The Broncos came out strong during their third season game against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week, hoping to get their first win of the season. However, things quickly took a turn as quarterback Drew Lock got injured in the first quarter. It was a close game, but the Steelers took the win 26-21.
Early in the game, Broncos running back Melvin Gordon had an energized second drive and several nice runs while Denver remained strong against the Steelers’ blitzes. However, what appeared to be concrete play ended in disaster when Drew Lock held the ball too long and ended up fumbling it away to the Steelers.
Lock fell on his right shoulder after the fumble, and his position is still questionable for the next few games. Back-up quarterback Jeff Driskel stepped up during the second quarter and showed strong leadership.
The Broncos are dealing with frustration, as Lock is not the only one with an injury. Other injuries include running back Phillip Lindsay, who has an injured toe, and cornerback Devontae Harris, who is out with a strained hamstring.
“There’s a chance [Drew Lock] may not have to miss three games, but at the same point, there’s a chance he might have to miss four or five,” Head Coach Vic Fangio said with regards to keeping Lock on the active roster. “Rather than eliminate the possibility of him coming back if he’s healthy enough, we’ve kept him on the active roster at this point.”
During the fourth quarter of last week’s game, the Steelers kept up their endurance. It led to a great play by Ben Roethlisberger for another Steelers touchdown later in the game.
As the clock ticked down, a pass interference penalty and amazing grab by Denver tight end Noah Fant got Denver down into Steelers territory. The Broncos ended up giving away the chance to get a first down, missing a third-and-2 and giving up their 7th sack on the final fourth-and-2.
Hopefully, the Broncos will be able to overcome this loss and the injuries of some key players to pull through to their first victory on Sunday, Sept. 27 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
