Entering the 2017 NFL season, the biggest question in Denver was who’s going to be the Broncos starting quarterback.
Trevor Siemian won for the second straight year and after Week 2, he’s led the Broncos to a 2-0 start.
But how would Paxton Lynch or Brock Osweiler have done if they had won the starting job? Or Chad Kelly, for that matter?
Here’s a look at how the Broncos quarterbacks fared in Madden NFL 18 simulations:
Trevor Siemian
Team record: 10-6 with wild-card berth
Stat line: Passing — 362 of 575 (63.0 percent), 4,269 yards, 32 TDs, 12 INT, 95.3 QB rating. Rushing — 69 carries, 207 yards, 4 TDs.
The highest-rated quarterback (77) on Denver’s roster, Siemian finished with the best numbers of the four QBs. The second-year starter found a balance in the passing attack with his top four receivers — Emmanuel Sanders (91 catches, 898 yards receiving, 11 TDs), Demaryius Thomas (75-897-11), Bennie Fowler (74-965-6) and Virgil Green (64-798-6).
Siemian was also twice named the AFC offensive player of the week, including a six-touchdown romp over the Colts in a Thursday night Week 15 game.
In the playoffs, the Broncos drew the defending Super Bowl champion New England in the wild-card game. Denver pulled out a 40-32 victory.
In the second round, the Broncos faced division rival Kansas City. Denver’s defense stymied the Chiefs’ offense for a 19-3 win.
In the AFC championship game, Denver lost a heartbreaking 36-33 game to the Steelers.
And, in case you were wondering, the Seahawks beat Pittsburgh 30-23 in Super Bowl 52.
Brock Osweiler
Team record: 3-13
Stat line: Passing — 320 of 567 (56.4 percent), 3,910 yards, 22 TDs, 24 INT, 73.1 QB rating. Rushing — 61 carries, 193 yards, 1 TD.
Denver’s prodigal son had a rough run in his return to the Broncos. Osweiler was the only one of the four to throw more interceptions than touchdowns. He relied heavily on his top two receivers as Sanders (95-1,009-4) and Thomas (77-1,171-7) both topped 1,000 yards receiving.
One bright spot was that Osweiler earned player of the week honors in Week 8, after leading the Broncos to a win over the Chiefs in Kansas City. He completed 33 of 46 for 341 yards and four TDs.
Paxton Lynch
Team record: 7-9
Stat line: Passing — 315 of 654 (48.2 percent), 3,893 yards, 30 TDs, 21 INT, 79.6 QB rating. Rushing — 41 carries, 153 yards, 1 TD.
The Broncos’ 2016 first-round pick had a rough start to the 2017 season as Denver stumbled to an 0-4 start going into the Week 5 bye week. But Lynch finished the season on a respectable performance. Denver won seven of its final 12 and Lynch earned player of the week honors in Week 12 with a four-touchdown game against the Raiders. On the season, Lynch — like Osweiler — leaned on Sanders (89-1,000-6) and Thomas (77-1,114-10).
Chad Kelly
Team record: 9-7, wild-card berth
Stat line: Passing — 337-550 (61.3 percent), 4,013 yards, 33 TDs, 16 INT, 91.4 QB rating. Rushing — 44 carries, 144 yards, 0 TDs.
The Broncos’ seventh-round draft pick this year (and one-time rapper) was the lowest rated (68 overall rating) of the four Denver QBs, but he wasn’t the worst. In his first year in the NFL, he led the team to a playoff berth. Like Siemian, he spread the ball around to four receivers: Sanders (82-728-7), Fowler (71-919-9), Green (68-764-6) and Thomas (65-923-6).
In the playoffs, Kelly and the Broncos edged Tennessee 37-35. But fell the following week in Pittsburgh, losing to the Steelers 33-15.
