Mile High Monday: Drew Lock could be back in the lineup by Sunday

Every team in the NFL gets a bye week. In 2020, that bye week can happen at any time due to COVID-19 and the outbreak we are seeing amongst a couple of teams in the NFL.

While the Broncos were supposed to have their bye in Week 8, they instead got their bye this week – even though they’ve been preparing and practicing all week long. It’s unfair for the Broncos to be punished for the Patriots positive tests, but that’s the way things go this year. Instead of complaining about it on social networking, the Broncos just need to get a work and get another win. Beating the Jets is one thing, and beating the Patriots is something entirely different.

I like when the NFL gets to this time of year. The good teams begin to separate themselves early, and there are plenty of teams dealing with adversity – some greater than what the Broncos have and are dealing with.

I also like contemplating life and sports when driving around with the top down on my old Jeep TJ! The following is a result of those trips during the week.

Buckle up, let’s take a ride through my thoughts.

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Silver Lining to Postponement

The Broncos were originally supposed to play the Patriots on Sunday in Week 5. Now, the game has been delayed one week. Hopefully, the team can play the game in Week 6. And hopefully, they’ll do so with the return of quarterback Drew Lock.

He’s been out of action since getting injured against the Steelers earlier this year. Lock injured his throwing shoulder and has been working his way back since then.

When #DENvsNE gets postponed vs. realizing Drew Lock has another week to get healthy pic.twitter.com/a6duUZKN0f

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) October 11, 2020

Missing out on the Broncos this week is not ideal, but there is a silver lining to the game being postponed until next week. The Broncos have a better chance of beating the Patriots if Lock is in the lineup. We should know by Wednesday whether or not Lock is going to play in Week 6.

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Second-Round Superstar WR

The Steelers know how to find wide receiver talent from the college football ranks. Gone are the days when they would draft receivers with a premium pick (Troy Edwards, Limus Sweed) only to see them bust in the NFL. For at least the last 10 years, the Steelers know how to find “hits” at the position with their early picks.

It looks like they’ve found another great one in 2020 second-round pick Chase Claypool. While some felt Claypool was a “one-trick pony” because he was just a big slot receiver, the Steelers felt he could be more. Against the Eagles on Sunday, Claypool had a four-touchdown performance and finished the game with seven catches for 110 yards.

CHASE CLAYPOOL NOW HAS 4 TDS 😳

10 touches
116 total yards

(via @steelers)pic.twitter.com/z5GF7xd3Fo

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 11, 2020

We’ll see if the Broncos 2020 second-round pick K.J. Hamler can get healthy and start to show why the team chose him that early. In fact, the Broncos selected Hamler with the No. 46 overall pick, while the Steelers added Claypool with the No. 49 overall pick.

While Claypool looks like a star with incredible potential, Hamler can barely see the field. In two games, Hamler has just six catches for 78 yards. Claypool looks like he could be the team’s No. 1 receiver when JuJu Smith-Schuster leaves (most likely) this offseason. Hamler can’t yet get on the field. That needs to change or else passing on Claypool is going to look really bad for the Broncos as he looks really good for the Steelers.

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Personality Wins

There is an old saying in football that goes, “A team will take on the personality of their head coach or their quarterback.” If you look around the NFL, the best teams have the best personalities at head coach or quarterback – and in some cases both.

The Panthers look like they’ve found a good, young head coach in Matt Rhule. He was a college coach at Temple and Baylor before making the jump to the National Football League. They started the 2020 season 0-2, but have now won three in a row. The Panthers lost superstar running back Christian McCaffrey to injury earlier this year, but they are on a winning streak without him. That’s the sign of a well-coached team.

The Panthers are so fortunate to have Matt Rhule. Heck of a coach! I love his leadership, passion, intelligence & toughness. His team has taken on his identity.

— Daniel Jeremiah (@MoveTheSticks) October 11, 2020

So, which personality do the Broncos have? Broncos head coach Vic Fangio is a football junkie and he’s one of the most well-respected defensive minds in the league. However, he’s not exactly known for his personality. Lock has a ton of personality, but he has yet to stay healthy consistently in two pro seasons, so his ego has yet to rub off on his teammates fully.

Lock is exactly the type of quarterback that players can follow. The kid needs to stay healthy and continue to show off that personality that makes him a fan favorite. Oh yeah – Lock also needs to play well in order for teammates to really buy into his charisma.

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Season 2 Finale

One of my favorite TV shows is “The Boys” on Amazon. It’s based on the comic book “The Boys,” although it is not 100 percent faithful to the source material. The show debuted last year and it got off to a good start. It wasn’t a hot show, but comic book fans such as myself really enjoyed what they did.

In season two of “The Boys,” things went to another level. They wrapped up season two on Friday with a season finale chock full of twist and turns. The entire season was fantastic, but the finale was almost true television perfection. Not only do I think so, but the viewership of “The Boys” has skyrocketed this year and it’s the most popular streaming show in 2020.

#TheBoys Season 2 was bloody brilliant.

There’s no other way to describe it. The finale is a home run. It’s wild and pays off every storyline so well, even if some of them are pretty crushing. Such a smart, ruthless, funny, awesome show. pic.twitter.com/UlOHXfafcI

— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) October 10, 2020

Now that “The Boys” is wrapped up, I’m going to watch another Amazon show called “Utopia.” All my nerdy comic book friends have recommended it highly and I can’t wait to get a chance to see what it’s all about.

What’s the next show you’re going to be watching regularly? Hit me up on social media and let me know.

Follow @CecilLammey