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King: Siemian needs to play 10 percent better for Broncos to win

Nov 23, 2016, 6:10 AM | Updated: 6:11 am

The Denver Broncos head back from the bye week at 7-3, readying for a divisional matchup Sunday night against the also 7-3 Kansas City Chiefs and in the thick of a playoff battle atop the AFC West.

And quarterback Trevor Siemian returned Monday as the team’s starting quarterback — with a 7-2 record — a situation in which many if not most did not anticipate heading into the 2016 campaign.

A second-year player having not thrown an NFL regular season pass until this year, Siemian’s earned the praise of many, including “Monday Morning Quarterback” writer Peter King.

On with Sports Radio 104.3 The Fan’s “Schlereth and Evans” on Tuesday, King said:

“I think, overall, the Broncos have gotten incredible play out of Trevor Siemian. I mean, who would have thought that Trevor Siemian would have been a competent quarterback for 10 games? I think it’s remarkable what he has given them to this point.”

However, King echoed the words of Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak last week, saying that Denver cannot afford Siemian to plateau and need a guy at quarterback who can make plays.

“In my opinion, I think they’re going to be good enough on defense down the stretch, and I think Siemian’s got to be 10 percent better if this team is going to go far in January,” King said.

Kubiak said last week, ahead of the team’s break away from headquarters, that he would rate Siemian like much of the rest of his team: “have to get better.”

“I want to see him continue to lead better and better with this football team. I want to see his play become more consistent. One thing that he had done early in this season, he protected the ball better and he hasn’t protected it the last three weeks so that’s a concern,” Kubiak said.

“We’re addressing those things as we speak so he knows that. He has to continue to play big for this team, not OK. We need him to play big.”

Siemian grades out as the 31st quarterback in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus, and he ranks among the lower half of quarterbacks in most passing categories.

However, the young gunslinger appears to have the support of his locker room, having been voted a team captain for the remainder of the season earlier this month.

Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.

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