The Broncos problem at QB has nothing to do with Bridgewater or Lock

The Broncos started their 2021 season by having a quarterback competition in training camp and preseason. Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater battled it out and in the end, Bridgewater was named the starter. Many fans and media agreed with this decision and many disagreed.

Bridgewater clearly had the trust of the Broncos coaching staff, as they continually played him over Lock even when Bridgewater was not 100 percent healthy. After appearing a few times in relief of Bridgewater, this past weekend Drew Lock was the Broncos starter in Las Vegas against the Raiders.

Lock played decently against the Raiders. Pro Football Focus used one of their ultra-specific formulas to determine Drew Lock played great. Much like many PFF statistics, this was praised by Lock supporters and dismissed by his detractors.

Lock played well, but in their calculations, Pro Football Focus clearly ignored the effect Drew Lock had on the outcome of the game. Like Teddy Bridgewater, it wasn’t much.

The Broncos offense with Drew Lock looked a lot different. The ball was thrown deeper, spread around more and Lock used his legs to extend plays. The aesthetic of Drew Lock as the Broncos quarterback was an entirely different presentation.

In the end, however, Lock’s performance was different in looks only. As the outcome was the exact same as it would have been with Bridgewater under center. The Broncos offense managed 13 points and lost the game.

Whether it was Teddy Bridgewater or Drew Lock, the results were always going to be the same, it might look different, but the conclusion will remain unchanged.

That was always the issue with the Broncos quarterback competition. It didn’t matter which player they chose. That’s why the victory laps we’ve seen taken for either player this season has been laughable.

The Broncos final record was not going to change regardless of Lock or Bridgewater. While different stylistically, they each have the same ability to alter an NFL game.

The problem isn’t Bridgewater or Lock, or any quarterback on the roster. The problem is the Broncos organizational philosophy which has failed time and time again, yet they kept doing the same thing thinking it would change.

After the draft, George Paton stood behind the podium and spoke glowingly about Bridgewater and Lock as if the Broncos had something special in the quarterback room. Paton, along with John Elway and the rest of the decision makers, felt they could mask average quarterback play by building a talented roster.

For the sixth straight season, big surprise, it hasn’t worked.

I’ve continually said, don’t be mad at Lock or Bridgewater. The Broncos identified them as their starting quarterbacks. Bridgewater and Lock can only try their best with the opportunity placed in front of them.

Once it was down to Bridgewater and Lock, the Broncos’ season had a ceiling placed upon it. It’s not the quarterback’s fault; it’s the fault of those who allowed the Broncos to get to this spot.

This week, a chart floated on social media comparing how Bridgewater and Lock distributed the football over the last two weeks and the differences between the two. The chart is irrelevant. The stats of either quarterback are irrelevant. What’s relevant is in the end the result was the exact same. Low-scoring offense and the Broncos lost.

Personnel and coaching decisions created this outcome. Bridgewater and Lock are limited in their abilities. Bridgewater is smart, a leader, reads the defense and is very technical in his decision making and approach. This makes up for his physical limits. Lock isn’t as cerebral as Bridgewater but has much better physical attributes. What they have in common is that they are both NFL-caliber quarterbacks, but neither are franchise quarterbacks.

The Broncos coaching staff never did enough to help either player. The roster around them is fine, but the play calling never put the players in the best position to succeed. Bridgewater needs receivers open quickly and Lock can’t have too much on his plate. Having Bridgewater wait for routes to develop or having Lock run an option are both just silly decisions. The coaches could have at least attempted to cater to their quarterbacks.

Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock are both likable. The arguing in favor of either one has created a division amongst fans and media, which is unfortunate because it has people stubbornly taking a side. Both players have done their best to play well but they are who they are. Screaming for one over the other is pointless because it didn’t matter which one was chosen.

To win consistently and be a contender with Bridgewater or Lock, everything must be perfect. Neither player is effective enough to overcome bad play calling and dropped passes. Expecting everything to go according to plan for 17 games was wishful thinking.

Drew Lock is likely to start against the Chargers and the hope should be he plays well. Just like the hope should have been, Bridgewater played well when he was in the game. Rooting for one over the other was never worth arguing. Neither player is the issue; the issue will always be the Broncos’ arrogance towards the quarterback position.

It’d be nice to think things will change in 2022, but given recent history, we need to believe it when we see it.