Ultimate Fan: Defensive Pressure Is The Key

Ultimate Fans, it seems as though Broncos Country has been rewarded for its devotion to this team with two — TWO — thrilling comeback victories. I have said it so many times on MHR throughout the years, but nothing feels better than a fourth-quarter comeback win in the final seconds, especially on a big final play. Hufanga’s interception in the end zone to seal the Broncos’ come-from-behind win over the Rams gave me John Mobley SB32 vibes, and I always love to be reminded of that.

So the question is whether we will be rewarded again this week? Either way, we are being rewarded right now with this UFG. EmpeyFM is not only a new addition to the UFG crowd, he’s a young and relatively green fan of the Orange and Blue. So give him a welcome to Broncos Country and enjoy this preview that, of course, predicts a win!

GO BRONCOS!

Week 4: Broncos at Niners

MHR – For the second week in a row, the Broncos waited until the second half – and mostly the fourth quarter – to get hot. How mad were you watching the first half and how nervous/excited were you watching the second half?
EmpeyFM: I was certainly frustrated watching the first half! That being said…I also certainly thought they would come back! I wasn’t very nervous for most of the second half (until the Rams got down to the 19 to perform an… idk… ordinary prayer?). I WAS very excited to see Hufanga catch some picks!! AND house one! 

MHR – Davis Webb says Denver needs to run with more “conviction,” and Sean Payton admits the ground game hasn’t been good enough in the first half of any game this year. Do the Broncos have the personnel on the field and on the sidelines to make this run game legit?
EmpeyFM: Silly rabbit, running is for the weak! I kid; I do think they have the line and backs to do it, but I think this team will always be pass-first as long as Sean is somewhat involved. I don’t think they can be as good as the top running teams, but certainly effective enough to get the safeties to come down.

MHR – Bo Nix has been the leading hero in the comeback wins, but he has had some costly turnovers. Against the Niners, a team averaging almost 33 points a game, the Broncos can’t afford a turnover that will give up points and make it too easy for Brock Purdy & Co. on a short field. How confident are you that Nix and the offense can get a fast start and stay out in front of Purdy and his offense? If the Broncos are playing catch-up, can the fourth quarter heroics happen a third week in a row?
EmpeyFM: Unfortunately I cannot in good faith predict a fast start… but I can predict a jogging start! Perhaps not enough to stay in front of the ‘9ers, but at least be a score behind them. If they are playing catch-up like they were against the Rams, they will lose this game. If they are playing catch-up down a field goal or TD, they can – and WILL – win this game!

MHR –  What are your thoughts on the offensive line? In Week 1, Nix seemed to be running for his life most of the game, and while that has improved, the Broncos’ running game has not yet taken off this season. With a guy like Fred Warner on the other side, how crucial is O-line play this Sunday?
Empey FM: I think the right (and center…) of the line is the weakest link. I have seen wayyy too much of McGlinchey getting beat, or Powers not going to the right guy. However, Nix hasn’t had super great pocket presence either at times, so! O-line play is always crucial, and it very much will be this week as well. I need BLOCKS! I need no GARRETT HOLDS… or MIKE MCFLINCHEY! I think this will be the point where they start to get things going, since they had so few preseason snaps. 

MHR – Jaylen Waddle didn’t produce many fireworks last week, but he did have one elite catch at a crucial moment to get a very necessary two-point conversion. What are your expectations for him on Sunday?
Empey FM: I expect him to catch any ball that isn’t thrown at his feet! He has been disappointing to this point, but man is he a play machine when he does catch in front of the LOS! The flashes are at least there, so I think it should only become better as the season wears on. As for this game specifically, I could see a three-reception, 30 to 50-yard type game, maybe even a similar statline to last week. 

MHR – When the ball isn’t going to Waddle or Courtland Sutton, Nix has a slew of pass catchers, from Pat Bryant and Troy Franklin to Nate Adkins and Evan Engram, to choose from. How important is it to spread the ball around to keep defenses honest? Who gets the most targets, yards and scores on Sunday?
Empey FM: It is integral! Nix should be throwing to anyone that’s open! I think Sutton and Waddle get the most targets, as that has been the trend, but I think the other receivers will be overall more “productive” than those two. I am going to go with Sutton and Engram catching a TD this week.

MHR – Brock Purdy has a 133.1 passer rating, nine touchdowns, one interception, and hasn’t been sacked. The Niners are the first team in 12 years to go three games without allowing a sack. The Broncos are still without Jonathon Cooper and haven’t had as much sack success in the first three games. Can that change this Sunday? How important is Nik Bonitto?
EmpeyFM: Sacks are a fact of life, and I don’t think the ‘9ers have faced the greatest of d-lines or pass rushers, but obviously it is still very impressive and worth considering. I think that can absolutely change. I don’t think they’ll tally more than 3, but I have to think they’ll get him once, even if it’s in the last moments of the game. Nik Bonitto is important no doubt, but the group as a whole is a more important factor. If Nik is the only guy getting pressure I will be very very worried. As long as they can get pressure and tackle whoever has the ball, I think things will be OK.

MHR – Which Niners’ offensive player – Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey or Geoge Kittle – scares you the most for our defense?
EmpeyFM: All of them equally, so far as they are all effective guys to lean on. Especially if McCaffrey gets involved in the pass game… oh god! Singleton will still be turning around as he reaches the endzone! They are all extremely effective, so I hope VJ has a killer gameplan for whatever situations they are thrown in. Almost like that’s his job…

MHR – Which ONE player on offense and defense has to be an MVP on Sunday for this game to end with a check in the W column?
EmpeyFM: Nix and Allen! Nix is the guy who gets the ball to its destination, so if he’s bad at that…then things will go south. Allen is a force, and when he’s not getting held, he WILL make it to the QB. If those two guys are effective, there’s no reason they can’t beat the 49ers.

MHR – What is one word to describe the season so far? For the for this team for the rest of the season?
EmpeyFM: So far…“ugh.” For the rest of the season? I hope it’s, “Yay!”

Predictions

Stats for BO NIX? 18/25 completions, 287 yards, 2 TDs

Stats for each Broncos RB? Dobbins: 8 carries, 36 yards; Harvey: 9 carries, 73 yards, 4 receptions, 25 yards, 1 TD; Badie: 2 carries, 3 yards, 1 reception, 4 yards 

Number of yards receiving/TDs for the receivers?  Sutton: 52 yards and a TD; Engram: 45 yards and a TD; Waddle: 68 yards; Franklin:  32 yards; Mims: 43 yards

Longest FG from Lutz this week? 43 yards… for the GAME WINNER!

Number of sacks to Brock Purdy? 2

Broncos player with the most tackles? Hufanga!

Who gets the first sack of the game for the Broncos? DJ Jones! REVENGE! Or something…

Who gets the most sacks? Jones and Allen, one apiece.

How many INTs/FF/FR for the Niners D? 0 int/1 ff/0 fr

How many INTs/FF/FR for the Broncos D? 1 int/0 ff/0 fr

How many penalties for the Broncos? 6

How many stupid penalties for the Broncos? At least 2

Final Score? 24-21 BRONCOS!!

The Favorites 

Favorite Broncos win ever? Bills Divisional last year!

Favorite Peyton Manning win? Super Bowl 50

Favorite John Elway win? Steelers AFC Championship (This is the only one I’ve watched… I was not near being alive when he was playing… I’m sorry, haha)

Favorite win by any other Broncos QB? Russell Wilson vs the Bills!

Team you love to beat the most in the AFC West? The Chiefs! (Raiders not too far behind)

Coach you despise most in the NFL?  Jim Harbaugh

Team you hate to lose to the most in the rest of the AFC (outside AFC West)? The Steelers

NFC team you could cheer for in the Super Bowl? Lions, Bucs, or Vikings.

NFC team you’d want to face more than any other in the Super Bowl? The Seahawks… they got their revenge last year

Toughest game remaining on the schedule? I hate to say this… but the Jets… they never give us an easy time.. Ugh… let me go brush my teeth real quick!

Favorite Broncos player on the current roster? PS2!

Favorite Broncos player of all time not named John Elway? Von Miller!

Favorite new guy/rookie on the team? Jonah Coleman!

Food/Snack you have to eat on game day?  My dad usually cooks breakfast! 

Favorite game analyst/commentator? Ian Eagle and Mike Tirico!

Who is on your Broncos Mt. Rushmore? TD, Von, DT, and Elway!

Give me one word/phrase/cliche to describe your hope for this season? “The Lombardi is coming back to Denver!”

How did you become a Broncos fan?

I became a Broncos fan through inheritance – my dad has been a fan since he was a kid. He has watched every single SB loss…outside of the one in ‘78… only cuz he wasn’t born. Talk about dedication, I could barely make it through the Hack season! That was my first real season too… so I am certainly a greenhorn (*editor’s note: trust those of us who are your dad’s age, those early Super Bowl losses were depressing, but NOTHING beats how horrendous the Hack Season was!!) 

I do have vague memories of “watching” a Tebow game or two when I was 5-ish, and the first snap of SB48 (I ended up with a Manning jersey with the outline of the SB patch from my uncle lol). I also “watched” SB 50. Football has only been a recent addition to my life, but it has been somewhat of a constant…so the bug was bound to bite at some point I ‘spose!