Kiszla vs. O’Halloran: Could Broncos quarterback Drew Lock get in game at Cleveland?

Kiz: Reeling with a three-game losing streak, beaten by the hated Raiders connected location turf, the Broncos are successful heavy trouble. On a painfully abbreviated week of preparation, they either volition find a mode to triumph Thursday successful Cleveland oregon beryllium dismissed arsenic the aforesaid atrocious squad that has missed the NFL playoffs for 5 years running. So if Denver falls down against the Browns, what are the chances manager Vic Fangio benches backmost Teddy Bridgewater and gives Drew Lock a accidental to beryllium a hero?

O’Halloran: Semi-startling to see this arsenic a viable enactment aft the Broncos’ 3-0 commencement (Bridgewater playing turnover-free) and Lock’s underwhelming 2nd fractional against Baltimore (12 of 21, 113 yards, 1 INT) erstwhile helium took for a concussed Teddy successful Week 4. But that’s wherever the Broncos are and wherever we are. What tin Fangio bash to supply immoderate energy? What tin helium bash to marque much large plays possible? If the Broncos autumn down the Browns, yes, I would springiness Lock a accidental if lone to archer him, “Throw it agelong … a lot,” but I enactment the existent chances astatine Fangio making the power at, oh, 4%.

Kiz: Under absurdly relentless unit from the Las Vegas walk rush, I thought Bridgewater really played comparatively good due to the fact that erstwhile a backmost hardly has clip to get his feet acceptable successful the pocket, turnovers are definite to follow. Over the people of 5 1/2 games, his backmost standing is simply a precise respectable 100.9, which puts him successful the middle-of-the-league pack, alongside Carson Wentz and Baker Mayfield. But here’s wherefore I’d beryllium tempted to springiness Lock a shot: Is this discourtesy built to people 30 points with Bridgewater moving the show?

O’Halloran: No mode … possibly not adjacent 25 points. This discourtesy takes excessively agelong to people points; their scoring drives against the Raiders were eight, nine, 12 and 8 plays. And they can’t truly artifact anybody, either — Las Vegas had its mode against the Broncos’ violative enactment utilizing a four-man rush. Falling down and needing to agelong the tract would beryllium the lone crushed to springiness Lock a changeable adjacent though helium was beneath mean successful that section past year. Where Bridgewater indispensable amended is his deep-ball accuracy.

Kiz: Starting with linebacker Von Miller, the locker country has been sold connected Bridgewater arsenic a person the squad tin trust, successful bully times and bad. That’s the main crushed wherefore I judge it volition beryllium hard for Fangio to seat Bridgewater. While inserting Lock could supply the discourtesy with a jolt of energy, it besides would foster uncertainty among players that immoderate of the foundational ideas pushed by this coaching unit person immoderate existent merit. So I accidental fto Bridgewater play from commencement to decorativeness against Cleveland. And should the Broncos lose? Start Lock against Washington connected Halloween. Trick oregon treat.

O’Halloran: I would person Lock schooled up this week connected a hurry-up drive, a bundle of passing plays the Broncos could usage to alteration things up against Cleveland. Fangio should usage the 96 hours betwixt the Raiders debacle and the Browns kickoff to inquire himself, “How tin I beryllium bold? How I propulsion my coaches to deliberation extracurricular the box? How tin I springiness my locker country hope?” Is it Lock? It’s a Hail Mary but this is the clip to instrumentality chances. The Broncos are 3-3, but it feels similar they’re 1-5.