Ultimate Fan: Broncos absolutely need good blocking, running to beat the Cowboys

Broncos are 1-0 and so is the UFG! Thanks to WesternAz for getting this rolling last week and a huge Gracias to Luis Felipe Saccini, our Brazilian brother from another Mother (country) [OK, that only sort of worked] for taking on this week’s opponent with such short notice!

And what a matchup this one will be. Saccini admits this game is the one he’s most worried about for the Broncos this season, but as a fan who came to the Broncos via Tim Tebow, if anyone believes miracles can happen, it would be Luis!

But it’s going to take a lot of grinding from our trenches to get the “W” out of this week, so let’s get to the preview...

Week 2: Denver v. Dallas

MHR – First, exciting win last week...what was one major strength you’d like to see continue and one major weakness you’d like to see improved ASAP?
Luis Felipe Saccini: Yes, exciting win. As you know I live in Brazil, and the game went really late here, almost past the time to go to work in the morning, but it was for a good reason! It was exciting to see Shaquil Barrett and Garett Bolles play. I really liked what I saw from them and look to see them continue to have good to great games.

As for the weakness, no doubt it was our British right tackle Menelik Watson. I know Melvin Ingram and Joey Bosa are good pass rushers, but I didn’t see Bolles have a problem with them, so Watson needs to step up quickly. I really hope Leary can play. First because it’s the Cowboys, his former team, and second because our O-Line is better with him. We absolutely need good play of our O-lineman to win this game.

MHR – This matchup with the Cowboys has been circled on the calendar for many since spring, pitting one of the league’s best offenses with its best defense (obviously). How do you see this game going down?
Luis Felipe Saccini: This will be a hard game that will go down to the wire. This is one of the games I was most afraid of, but Trevor Siemian’s level of play versus the Chargers gives me hope. till think we will win it with the defense, but Siemian’s offense could give us a better chance to win it.

MHR - Bennie Fowler had a huge game on Monday night when Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas were taken out of the equation so often in coverage. How is your confidence in Fowler as the No. 3 receiver and do you think Siemian is going to need him a lot this season?
Luis Felipe Saccini: I have to say, I didn’t like Fowler or Cody Latimer coming back for the season. I was more excited to see what Isaiah McKenzie, Jordan “Sunshine” Taylor and Carlos Henderson would bring. Sadly Carlos got hurt.

With that said, Fowler changed my mind last Monday. Teams are right to cover DT and ES10 so well, and that leaves the door open to Fowler. Trevor will need all the help he can get from his No. 3 as well his No. 4 wideout plus his TE (I really hope Jake Butt can play this season; as a Michigan Wolverine fan I’m really expecting good things from J-Booty).

MHR - The Cowboys’ defense hasn’t been its strength, but this season it is clearly not a major weakness, especially with Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith preventing a lot of third-down conversions. How should the Broncos offense scheme for this?
Luis Felipe Saccini: You are really testing my football knowledge here Laurie! Hahaha.

Unfortunately we will need to attack Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith. There is no way we win this game without a good run game, so we will need good run blocking as well pass blocking to give the chance for our defense to win this game. Three-and-outs plus punts will give us nothing.

McCoy will need to mix the run and pass plays well, and we will need to attack Lee and the rest of the Cowboys’ D without mercy.

I hope O-line coach Jeff Davidson got a really good week of training in with our boys to make our blocking game is running the show on Sunday.

MHR - Denver’s elite defense will be put to the test on Sunday. Between Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, what is the best strategy for Joe Woods to minimize the Cowboys’ offensive strengths and maximize the Broncos’ defensive strengths?
Luis Felipe Saccini: Joe Woods will need to take one or two of those threats out of the equation. I don’t know if we really can stop Zeke, but we can stop Dez, Witten and Cole Beasley. That will be the best strategy for this game - make the Cowboys one dimensional on offense.

MHR - Which part of the Cowboys’ offense will be its biggest threat?
Luis Felipe Saccini: It’s offensive line, NO DOUBT. Zeke and Dak are great players, but Dallas’ O-Line is too good to not be one of the main reasons for their level of play.

MHR - What strategy would you employ for rushing/blitzing the quarterback, knowing of course that Von Miller is going to be octuple-teamed on Sunday?
Luis Felipe Saccini: Let them block Vonster. The Beast will come on the other side in the name of Shaq Barrett!

MHR - Which faction of the Broncos defense is going to have be more “on” Sunday - the defensive line, the pass rush, the No Fly Zone or the TE/RB coverage over the middle?
Luis Felipe Saccini: The No Fly Zone will be on, so I’ll put the D-line down as the one that will have to be more “on.” The NFZ will have to shut down Dez, but the D-line must be able to slow Zeke down - and that one will be tougher.

MHR - Special teams showed some solid play on Monday night with punting placement plus kickoff and punt returns. But Brandon McManus had a rare field goal miss. Does that concern you for his reliability this season?
Luis Felipe Saccini: I have no concerns with McManus and Riley Dixon for this season. Yes, it would have been good if he made that 50-yarder in the 4th, but he rarely misses kicks. That won’t be a problem.

MHR – Which Broncos defensive player will be this week’s star? Derek Wolfe

MHR – Which Broncos offensive player will be this week’s star? Garett Bolles

Predictions

Stats for Trevor Siemian? 17 completions, 277 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT

Number of carries/yards rushing for Broncos? Anderson - 21 carries, 101 yards; Charles - 5 carries, 33 yards; Henderson - 2 carries, 35 yards; Janovich - 1 carry, 44 yards (TD)

Number of yards receiving for Broncos? Thomas - 75 yards; Sanders - 95 yards; Fowler - 50 yards

Longest FG? 44 yards

Number of sacks to Siemian? 1 sack

Number of sacks to Dak Prescott? 2 sacks, one each for Shaq Barrett and Derek Wolfe

Broncos player with the most tackles? Derek Wolfe

How many INTs/FF/FR for the Broncos D? 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR

Final Score? Broncos 24, Cowboys 17

The Favorites

Favorite game you’ve seen in person? None =( I’ve never been in Denver, but will someday (The only NFL game that I ever saw in person was the Bears vs. Redskins in December 2015 in Chicago)

Team you hate to lose to the most? New England Patriots

Team you love to beat? Kansas City Chiefs

Game most looking forward to this season? Patriots game

Game most worried about this season? This one versus the Cowboys

Favorite Broncos player on the current roster? Derek Wolfe. I just love this guy. I love any guy who wants to eat Tom Brady’s children.

Favorite rookie/young guy on the team? Garett Bolles. As much as I love Jake Butt being a Michigan fan, Bolles really loves what he is doing, and it’s on his face how much he loves being a Bronco.

Favorite Broncos player of all time? John Elway. As a Brazilian, I started following the NFL long after Elway retired as a player, but from what I’ve seen (via YouTube!) and what he has done as a GM, there is no way he isn’t the Favorite all time.

Superstitions on game day? Sit in the same spot of the couch

Favorite Broncos jersey color combo? Orange jersey + any pants

Favorite Von Miller sack dance? All of them

Favorite TD celebration? Bolles’ hug on Siemian. I had a really good laugh with that

How did you become a Broncos fan?

I’m a Brazilian, so I did not start watching NFL as a child. When I did start watching, I waited a few years to decide which team I’d be a fan of. Then came the Tebow miracle in a playoff game at Mile High. After that, I saw myself screaming like a crazy guy around my apartment. This was the moment I knew I was a Broncos fan.