Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock has garnered a fair amount of media attention with his dance moves and a recent fourth-quarter comeback win against the Los Angeles Chargers. However, it looks like the sophomore forgot how to dance against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 10.
The Raiders dominated their Week 10 matchup
The first Broncos/Raiders matchup of the 2020 season ended in a victory for the Silver and Black. A comfortable win of 37-12 was credited in part to their defense, which is surprising to many. The offense sputtered and several touchdown passes were dropped, forcing Carr to focus on handing the ball off. While the run game put the game away, the real heroes of this matchup were the Las Vegas’ defensive line.
Denver couldn’t reach the end zone but produced six points from field goals. The defense already began limiting the Broncos offensive drives. The unit stopped them on third downs without the Broncos penetrating the middle of the field. When Lock began to find a rhythm, specifically the ability to convert on third downs, the Raiders pass rush found the “key” to shutting him down.
What turned the tide of the game was defensive end Arden Key. The LSU standout came up strong in the second quarter on Lock’s blindside and delivered a hit that left him stunned and quite frankly, scared. The quarterback did not look the same after that and joined the sideline shortly after. He stayed in the game but it looked like he was in some pain. Lock continued his drive but it all was downhill from that point on.
The defense rattled Broncos QB Drew Lock all day
The physical punishment did not stop with Key though. Linebacker Nicholas Morrow sacked Lock for a loss of seven yards and a fumble that Denver recovered. One drive later, defensive end Clelin Ferrell hit Lock on the chin, which resulted in a roughing the passer penalty. Regardless of the penalty, the quarterback continued to look frazzled and while he continued the drive, he threw an interception to safety Jeff Heath in the endzone, his second interception of the game.
Lock could not keep his head above water and the pressure continued throughout the game. Maxx Crosby sacked Lock shortly and defensive Carl Nassib would later intercept one of his passes. At the conclusion of the game, linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski displayed serious catching ability with a one-handed interception in the Broncos’ final drive. Lock continued to disheveled and even touched his shoulder when picking himself off the field. In retrospect, that could have explained his bizarre play.
The Raiders defensive line achieved what we have been waiting for this season. They made Lock so uncomfortable that his decision making, balance, poise, and overall confidence was shattered. The Denver Broncos entered the game with six interceptions and left with a total of ten.
The Raiders defense logged seven quarterback hits and generated a total of five turnovers. While their sack count wasn’t astronomical, the front four showed how effective knocking the quarterback down and applying constant effective pressure is. Lock would finish the day with 257 yards, four interceptions, one touchdown (in garbage time), and a 36.5 passer rating, a stat line not worth dancing over.
The Raiders meet with the Chiefs at home for Week 11 and while Super Bowl Champion quarterback Pat Mahomes will not be rattled as easily as Drew Lock, the Silver and Black has laid out the blueprint for success.
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Top Photo: Andy Cross/The Denver Post