Broncos Head Coach Vic Fangio (10.21.21)
On Broncos OLB Von Miller’s status:
“It is a sprained ankle. That is what I know at this point.”
On the Browns’ long drives:
“Very disappointing. You look at the final score of 17-14 and you are going to think that 17 points is good enough defensively, but we did not play good defense tonight. We let them drive it too much. Way too many third-and-ones. We just did not play well enough to win the game.”
On what the Browns did with their run game that was so effective:
“What they do every week – they run it good. Even though they were missing their two backs (RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt), any good running game starts with the offensive line. They have a good line, and they do a good job of blocking. They have a good scheme.”
On the Broncos’ lack of production in the running game:
“In the first half, we just could not get anything going. The quickest way to get out of that in the first half or anytime you are in that is to convert some third downs and give yourself a new set of downs to get a running game going to get a first and second down passing game going. We did neither. We did not find a rhythm in the run game well enough in the first and second down passing game. We did not convert on third down. When you do not do that, you do not get enough plays. We were not getting enough three-and-outs or stopping them quick enough. It is a problem. It is a team-wide problem.”
On Cleveland’s opening drive TD:
“They hit us with a boot on the first play that. Albeit a short week, we thought we had it coached up good. They hit us with it. Give them credit. They are good at it. Then they hit the tight end screen. We were playing to it. (Broncos OLB) Malik (Reed) was on it and on it, and then the guy threw him away at the last second. Then they made a big gain out of that. Screens and boots are staples. They are good at it. We didn’t defend them well enough.”
On Browns QB Case Keenum’s scramble to convert on fourth down and the Browns’ final drive:
“On the Keenum scramble, we were in a four-man rush. We were in a good coverage. The rush just could not get there, and he was able to squeeze out of there. The last drive was very frustrating. We were loaded up for the run and they blocked us and ran it. We could not stop them.”
On if he considered making a QB change today with Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater’s injury:
“I did not.”
On how effective Bridgewater was dealing with the injury:
“I thought he played good, especially there in the second half. I do not think Teddy’s injuries from my vantage point affected him that much. I thought that he was courageous. He is our quarterback.”
On how to make sure the season does not slip away after consecutive losses:
“We have to rally. We have to overcome our injuries. They can’t use them as excuses. We have to get back to playing better football as a team. Make more first downs, which will lead to touchdowns on offense. Play the run better on defense so that you do not get so many third-and-ones and third-and-twos. We just have to play better, and we have to coach better. I do not want to be remiss in saying that. We have to coach better, and we have got to adjust to what we have right now.”
On how shocking the last four weeks have been in not being able to lean on defense or get takeaways:
“We have not been able to get some takeaways. You are right. We need to. We had opportunities in the other games. We did not tonight. It did not seem like it.”
On whether he will consider a change in the play-calling moving forward:
“No.”
On not getting the expected tendencies early in games:
“That is not the case. The two staples of their offense besides the running game are the boots and the screens. They hurt us with the screens in the first half.”
On whether the Broncos have the personnel to play good defense:
“Yeah, we do. We have to make it good enough. We will find a way and find a formula to do that.”
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