Getty Drew Lock #3 of the Denver Broncos reacts on the ground. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Injuries will always play a major role as to whether guys can help their team on game day. But equally as important is whether guys are accountable for their actions throughout the week leading up to Sunday.
Which is why the disturbing report from the Los Angeles Times, on September 7, showed that Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock’s chances to earn the QB1 spot for the 2021 season may have been doomed months in advance.
Hanging Hinton Out to Dry
Coaches like to say the best ability is availability, but when it comes to team leaders, one could also add accountability. Lock and his fellow quarterbacks hit a triple play on conniving during their 2020 Week 12 preparation. Their caper was one part underhanded, one part dangerous in trying to circumvent the league’s Covid-19 protocols, and one part boneheaded. Those are qualities that don’t make for reliable starting signal callers. And by mismanaging the situation, the culprits ultimately hurt the Broncos’ chances of a win versus the undermanned New Orleans Saints, who were without starting quarterback Drew Brees. The Saints won, 31-3, behind gimmicky quarterback/fullback/tight end Taysom Hill.
The game was actually closer than the final score indicated, as Hill (9-of-16 for 78 yards and an interception) and the Saints offense struggled throughout against a very frisky Broncos defense. What doomed the Broncos, however, was not having Lock under center and instead feeding Kendall Hinton to the wolves. Hinton, a practice squad wideout, essentially learned just 24 hours prior to the game that he’d be suiting up as the Broncos starting quarterback.
The outcome was as one would expect, as not even the staunchest Broncos backer could’ve believed anything differently. Hinton went 1-of-9 for 13 yards and two interceptions. A valiant effort, of course, but it was a situation of which he shouldn’t have been in the first place.
Keystone Caper
The back story to how Hinton became the starter is a bit comical, if not sophomoric in its antics. According to the Times’ report, then-third-string quarterback Jeff Driskel tested positive for COVID-19. The story continued to unfold as then-starter Lock, backup Brett Rypien, and practice squad passer Blake Bortles all were deemed as close contacts. The Broncos’ facilities surveillance footage caught the trio trying to fool the league’s tracking system.
Lock and his backups removed their contact tracing devices and put them in the four corners of the quarterback meeting room, but then sat together to watch film. The trackers, therefore, logged data that showed they were observing social distancing requirements when they were not.
Then-general manager John Elway desperately tried to get the Saints-Broncos game rescheduled, thinking Commissioner Roger Goodell would take pity on Denver. Elway was hoping the league would move the game to at least Tuesday, so Lock could be eligible to play by then, having sat out the prerequisite amount of time via Covid protocol. That same week featured another oddity of its own when the Baltimore Ravens endured numerous positive Covid-19 tests, forcing the league to move its regularly-scheduled Thanksgiving night tilt against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Originally, the game was postponed from that Thursday night to Sunday afternoon. As the outbreak continued, it was moved again to Tuesday night. And then, finally, the NFL pushed it to Wednesday afternoon — a rare 3:45 pm EST kickoff.
The league went through hoops trying to get that game in. They would not, however, do the same for the Broncos — and Lock’s carelessness was at the root.
If Not the QB, Who Can You Trust?
The ill-conceived plan comes back to Lock in present day, because such cavalier and sneaky actions might’ve greased the skids for him to go from future franchise QB1 to a guy now having to fight for his job.
Subconsciously, perhaps head coach Vic Fangio might’ve had doubts creep into his head, thinking Lock isn’t as dependable and mature as a leading man should be. Judging by the recent QB1 battle of 2021, where Lock and Teddy Bridgewater were pretty much lockstep in competition, with neither really separating himself from the other, perhaps Fangio’s tipping point in naming the latter as the starter had something to do with maturity and leadership skills.
Neither Lock nor Bridgewater threw an interception in their “even-steven” battle, and both sure looked like the offense would be in great hands, regardless of winner. But Bridgewater is looked upon as the consummate professional, while Lock was busy playing ‘hide the tracker.’
Coaches also like to say that accountability is doing the right thing when nobody is looking. Well, Lock wasn’t accountable that fateful late-November day. But this time someone was in fact looking — and maybe it ultimately began the process of him losing grip on his starting spot.
Follow Tony Williams on Twitter: @TBone8