During his first start, not everything went according to plan. When asked on Wednesday about what he took away from the Denver Broncos 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, Drew Lock noted how he needs to take what the defense gives him.
“For one, going back to the pick, just learning not to force anything,” Lock said. “In college, I might have been able to get away with a couple decisions like that, but these guys are quicker, these guys are faster and these guys are smarter. I’m not going to be able to get away with things as much as I did in college. Where being able to take the things that they give me 24/7, that’ll just help us move down the field better. You-can’t-go-broke-if-you’re-taking-a-profit-type deal, so take what they give you. Being able to realize the little decisions throughout the game can really affect the big picture of the game, that was one of the big takeaways.”
At the big picture level, all of these things are true and is something Lock will need to keep studying and working on. What I hope he doesn’t do this week and in the coming weeks is become more hesitant in his decision making and less aggressive down the field.
The balance of taking what the defensive gives and challenging a defense is a fine line that the great quarterbacks know how to walk. However, even the great quarterbacks throw interceptions. It happens. I’d take the game Lock had early and late with an interception like he had now and then.
The issue, for me, is the tendency for this offense to completely disappear for long stretches of the game. Lock was asked about those ruts and he felt it just comes down to execution on the players end.
“Seeing it from the sideline, it’s hard to exactly get everything that was going on in those games, but I think it was just some little mistakes that we made on those plays,” Lock said. “We want to be perfect in execution and be able to pick up plays. I think we can go back to those three-and-outs and find one or two little small things that would’ve extended the drive, regardless of the play call. If we just come out and execute a little bit better out of halftime, keep focus in halftime, I think we come out and do an awesome job.”
We’ve seen that issue crop up time after time regardless of the quarterback. Whatever is ultimately causing the ruts, this team is going to be quite unpredictable on a week to week basis until they fix it.
The good news, at least from my perspective, is that the moments of the game never seemed to big for Lock. If he keeps working at it and grinding through the struggles of being a young quarterback in the NFL, he could have a bright future with the Broncos.
Your Broncos Links
Drew Lock had himself a solid start to his NFL career - Mile High Report
The Denver Broncos beat the Los Angeles Chargers 23-20 and a big part of that was Drew Lock finding ways to move the football with the game on the line.
Denver Broncos third & long: Locking in on third downs - Mile High Report
Even with limited first team reps, Drew Lock played better on 3rd down than any Bronco quarterback this year.
Denver Broncos vs. Los Angeles Chargers: The No Bull Review - Mile High Report
In a battle for the basement of the AFC West, the Denver Broncos came out victorious. Here are my thoughts, opinions, and analysis on the Denver Broncos’ most recent game.
Fangio cools heat on offensive coaches with comments today - Mile High Report
Head Coach Vic Fangio made some important clarifications in his media comments today that are worth discussing.
Can we cut Rich Scangarello some slack for crying out loud? - Mile High Report
Thoughts on the Denver Broncos fanbase hating on the young offensive coordinator and other NFL news.
Tipping Points: Week 13 | Football Outsiders
Lock’s successful debut is much more important. He made a handful of excellent throws on Sunday and should have another month to learn on the job and, hopefully for the Broncos, showcase the potential to be the long-term solution at the position they have been trying to find since Peyton Manning retired.
NFL Draft Links
Should the Denver Broncos go “Best Player Available?” - Mile High Report
A very early look at how to maximize the Denver Broncos first round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.
2020 NFL Mock Draft 1.0: Wide receivers and offensive tackles rule the first round – The Athletic
11. Denver Broncos — Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
The Broncos have plenty of needs on both sides of the ball, including at outside cornerback, where Diggs can step in from Day 1. The younger brother of Stefon Diggs, he is more of an athlete than polished cornerback right now, but at 6-2 and 200 pounds with 4.3 speed, the enticing traits likely land him in the top half of Round 1.
Matt Miller’s Third Quarter, 3-Round 2020 NFL Mock Draft | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights
The Pick: Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
The Denver Broncos just might have something in rookie quarterback Drew Lock—enough to see what he has for the remainder of 2019 and entering 2020 as the team’s starting quarterback. In the 2019 second-rounder, John Elway has the potential future, which he should protect with an improved offensive line. Garett Bolles isn’t getting it done at left tackle, and replacing him with Iowa’s Tristan Wirfs would be a huge upgrade for the Denver offense. Wirfs, who plays right tackle for the Hawkeyes, has the movement skills to play on the left of the Broncos line. He also has power in the run game that will help Denver get back on track offensively. The Broncos could use a cornerback or a defensive tackle, but Elway cannot pass up a chance to draft a left tackle of this caliber.
NFL Links
NFL Power Rankings Week 14 - Mile High Report
How do the Broncos stack up for 2020 and beyond?
Melvin Gordon: ‘I don’t know’ where I’ll be next season - NFL.com
After unsuccessfully holding out for a new contract, Chargers running back Melvin Gordon says he doesn’t know if he’ll be in Los Angeles or somewhere else next season.
Faith, Fear, and Fandom in the Time of Patrick Mahomes - The Ringer
The Chiefs QB was the story of last season. A year later, he’s finding his way after an injury scare. For Kansas City fans, Mahomes’s 2019 has been thrilling and terrifying—and a reminder of what happens when sports become spiritual.
Giants likely to start Eli Manning Monday vs. Eagles - NFL.com
The Giants will likely start Eli Manning at quarterback on Monday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Rookie signal-caller Daniel Jones is in a walking boot after suffering an ankle injury Week 13.
Ron Rivera’s intent is to coach again – ProFootballTalk
Ron Rivera held a press conference on Wednesday to discuss being fired as the Panthers head coach on Tuesday and one of the things he emphasized was the team’s run of three straight division titles during his tenure.
Panthers QB Cam Newton plans to have foot surgery - NFL.com
Carolina Panthers QB Cam Newton plans to undergo surgery on his foot, NFL Network’s Tiffany Blackmon reports. Newton appeared in two game in 2019 after injuring his foot during the preseason.
Fading Panthers hand Ron Rivera a fate he didn’t deserve - NFL.com
One former player with ties to the organization told me former Packers coach Mike McCarthy’s name has been circulating within team headquarters for a while, but hiring him would be a curious move considering McCarthy was criticized during his final seasons in Green Bay for being overly conservative and not changing with the times to take advantage of a future Hall of Fame quarterback in Aaron Rodgers.
Revised playoff seeding is long overdue – ProFootballTalk
The NFL has a major playoff flaw, that continues to hide in plain sight -- with no apparent desire to fix it. Nine years ago, the 7-9 Seahawks hosted the 11-5 Saints in the wild-card round. Seattle “earned” a home game in the postseason by being the best of four really bad teams.
The NFL’s Worst Divisions Since Realignment, Ranked - The Ringer
6. 2008 AFC West
4. 2011 AFC West