Denver struggles as Drew Lock returns home to K.C.

Drew Lock returned to Missouri to play in his first professional football game, but things didn’t go right for the rookie or his team.

Drew Lock stepped onto the football field at Arrowhead Stadium for the first time as a professional athlete on Sunday. He left with a loss against his hometown team.

Lock, playing in Kansas City for the first time with his rival Denver Broncos, was beaten 23-3 in a snowstorm for his first pro loss. Lock had guided the Broncos to two-straight wins since he was activated from injured reserve two weeks ago, and the team was looking for a way to get to .500 before the year ended. But a bad offensive day in a blizzard ended any hope of an 8-8 record for the 2019 season.

Denver now will have a losing record for a third straight year and will miss the playoffs for a fourth straight time. With hopes of going back to the playoffs next season, the Broncos look to put their faith in the former Missouri quarterback. He hasn’t disappointed so far, but Sunday was the first time he struggled mightily since taking over as the starter. Lock said Sunday they got their butts kicked, but they can bounce back.

"“It’s disappointing, but it didn’t have anything to do with coming home,” Lock said. “I’d be disappointed anywhere in the country if I played like this. When you come out of a loss, you’re never going to be excited. Disappointed will always be your reaction. It is what is after a loss like that.”"

But All-Pro pass rusher Von Miller said he still believes Lock is the guy who can lead this team back to the postseason, and blamed Sunday’s loss on anything but the second-round pick.

Lock didn’t have much time to throw, and finished the game with 18 completions for 208 yards and an interception. He was sacked twice.

Early in the game, Lock floated a nice pass to fellow rookie Noah Fant to convert a fourth-and-short, but that was about it for the Broncos offense. Still, Lock did enough to impress Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu.

"“He may not have had the game that he wanted, coming back home, but he’s going to be a good quarterback in this league,” Mathieu said. “I could tell, looking into his eyes, he can throw the football. He believes in his arm. Obviously, they have got to get guys around him, but going forward competing against him is going to be fun because he likes to throw the ball.”"

Meanwhile, the Chiefs cruised in their home stadium for a ninth straight win over Denver. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs offense with 340 yards passing and two touchdowns. The third-year pro defeated Lock for the first time, but if everything goes right for Denver heading forward, the two will square off plenty more times down the road.

Sunday’s game was the second time Lock played at Arrowhead. He led Missouri to a 20-16 victory over BYU there in 2015, his freshman season.