It’s possible that it just doesn’t matter who the Broncos play at quarterback.
After winning a Super Bowl with a smart-but-old Peyton Manning and their first three games with untested seventh-rounder Trevor Siemian, the Broncos were able to win their fourth game of the season with Paxton Lynch in relief.
Lynch came on in the second quarter when Siemian was thrown down on his left (non-throwing) shoulder and led the Broncos to a 27-7 win on the road.
The first-rounder was 14-of-24 passing for 170 yards and a touchdown. But it was a fairly conservative game plan once he came in, and the Broncos had given him enough of a lead that it wasn’t a panic.
The Broncos forced the Buccaneers into three turnovers, with Jameis Winston throwing a pair of interceptions. They also held Tampa Bay (1-3) to just 215 yards.
The Bucs also left the game banged up, with star defensive tackle Gerald McCoy leaving the game with a calf injury and not returning. And after their second straight home game interrupted by a lengthy lightning delay, there’s a decided lack of energy about a team that had high hopes this offseason.