The Denver Broncos are rolling to the end of their turbulent and injury-ridden season. Quarterback Drew Lock’s grand performance in Carolina gave fans another tantalizing glimpse of his unique talents.
Lock’s career-high four passing touchdowns were bolstered by much-improved decision-making against the Panthers, suggesting that he would be taking the steps forward in his development to secure a future as the Broncos’ quarterback.
Some fans argue that Lock’s powerhouse performance in week 14 was a case of ‘too little, too late’ and while that’s probably true as far as the broncos hope to play, it doesn’t take into account the unique challenges Lock has faced . in 2020. The difficulties of switching attack coordinators in Year 2 could explain why the Broncos crime has lasted so long this season.
What Lock hasn’t lacked is advice from NFL veterans, all of whom have preached the value of staying balanced and not making rash decisions with the ball. That support group ranged from head coach Vic Fangio to OC Pat Shurmur and QBs coach Mike Shula.
On Monday, Fangio shared his insight into some of the tweaks Lock has made to become a more efficient and effective signal caller.
“He has to go through his progress and maybe find the shorter outlets faster than he has in the past,” said Fangio. ‘I thought he did it right yesterday [in Carolina], and when we got something downfield, he hit those guys well. “
Patience was scarce in the Broncos Country ranks in 2020, especially when other young guns like Justin Herbert, Kyler Murray, and Joe Burrow (pre-injury) have made such splashy headlines. What Fangio made clear is that Lock is being coached step-by-step with a view to the long game.
“I think everyone is always evaluated every week,” said Fangio. “Obviously, we’ve devoted a lot to Drew here. We want him to keep improving, and we hope he will. “
What happens next for the Broncos? Do not miss news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get the latest Broncos news delivered to your inbox every day!
Lock revealed on Sunday that his ongoing student / teacher relationship with GM John Elway has stifled the virtue of not forcing the ball into difficult situations, something the young QB is clearly grappling with this year.
“That’s the hardest thing for me to learn,” Lock admitted. “I don’t know about others, but that’s the hardest part for me. Yes, he preached to me just doing your job and not forcing anything. Once you force, those are the ones you want back. It sucks because the ones that end up forcing you are in games that you really, really want. “
Going through growing pains into the NFL spotlight is never easy – something Elway himself can attest to as a Hall-of-Fame signal caller. It also explains in great part why Lock struggled in games versus division rivals. The Chiefs and Raiders have done well to turn Lock’s competitive traits against him.
Opposing defensive coordinators have regularly lured the 24-year-old to force bad passes, a reality that is now waking up Lock.
“You want to win so badly that you end up doing things that don’t suit you,” said Lock. “It’s all about being calm and focused in those games. That’s when you make the right decisions, and I’ve been preaching here quite a bit over the past few weeks. “
Tuning in backyard ‘hero ball’ instincts is essential for an NFL QB to reach an elite level. This Saturday, Lock is gearing up for his 16th start, which equates to a full season spread over two years, so maybe fans shouldn’t be surprised to finally see him grow up and learn from the hard lessons his NFL exposure has given him learned.
Follow Keith on Twitter @KeithC_NFL and @BuienRadarNL.