In a press conference earlier this week, Drew Lock said the Broncos and their offense were going to take a big step forward this week against the Carolina Panthers. Now with his career-day in the rearview mirror, it looks like he was right.
With the Buffalo Bills up next, let’s take a look at what the Broncos that starred and a look at the one Bronco that stunk today.
Stock Up
Drew Lock
Second-year quarterback Drew Lock isn’t playing like a superstar or one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks yet, but the signs of development over his past three starts have been obvious.
You’ve seen him start to realize he doesn’t have to be the Broncos’ offensive hero and do absurd things like Patrick Mahomes. He just has to make good decisions, play within the limits of the offense, and take what the defense gives them. If he can consistently do those things, he has all the other tools necessary to be a great quarterback.
Today, he played that controlled style of football Broncos Country has to see from him to feel good about him starting in 2020. Lock finished the day with 280 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Arguably even more impressive, was the fact that he averaged 10.4 yards per attempt while completing 77.8 percent of his passes.
That’s not to say there weren’t ugly moments from Lock though.
With the Broncos just outside of field goal range, Lock took a big hit from Jeremy Chinn and dropped the ball on the ground, leading to the Panthers only seven points of the first half.
Also, on a screen pass to Jerry Jeudy — one of the easiest throws imaginable — Lock misfired horribly and didn’t even give Jeudy a chance at the reception.
Diontae Spencer
Spencer’s 83-yard punt return for a touchdown was massive for a Broncos offense that was struggling to find a spark in the first half. It was also a fantastic way for Spencer to return to the lineup after missing the last two games for Denver.
Not only did it put the Broncos in the drivers seat, but it was the franchise’s first punt return touchdown since their miraculous 2015 Super Bowl run.
While punt returns for touchdowns are a rarity for the Broncos — and most NFL teams for that matter — it hasn’t been a rarity of them in Charlotte. The last time Denver played there, in 2012, Trindon Holliday had a 76-yard punt return touchdown.
Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler
The Broncos have found two receivers for the franchise’s long-term future in Jerry Jeudy and K.J. Hamler.
Hamler showed off the deep speed that Denver drafted him for, with two touchdowns over 35 yards. He’s played incredibly well in recent weeks, but you haven’t seen the Desean Jackson-style deep balls that were envisioned following his selection. That changed this week.
On the otherside of the offense, Jeudy had a nice day as well.
There was much overblown speculation surrounding some cryptic tweets from Jeudy over the past week, but some of that speculation should be put to rest after Sunday.
He made one of the biggest receptions of the day on a perfectly-run sluggo route that set up Nick Vannett’s touchdown.
This Jerry Jeudy route is FILTHY 😳
(via @thecheckdown)pic.twitter.com/xvJAyyK4gJ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 13, 2020
Stock Down
Brandon McManus
Brandon “Money” McManus had been living up to his nickname all season long, but these last two weeks have been troubling.
Last week he missed a 57-yard field goal, and while it’s hard to blame him too much for that, it is within his range and resulted in a six-point swing that favored the Chiefs. That’s extra painful considering Kansas City won that game by just six points.
This week, he missed two extra points, which could have been incredibly costly. Following Spencer’s electric punt return for a touchdown, his attempt bounced off the uprights, and following Hamler’s touchdown, his attempt wasn’t even close.
McManus will have to return to form next week to keep the Broncos in their game with the explosive Buffalo Bills.