ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The NFL gave the Denver Broncos 24 more hours to see if Drew Lock can be healthy enough to play in Week 5 after the league moved their game against the New England Patriots from Sunday to Monday.
The Broncos are taking that extra time and running with it. On Friday, Vic Fangio said he has not yet made a decision on if Drew Lock or Brett Rypien will be the team’s starting quarterback against the Patriots.
“Drew practiced a little bit more yesterday. Obviously, we’re not going to practice today,” Fangio said, after the team moved Friday’s practice to Saturday with the game being moved a day later. “We’ll see how he’s doing tomorrow. It’s still open and up in the air as to who will play on Monday night.”
On Wednesday, Lock returned to practice for the first time since suffering a bad bruise on his throwing shoulder in Week 2. In his two-game absence, the Broncos started Jeff Driskel in Week 3 and Brett Rypien in Week 4. After helping lead Denver to their first win of the season against the Jets, Rypien would get the shot again against the Patriots if Lock cannot play.
For Lock to play, Fangio needs to make sure the second-year quarterback can not only throw the football without being hindered by the bruise in his shoulder but also that he can take a hit both physically and mentally.
On Thursday, hours before the game was moved to Monday, the head coach stated that if the game was, in fact, moved back, an extra 24 hours wouldn’t make much of a difference for Lock’s availability. On Friday, Fangio wasn’t as closed off to that idea.
“We’ll see as to how it pertains to Drew,” Fangio said when asked if the game being moved back helps his availability. “How he practices tomorrow and the next day.”
If Lock is not healthy enough to start, don’t expect to see No. 3 dressed as a backup that could be used in the case of an emergency, according to Fangio. If he’s healthy enough to be active, he will likely play.
The NFL also gave the Patriots 24 more hours to see if Cam Newton can pass the COVID-19 protocols and play. If the former MVP does play, that won’t change the Broncos’ preparation.
“We’ve been under that assumption the whole time that he would be playing and then adjust if he’s not,” Fangio stated on Friday. “Just like Kansas City did last week when he got the last positive test in the week. Just like Pittsburgh had to do against us when Drew got hurt in the second series of our game. Just like you have to do every week in case the starter doesn’t play for whatever reason. Yeah, we’re anticipating Newton playing, but we’ll be ready if he’s not the quarterback”
The news of New England’s starting quarterback testing positive for COVID-19 broke on Oct. 3, keeping him at home for the Patriots’ most recent game against the Chiefs. Starting Brian Hoyer, and eventually moving on to Jared Stidham, the Patriots’ offense was only able to drop 10 points against Kansas City.
In the three previous games where Newton was their starter, New England averaged 29 points per game. Until Newton — who the Broncos are 3-0 against in his career — is ruled out, Denver is preparing to face Cam and the Patriots’ high-scoring offense.
