More often than not in this profession, you’re proven wrong by things you take a stance on. Denver is returning with much of the same defense that was ranked number one in the National Football League for yards allowed per game in 2015 and single handedly dragged Peyton Manning to his second Super Bowl win.
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I admit I completely missed the boat with that prediction.
You win some, you lose some. One errant decision and suddenly your team’s best receiver is out three weeks with a concussion because the quarterback just led him directly into the opposing safety’s shoulder pads.
The Denver Broncos named Trevor Siemian their starting quarterback to open the season, and Siemian has certainly overcome plenty of odds to get here… Now, he’s stepping into an nearly ideal situation with the Broncos.
So what exactly does Thomas like so much about Siemian?
John Elway carried the Denver Broncos to a 14-2 record and beat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl XXXIII in his final season.
The Vikings would “likely be willing to pay” Sanchez’s full $4.5 million salary this season, and reports began to surface that Denver wanted to trade the former Jets and Eagles quarterback after naming Trevor Siemian their starter.
Lynch is expected to play the entire game and has not looked great in the preseason so far; otherwise, he may have ended up winning the starting job over Siemian. However, nearly every single one of his throws came off of a simple one- or two-read route concept created to get the ball out of his hand quickly to a receiver with space to work with.
“I’m impressed. I think he’s very calm”, Kubiak said. But it’s clear that the coaching staff doesn’t trust him to do more right now, and that’s been the case with all three quarterbacks this summer into the fall.
The two interceptions are concerning, but his last pick against Los Angeles last Friday clearly hit the ground, but the officials failed to overturn it. Despite his 105 catches for 1,304 yards in 2015, Thomas reached the end zone just six times, dropped 18 passes and was a non-factor in the playoffs.
They won’t be a team under Kubiak that airs it out 40 times a game. But, then again, given the Broncos’ depth that been on display all August, don’t be shocked if a few promising young prospects “go down” with season-ending injuries – necessitating injured-reserve designations – in the second half Thursday. At 6-foot-7, Lynch often gets too deep into the backfield when he receives the ball, making it more hard for the Broncos to protect the edges of the formation because of the angles it creates for the outside rushers.
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Siemian is a feel-good story as the first Northwestern QB to start the regular season for a defending champion since Otto Graham started for the Cleveland Browns in 1955. Now, with the support of the organization behind him, he’ll have his opportunity to prove himself.
