In a season that has already been a difficult one in terms of injuries for the Denver Broncos, quarterback Drew Lock‘s name was added to the list Sunday.
Lock left the game with a right (throwing) shoulder injury with just under eight minutes remaining in the first quarter. Lock was sacked by Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree and fumbled on the play as he landed awkwardly on his right shoulder and arm.
Lock’s right shoulder was sagging slightly as he walked to the sideline and was taken into the medical tent on the Broncos sideline. He stayed in the tent throughout the next Steelers possession, but was then taken to the locker room as Jeff Driskel took over behind center.
Lock is just the latest of the Broncos’ front-line players to be injured as linebacker Von Miller (ankle) and cornerback A.J. Bouye (shoulder) are on injured reserve while running back Phillip Lindsay (toe) was inactive for Sunday’s game and is expected to missed another two to three weeks.
The Steelers had made their intentions known early in Sunday’s game with plenty of pressure packages against Lock early. Lock hit his first pass attempt of the game — a 20-yard completion to Courtland Sutton — but missed his next four attempts.
On the sack the Broncos weren’t able to slow down either Dupree or T.J. Watt. Watt tripped Lock up in the pocket, forcing him to scramble as Dupree, who had arrived unblocked, closed and put the hit on Lock.