Ultimate Fan: Broncos should dominate in DC

After days and days of football but no Broncos games, it feels like forever since we’ve gotten to watch our favorite team. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, so what a way to finish out the Thanksgiving Weekend than the team in Orange and Blue getting to entertain us once again. And while this matchup should not be the tough competition it seemed it would be at the start of the season, it still serves as the perfect tool-sharpening game for Bo Nix and the offense, a chance to pad those sack stats for the defense and a great time to get Pat Surtain back into game shape. All before the playoffs push.

I am going to this game and praying the rain does not fall but rather Broncos touchdowns come raining down. Thanks drtacp for giving us a fantabulous UFG we’ve come to expect each week. Just another perquisite (you all will get this later) for being a Broncos fan on MHR!

Week 13: Broncos at Commanders

MHR – Broncos are 9-2, coming off a win over the Chiefs and sitting alone atop the AFC West, and just had a rest week before the final 5-game push to finish the season. How good is life for a Broncos fan right now?drtacp: Life as a Broncos fan is great! 7 wins vs. 39 days! Glorious indeed. I retired in July from a company of 200 employees locally with about a dozen Chefs fans and and a half dozen Broncos fans. I emailed the fans after the win vs. KC. I have young neighbors across the street who gave birth to their first child early November and who are transplants from Denver. I had been flying a blue Broncos flag on gamedays for the last 10 years. He now flies it as I bought a new orange Broncos flag a couple of weeks ago. Being this week’s UFG respondent has me stoked as well.

MHR – When the schedule came out this matchup looked to be a blockbuster between two sophomore QBs who played above their expected pay grade last year and got their teams to the playoffs for the first time in a while. It’s no longer looking like that kind of competitive contest, so what do the Broncos need to do to take this seriously and not overlook the Commanders just because they aren’t the team we all expected.drtacp: There has been truth to those who say this team has played down to their competition this season. I too am disappointed that Jayden Daniels is out for this game; shout out to Koy Light. This game is firmly in Denver’s hand even if we go for that almost trademark slow start many fans dread. I have no doubt that we will win convincingly, and it will not require heroics but full team effort humming in sync. I think this could be a beautiful win to witness. The win over KC was a beautiful win.

MHR – When you listen to Sean Payton talk about an upcoming opponent or situational football, he loves to bring up analytics, and it’s clear he looks at the numbers almost as much as he watches film. Do you like that approach to game management? Would you prefer a more specific “football IQ” type of strategy or do you like how the “Moneyball” game is evolving in the NFL?drtacp: I love analytics but they can be skewed. When I was in college, it was military driven scenarios being mathematically modeled called operations research. An example of the skewing is for teams not utilizing the 2-point conversion. The more a team uses 2 point conversions, the better they are at then. To not use it until the score requires two points, leaves the likelihood of actually making it greatly diminished. Therefore the analytics falsely report that not going for two points every time after a touchdown is not optimal. Always going for two will always result in more point conversions overall if you are good at going for two. And the only way to become good at going for two is to always do it. I honestly believe that Sean Payton has a 99.9%ile football IQ and is also smart enough to supplement that with moneyball statistics. Thanks for a great Q. Bonus! Party On!

MHR – RJ Harvey, Jaleel McLaughlin and Tyler Badie are the running backs the Broncos are going to have to run with (pun intended). While the Commanders run defense started the season strong, it has recently struggled, allowing an average of 5.3 yards per carry in recent weeks. Is this the week, RJ Harvey or Jaleel McLaughlin gets 100 yards? Can the RB room pick up their game to give Denver a rushing attack that can really complement the offense moving forward and into the postseason?drtacp: Harvey has the tree trunk legs and the will to break tackles but so far he has too often lacked the vision that he needs in order to become a premier running back. The rest of the RBs rely on not being seen more than their ability to plow. Running back by committee is our only hope for over 100 yards rushing without JK Dobbins. The possible exception is if Harvey’s NFL running lane vision switch gets turned on this week. It will happen some week, but we just cannot expect it until after the fact.

MHR – The Broncos’ offense has struggled to start fast, yet it seems to be a goal of the offense every week. What is the breakdown there – is it just good defenses? Is it a poor choice of the “first 15 plays?” Is it anxious playing by Bo and the offense? Is this a good week to get over that?drtacp: Sean Payton has a vision for Bo Nix that Bo has yet to achieve. There is no better time in the game than early on to allow Sean to do his moulding of his soon to be top 5 QB. That is my honest consideration of the early game miscues on offense. Think about if all those missed by inches throws to the receivers were actually made! It would be wonderful if Bo responded to all of Payton’s moulding this week, but I do not expect him to be a finished product this regular season. Payton will wait until the playoffs before he lets Bo truly be Bo.

MHR – On the Black Friday Game Day broadcast, Richard Sherman picked Bo Nix as his “player who needs to heat up” the rest of the season, and his rationale was that if the Broncos are going to keep winning, Nix has to be consistently good the rest of the way. Do you agree Nix is the key?drtacp: Yes, resounding yes. I will reserve my opinion of Richard (aptly named) and focus on how Sean Payton has bridled Bo Nix to becoming entrenched as a pocket passer even when Bo’s instincts and natural ability lean toward Lamar Jackson type of wheels. I predict that Sean Payton will unleash Bo Nix only as needed to win for each and every regular season game. When Denver goes to the playoffs as the No. 1 seed, Sean Payton and Bo Nix will unleash what Sherman thinks needs to happen sooner. I truly think that Sean Payton is an orchestra leader maestro regarding Bo Nix’s development as a top 5 QB in the NFL.

MHR – Since the KC game, the Broncos have agreed to contract extensions for three players – Malcolm Roach, Luke Wattenburg and Wil Lutz. How much easier is it for the team to get these done when it’s a winning franchise? And how does that play into the team chemistry and locker room culture when players are extended mid-season?drtacp: These signings point to the finest ownership and front office/coaching personnel in the entire NFL. Most obviously the players signed and the rest of the locker room are keenly aware. But don’t you feel that there is a ripple effect that resonates throughout the NFL for players to notice how much better it is to be a player for the Broncos than for every other team. The contrast between the Ellis/Trust and the Walton/Penner ownership is reflected by the onfield performance of this team. THIS 2025 team is only 6 points away from a perfect record. There are probably many players beyond what our coaches would consider hiring that would desire to play for the Denver Broncos.

MHR – Which player is your sleeper on offense this week for the Broncos?drtacp: Well we are counting upon Harvey to be the man, so that discounts him as sleeper. Similarly Evan Engram will be in demand. The offensive sleeper may actually be a blocker such as Humphrey or Trautman or Throckmorton or Prentice. My wildest wish is for the sleeper to be Franklin. He has missed more than anyone’s share of catches by inches.

MHR – Pat Surtain is expected back this week. Even if his skills are not as necessary against the Commanders as some teams in the near future, how good is it for the team to have him back on the field? drtacp: Very good. I would prefer a less than 50% snap count. Players wanna play. Exhibit 1 is Joe Burrow in this week’s Thursday night game win against Baltimore. JK Dobbins coming back from Liszfranc before the Super Bowl would be even more remarkable and desired. Everything about Pat Surtain tells me that his shit does not stink.MHR – Riley Moss has been targeted so often this season – as to be expected when you’re opposite Pat Surtain – but does it seem like teams know he’s about a 50/50 chance of drawing a DPI?drtacp: OOF! The White Toast Wonder actually does everything right 90% of the time. And then there is the 10% where he gets handsy. This is a known phenomenon (against not just Moss) that QBs employ knowing that their chances of making a gainful play by a long ball thrown is doubly enhanced by the chance that DPI makes their uncaught ball a major gain. 21 has been on the losing end because PS II has forced QBs to throw to the target covered by Moss as almost no other CB in the NFL has been stressed. If there is a silver lining, I think that the Moss treatment by the refs may gain further NFL attention to this cheat code that strong-armed QBs employ. I honestly cannot realistically think of a rule change that would fix this unfairness. I think it devolves upon the refs to give more leniency when throwing flags for DPI in order to fix this issue. As is, Riley Moss has become a bigger target than the WR he is defending by both the opposing QB and the refs. My bottom line is that Riley Moss is a major net benefit to this team despite the obvious systemic bias against him. Q: Who could we afford to do a better job? A: No one.MHR – Nik Bonitto and Jonathan Cooper usually get the glory for the QB pressure that leads to sacks, but how important are John Franklin Myers, Zach Allen and Malcolm Roach for making QBs super uncomfortable? How uncomfortable do you expect Marcus Mariota to be on Sunday?drtacp: There is no doubt that this defense thrives upon not needing to rush more than four on most snaps just because we almost always have at least two of those three D-line players on every defensive snap. (I have a 99 jersey in blue that I have yet to wear. Gotta match the jersey I am wearing with the jersey the team is wearing; ‘superstition’ if you will.) I am in agreement with those that wish to re-sign JFM. The three recent signings are the righteous answers that this ownership has continually chosen to make.

Marcus has survived in the NFL despite his limitations. He is going to regret that truth on Sunday night in Northwest Stadium, Landover, Maryland. Six sacks and 25 pressures. This defense is historic mostly because of these five mentioned in your Q.

MHR – Is it hard to watch Von Miller trying to sack our quarterback rather than working for him? What is your favorite Von Miller memory and do you hope he retires a Bronco?drtacp: Von has been limited to 3rd down. The fix is to gain 1st down on 1st or 2nd down. No Problems!? Realistically Von is way beyond his prime and he would be wise to not embarrass himself trying to be something he is no longer capable of being. It pained me to say that because I most definitely respect the ability and the person that Von Miller presented to the world and mostly as a Bronco and philanthropist. I will preview my current MT Rushmore: JE, PFM, VM, CB. That reflects my recency bias since becoming a full-time Broncos fan in 2011 after Denver had a 4-12 record in 2010.My fav memory of Von: #2 pick essentially ending #1 pick Cam’s career in that Super Bowl strip sack. I have the pic of Von from the SI naked issue rotating in a 1000+ person slideshow as the desktop to my 3 computers.You are such a capable interviewer, bar none.

MHR – Which player on defense is your sleeper for this week’s game?drtacp: Who could possibly be a sleeper at this point? And That is your point, because this defense has been stellar to a man. I won’t name all the stellars but somewhere in that DB room might be a Key or Skinner stepping up when rarely called upon. Dre Greenlaw could probably be the ONE to most fill the bill as he has the most ground to recover to cement his status as our Denver Broncos stud.

MHR – Not to get too far ahead, but what is your hope for this team this season?drtacp: Super Bowl win is so entirely not “too far ahead.” All the other AFC teams this year have either faltered or in the lone case of the PATs* have earned an easy schedule of opponents that has buoyed their win column #. AFC Championship game is a cinch either way with us being the No. 1 or No. 2 seed.

Predictions

(This is Such A Shot In The Dark!!)

Stats for Bo Nix?  70%, 25/36, 225 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, 1 sack, 46 rushing yards on 4 carries, 1 TD

Stats for each Broncos RB?  Harvey 13 carries, 78 yards, 8 receptions for 45 yards, 1 TD;  Badie 5 carries, 40 yards;  McLaughlin 3 carries,  27 yards.

Number of yards receiving/TDs for the receivers? Mims 65 1 TD; Sutton 50;  Franklin 35; Bryant 27.

Longest FG for Lutz? 42

Number of sacks to Mariota?  6

Broncos player with the most tackles?  Hufanga

Who gets the first sack of the game for the Broncos? Cooper

How many INTs/FF/FR for the Commanders D?   0 2 0

How many INTs/FF/FR for the Broncos’ D? 1 1 0

Final Score? 27-13, Broncos

The Favorites 

Favorite John Elway win outside of the Super Bowls? You know, the helicopter drive or the drive helicopter or both. How cruel to ask me to decide.

Favorite Peyton Manning win? I am going for that Romo drubbing and the walkoff touchdown to the left late in that exciting shootout.

Favorite win by any other QB? Dak on Thursday. I know I was supposed to say Tim Tebow in the overtime wildcard AFC game BUT Dak on Thursday is the right answer.

Favorite Broncos win ever? SB50: I watch that season recap video often. I am down to twice a year now. (We got a new sheriff in town.)

Team you love to beat the most in the AFC West? KC

Coach you laugh at the most in the NFL? Sean Payton

Coach you most want to throat-punch? McDouche

The team you hate to lose to the most in the rest of the AFC? Looking back, MIA; looking forward, NE

NFC team you could cheer for in the Super Bowl? SF

NFC team you want to face more than any other in the Super Bowl? LAR

Favorite game so far this season? NYGvsDEN

Favorite Broncos player on the current roster?  Zack Allen

Favorite Broncos player of all time not named John Elway (unless it is John Elway!)?  PFM

Favorite new guy/rookie on the team? Hufanga

Food/Snack you have to eat on game day? Totally variable at home. Non televised games here means I get the all American cheeseburger at BWW and onion rings.

Favorite game analyst/commentator?  Used to be Al Michaels. Tony Romo now

Who is on your Broncos’ Mount Rushmore?  Elway, Manning, Von, Champ

I had a roommate from Denver who always watched DEN. (That roommate later met Tom Jackson in a hotel elevator at the HOF weekend when Tom was inducted.) Watching the Broncos in the ‘90s was always a spectacle. When we were no longer roommates I drifted into watching the local and available team to watch – KC Chiefs. I later became incensed at the bonehead moves that Scott Pioli made in the offseason 2011. Todd Haley was worthless, and I blamed Clark Hunt for the whole mess. I went on record at the official Chiefs website and officially resigned being a KC fan. The resignation lasted on site for about 2 hours. I put it up again and it only lasted 2 minutes. I considered Scott Pioli’s dismissal of the Chiefs best O lineman Brian Waters only to be picked up by Pioli’s former team the Patriots without requiring any compensation to the Chiefs as a backdoor gambling debt that Pioli paid. The next move was that KC picked up the O-line player castoff by NE to make room on the roster for Brian Waters. Den had a record of 4-12 the previous year so I made my choice to be a fan of Denver by their incredible reputation. So I credit Pat Bowlen for my becoming a Denver Broncos fan. I am never looking back and I could not be happier with this outcome

This forum gave no opportunity for me to provide the readers with a vocabulary builder word. So I will offer ‘perquisite’ because everyone has heard of ‘perks’, but almost nobody knows this word.

Final word: LLV rocks.

*editor’s note: Awww, thanks. But this series ROCKS because of all of you!