ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Drew Lock said it himself following practice Saturday at the Broncos’ home stadium.
The Broncos’ second year quarterback didn’t have a good day. There were some good throws, but also two interceptions and a couple other passes that were off the mark.
“I would have rather played a lot better, but it’s a learning moment for me,’’ Lock said Saturday. “That’s where you have to go after the fact, after you get out the ‘Wow, that was bad,’ upset, beating yourself up. You can do that for probably a half hour after the game. Obviously, the emotions are running high. I’m going to do that probably for the next 10 more minutes.
“Then I’m going to let it go. I’m going to figure out what I did wrong, watch my feet. I’m going to watch the plays. I’m going to watch what the defense did, see if they brought something different today. I’m going to just really try and correct myself over the next days until we get out there Monday.”
He did bounce back Monday at the Broncos’ UCHealth Training Center to throw the ball well. Perhaps, it helped to receive reassurance from the people who matter most – his head coach and teammates.
“There’s obviously some stuff from the other day, the practice at the stadium, that will be good learning experiences for him,’’ head coach Vic Fangio said in a Zoom call with members of the Denver media Monday. “As it was for our whole team. I like where he’s at. We’ll see how it goes.”
Fangio was pleased with the Broncos' running game Saturday at Empower Field at Mile High. More running plays should help Lock when the Broncos open their season Monday, September 14 against the Tennessee Titans.
So should the support of his teammates like left guard Dalton Risner, who was selected one pick ahead of Lock in the second round of the 2019 draft.
“What I think is awesome is Drew was down on himself because he's competitive,'' Risner said. "There’s a lot of guys that just say, ‘Oh, it’s just practice.’ ... To Drew, I let him know, dude, no one's worried about you. You work your tail off. We know you're our guy. You had a bad day, let's improve from it. Let’s move on.
“What I love about this offense is there are guys who are upset about that, even if it’s just practice.”
Cutout Crash
Season-ticket holders can purchase a cutout likeness of themselves and have them placed in a lower bowl seat at Empower Field at Mile High for at least the opener against Tennessee on September 14.
The cost is $100 with proceeds going to Broncos Charities. The concept was so immediately popular in Broncos Country, the cutout section of the Broncos’ website crashed.
“I do think it adds to the look on TV,'' Fangio said of the cutout figures at other sporting events, including Rockies baseball games at Coors Field. "I guess it looks good. Anything we can do to simulate it.
"The one thing that I came out of Saturday’s practice with is we’re in a big-league stadium, the crowd noise kind of simulated noise that you get in a game. I thought it was kind of normal as much as it can be in an empty stadium. Nothing can replace the fans. I think the atmosphere will be fine. I think the football will be as well played as it can be under all the circumstances we’re dealing with. We’ll get through it.”
The Broncos will not have fans in attendance for their game against the Titans because of coronavirus concerns, although they hope to have a limited crowd (roughly 15,000 to 20,000 fans) as early as their second home game September 27 against Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Bucs.
Injury update
Fangio said right guard Graham Glasgow would miss the next two or three practices because of a sprained ankle. The team will also be cautious with edge rusher Bradley Chubb, who tweaked his surgically-repaired left knee Saturday.
Tight end Troy Fumagalli is suffering from an abdomen injury.
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