DROP THE MIKE

Allowing the doubters to have their day and other Broncos hot takes

Oct 5, 2021, 6:27 AM

• While I was never going to disregard the Broncos’ first three wins as meaningless, I totally get where the “Yeah but…” faction of Broncos Country is coming from. All those three wins did was set the Broncos up to have a chance to make their season meaningful. What they did with that chance depended on them proving they can beat good teams. Baltimore was their first opportunity and they threw up on themselves. Until Denver shows they can beat the better teams, that 3-0 start has to be looked at dubiously.

• I know it doesn’t sound right in a game they only scored seven points, but I was most annoyed by the play of the defense. I expect so much more than what I saw, especially from the secondary. Watching Lamar Jackson and his group of unheralded receivers run through, around and between Broncos defenders was disconcerting. If you told me going in the Broncos would stuff Baltimore’s running game and Jackson would have to beat them with his arm, I’d have taken those odds. After all, Jackson only had one previous 300-yard passing game in his career. But to his credit, he delivered. Tough to swallow for this Broncos D.

• Maybe Bleacher Report was onto something when they suggested Justin Simmons should be benched. What seemed ludicrous a week ago made more sense after a rough afternoon for No. 31.

• Same goes for Patrick Surtain. Remember, just like certain parts of Broncos Country and the media would fall all over themselves to defend to their last breath a highly drafted QB if that day comes to pass, so too should we understand there will be long, hard lessons to learn for PS2. This Ravens game was one of them.

• Neither QB was going to win this game for the Broncos. But man did we learn a lot where Drew Lock stands. His reception from the Mile High faithful when he came into start the second half was lukewarm at best and his teammates did not seem energized. There’s no doubt Teddy has come in and earned the respect and admiration of his teammates. This is someone they want to follow. Drew? It’s not there.

• If I’m Drew, I’m thinking I need a change of scenery. The fans don’t seem to believe in him. His teammates don’t seem inspired. During his postgame comments, Lock made sure everyone knew how hard it is to step in as a backup who spent the whole week working with the scout team and only practicing the “real” offense against air. Yo, Drew, that’s the life of a backup. Learn it. Deal with it. Embrace it. If he can’t, best thing to do is trade him and turn to Brett Rypien as your backup. At least he seems to understand the role.

• I have no idea what the disconnect is between Lock and Pat Shurmur. I know this isn’t the case, but, geez, sometimes I’m convinced Shurmur is trying to make Lock fail. How else to explain Lock taking over in a 17-7 game with tons of time left and Shurmur decides to call 11 pass plays to only two run plays? Lock comes in. Maybe want to let him get into the flow. Gain some confidence. Kid hasn’t played in awhile and maybe his swagger isn’t where it needs to be after losing the QB competition. First play is a solid five-yard gain by Melvin Gordon, then seven straight pass plays? Huh? Shades of last year when Shurmur would routinely send Lock back to pass 35,38, 40,45 times. Not exactly page one of the “How to Develop a Young QB” manual.

• Maybe we shouldn’t be too hasty in preparing the departure of Graham Glasgow or wondering if Dalton Risner should be looking over his shoulder. The young guards – Netane Muti and Quinn Meinerz – struggled mightily.

• It appears Garett Bolles slipped out of the GB Zone there for a bit.

• Really starting to doubt Noah Fant is ever going to live up to that first-round draft pick billing. Another head-scratching selection by John Elway. In a league where the overwhelming majority of top tight ends were picked in rounds 2-5, Elway wasted the value of the first-round pick by needlessly going tight end.

• The last play of the game is getting more attention than it deserves. It was a Bush League move by Jon Harbaugh. The game was over. Three seconds on the clock. The Broncos had stopped their 100-yard rushing streak. Move on. Take a knee. Going for it was dumb. And please, stop with all the “If you don’t like it, stop it” pearl clutching. Are you telling me there’s no room for any sportsmanship in sports? Running a play to keep some who cares streak alive? Stealing second base with a nine-run lead in the eighth? Jacking up a three with time running out in a blowout when the other team has conceded just to try and score 50? All falls under the category of “Get over it. Don’t like it? Tough?” That’s where we’re going? I guess we’re seeing a complete breakdown of civility in many parts of society, so why not extend it to sports, huh?

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