5 reasons the Denver Broncos will still play in Super Bowl 51

3. Trevor Siemian

It was never going to be easy following an act like Peyton Manning, but Trevor Siemian is handling it pretty well so far. Six quarterbacks were picked ahead of him in the 2015 NFL draft, but he’s been one of the best game managers in the league so far this season.

In three games so far, Siemian has thrown for 824 yards, carries a completion percentage of 67.3 and has gone a perfect 3-0. In Week 3 alone, he threw for four touchdowns while posting a quarterback rating of 132.1. Two of those touchdowns were scored on third down plays.

Manning was a great quarterback for the Broncos, but Siemian is actually an upgrade in some ways. Not only is he more athletic, he’s also a better fit for the boot-action pass design which is a staple of Gary Kubiak’s offense.

One of his best traits by far, and the reason for his early success, is his ability to stay in the pocket even when it’s collapsing. Most young quarterbacks will escape the pocket only to be caught just beyond the line of scrimmage. Siemian stands poised and scans the open field for a reliable target. Whether he completes the pass or not, this shows his ability to remain calm, and suggests that his pocket passing will continue to progress as the weeks go on.

So far in 2016, Siemian has impressed on every level. Though his tenure has been short, he’s already accumulated two NFL records.

In Week 1, he became the first player in history to start for a defending champion before attempting an NFL pass. He’s also the first quarterback to throw for 300 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in his first career start on the road.

Look for him to continue his record setting ways as he returns on Thursday after a game-and-a-half of rest due to an injury.

Next: The genius that is Gary Kubiak