Broncos return to Lock with Bridgewater out

The Associated Press ·
DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 19: Denver Broncos quarterback Drew Lock (3) warms up before coming into the game after an injury to quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) (not pictured) during a game between the Denver Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High on December 19, 2021 in Denver, Colorado.
Icon Sportswire / Getty

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Drew Lock is preparing for his first start of 2021 for the Denver Broncos on Sunday in Las Vegas after coach Vic Fangio ruled out starter Teddy Bridgewater, who suffered a concussion last weekend.

“I woke up with a big smile on my face,” Lock said Wednesday before taking almost all the snaps at practice for the first time in nearly a year.

Bridgewater was knocked unconscious while scrambling in the third quarter of Denver's 15-10 loss to the Bengals on Sunday. He was carted off the field after suffering his second concussion of the season and transported via ambulance to a hospital, where he was kept overnight.

Lock finished up, throwing a touchdown pass but also turning the ball over on a goal-to-go situation for the second time this season when defensive end Khalid Kareem wrested the ball away from him on a second-and-goal read option play at the 9.

Lock led the NFL with 18 turnovers last season, including 15 interceptions, to go with 16 touchdown passes.

He's played in three games this season, all in relief of Bridgewater, who beat him out during training camp. Lock has completed 22 of 40 passes for 227 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions and he's been sacked five times in those games.

Both the Broncos and Raiders are 7-7 and likely have to win out to have a shot at the playoffs.

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Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter at https://twitter.com/arniestapleton and his work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/arniestapleton

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More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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