With just 18 days separating the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants, Head Coach Vic Fangio has finally named his starting quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater.
Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio started by breaking the news to now quarterbacks one and two, Teddy Bridgewater and Drew Lock. Shortly after, Fangio broke the news to the team. This decision has brought an immense amount of scrutiny, which I would say is completely fair.
Some like the decision, some are appalled. Through my lens, I would have started Drew Lock, but it is what it is. From my perspective, the movie on Drew Lock has yet to be completed. It seems to me like Fangio started watching the cinema on Drew Lock, made it through the slow beginning, and as he started reaching the climax, he turned off the movie.
Maybe Fangio decided he had seen enough of the movie, whether it was about to improve or not. If I am investing thirty minutes into a movie, I’m at least going to stick around for another thirty before declaring it a dud.
Just my opinion though.
Drew Lock reaped praise from Fangio in his presser saying that he improved in “everything.” Fangio also went on to say, “I don’t have any doubt that Drew’s going to be a quality starting quarterback in this league.” For a head coach that just moved on from an unfinished product, that is quite the quote.
Maybe Drew Lock just isn’t Fangio’s guy and Teddy Bridgewater is.
For whatever reason, let’s say it’s “experience” like Fangio said, Teddy Bridgewater won the job over the young and unproven, Drew Lock. In my opinion, this spells doom for Drew Lock’s career in the orange and blue; but what does it mean for Teddy Bridgewater and Vic Fangio?
Well for starters, it means they will be tied together for not only this season but even potentially in the future. What I mean by that is if Teddy Bridgewater falls flat on his face at some point during the season, that means Vic Fangio did too.
From my understanding, this decision was utterly on the coaching staff, and Fangio is the head man of this staff. However, if Teddy Bridgewater comes out like a new and unseen Teddy Bridgewater, could he actually extend his career in the Mile High City?
Unlikely to say the least, but it is plausible.
This team doesn’t believe in Drew Lock, this decision makes that very clear. If they did, they would have chosen him to start this season. Bridgewater’s contract runs out after this season as the Denver Broncos nullified the remaining years on his deal, which is another reason that baffles me on why they went in the direction that they did.
Before Bridgewater was even brought in, they removed his future from the team, yet they also gave up on Drew Lock in the process. This decision is pushing this team in quarterback purgatory for even longer unless Teddy plays at an unforeseen level.
If Teddy Bridgewater has a career year, and his play takes that unforeseen leap, what would it take for him to be extended? What about Head Coach Vic Fangio? What will he have to do to prove he can handle the responsibility of being a head coach?
From a statistical standpoint, Teddy Bridgewater has yet to see a season in which he has thrown over 15 touchdown passes. To plan an entire season around that, especially when you have an exuberant amount of talent on your roster, seems questionable at best.
That said, Bridgewater also hasn’t ever played on a team with this much talent on both sides of the ball in his career. He has also looked phenomenal in both exhibition games this season. Having just three incompletions throughout his time in the preseason, with zero turnovers, and a couple of touchdown passes.
If he can carry that over into the regular season, there will obviously be a case to keep Teddy “Two Gloves” in town for an extended period of time. Teddy would also need to do something else he has yet to do in his career, win a playoff game.
Outside of a brutal loss to the Seattle Seahawks on a botched field goal attempt, Teddy hasn’t even been relatively close. This could be the season of change. Granted, Teddy has been fighting ongoing knee issues, maybe he is just now fully healthy.
For Teddy to solidify his place in Broncos Country, I think he would have to lead this team to the playoffs and actually supplant 20-plus passing touchdowns. Many have pondered the realm of a 23-25 touchdown pass range, but for him to be extended, I would like to see Teddy throw for 30 touchdowns this season.
This may be quite the stretch as it is literally double his career-best of 15 touchdown passes in a single season, but for an extension, his play needs to warrant an extension. Teddy also cant have 11 interceptions unless he throws about 30 touchdown passes if he would be vying for an extension.
Outside of just flat out raising his play to a level we haven’t seen, Teddy Bridgewater needs to pass the eye test. When making decisions, Bridgewater must show that he has evolved as a quarterback and looks beyond the line of scrimmage when attempting to complete a pass.
Basically, in order for Teddy Bridgewater to remain this team’s quarterback and become the quarterback of the future, he needs to double his touchdown passes, maintain his turnovers, take the next step in becoming more aggressive as a passer, lead this team to the playoffs, and win in the playoffs.
Oh, a victory against the Kansas City Chiefs would be icing on the cake.
Daunting, sure, but possible?
Yes.
In a bold decision, head coach Vic Fangio selected journeyman and literal bridge quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater to rest his fate on. This could be a calculated decision for Fangio, as he is an analytical mind, but that has to play itself out.
Fangio does know one thing, in order for him to remain the Denver Broncos head coach, his fortune has to change. Especially in September.
During Fangio’s tenure as the Denver Broncos head coach, he is an abysmal 0-for in September contests. That is absolutely and undoubtedly unacceptable. Heck, if he doesn’t win three games this September, I expect his seat to become warmer than the wrong side of a pillow.
First things first, Fangio has to win at least three games to begin the season. Anything under 3-1 to start just will not pan out well for the former longtime defensive coordinator. To make it very clear, Fangio must bring the fire if he doesn’t want to be under fire.
Which is completely warranted.
He hasn’t had his franchise quarterback, but neither did Vance Joseph. Much like Vance Joseph, I think Vic Fangio struggles with clock management. His belief is that by not using his timeouts on defense, it relies on his offense to get a couple of more shots than he would in retrospect.
I for one, am not on board with this approach. If I am a head coach and I am trying to control the clock, I am certainly trying to retain as many tics as possible until my offense could get the ball back. He is trying a different approach that hasn’t quite been done before and I appreciate the innovation, but I just personally do not think that it is efficient.
I’d much rather have my offense get the ball back with 1:30 left on the clock with zero timeouts left than 19 seconds left on the clock and two timeouts. Your quarterback and offense can control the clock and simply clock it or get out of bounds if planned appropriately.
Spikes of the football are limitless as long as you have the time and can keep the chains moving. So like I said, I understand why he is doing it, I just do not think it is the most efficient way in handling the clock. The last thing you want as an offense is to lose a game, with timeouts left on the clock, but the clock sitting at 0:00.
Fangio also must prove he can win without his franchise quarterback. While that doesn’t seem fair, it was ultimately his decision to give up on the one potential franchise quarterback he could have had. He decided to go with the journeyman, so that is no longer an acceptable excuse in my eyes.
He also must coach this team to a playoff berth, anything less, I do not retain him as the head coach if I’m General Manager, George Paton. Whether the record of the Denver Broncos is 9-8 or 10-7, if he doesn’t push this team to a playoff berth, then I would move on.
Year three in a coach’s tenure is about the end of the road if they do not make the postseason, in fair circumstances. In this circumstance, there is absolutely zero excuse for missing this postseason. He got the quarterback he wanted, he was given more cornerback depth and a deep and talented team.
There are no excuses.
Fangio must win and win in the postseason. Like Bridgewater, a berth isn’t enough, a victory must be attained. That more than likely will have to come through a wild card berth as a Teddy Bridgewater-led offense surely isn’t outgunning Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
There is a possibility that the duo of Vic Fangio and Teddy Bridgewater returns to the Denver Broncos in 2022, but it isn’t an easy path. Success and positive strides from Fangio and Bridgewater must occur.
They have to improve in a drastic manner, and that begins in September. Fangio has to lean more on Bridgewater than Bridgewater has to lean on Fangio. Bridgewater must be precise, he has to be willing to push the ball downfield, and he has to bring this team to the postseason.
It’s a daunting task for both individuals to take such a substantial leap, but they have my support. Regardless of if I think Fangio cut Drew Lock’s move off too quickly or not, I will always root for the success of the Denver Broncos.
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Hopefully, you all do too, but it is fair to have your own individual doubts, as I do myself.