Have the Broncos found their quarterback of the future?

Is Drew Lock the real deal? Does he provide a long-term answer at the most-important position in sports? Have the Broncos finally found their quarterback of the future?

In some form, this is the main topic of debate today in Denver. It’s the question that everyone is asking, in one way or another, after the rookie led the Broncos to an impressive 38-24 win on the road against the Texans.

The optimists will be all in on Lock, ready to buy their No. 3 jersey and carve out a spot on the façade at Empower Field for his name to one day be enshrined in the Ring of Fame. The pessimists will rain on the parade, reminding everyone in Broncos Country that a quarterback getting off to a hot start is nothing new.

So which group is correct? Well, let’s take a look at the evidence.

In terms of statistics, Lock was fantastic at Houston. The rookie completed 22-of-27 passes, for 309 yards and three touchdowns, while only tossing one interception. He also led a Denver offense that has been anemic for the better part of four years to 31 points (the Broncos defense scored the other seven), which feels like uncharted territory.

But it wasn’t simply the lack of production from QBs of the past that made Lock’s numbers look so good. They were great by any measure. In the game, Lock became the first rookie in the Super Bowl era to throw for 300-plus yards and at least three touchdowns in his road debut; considering all of the great passers that the NFL has seen in the past 50-plus years, that’s a staggering accomplishment.

How Lock amassed those numbers was also impressive. It wasn’t just a bunch of dink-and-dunk throws. The quarterback threw the ball down the field and spread it around to wide receiver, tight ends and running backs.

On the day, 10 different Broncos caught a pass. Fellow rookie Noah Fant led the way with four catches for 113 yards, as well as a touchdown. Lock also knew that he needed to find his best receiver, as well. The quarterback targeted Courtland Sutton seven times in the game, a sign that he knows it’s about getting his big-play threat as many chances as possible and he’s not afraid to throw outside the numbers.

A lot of Lock’s completions came on third down, which also helped the Broncos offense immensely. Prior to the rookie taking over at quarterback, Denver was converting just 29 percent of their third-down opportunities, the third-worst rate in the NFL. Since he was inserted in the lineup, that’s spiked to 52 percent.

That’s not a coincidence. Lock started the game 5-for-5 on the third down, keeping the chains moving and drives alive, something the Broncos had struggled to do during the first 11 games of the season. And they weren’t all easy throws.

On Denver’s opening drive, they faced a third-and-12 at the Texans’ 14-yard line. A field goal seemed imminent, after a penalty on Garett Bolles wiped a touchdown pass from Lock to Phillip Lindsay off the scoreboard. But the rookie didn’t settle. Instead, he fired a strike to Fant in the middle of the end zone to put the Broncos up 7-0.

The next time Denver had the ball, their drive appeared ready to stall when they faced a third-and-nine at their own 21-yard line. But again, Lock didn’t take the path of least resistance. This time, he fired a strike to Tim Patrick on the outside, which the wideout caught and turned into a 37-yard gain. Five plays later, Lock hit Jeff Heuerman for an eight-yard touchdown and the Broncos were ahead 14-0.

There’s no way of knowing for sure what would’ve happened in those situations with Joe Flacco or Brandon Allen at quarterback. But based on the statistics, it’s likely they’d have settled for three on the first drive and punted on the second; that’s a difference of 11 points simply because Denver had a playmaker behind center.

That’s the first thing that separates Lock from his predecessors. His ability to make things happen, and his confidence that he’ll be able to do so, is a breath of fresh air.

His teammates certainly see the difference. To a man, they were raving about Lock’s performance.

“For me as an offensive lineman, I love a guy that can throw the ball,” Dalton Risner said in after the game. “But what I love more is a guy that’s confident, a guy that can move in the pocket and make plays when the pocket breaks down.”

That trait makes all the difference in the world. Lock’s ability to buy time, and then zip a pass into tight coverage for a completion, is what has sparked Denver’s offense. It turns third-and-nine into first-and-10. It keeps Brandon McManus and Colby Wadman on the sidelines. And it inspires teammates, which might be the biggest reason to be excited about Lock’s early returns.

It’s impossible to measure the so-called “it” factor that so often is talked about in sports. There’s no way to quantify it through numbers. It’s an intangible. It’s a nebulous variable. It’s a know-it-when-you-see-it swagger.

When it’s there, it’s impossible to miss. And it’s clearly present with Lock.

The way he lifts his teammates is plainly visible. The Broncos are playing a more inspired brand of football the past two weeks, on both sides of the ball. They look like a team that knows they have a chance to win. They’re playing like a group that suddenly has hope again.

Is this all because of Lock? Perhaps not, but he’s the one big change that has been made, so it’s impossible not to give him a lot of the credit.

Will it all last? Maybe not. After all, Trevor Siemian put up some big numbers, Brock Osweiler won some big games and Paxton Lynch had all the physical tools necessary to be a great quarterback.

But none of them had what Lock has; this time, something seems different. Unlike the other six quarterbacks who have tried to fill the gigantic shoes left empty when Peyton Manning retired after Super Bowl 50, Lock has won over his teammates no because of stats or wins or his big arm; he’s become popular in the locker room because of the way he plays the game.

That didn’t happen with Siemian, Lynch, Osweiler, Case Keenum, Joe Flacco or Brandon Allen. And it speaks volumes.

Players know. They see it on the field, in the huddle, on the sidelines and in the locker room. They can tell the difference between a guy with star potential and a journeyman.

So which group is right when it comes to Drew Lock, the optimists or the pessimists? The Broncos best player certainly knows how he’d answer that question.

“Incredible,” Von Miller answered when asked to describe the rookie’s performance against the Texans. “That’s a (bleeping) rock star.”

It’s been a long time since Denver’s been able to say that about their quarterback. If it’s true, the franchise is in good hands for the next decade.

Follow @jamesmerilatt