Leading 6-0, the Rams’ second-string defense surrendered a quick touchdown drive against quarterback Trevor Siemian, who ended it with a 1-yard pass to Virgil Green with four minutes left before halftime.
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Eager to establish the run game early, Siemian handed the ball off for the first two drives, both of which were three-and-outs and totaled only 12 yards.
Siemian, who played the entire first half for the reigning Super Bowl champions, started inauspiciously with an interception, but he rebounded in style.
Trevor Siemian, the second-year quarterback who has been arguably the biggest story of the National Football League offseason, appeared to solidify his victory in the race to be the Broncos’ next starting quarterback Saturday.
A screen on third and 18 was perfectly executed, keeping the drive alive, and Ronnie Hillman popped it in from eight yards out for the score, putting the Broncos up 17-9.
“I’ve got a lot invested and a lot of work that I can make some decisions off of now, ” Kubiak said. But Siemian also missed on a potential deep connection to Cody Latimer when the ball was placed inside, rather than outside and to the back shoulder; the underthrown pass was not fielded cleanly by Cody Davis and appeared to be dropped, but was ruled an interception. “When we came out, before we went out, he told me I was going to get the whole second half”. “Trevor did some good stuff and we finished up better”. In a matchup of two franchises with more questions than answers at the position, the outcome may have been a predictable one, with the Broncos winning a defensive battle, 17-9.
Rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch got the start and after a three-and-out he started to move the team.
With that said, here are three things to watch for as the Rams play the Broncos. The veteran has a $4.5 million cap hit for 2016.
Last Monday, following the Broncos’ loss to the 49ers, Kubiak appointed Siemian the starter for the second-consecutive week, indicating his leg up in what has been a close race with Sanchez. If he’s not on the 53-man roster, the Broncos will save $3.5 million and the seventh-round draft pick they would have owed the Eagles.
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On Saturday, Siemian, the player least expected take the reigns just six months ago, capitalized and might have made the unthinkable a reality.
