Denver Broncos Rookie Drew Lock Is Looking Like a Franchise QB

Lock threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns against the Texans on Sunday

Drew Lock Is Looking Like a Franchise QB
Drew Lock of the Denver Broncos throws a pass. (Wesley Hitt/Getty)
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After drafting and then churning through a rotation of mediocre to below-average quarterbacks including Brock Osweiler, Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, Denver GM John Elway may finally have found his guy.

Playing on the road on Sunday against the Texans in Houston in just his second game, Broncos quarterback Drew Lock became the first rookie in the Super Bowl era to throw for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns in his first start on the road.

That effort, which helped lead Denver to a 38-24 win over the first-place Texans, was Lock’s second good game in a row as he had two touchdowns and 134 passing yards in his first start of the season, a 23-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

On Sunday against the Texans, Denver scored on its first five possessions and built a 38-3 halftime lead. All of Lock’s touchdowns came before the half.

 

Drafted out of Missouri with the 42nd overall pick in the 2019 draft, Lock was forced to miss the first half of the season due to a hand injury. Denver coach Vic Fangio is glad to have him back under center.

“He played, obviously, very well,” Fangio said. “Made a great jump from Week 1 to Week 2, which is what you’re hoping for. I thought he threw the ball much, much better than he did last week. I don’t think he missed many today. To do that on his first road start against a team that’s going to be in the playoffs makes it even better.”

Next up for Lock is another road start, this time in Kansas City against the first-place Chiefs. It’s still very early, but if Lock plays well against the Chiefs — who just shut down Tom Brady and the Patriots — it’ll sure look like Elway may finally have found his guy and gotten a steal in the draft.

“Two games into his career, Lock is outplaying two passers—Daniel Jones and Dwayne Haskins—who went a round above him,” according to The Ringer. “If Sunday’s dismantling of the Texans is any indication of Lock’s future, he’ll have a long career with the Broncos.”

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