Dark Horse MVP Candidates

[CanDB]

https://www.nfl.com/news/dark-horse-nfl-mvp-candidates-in-2020-josh-allen-tops-the-list

Per NFL.com Contributing Columnist, Adam Schein

#8 - Drew Lock

Insane? Or light years ahead of the curve?

Lock played well down the stretch last year, going 4-1 in five December starts with a 7:3 TD-to-INT ratio. Remember when the rookie outdueled Deshaun Watson in a 38-24 win at Houston? Yep, that happened, with Lock completing 22 of his 27 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns (against one pick).

And John Elway has provided his second-year quarterback with a bunch of new toys this offseason. After adding RB Melvin Gordon in free agency, the Broncos GM stole WR Jerry Jeudy at No. 15 and then astutely plucked speed merchant KJ Hamler in Round 2. In the middle rounds, Denver grabbed a plug-and-play center (Lloyd Cushenberry) and Lock's old college tight end (Albert Okwuegbunam) As an organization, this is what you do when you have a young quarterback you believe in: You fully support him.

Every time Lock speaks, I come away impressed. I think the former second-rounder could enjoy a fantastic sophomore campaign. And I can't wait to watch this offense work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dark horse? Yes. Insane? Maybe a little. But do I like the description.....MOST DEFINITELY!!:thumb:

[Freyaka]

I think MVP is a longshot, but Lock's gonna have a really good year this year and for sure gonna turn a lot of heads. I'm excited for 2020. (first time I've said that so far this year....)

[GiddyupGetEm]

Quick reminder of the nearly identical stats through first five starts: Trevor Siemian versus Drew Lock

Record: 4-1. 4-1
Comp/Att. 98/151. 100/156
TDs. 7 7
INTs. 3. 3
Yards. 1054. 1020

[johnlimburg]

Flashbacks to Mitch Trubisky topping a similar list a year ago. I think we know who the candidates for MVP will be and none of them will come from this list. Cool to see some excitement surrounding Lock though. It worries me that expectations are being built around him however, and I worry he will be unfairly criticised when he undoubtedly falls short of some peoples lofty expectations this season. He is essentially a rookie, I expect some good, I also expect plenty of bad, and I am fine with that, I just hope others will be as well.

Also yes, Siemian statistically compared to Locks production through their first 5 games, I would say Siemian even looked a little bit better to the eye. But Siemian was physically limited and despite playing smart early on like Lock did as well, Lock has the ceiling to warrant more excitement in my opinion. I also think you could highlight great quarterbacks who Lock out performed statistically in his first 5 starts, so what ? The argument using either angle is silly and meaningless, in my opinion.

[mozzerpete]

Quick reminder of the nearly identical stats through first five starts: Trevor Siemian versus Drew Lock

Record: 4-1. 4-1
Comp/Att. 98/151. 100/156
TDs. 7 7
INTs. 3. 3
Yards. 1054. 1020

Why do you hate life?

[skeeter01]

Quick reminder of the nearly identical stats through first five starts: Trevor Siemian versus Drew Lock

Record: 4-1. 4-1
Comp/Att. 98/151. 100/156
TDs. 7 7
INTs. 3. 3
Yards. 1054. 1020

Don't rain on my parade. I so much thought Siemian was going to be the long term answer after that Dallas game......then we played the Bills and I was at the bar with all my Bills friends .................seeing as I'm from Rochester....and yes I was trash talking..............until I wasn't................ I don't think Siemian was ever the same after that game.

[Papa-pwn]

Love it. Glad the national media is coming around to my point of view on this one. Good thing I already got in on some action before they had a chance to mess with the odds

[johnlimburg]

Love it. Glad the national media is coming around to my point of view on this one. Good thing I already got in on some action before they had a chance to mess with the odds

You put money on Lock to be the MVP ?

[Kyousukeneko]

Didn't I say lock would win mvp and the broncos would lose in the afccg

[WYBRONCO]

I am very, very, excited to see Drew Lock in his second season. I would be thrilled with Lock starting all 16 games and a 10 win season. KC actually had a crummy schedule that first year Mahomes was the starter. Denver has a fairly difficult schedule, unless some previously good teams decline a lot this season.

Elway should get GM of the decade if Drew Lock finishes top 5 in MVP voting this year.

[CanDB]

Quick reminder of the nearly identical stats through first five starts: Trevor Siemian versus Drew Lock

Record: 4-1. 4-1
Comp/Att. 98/151. 100/156
TDs. 7 7
INTs. 3. 3
Yards. 1054. 1020

Are you saying that TS was a shoe in for MVP?

[CanDB]

I am very, very, excited to see Drew Lock in his second season. I would be thrilled with Lock starting all 16 games and a 10 win season. KC actually had a crummy schedule that first year Mahomes was the starter. Denver has a fairly difficult schedule, unless some previously good teams decline a lot this season.

Elway should get GM of the decade if Drew Lock finishes top 5 in MVP voting this year.

If Lock is that successful, Elway will be too...as will we all!!

If Elway gets a 2nd SB win, or even makes it to the show, he has to be recognized as the best player/GM to ever be involved with the game!! Maybe he's already there!! Who else??

(maybe a quick discussion as I am now derailing my own thread....:nono

[beastlyskronk]

With the weapons around him and the coaching staff he has as well as the mentor ship available to him, the sky is the limit for him. Maybe not this season, I think the virtual offseason probably hurts him more than most because not only is he not getting live reps with the new playbook but he can’t get that timing down with the new weapons. I actually really like the Albert O pick because of that and expect to see more 2 TE looks early on as Lock irons out the timing with Jeudy, Hamler, and Gordon to an extent.

[Spice 1]

Flashbacks to Mitch Trubisky topping a similar list a year ago. I think we know who the candidates for MVP will be and none of them will come from this list. Cool to see some excitement surrounding Lock though. It worries me that expectations are being built around him however, and I worry he will be unfairly criticised when he undoubtedly falls short of some peoples lofty expectations this season. He is essentially a rookie, I expect some good, I also expect plenty of bad, and I am fine with that, I just hope others will be as well.

Also yes, Siemian statistically compared to Locks production through their first 5 games, I would say Siemian even looked a little bit better to the eye. But Siemian was physically limited and despite playing smart early on like Lock did as well, Lock has the ceiling to warrant more excitement in my opinion. I also think you could highlight great quarterbacks who Lock out performed statistically in his first 5 starts, so what ? The argument using either angle is silly and meaningless, in my opinion.

From my perspective though, I never believed in Trubisky. I thought he had a chance to be good coming out of college, and I didn't fault the Bears for taking him, but his NFL game never developed processing wise. I actually blame Nagy to a degree for that, because Nagy spoon fed him a lot to where it looked like time and again, they were scheming plays for certain players. And, time and again, Trubisky relied on his legs if it wasn't there. It's a compliment to Nagy, but also because of the fact they got away with it for as long as they did, Trubisky never seemed to develop into a good pocket quarterback. I actually posed this question to a Bears fan in here last year, "Would you rather have Trubisky or Flacco?" And, IMO, it was a legitimate 50/50 proposition then. Trubisky's mobility might've been the difference maker, but that's all really.

I don't feel that way about Lock. Totally agree with what you said about Siemian. He was always limited. Teams are going to start finding ways to attack Lock's tendencies, and where he and Siemian differ, is he still has the talent to make plays. Hopefully, he's on the fast track at picking up the nuances. Mahomes said in an interview that it wasn't until last year that the game started slowing down for him, and he started seeing things more clearly. That talk alone makes you realize how good Reid and the players around Mahomes are. Mahomes has all the talent you could ask for in a quarterback, but you have to give equal credit to Reid and co. for that 50TD season. I think John has done a pretty good job of trying to replicate that.

[lvbronx]

Quick reminder of the nearly identical stats through first five starts: Trevor Siemian versus Drew Lock

Record: 4-1. 4-1
Comp/Att. 98/151. 100/156
TDs. 7 7
INTs. 3. 3
Yards. 1054. 1020

Trevor didn't play his rookie year. His first 5 starts were all in his second year.

But it isn't just stats I look at in this situation. The main thing with Lock I see is how the team improved with him compared to before he played. Tervor took over a Super Bowl team. We saw a major improvement in our team offense with Lock came in last season.