The rookie QB played the entire game after coach Gary Kubiak announced that Trevor Siemian would be the starting quarterback.
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Barkley completed 20 of 29 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns at University of Phoenix Stadium as the defending NFC West champion Cardinals finally secured a win after three straight preseason losses.
However, by Week 4 of the preseason Thursday night, Sanchez was glued to the bench, with second-year quarterback Trevor Siemian already named the Week 1 starter of the regular season, while rookie Paxton Lynch played the whole game. Lynch finished 13-of-22 passing for 214 yards to go with two touchdowns and an interception. Siemian will open the season as the starter for the Broncos, but Lynch owns a much higher ceiling and is a good bet to supplant Siemian at some point this year. I know he’s disappointed, he wanted to stay here and, you know, we just thought with where we are, we thought it was best for us to different ways at this time. In the case of quarterbacks, starters nearly always sit, while backups play to soak up reps.
“I think the strides he’s made since we got him have been very good, and we’ve got to continue to make some more”, Kubiak said after the game. Mark Sanchez, listed as the No. 2 quarterback, did not play.
Rookie Elijhaa Penny, who could be headed for the Arizona practice squad, rushed for 113 yards in the Cardinals’ lone victory of the preseason.
Elway said he believes the offense can carry more of its weight this year after relying so heavily on Denver’s destructive defense to bring home the franchise’s third Lombardi Trophy. “[Lynch] continues to make plays because of his ability, but it continues to be about consistency”.
This news comes just less than a week after the Broncos were actively trying to deal Sanchez to the Cowboys, who ultimately relented and still got their guy for a lower price.
Catanzaro also connected from 45 and 24 yards, which were sandwiched by Barkley touchdown passes of 1 and 14 yards to J.J. Nelson and Jaxon Shipley.
-He went with rookie punter Riley Dixon over veteran Britton Colquitt because “we like Riley’s upside”.
Lynch consistently said throughout the offseason program, into training camp and nearly right until the time Kubiak named Siemian the starter, that he believed he had kept himself in the mix to be the starter.
Broncos: DE Henry Melton, an eight-year National Football League veteran who signed with Denver last week, limped off the field in the first half, but returned in the third quarter.
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This chemistry sparked a scoring drive in the middle of the third quarter with Lynch hitting deep pass after deep pass to march the Broncos down the field for a four-minute, 94-yard touchdown drive. Arians said he expected Martin to be out two or three weeks with a sprained ligament. OLB Tristan Okpalaugo left in the second quarter with a right knee injury.
