'It just shows what type of player he is': Drew Lock battles through injury, stretch of subpar play to help Broncos earn 20-13 win

[Miles]

Beginning with that third-down completion, Lock completed 18 of his next 24 throws. Although he wasn't perfect — he misfired six more times on the day, including an overthrow to an open Troy Fumagalli in the third quarter — he avoided mistakes and looked more like the quarterback that led the Broncos to four wins in five games to end 2019.


"I think Drew comes back from bad plays," Head Coach Vic Fangio said after the game. "I think that's one of his good qualities. I don't think he lets it linger and has a hangover from it. Again, getting the running game going helps the boot game and having the defense play well alongside that turns it to where it's not a game where you have to throw it every play and they can tee off on the rush."


Indeed, Lock relied on a potent rushing attack that tallied 189 yards on 33 carries. That output was the team's highest of the season and the most in a game since last year's Week 5 win over the Chargers.


Lock's ability to rebound from two consecutive losses, though, was about more than an improved running game and a defense that held the Dolphins to 105 net yards through three quarters. His improved play — he finished 18-of-30 for 270 yards, one interception and a 75.7 quarterback rating — also took a degree of mental toughness.


"I just feel like, as a quarterback, you have to be able to have that mindset to where nothing can get to you," Melvin Gordon III said. "You have to go out there and just make a play. When everyone is against you, you have to understand and know that your teammates are with you, and that's really the only opinion that matters. He probably ran across some things and probably heard some things, but good quarterbacks block that out and do what needs to be done. Like I said, and like I tell the team all the time, this game is about wining and it's about losing; when you win, everyone loves you and when you lose, it just comes with the job — especially at quarterback. For him to come out here and be resilient and do what he needs to do to help this team — and lead after he took so much heat last week — it just shows what type of player he is."


Lock, who was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday and was listed as questionable to play, wasn't going to let a rib injury prevent him from leading his team to an upset win.


"There was a lot of talk about playing this week or not playing this week," Lock said. "There was nothing pain-wise that was going to stop me from playing in this game. It definitely wasn't an easy week of practice fighting through it — and even today a little bit."


But fight, he did. Through the injury and through a couple of poor performances.


By the time his last-second moonball to Patrick dropped into the receiver's hands, the Broncos had secured a win — and Lock had sent a message.