Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Todd Davis: 'Nobody Can Ever Call You Dumb if You Played For Vic Fangio'
Vic Fangio has been the topic of some controversy over the last few days. The Denver Broncos first-year head coach was the subject of a 'hit piece' over the weekend, a report that cast Fangio as an incompetent and domineering boss.
We've since heard multiple Broncos players come out in support of Fangio, closing ranks around their beleaguered head coach. The 'hit piece' used several anonymous sources, even quoting one, but every Bronco who has spoken on the subject of Fangio since has done so on the record.
As the 3-7 Broncos prepare for their Week 12 trip to Upstate New York to take on the Buffalo Bills, a trio of defensive leaders took to the podium at Dove Valley. One of the common themes from each is an overall feeling that a solid foundation is being laid by Fangio.
We've seen foundational flashes come in spurts, with the Broncos playing like a very good team at times against some very stiff competition thus far. But the truth is, it's going to take time for Fangio's vision to fully come into fruition.
Fangio's defensive scheme is renown for its ability to create chaos and confound opposing coordinators and quarterbacks. It is very much a thinking man's scheme, which means also that installing it in Denver in year one came with a learning curve for the players.
“I wouldn’t say the scheme overall is complex more than others I’ve played in," linebacker Todd Davis said on Tuesday. "I would just say that week in and week out, we change a lot more than I have in the past. You’ve got to be on your toes. You’ve definitely got to be a smart football player in this defense."
We've heard that before. Fangio's scheme is demanding both physically and mentally. It weeds out the players who aren't fully committed to their craft quickly and rewards those who study, prepare and execute.
"Nobody can ever call you dumb if you played for Vic Fangio," Davis said. "You definitely have to be on your toes and be ready to adjust because he’s going to throw something new at you."
Davis missed the entirety of training camp and the preseason with a calf injury sustained on day one. He finally took his place in the starting lineup in Week 3 on the road in Green Bay and has since put together easily his best season as a pro.
Davis led all Broncos in Week 11 with 13 combined tackles (eight solo). He was a big reason the Broncos were able to shut down Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook and limit him to just 26 yards rushing on 11 carries.
Davis has absolutely thrived in Fangio's scheme. Through eight games, Davis has amassed 66 tackles already (45 solo), to go along with three tackles for a loss.
The knock on Davis has always been a perceived lack of speed and explosion, and thus, coverage ability. Call it the 'Fangio bump', or however you want to rationalize it, but Davis has been one of the best coverage linebackers in the NFL this season.
Davis has allowed an opposing passer rating of 79.9, which is fifth-best among NFL linebackers. His 0.59 yards allowed per coverage snap is second-best among linebackers, per Pro Football Focus.
Despite the strictures and demands of Fangio's scheme, especially on the linebackers, Davis has shined. Fangio constantly tests his players to keep them sharp and on point, as the anecdote Davis shared on Tuesday reveals.
"A couple of weeks ago, he put in a new play on Saturday and we had to be ready to run it on Sunday," Davis said. "That’s just how it works, you have to be ready and on your toes."
Davis is under contract for one more year in Denver. If he can stay healthy, it's a safe bet to assume he'll continue to be productive. Having an explosive partner at linebacker — in Alexander Johnson — has surely helped and if this season has been any indication, we can only expect that together, the duo will help lead a defensive renaissance in Denver next year.
“I’m not going to put any limits on it," Davis said of the ceiling the Broncos have in Fangio's defense. "I feel like we can be really great and we can be really special. I think we’re striving to get there week in and week out, but there’s no limit to where we can go if stick together.”
Tip your cap to Davis, one of the Broncos' emotional leaders on defense and a man clearly not lacking in football IQ. He's a Fangio guy through and through.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen and @MileHighHuddle.
