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By most metrics, including stats and the age-old eye test, the Denver Broncos boast defensive power that passes all the NFL’s colors, both confusing the All-World like Patrick Mahomes and making absolutely miserable life for young emerging stars such as Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert, to name a few.
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Some argue that Vic Fangio is better positioned to be a defensive coordinator than a head coach. But the point remains: He’s pretty darn good on this side of the ball, and despite everything 2020 has thrown at him – a list plagued by injuries and the COVID-19 pandemic and the schedule of a row of murderers – Fangio has traveled the path to gain his immense influence.
Even if he doesn’t necessarily see it that way.
“I don’t know. Every experience, good and bad, you learn and you just have a good backlog when you experience things that have happened, things that you have used, when it’s a good time to. call something, when it’s not, “Fangio said Thursday when asked if he has improved as a gaming player.” There is no guarantee that it will work. . I think the more you do – and you’ve been calling them for 20 years – the better you get. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be perfect. That’s not to say you won’t have a bad streak or a bad game, but I think the more you do, the better you’ll get there.
The 11-game results for his 4-7 team suggest the answer to the above question is a resounding “yes”. Despite the absence of Von Miller, the All-Everything pass passer and most of the Week 1 starting defensive line, the Broncos defense ranks seventh in sacks (31) and passing yards per game. (210.1), eighth of the opposing QBR (88.8). , 11th in total yards allowed per game (341.4) and 12th in third betting percentage (39.5).
This, also without Fangio’s de facto coordinator and close friend Ed Donatell, who is away from the organization while he battles the coronavirus.
The one area Denver has surprisingly missed is its run defense, which gives up 131.3 yards per game, seventh worst in the league. Little known fact: They’ve allowed over 200 rushing yards in three of their last five games.
Very un-Fangio. And very unacceptable – if not explainable.
“Like I said, it’s just one of those things that – those first two games was the guys trying to reach and make these big plays and come out of their loopholes and I had it. felt like this one was just one of those that wears out. the pitch and stuff like that, “outside linebacker Bradley Chubb said Thursday. So like I said, I can’t dwell on it too much. I feel like with the guys that we have, we know we can bounce back. We know what kind of defense we can be and we just have to go and prove it. The conversation won’t do much. We know what we’re putting on paper, now we have to go out there and fix it.
A decisive test of Fangio’s prowess comes Sunday night when the Broncos face the Kansas City Chiefs 10-1 at Arrowhead Stadium. The last such test was a positive note as Patrick Mahomes was held 15 of 23 for 200 yards and a touchdown in the trash.
How will be this test go?
Probably different.
“Well that was an unusual game,” Fangio said of the Week 7 affair. “They had a kickoff return of over 100 yards for a touchdown and they had a 50-yard six-for-one touchdown pick. They had short field. So that was unusual circumstances – their offense against our defense. As a result, their team beat our team. The way the game went, their offense didn’t – it wasn’t a normal game for them nor a normal game for our defense.
But never short of the norm – yet Fangio sees it.
Follow Zack on Twitter @KelbermanNFL and @MileHighHuddle
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