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Report: Drew Lock Likely to Start for Broncos vs. Raiders with Bridgewater Injured
December 20, 2021
Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock will reportedly make his first start of the season on Sunday.
Per NFL Network's James Palmer, Lock is expected to start against the Las Vegas Raiders with Teddy Bridgewater in concussion protocol.
Bridgewater was carted off the field in the third quarter of Sunday's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals with a head injury.
The Broncos announced Bridgewater had movement in all of his extremities and was being taken to the hospital as a precaution. He stayed in the hospital overnight before being released on Monday and placed into concussion protocol.
Lock took over at quarterback for the rest of the game. He finished 6-of-12 for 88 yards and one touchdown in a 15-10 defeat.
Bridgewater has had a solid season in his first year with the Broncos. The former Pro Bowler is completing 66.9 percent of his attempts for 3,052 yards and 18 touchdowns in 14 starts.
Denver selected Lock with the No. 42 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. The 25-year-old started 18 games over the previous two seasons. He threw for 2,933 yards, 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions over 13 starts in 2020.
The Broncos are part of a jumbled mess in the AFC playoff race. Their 7-7 record ranks 12th in the conference standings, but they are only one game behind the Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers and Buffalo Bills in the three wild-card spots.
Denver wraps up the regular season with three straight games against AFC West opponents, starting with the Raiders this week. It will play the Chargers on Jan. 2 and Kansas City Chiefs on Jan. 9.