Passing game hurting Broncos

Denver ranks 26th or worse in many offensive categories

ENGLEWOOD — To hear Broncos coach Vic Fangio explain it, his team doesn’t have a Drew Lock Problem despite Lock’s four interceptions since returning from a right shoulder injury.

“As a team, we just need to fix our entire passing game,” Fangio replied Monday when asked what Lock’s major issues were in Sunday’s 43-16 loss to Kansas City.

So the Broncos have a Passing Game Problem.

“We just haven’t thrown it very efficiently the last two weeks and that’s an 11-man operation and that’s us as coaches — we’re all in it together,” Fangio said. “We have to go to work on that and it has to improve, no doubt about it.”

Fangio’s response was undoubtedly calculated.

Lock has posted passer ratings of 34.9 and 57.7 — the lowest and third-lowest of his nine career starts — in the past two games. But instead of singling him out, which would have fueled speculation about the Broncos’ opinion of Lock, Fangio indicted the whole operation.

Make it an issue of the entire offense struggling and Fangio can still throw his support behind Lock. In the major statistical passing metrics, the Broncos are falling short.

They rank 26th or worse in passing yards per game (209.2; 26th), passing yards per play (6.09; 27th), touchdown passes (six; 29th), passer rating (68.1; 30th) and completion percentage (57.8%, 31st).

The Broncos’ 10 interceptions are tied for secondmost in the NFL and on third down, a primary passing play for teams, they are 30th (35.9%).

Excuses are at the ready if the Broncos choose.

Injuries: Lock missed two games, receiver Courtland Sutton played one game (ACL), running back Phillip Lindsay has played the equivalent of two games (toe and concussion) and tight end Noah Fant, running back Melvin Gordon and receiver KJ Hamler have also missed time.

Youth: Ten players who were on the field for at least one offensive snap Sunday were rookie or second-year players.

Competition: The Broncos’ four losses were to teams that are a combined 22-4 (Tennessee, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Kansas City).

In reality, we should have seen this coming.

At the beginning of training camp, general manager John Elway warned about a potentially slow start offensively because of the youth and the lack of an in-person offseason program and preseason games.

“I don’t think we can expect with no offseason for us to come out and be hitting on all cylinders,” Elway said.

Three months later, Elway has been proven correct.

While Lock tries to fight through his struggles, what makes matter worse is the Broncos’ offense can’t hang their collective hat on one thing. Fant and rookie receiver Jerry Jeudy, receiver Tim Patrick and now rookie tight end Albert Okwuegbunam need Lock to be on-target.

“Drew’s going to have play better and eliminate the negative plays and complete some more balls, obviously,” Fangio said.

So what’s the issue? At times, it appears Lock leaves the pocket too early instead of stepping up. Other times, he seems to rely on his athleticism to make a funky-looking throw that ends up being off target. The result is a young quarterback who is pressing.

“I’m sure he is to a certain degree — when things don’t go good, you press, especially when you’re a young quarterback and don’t have a bank of reps to get through a stretch in the game where it’s not going good in the passing game,” Fangio said. “Many times, if his first look isn’t there, his natural reaction sometimes is to flush out of the pocket when he needs to stay with the progression a little more than he probably has.”