Ultimate Fan Guide Bye Week, Part I - Vic freakin’ Fangio is the right man for the job

Oh, Ultimate Fans...have I got a treat for you. This week - on a bye week, no less, when you get no Broncos football to watch - you don’t get just one Ultimate Fan Guide, you get TWO. It’s like having Phillip Lindsay and Von Miller joining you for a beer.

And our first UFGer, 757BoeingPilots, is a fan after my own heart - he loves himself some Vic Freakin’ Fangio, good wins, hard-hitting linebackers and KJackTV.

Grab a beer and sit back to enjoy Ultimate Fan Guide Bye Week, Part I. It’s totally worth it.

Week 10: BYE WEEK

MHR – How did you feel after the Broncos’ win against the Browns - ecstatic? Mad about potential loss of a high draft pick? Fine, but it’s still only a 3-6 record?
757Boeingpilots: The win against the Browns had me screaming most of the time! Intellectually I know they should tank and take Wirfs or Thomas and then try to go after Jalen Reagor or some other speedy WR to complement Sutton, but I’ll take shutting down a media darling team’s season any day and twice on Sundays. This team is this close to being 6-3, and they’ll still get a chance at some good talent, I think.

MHR – What do you think about Vic Fangio so far - is he what this team needs? Will he be the coach to get the team on the right path eventually? What’s your favorite part of his leadership style?
757Boeingpilots: As you say, he’s VFF: Vic Freaking FANGIO. YES this dude is the right man for this team! In my view he already had this team on the right path because of his basic no BS IDGAF philosophy and his ability to develop nobodies into good starters. I love that he points out where players go wrong, even when they do well. Never get too high on your own hype and know that there is always somewhere you can get better. If you get content, someone is always going to get better than you. 72 is a good example of this and I guarantee that VFF is itching to bench this dude. #PrayforJJ70

MHR - Noah Fant struggled early but had a big game against the Browns. Did you like Elway trading down and taking a tight end as the first-round pick? Do you think Fant will turn out to be a great playmaker in this offense or ‘JAG’?
757Boeingpilots: Fant is a dude. I loved the trade down to get him, and I love his talent. I think he’ll take off in 2020 a la Courtland Sutton. Rookie tight ends don’t do well, but you want to see those flashes - and boy does he have them. The drops don’t concern me because 1) rookie TE, 2) Sutton did that and doesn’t really drop anything after a year in the NFL, and 3) IIRC George Kittle had facepalm moments like Fant in the KC game, and now he’s great. I trust that Fangio will be on him to stay on the grind and not get content.

MHR – There will be several Bronco defenders possibly hitting free agency this year if not re-signed first, including Justin Simmons, Derek Wolfe, Shelby Harris and Chris Harris Jr. Which ones, if any, do you try to re-sign if you’re John Elway?
757Boeingpilots: I want Simmons, Wolfe and CHJ. Bringing back 96 would be nice too, but I’m putting him on a tier a little below those other guys.

MHR - What did you think of Brandon Allen’s performance Sunday? If he leads the team to two more wins after the bye, would you stay with the hot hand, or should this team find out what it has in Drew Lock before the season is over?
757Boeingpilots: He’s kind of like Jake Plummer. He’s about the same size too. If he keeps winning, I stay with him until we get eliminated from playoff contention (unless we go on an 0-7 Giants type of run). Then let Lock take the Raiders out of playoff contention in week 17.

MHR - How do you feel about this defense? It’s different from 2015 but is beginning to show signs of potential domination. Do you like what you see? With some guys back next year from injury perhaps (Bausby, Callahan) but potentially some gone to free agency (CHJ, Derek Wolfe, Shelby Harris) how do you think this unit will be a year from now?
757Boeingpilots: My mouth waters at the thought of what this unit could be in a year. This is a patchwork defense, and they’re top 5. That’s coaching. Wait until they get back their high-end talent from injury. I think this period of doldrums is close to coming to an end.

MHR – Who would be your offensive and defensive MVPs for the Broncos midway through the season?
757Boeingpilots: Offense: Courtland Sutton. You need a clutch grab and a hellacious stiff arm to move the chains? Dial 14. You need an unbelievable grab to get on the scoreboard? Dial 14. You want a guy who can shake defenders with his elite short area quickness and haul ass for a 70-yard bomb? Dial 14. I LOVE YAC!! I love it so much when dudes take short passes and take it to the house! Sorry I have to add that in there! :D

Defense: Alexander Johnson! He comes in, and this defense becomes great. The coaching staff knows coverage isn’t his forté so they use him on blitzes, which I LOVE. I can’t think of a run play where I didn’t see big 45 somewhere on him. This dude is our ILB we’ve been pining for, and surprise, surprise, we got him as an understated free agent. Wouldn’t have it any other way!

MHR - What are your thoughts on the Broncos ownership debacle? Do you feel like the future of the franchise is in good hands no matter what? What is your assessment of John Elway as GM so far?
757Boeingpilots: I don’t think about the ownership situation. It’s not fun to think about. Unpopular opinion, but as long as 7 is here I’m good. His drafts before 2018 were so ass but he’s been kicking ass since then. He definitely seems to have kicked the second-round bugaboo with Sutton and Risner and hopefully he can smash another curse within that with the Lock pick. I trust him now to bring in high-end talent. As long as you have that talent, you can make some hay.

MHR - Kareem Jackson has been doing a segment every week called “KJackTV” where he interviews teammates on silly topics, so I’m going to start my own version and ask you a bunch of ridiculous questions:

Which Bronco would most likely win a pie-eating contest? I’d like to start by saying KJackTV is my show. As for your question, that’s tough. I think I’ll go with Big 98. He needs that mass for a reason!

Which Bronco would you most want to date your daughter? If I had a daughter, I think I’d go with Sutton. He just seems like a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy. So do Simmons, Chubb, Fant and Lock for that matter, but I’m going with the dude that can cook like Ramsay!

Which Bronco probably texts his mom 10 times a day? Probably Will Parks. He seems like one of those dudes who acts tough but he’s probably a momma’s boy. (*editor’s note: The momma’s boys are THE BEST!)

Which Bronco is the sorest loser at board games? Bolles

Which Bronco is most likely to prefer a girly drink over a beer? I feel like Von would.

Which Bronco would be the best at ice-skating? Phillip Lindsay. He’s been around the ice his whole life, and he’s got insane fine motor skills.

Predictions

What will happen first - Lindsay reaches 10 TDs (5 currently) or Von gets 10 sacks (4 currently)? Von gets his sacks.

How many more first downs will be negated because of a holding penalty? 72. No just kidding, but probably like 3.

Which AFC quarterback do you like to watch getting sacked the most? Tom Brady and it’s not even close. I love seeing him cry as his hopes wither away like against Baltimore last weekend, or Denver twice in 2015.

How many times will the Broncos collectively sack the quarterbacks in the remaining 7 regular season games? 30

Which team wins the AFC West? Kansas City. Hopefully this is the last time we watch them blow a home playoff game. Enjoy it, because Fangio is coming!

Broncos season W-L record this year? 10-6

Broncos season W-L record next year? 12-4

The Favorites

Favorite Broncos win ever? 2015 Week 12 to end New England’s undefeated run and essentially lock up home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Super Bowl is close. It was great shutting up Cam and all of the people doing the stupid dab, but that singular moment in OT in the snow to walk off with the win was great.

Favorite Broncos coach ever? Vic. I think he’ll be up there when it’s all over with.

Team you hate to lose to the most? Patriots, followed closely by Kansas City.

Team you love to beat? PATRIOTS!!

Favorite game this season? The Browns game.

Favorite Broncos player on the current roster? Lindsay.

Favorite rookie/young guy on the team? Risner but there are a lot.

Favorite Broncos player of all time? Von.

Favorite football-themed movie? Probably “The Water Boy” but “Varsity Blues” is good too. Not a big movie guy tbh.

Game-day ritual? None

How did you become a Broncos fan?

Born into it!!