Keeler: Broncos needed to punt Pat Shurmur weeks ago. His greatest sin? Making Drew Lock boring.

We tried to adhd up Pat Shurmur’s litany of sins successful Broncos Orange and Blue, but the pencil broke.

The top and grandest is, without a doubt, the ammunition of a backmost Shurmur, the Broncos’ soon-to-be-former violative coordinator, near wherever Drew Lock utilized to be.

When I wrote 2 weeks agone that Shurmur called plays arsenic if helium were trying to get Lock squeezed similar a tangerine connected nationalist TV, I was partially kidding.

And yet, definite enough, what did Pencil Pat bash Sunday against the Chargers? While No. 3 was operating with lone 1 steadfast shoulder, Shurmur dialed up a “Philly Special” astatine the extremity line, a instrumentality play which involves turning your backmost into a receiver.  It besides involves the anticipation of your backmost getting deed astatine afloat tilt.

To nobody’s surprise, Lock got belted earlier reaching the extremity zone.

“He’s conscionable a batch much assured than helium was (in 2020),” tailback Melvin Gordon said Monday erstwhile asked astir Lock’s up-and-down 2021. “He (has been) taking the inaugural to truly instrumentality power of the huddle … from what I (saw) past crippled against the Chargers, you could archer determination was immoderate maturation successful that area.”

Yet Lock remains the eventual Rorschach trial for Broncos Country. When we look, erstwhile we tweet, we spot what we privation to see. Strong arm? Tough guy? Willing to enactment his assemblage connected the enactment for the team? Check, cheque and check.

Two balls, aboriginal on, thrown consecutive into the hands of Chargers information Derwin James? Check and check.

It was lone aft helium got down 27-6 that Lock caught fire. Seven completions connected 9 attempts, 83 passing yards and a touchdown implicit the Broncos’ 2 last drives.

Before that: 11 for 16, 162 passing yards, nary touchdowns, 2 tract goals.

Better? Yes.

Serviceable? Not successful this division.

When Lock is playing backmost and the Broncos are up oregon down 7 oregon little successful the 4th quarter, Buzz Lightyear is 5 for 13 passing (38.5%) for 77 yards, nary scores, 2 sacks, and a 58.8 passer rating. Last season, helium was 27 for 52 (51.9%) successful those circumstances, with 3 touchdowns and 3 picks, for a 76.3 passer rating.

That won’t enactment successful the AFC West, with Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Derek Carr.

It’s a video-game league now. A Madden league. A passing league. Trying to mimic the Titans oregon Vikings — winning connected toughness, grit, moving and execution — sounds bully connected paper. It sounds beauteous macho connected the podium. It makes for an awfully debased ceiling. Especially successful January.

The NHL playoffs are astir goalies. The NFL playoffs are astir quarterbacks. When this municipality has witnessed excellence successful some positions, nary shock, it’s coiled up throwing title parades. We marque this happening harder than it has to be, sometimes.

Is Lock wholly to blasted for each that imaginable inactive unfulfilled? Heck, no. The Post’s Ryan O’Halloran charted 4 drops by Broncos targets successful Vegas 2 weeks ago. And different one, by choky extremity Eric Saubert, during Week 17.

“It’s been unfortunate for him, honestly, the past mates of games,” Gordon said. “The close tackle being out. All our receivers being out. It’s conscionable a unspeakable situation.”

A concern that’s been exacerbated by a unspeakable violative coordinator. One of Shurmur’s apical priorities erstwhile helium was hired was to support Lock, the Broncos’ latest heir to the Peyton Manning throne, connected the close track.

Buzz posted a 4-1 grounds arsenic a rookie precocious successful the 2019 season. Then-offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello got ousted and Shurmur, an aged manus successful the NFL game, was brought successful to decorativeness the job. Under Pencil Pat, Lock has gone 4-11 arsenic a starter. The Broncos are 12-20 since August 2020. They’ve scored 14 points oregon less 11 times successful that stretch.

It was wide from the outset that Lock has a rocket limb and nary fearfulness — 2 traits that endeared him instantly to Broncos Country. But helium was besides reckless portion throwing the shot and careless portion carrying it, a imaginable whose caput hadn’t caught up to his legs oregon arm.

He needed time. Shurmur and manager Vic Fangio needed occupation security. They handed the keys to Teddy Bridgewater this twelvemonth and hoped for the best. Which, arsenic it turned out, was 7-6.

“He’s improved these past mates of weeks, and that comes with signifier and that comes with reps successful the game,” Fangio said Monday erstwhile asked astir Lock, who’s expected to marque a 3rd consecutive commencement Saturday. “I bash spot betterment being made. The endowment is there. I inactive deliberation helium tin beryllium an NFL quarterback.”

He won’t bash it with Shurmur around. If helium does it present astatine all.