'A big look-in-the-mirror-type [game]': Drew Lock explains his turning point in 2020 season, plan to improve

[Miles]

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In the wake of his toughest performance of the 2020 season, Drew Lock found clarity.


After the Broncos' 37-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in which Lock through a career-high four interceptions, the second-year player rededicated himself to playing clean football.


"[That] was a big look-in-the-mirror-type [game] for me," Lock said. "I needed to take care of the ball, and at that point everything just started being clear. I knew where to get to with the ball; it was just getting familiar with this offense and certain looks we got for certain plays. I know I sound like a broken record, but it really is about how comfortable you can get back there as a quarterback with the offense and where you go out there and whatever play you call in the huddle, you know exactly what you're doing with the ball — you've seen it in multiple looks."


Lock made it clear that his increased comfort level didn't arrive overnight and wasn't the result of one game. Instead, it grew from an ever-increasing number of reps that allowed him to better process the looks he saw from a defense.


That led Lock to post an 9-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio over the season's final five weeks, and he did not throw an interception in three of his final four games. Lock also posted his only two games with a passer rating of over 100 in the final four weeks of the season.


"I definitely feel like I progressed as the year went on," Lock said. "Of course, I'm going to be my biggest critic and say that I could've done a lot of things better. That will always be that way. But truthfully, as far as growth-wise and the plays that I made this year, taking care of the ball was the biggest thing for me, in my opinion."


Lock's improved play and an apparent second season with Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur could help the Broncos take a step forward from their 28th-ranked scoring offense in 2020.


"The sky's the limit for us, especially with how I felt toward the end of this year and how I feel like I can control a game," Lock said. "I go into a game feeling good, just knowing what I'm going to see and knowing where I need to get the ball. It can only get better from here. More reps in OTAs, more reps in training camp and then going into a game super competent. Like I said yesterday, for the second time [I'll be] with the same offensive coordinator [in consecutive seasons] in my football career. The first time that happened to me was my junior year of college and I threw 44 touchdowns and set an SEC record that got beat pretty recently. There's no doubt in my mind that this team can be extremely, extremely good. And it's going to start with the way that I play, and this offseason I'm going to make sure that I can come back ready to roll."


Lock's answer, of course, signifies that he remains confident that he can be the team's long-term starter as he approaches Year 3. He finished the season with 16 touchdown passes, 15 interceptions, a 57.3 completion percentage and 2,933 yards.


"Without a doubt I feel like I can be the guy here and will be the guy," Lock said. "It's always a weird question to answer because I know in my head personally the way I feel, without a doubt, how comfortable I got with this offense toward the end of the year and the guys around me, you want to be the guy here. Everyone wants to be the guy here with all the young guys we've got running around. I'm excited to give everything I can in this offseason to still be that guy going into next year. I do believe that I am."