NFL teams
Jeff Legwold, ESPN Senior Writer 6y

Vance Joseph: Broncos sticking with Trevor Siemian at QB despite skid

NFL, Denver Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- After the Denver Broncos suffered their first shutout loss in almost 25 years and their third loss in four games, coach Vance Joseph said Monday he isn't switching quarterbacks because the team's offense has bigger problems to solve.

When asked Monday whether Trevor Siemian was still the starter after Sunday's 21-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, Joseph said, "Absolutely, he's our quarterback.'' When asked what he had seen in Siemian's play in recent weeks that convinced him to not make a change, Joseph pointed to bigger issues, including his coaching staff.

"It's not what I've seen from Trevor, it's the entire unit,'' Joseph said. "He can't play well if he's not being protected in certain spots. Now he hasn't been perfect, either, he can play better, absolutely, but it's not a Trevor problem, it's a unit problem. ... We've got to coach better and play better.''

With Sunday's loss, the Broncos' streak of 394 games without being shut out (dating back to Nov. 22, 1992) was snapped. Denver's offense has seen little spark, scoring a total of 42 points in its past four games, three of them losses.

Joseph cited poor field position in Sunday's loss, during which the Broncos were consistently in third-and-long situations. They were in third-and-6 or longer situations 11 times, and in their loss to the New York Giants the previous week, they were in those situations 13 times.

They also started four possessions inside their own 10-yard line. Three of those possessions went for 18 or fewer yards, and the fourth ended in a fumble.

"We can't operate like that when we're facing two speed rushers [Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa] and we're behind the sticks and those guys are just causing havoc,'' Joseph said. "That's not the plan.''

Siemian was sacked five times in the game -- twice by Bosa and once by Ingram -- and was hit several other times. Siemian has been sacked 22 times, which is tied for the third most in the league among starters, and he has played one fewer game than the other five quarterbacks who have been sacked at least that many times.

Siemian was tied for the league lead in touchdown passes (six), including four against the Dallas Cowboys, after two games this season.

"It's doesn't matter who the quarterback is if he's not protected ... as a unit if we get better, he'll player better,'' Joseph said. "We've seen it, it's proven, so I'm not concerned about Trevor. It's a unit deal.''

Siemian's turnovers are an issue, however, and if he does lose the job this season, those turnovers will be at the root of the decision. He threw his seventh interception Sunday, a desperation throw as he tried to escape pressure early in the fourth quarter, and fumble twice, one of which that was recovered by the Chargers.

Following the loss, Siemian said: "The last two weeks I haven't played good enough for us to win. I've got to play better.''

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