Vic Fangio 'Comfortable' if QB Brett Rypien Starts for Broncos in Week 11
Vic Fangio is not comfortable starting an injured Drew Lock sans significant practice reps.
Conversely, though, the Denver Broncos head coach is fine giving the nod to second-string quarterback Brett Rypien under similar circumstances.
“I feel comfortable that Brett could do that," Fangio said Wednesday when asked if Rypien could start Sunday despite receiving limited first-team snaps. "Like I said earlier, Drew at best is going to be limited today so I expect Brett to get a good bit of the reps today.”
Indeed, Rypien handled the majority of QB1 duties as Denver returned to practice Wednesday, ahead of its Week 11 home matchup against the 6-3 Miami Dolphins. Lock, who's battling a severe rib strain and bruising, was reduced to a bystander, officially listed as a "DNP" (Did Not Practice).
Based on Fangio's intimation, Lock will need to be a limited participant, at the minimum, on Thursday and Friday to have a chance of suiting up versus Miami's blitz-happy defense. "We don’t want him going into the game with very limited snaps or none," Fangio affirmed.
Otherwise, Rypien, a 2019 undrafted free agent, will make his second career start following his Week 5 takedown of the winless New York Jets. In that game, a 37-28 Broncos victory, the Boise State product completed 19-of-31 passes for 242 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions, finishing with a 67.6 passer rating.
It wasn't a statistically sexy performance, but Rypien impressed the coaching staff, relying on his trademark smarts. Unlike Lock or former No. 2 Jeff Driskel, he's adept at recognizing pre-snap coverage and adjusting protection to suit the play-call. There were times during that his debut that you thought he was a seasoned (if upside-capped) pro.
“I thought he handled the situation well," Fangio said of the Jets game. "I didn’t think he felt any pressure or that the moment was too big for him. I thought he went out there and executed the offense. I would expect that he would benefit from that if he is to play this week.”
It's worth noting, however, that Gang Green is a far, far cry from the 'Fins, who boast the NFL's fifth-best scoring defense (20.2 points per game) and are tied with the Broncos for the 10th-most sacks (22). The Brian Flores-coached unit also has a top-five blitz rate — north of 36%.
“They like to pressure. They’ll bring a good bit of pressure in certain situations against certain formations and they do a good job of that," Fangio said Wednesday. "They’re playing fast, they’re playing hard and they are creating turnovers. That’s one of the reasons that they’ve won a bunch here lately. That and their special teams, and their offense has been playing very, very good also. Right now, they have a good formula going. All three phases are complementing each other and contributing to the wins. They’re doing a great job there.”
One could interpret Rypien's potential start as the Broncos throwing a hypothetical lamb to the proverbial wolves. But with the right gameplan and management, which certainly cannot be assumed, the 24-year-old may prove his superiors' faith correct and ignite a full-fledged competition when Lock returns to full health.
Follow Zack on Twitter @KelbermanNFL and @MileHighHuddle
