The Denver Broncos are set to clash with the division rival Los Angeles Chargers Sunday afternoon. Kick-off is set for 2:25 p.m. MST at Empower Field at Mile High.

Sunday’s game will mark rookie quarterback Drew Lock’s first NFL start.

Rumors have circulated throughout the week that the Broncos would shift from Brandon Allen to Lock, whom Denver drafted in the second round of the 2019 draft.

The Broncos decided to pull the trigger on Lock after trading for veteran quarterback Joe Flacco in the offseason.

Flacco, a Super Bowl champion, was expected to lead the Broncos back to the promised land this season; however, a neck injury ended his season prematurely, dashing the Broncos chances of a winning campaign.

Since Flacco went down with an injury, the Broncos have been taking things one game at a time, and now with the season beginning to dwindle down, Denver will insert Lock into the rotation.

Many were clamoring for the Broncos to start Lock the moment Flacco went down with injury; however, Lock was dealing with an injury himself. A dislocated thumb sidelined Lock for the first half of the season, but following Denver’s latest loss to the Buffalo Bills, change is in the air for the Broncos.

The change was confirmed in the late hours of Saturday night when ESPN’s Adam Schefter broke the news that Lock would indeed start for the Broncos Sunday.

While expectations are sky high for Lock, Broncos’ fans need to be patient with his development. Between dealing with an injury and having never played in the NFL before, there are sure to be some learning curves for Lock when he hits the gridiron.

That said, Sunday’s game is the perfect time for Lock to get his feet wet in the NFL. Besides playing at home, the Broncos are set to battle the division rival Chargers. Given the fact that Denver and Los Angeles play each other twice a year, every year, the Broncos will have a surplus of knowledge to insert into their game strategy for Lock.

The Chargers are no pushover, but the depth of knowledge the Broncos have regarding their opponent should help craft a game plan that plays to Lock’s strengths.

Sunday’s game is the most significant game of the season for the Broncos. While this year has not gone according to plan, there is still tremendous value in finishing the season on a high note, and setting up Lock to take over the reins for 2021.

Denver has failed to find a steady quarterback since the departure of Peyton Manning, and the team and fanbase are hopeful Lock is the answer.

While Lock is the Broncos’ quarterback for the immediate future, everybody needs to temper their expectations for him. Lock will struggle in all likelihood, but he will need time to get used to life in the NFL.

Lock was not a first-round draft choice, but many feel that he has the potential to be a legitimate starting quarterback in the NFL. To this point, Lock has said the right things to the media and has done a solid job both on and off the field. However, Sunday’s contest will be a test to see how Lock responds to being thrown into the fire that is the NFL.

Sunday is the first step in the right direction for the Broncos and Lock, let’s see how it goes.