Lock needs to pick up where he left off

No sooner had Broncos coach Vic Fangio walked over to the deep end of the pool when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell ran over, unseen, and shoved him straight into the water.

The first fifth of the dance card is a doozy, kids. Derrick Henry at home on Monday night, followed by Big Ben in Pittsburgh on short rest, then Tom Brady.

There’s a lot to like about the Broncos’ 2020 schedule, assuming the coronavirus pandemic allows everybody to follow the script as it was written Thursday.

No three-game road junkets. A manageable AFC East swing before the weather gets nasty. A bye in Week 8. Brady early and Drew

Brees (Let it snow!) late, both at home.

But here’s what can’t happen, if the autumn’s reality is to match the spring’s postseason-or-bust hype: Another September like 2019. Quarterback Drew Lock has to pick up right where he left off. Or thereabouts.

No excuses about a new system. No griping about a new offensive coordinator.

No waiting for the engine to turn over.

“We’re going to have to grow up fast,” Broncos GM John Elway told NFL Network on Thursday night.

to Pittsburgh in Week 2 after hosting Tennessee on a Monday night and then play at the New York Jets on a Thursday after hosting Tampa Bay.

Bye week: Just about ideal for the Broncos, who will be off in Week 8 (Nov. 1).

Prime-time games: Week 1 vs. Tennessee (late game of ESPN Monday night double-header), Week 4 at the New York Jets (Thursday, Oct. 1 on FOX) and Week 13 at Kansas City (Dec. 6 on NBC). The Titans game will mark the 29th consecutive year the Broncos have played at least one Monday night game, the longest streak in league history.

Flexible scheduling: Dates for the Broncos’ games in Weeks 15-16 will be announced four weeks prior to the game. They will host Buffalo on Dec. 19 or 20 and play at the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 26 or 27.

The preseason: The Broncos announced their opponents for the preseason — vs. San Francisco (Aug. 13-16), vs. Chicago (Aug. 20-23), at the Los Angeles Rams (Aug. 27-30) and at Arizona (Sept. 3). The kickoff time and day for the first three preseason games will be announced at a later date.