Scangarello: Lock's ‘Excellent, Innate Pocket Feel’ has Helped Broncos' O-Line
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
With a quintessential pocket statute under center — like Joe Flacco — the Denver Broncos offensive line had the look of a beleaguered unit. The tackles, in particular, appeared to be turnstiles in the first half of the season with Flacco's oblivious awareness in the pocket and lead feet.
The significantly more mobile Brandon Allen helped the big uglies up front but even he was missing a crucial component.
Pocket feel.
Call it even 'pocket presence'. Drew Lock has shown through two starts that whatever 'it' is, he's got it in spades. Heck, let offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello explain it.
“Yeah, I would say that without question Drew has shown that he has excellent pocket feel," Scangarello said on Thursday. "That innate feel to move in there has made it easier on the O-line."
With Lock under center, the Broncos O-line has given up just one sack. It came in the second half vs. the Houston Texans last week, as right tackle Elijah Wilkinson's lumbering footwork was too slow to beat a speed rush off the edge.
'Pocket feel' is more than just sensing pressure and the subtle moves of the QB to evade pressure. Defenses can't sell out quite as one-dimensionally if a signal-caller has that sixth sense in the pocket.
"As you go through this process, different quarterbacks you get different styles and the defenses are going to attack you in different ways," Scangarello said. "When you're not a mobile quarterback, they just jam you, man you, rush four and close the pocket in, it's hard if you're not taking off and running. When you can do that, it plays to your advantage if they do that because you can improvise and make big plays. I think that's one of Drew's assets as well. He's been using that, and he's done a good job so far of doing that.”
Lock has shown a surprising propensity for sensing pressure and evading it just long enough to find the open man and make a big play downfield with his arm. Lock's 29-yard strike to TE/FB Andrew Beck in the first half vs. Houston was a great example of the young QB sensing the pressure but evading it just long enough for his intended target to break through the first and second window, where the throw could come in on time and on target.
Lock also showed on that play his unique ability to throw with velocity and accuracy from odd arm angles and an imperfect platform. It's not something that can be taught.
“Honestly, that's why Drew was such a highly regarded player in college," Scangarello said. "He could throw from different arm angles and different platforms.”
The Broncos are onto something with Lock. Scangarello finally has a dynamic quarterback to operate his offense and thus far, the results have been impressive.
Denver beat the pants off the Texans in Week 14, in their own house. If the Broncos are going to follow suit this week vs. the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead, it'll take another aggressive and inspired game-plan by Scangarello and performance by Lock.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
