It looks like Patriots will face one of Broncos’ best on Sunday
98.5 The Sports Hub staff report
The New England Patriots aren’t the only team expected to get their starting quarterback back this weekend.
With word that Cam Newton (and Stephon Gilmore) will be back with the Patriots tomorrow, the Denver Broncos countered with quarterback Drew Lock suiting up as a full participant in Wednesday’s practice.
Barring a setback, this would obviously set Lock, who has been out of action since suffering a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder in Denver’s Week 2 loss to the Steelers, up to start in Sunday’s forever-shuffled-about meeting with the Patriots.
“[Lock] got a bunch of reps today, and we’ll take a look at it,” Broncos coach Vic Fangio said after Wednesday’s session. “We’ll take a look at the video and it’ll be a decision we evaluate throughout the week.”
With Lock out, the Broncos have turned to Jeff Driskel and Brett Rypien. The 24-year-old Rypien went for 242 yards with two touchdowns (and three interceptions) in the Broncos’ Week 4 victory over the New York Jets. Driskel, meanwhile, has thrown for 432 yards with three scores, and added 28 rushing yards on six carries, in his three games to date.
Lock, on the other hand, went 22-for-33 with 216 yards and a touchdown in Denver’s Week 1 loss to the Broncos. He’s certainly the most accomplished of the group of three, too, with 1,020 yards and seven touchdowns in five games in 2019.
Still, Fangio isn’t tipping his hand when it comes to Sunday.
“It’s a medical decision,” said Fangio. “No. 1. Once [Lock]’s cleared there, then it’s my conversations with Drew that play a big part into it. And then you make your comparison to where Drew’s at compared to where Brett’s at.”
That said, the Broncos may be without a No. 1 on offense when they come to Foxborough, as running back Melvin Gordon III missed Wednesday’s practice for non-football related reasons.
The 27-year-old Gordon was cited for a DUI, and driving twice the speed limit, in Denver late Tuesday night.
The Patriots and Broncos will kick things off at 1 p.m. this Sunday.
Click here for 98.5 The Sports Hub’s complete coverage of the Patriots.
