Broncos are wasting a talented defense
Denver Broncos coach Vic Fangio is a great defensive coordinator — the stats back that up. Denver has allowed just 17.4 points per game this season, the third-best average in the NFL.
Unfortunately, Fangio’s head coach duties include much more than coaching the defense, and his non-defensive decisions — such as clock management and challenges — have left a lot to be desired. Fangio also hired offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and he has stuck with him despite the offense’s struggles.
The Broncos obviously also need a quarterback, but they’re not maximizing the talent they do have on offense. On defense, Denver can burn through linebackers and plug in cornerbacks and continue clicking despite injuries. On offense, the Broncos can’t even scheme up a touchdown for Jerry Jeudy.
Andrew Mason of DNVR tweeted a stat on Sunday evening that perfectly sums up Fangio’s time in Denver.
Since the start of the 2019 season, the Broncos have lost a league-high five games in which they allowed 17 or fewer points.
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) December 20, 2021
“I thought the defensive players did a great job,” Fangio said after Sunday’s 15-10 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. “That’s a really good offense. They score a lot of points against most everybody. They get a lot of yards. My hat’s off to the defense, I thought they played extremely well.”
Once again, the defense playing “extremely well” wasn’t good enough, as had been a theme for the Broncos since Fangio arrived.
Expect changes in Denver this offseason.
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