ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Just when it appears Drew Lock is a tad too inexperienced to handle the monumental position that is NFL starting quarterback, or just as there’s cause to wonder if his decision-making isn’t quite consistent enough, he scrambles, fires and delivers the impressive performance of a seasoned vet.
He looked overmatched in the Hall of Fame preseason game in August 2019. He followed up the next week by slicing up the Seattle Seahawks’ preseason defense.
He was kept an extra week or three on injured reserve last season. Finally given a chance, he won his first two starts.
He struggled in the snow against his hometown Kansas City Chiefs, only to play well in leading the Broncos to victories in their final two games against Detroit and Oakland. He had his first fourth quarter comeback win against the Lions.
So when Lock didn’t play well in the first stadium practice two weeks ago, throwing two interceptions, it was almost predictable that he would bounce back and play well in the return trip to Empower Field at Mile High last Friday. He finished off the first drive by scrambling in for one touchdown and later threw two more scores to receiver Courtland Sutton.
The reason this time for Lock’s much improved performance, other than his trademark resiliency?
“I think it happened probably two days before that scrimmage,’’ he said. “There’s never really a moment in time—there’s just that one moment where it clicks, and you don’t understand why.
“I just felt going into that scrimmage that I knew where to go with the ball on every single play we were going to call. I just kind of re-found some confidence in myself. We came out, the guys around me made plays and we just clicked as an offense.
“We ended up rolling and we all got on the same page at the same time. That’s what you look for in an offense. When you’re putting the game together, you want that from the defense as well at the same time. When you both mesh and get rolling on the same day, that’s when it turns out pretty good. I feel like that’s what we did. We just all got on the same page and got rolling.”
It looked so easy for Lock and the Broncos’ offense against the Broncos’ first-string defense, head coach Vic Fangio was asked about how much that side of the ball was trying. No illusions. The defense was going full speed, just like the previous stadium practice.
To make sure Lock doesn’t get overconfident going into the season opener Monday night against the Tennessee Titans, he was asked by the immortal Woody Paige on Wednesday if he’s motivated that a website ranked him as the league’s worst starting quarterback.
“I wouldn’t have known about it unless you brought it up,’’ Lock said with a smile. “I try to stay out of the situations that don’t involve anything that’s in this locker room, coached and with this team.’’
He kept his cool.
Lock was then asked, by the same immortal sports writer, if the $39 million-a-year-over-four-years extension Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson recently received served as motivation.
Lock delivered a poised, mature response.
“Quarterback money keeps going up but thinking about money down the road isn’t going to help me on Sunday – Monday, excuse me -- win this game and better yet this season,’’ Lock said. “I have to earn that type of money first and just winning four out of my five games in my rookie season won’t do that.’’
Von Miller is gone for the season. This is Drew Lock’s team now.
