Trevor Siemian's Development Making Denver Broncos AFC Front-Runner Yet Again

Paxton Lynch can wait. The Denver Broncos are Trevor Siemian's team until he proves incapable of leading the way.

Based on his play through three games, the Broncos can capture another AFC West crown and should remain in the Super Bowl conversation. Siemian proved he can perform at a high level in any situation with a four-touchdown performance Sunday against the reigning AFC North division champions, the Cincinnati Bengals, at Paul Brown Stadium. 

Despite a 2-0 start with victories over the Carolina Panthers and the Indianapolis Colts, questions lingered about Denver's starting quarterback. 

How will Siemian play once he faces adversity during a road game? Can he take over the offense if the run game sputters? 

The 2015 seventh-round pick answered both by accomplishing something never previously seen at the NFL level, per the team's official Twitter account: 

The historic performance wasn't without its faults. The first-year starter didn't make great decisions in every instance. And he should not be expected to do so. Ultimately, those poor throws will turn into learning experiences. 

Siemian's early success is defined by his poise and mental approach.

Mistakes happen. The former Academic All-Big Ten performer doesn't allow poor plays to rattle him, though. Head coach Gary Kubiak complimented his quarterback after the 29-17 victory, per Fox Sports 1360's Chick Ludwig: 

"

"He's very composed. That's a strength of his." — Kubiak on Siemian

— Chick Ludwig (@ChickLudwig) September 25, 2016"

A calm demeanor reverberates throughout a huddle. 

Cincinnati took a 17-16 lead at the start of the fourth quarter. Siemian's performance from that point forward was nothing short of sensational. 

After the Bengals held the ball for eight minutes, 18 seconds to round out the third quarter and start the final frame, Denver's quarterback completed nine of 10 passes, including touchdown tosses to tight end John Phillips and wide receiver Demaryius Thomas.

"On that drive, he was amazing," guard Michael Schofield said of the fourth-quarter series leading to the Phillips score, per Troy E. Renck of ABC Denver7. "All the credit goes to Trevor. He's seeing things and making plays."

Siemien's connection with Thomas proved to be particularly beautiful, due to the situation and caliber of throw. On 3rd-and-11, the signal-caller dropped the ball into the bucket as the Pro Bowl receiver raced for a 55-yard touchdown. 

In professional sports, perfection is rarely obtained. Siemian achieved perfection with his fourth-quarter play, according to Andrew Mason of the Broncos' official site: 

"

Trevor Siemian's fourth-quarter QB rating today: a perfect 158.3.

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) September 25, 2016"

With each passing week, Siemian gains confidence in his ability to play at the NFL level. More importantly, his teammates' confidence in him continues to grow. 

Those men who share the huddle with the young quarterback understand his approach and how he handles himself on a down-by-down basis. What they see is a true professional. 

Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who caught nine passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns Sunday, discussed his quarterback with the Denver Post's Nicki Jhabvala: 

The team's belief in Siemian is real, and it spells trouble for the rest of the league. 

"I was with Russell Wilson when he came into the league," left tackle Russell Okung said, per Renck. "Trevor has those same qualities. Tremendous poise, tremendous confidence like he's been there before. He wasn't wide-eyed. He's a finisher."

Safety T.J. Ward added the Broncos "offense has the potential to be great, not good, but great," per CBS Denver.

Meanwhile, the AFC is littered with question marks. 

The New England Patriots might be down to their fourth quarterback if rookie Jacoby Brissett can't respond and play with a torn thumb ligament in his throwing hand. Tom Brady is scheduled to return in two weeks, but no one knows exactly how the team will look upon his return. After a 3-0 start, New England remains a top contender yet needs time to jell as a unit and heal from numerous injuries. 

Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers looked fantastic through two weeks but ran into a buzz saw named Carson Wentz in Week 3. Despite Pittsburgh's ability to score with a Hall of Fame quarterback leading the way, obvious concerns remain along the team's running game, weapons beyond Antonio Brown and a young secondary. 

The Baltimore Ravens also started 3-0, yet they've faced the league's weakest schedule. The Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars are a combined 1-8 overall. 

Quarterback Brock Osweiler hasn't turned into a franchise savior for the Houston Texans. The Oakland Raiders defense surrendered 1,428 yards in three weeks. And the New York Jets offense hasn't hit its stride. 

Of course, Siemian still has room for improvement, too. He doesn't get rattled, but his play experiences a precipitous drop when faced with pressure, according to Pro Football Focus: 

An injury to Okung could have compounded this issue, but the seventh-year veteran returned to Sunday's contest after experiencing back pain.

Otherwise, the Broncos are relatively healthy with an opportunity to improve during another road trip next weekend against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

"We grew up as an offense today," running back C.J. Anderson said, per Renck. "We showed versatility and balance. It was like Madden. You have eight and nine in the box with no one over the top, we are going to push the ball up and go get you with Trevor." 

Any team that believes in its quarterback like the Broncos currently do is difficult to beat—whether it's Siemian, Lynch or Peyton Manning taking snaps. In this case, Siemian earned said respect, and the rest of the AFC can't view the reigning Super Bowl champions as a lesser team because he's behind center. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @brentsobleski.