The Denver Broncos‘ playoff chances are holding on by a thread, and if they hope to keep hanging on, they’ll likely need help from backup QB Drew Lock.
Lock named the starter for Week 16 will replace injured starting QB Teddy Bridgewater against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Aric DiLalla of denverbroncos.com reported Fangio’s announcement on December 22.
“Fangio said ‘it’s possible’ Bridgewater could return for a Week 17 game against the Chargers,” DiLalla wrote. “But he added that ‘whatever’s best for his health moving forward is what we’ll do.'”
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While Lock has seen action in three games this season, the last game he started was in 2020 when he made 13 starts for the Broncos. Denver went just 4-9 in games started by Lock.
Last year, two of Lock’s starts came against the Raiders, with a mixed bag of results, according to Pro Football Reference.
In Week 9 last season, Lock went 23-for-47 for 257 yards, one touchdown, and four interceptions in a 37-12 loss to Las Vegas. In the final week of the 2020 season, Lock and the Broncos fell to the Raiders again, 32-31. However, this time around, Lock played better, finishing 25-for-41 for 339 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Lock now gets a chance to prove he’s a better quarterback than last year, which he believes he is, as he stated in this week’s meeting with the media.
Lock Knows Broncos Must Get Jerry Jeudy More Involved
If Lock hopes to lead the Broncos over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16, a good start would be getting the ball more to the former first-round pick.
Jeudy saw just four targets in Week 15 against the Cincinnati Bengals, something the media asked Lock about after the game.
“Shooters shoot, Jerry’s got to have the ball in his hands for him to be able to shoot,” Lock said in the after-game press conference. “We have to get him more targets, here and there.”
With the final three games of the 2021 season must-wins for the Broncos, Lock knows Jeudy needs the ball more.
“I’m not going to say we’re going to throw to him a ton next week,” Lock said to the media after Week 15. ” But he’s a guy who deserves to have the ball in his hands.”
Broncos Hope Jeudy Ends Year on A High-Note
After the Broncos drafted Jeudy with the 15th pick in the 2020 NFL draft, he showed serious promise as a rookie.
Jeudy played 75% of the Broncos’ offensive snaps in just his first year, showing off electric, field-stretching skills. In 16 games, Jeudy finished with 52 receptions for 856 yards and three touchdowns. His longest reception of the year went 92 yards, while his 16.5 yards per reception was good enough for 7th best in the NFL, according to Pro Football Reference.
Jeudy’s sophomore campaign has been a little different.
After opening the 2021 season with six receptions for 72 yards against the New York Giants, Jeudy was out until week 8 with an injury.
Jeudy has averaged over five targets a game in seven games since returning in Week 8 from injury. In 2020, Jeudy averaged seven targets. In those seven games, Jeudy has surpassed last season’s average in targets just once, seeing nine targets against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 10.
Jeudy has 33 catches off 47 targets for 377 yards through eight games.
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Broncos Need to Get Former 1st Round WR Involved for Drew Lock