the Broncos win the Super Bowl. Denver’s defensive success is heavily based on the production from key veterans (Aquib Talib and DaMarcus Ware), and who knows how much longer they will be in the league. Those are some huge holes to fill. Any quarterback will need a solid defense to make things a lot easier during the developmental stages of his career.

The Broncos can turn to Brock Osweiler for a couple years until the right guy comes around, whether it be a draft pick or a signee in free agency – provided the defense continues to build around young talent, guys who will be around for many years. Osweiler has been a professional for as long as Peyton has been a Bronco, and you can see the growth Brock has made year after year. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be Peyton’s pupil, and he has been learning how to be an NFL quarterback from one of the greatest ever.

So I say, give the guy a chance. He put up impressive numbers in the preseason this year.

Constructing the ultimate defense will keep the dynasty rolling for Denver, and longer than just having an explosive offense. Look at what Pete Carroll has done in Seattle.