Trevor Siemian throws screen pass to C.J. Anderson for touchdown (Video)

Denver Broncos starting quarterback Trevor Siemian threw his first career touchdown pass on an excellent screen pass to running back C.J. Anderson.

For most of the evening, the strong Carolina Panthers defense had befuddled new starting quarterback of the Denver Broncos Trevor Siemian.

Making his first NFL start, Siemian threw two bad interceptions before getting his first career touchdown pass out of the way — a terrific screen pass to running back C.J. Anderson.

Siemian sold the screen to Anderson perfectly. It looked like he was about to take another brutal sack from the strong Carolina pass rush. At the last second, Siemian tossed the football to his left for an easy Anderson pay dirt.

That drive by Siemian showed the country why Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak felt confident in going with last year’s third stringer. Siemian had only appeared in one career NFL game before Thursday night. The former Northwestern Wildcats quarterback’s lone NFL play was a kneel down to seal a victory for the 2015 Broncos.

He may not have elite arm strength, but the way the ball comes out of Siemian’s hand is especially smooth. Siemian was known in college as the deep ball passer for Pat Fitzgerald’s Wildcats, while Kain Colter was more of the run-first starter at Northwestern.

Siemian’s knowledge in Kubiak’s ultra-conservative offense could help him bridge the gap to eventual Broncos starting quarterback Paxton Lynch. Denver took Lynch late in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft after a stellar junior season at the University of Memphis.

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Lynch isn’t anywhere close to being a starting quarter as a rookie from a Group of 5 school. Siemian may not be glamorous under center for the Broncos, but has the weapons on offense to grow in 2016 as the starter.