PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz didn't know which quarterback his unit would be facing as he began his preparations for the Denver Broncos, leaving him little choice but to plan for Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler and Paxton Lynch.
"With them coming off a short week, who knows what'll happen," he said Tuesday. "We'll be prepared for any of the three quarterbacks that come."
Word eventually filtered in that following a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football -- their third in a row -- the Broncos were benching Siemian in favor of Osweiler.
Broncos coach Vance Joseph explained that the QB switch was made to address a turnover issue that has grown wildly out of control. The offense coughed up the ball 11 times over the past three games -- six coming by way of Siemian interceptions. Just like that, Denver sank to a losing record following a 3-1 start to the season.
"We've hit a tough patch, guys," Joseph told Philly media on a conference call. "In our four losses, we've averaged three turnovers and had no chance of winning the football game, even outgaining our opponents in three of the four games. So we just thought the best thing for our football team and the best thing for our young quarterback is to give Brock the start to simply stabilize this football team."
The term "game manager" often is thought of as a dirty one when it comes to quarterbacks, but it can be argued that's exactly what the Broncos need given the prowess of their defense. Denver's D is ranked No. 1 overall and second against the run, behind only Philadelphia. With players like outside linebacker Von Miller and corners Aqib Talib and Chris Harris, the Broncos have a group that can carry a team pretty far so long as they're not asked to fight against two offenses at once -- the opponent's and their own.
"That's absolutely where it starts," Osweiler said of limiting turnovers, no doubt echoing a message that has been drilled home by coaches this week. "When you win the turnover margin and when you don't turn the ball over at all, your chances of winning skyrocket."
The question is whether Osweiler is able to provide the offense what it needs. He threw 16 interceptions to 15 touchdowns while at the helm for the Houston Texans in 2016, and has 22 picks overall in 21 career starts. He returned to the Broncos -- the team that drafted him and that he won a Super Bowl with in 2015 -- after a bumpy ride that went from Houston to Cleveland and ultimately back to Denver, where he has been serving as a backup.
"He's a tall guy. He stays in the pocket," defensive tackle Fletcher Cox said of the 6-foot-7, 240-pound Osweiler. "He can make the throws. Being his first game in a while, it's going to come down to us hitting him early and making him uncomfortable in the pocket."
The Eagles are tied for ninth in sacks (22) and are fifth in interceptions (9) and total takeaways (14). A physical, opportunistic group, they'll be looking to rattle Osweiler as he returns to a starting role on the road. For now, they're cramming.
"He's a lot bigger guy. Definitely as a secondary, we have to know where that guy is putting the ball because the ball placement is going to be a lot different just because he's a lot taller," said cornerback Jalen Mills, who returned an interception for a touchdown against San Francisco last week. "He does have, it seems like on film, a stronger arm. When he was at Houston, he was making some pretty good throws watching film a little bit on him. So for sure we're going to have to study him pretty good."