Vic Fangio's successful Broncos Defense Schemes and coverages

Vic Fangio is one of the best defensive coordinators in the league. Over 20 great years He is known throughout the league for adapting his scheme to the talent given him and putting players in position to be successful. Not known as a big blitzer, he is known for his multiple looks and really taking away what other teams do best. He'll change his looks and keep offenses on it's toes. If he has the DB's you will see some man concepts, if he doesn't have the horses  to play cover 1, he will play more zone. He won't try to stick a square plug in a round hole!

He plays much of the standard coverages you will see on Sunday. 

Some pass zone defense concepts you will often see:
1.Cover 3 variations (weak, strong)

2. True quarters

3. 1/4, 1/4 , 1/2 both strong and weak (also, 2 to the star wr and 1/4 opposite is a call)

4. Cover 2

5. Tampa 2

Here's some of the things about his defense:

1. They Eliminate the big play 

2. They Rally to the ball 

3. Communication in the secondary - they pass off routes better than anyone 

4. They Disguise better than anyone- 2 safety look presnap to some single high and cover 3 coverages

5. They try to take advantage of pass rush matchups with Miller and Chubb in the past.

  Here are some of the defenses Vic Fangio will play. He loves to play variations of 3 on early downs, some 1/4, 1/4 half  with some man free hole concepts from a 2 high look. He really has a very solid scheme. Thus, they had the #2 defense in points allowed in 2021 at 18.9.  That's playing within a very tough division with some very good quarterbacks.

On early downs

On early downs you'll see different coverages but often will see some cover 3, with much of it being 3 weak or strong based on formation. He also likes to disguise with his safeties. His safeties are interchangeable which makes the scheme successful.

You will also see a ton of 4-2 fronts with often a shade look. They use the strong safety as the C gap player in the run game. They will often go to a  4-2 vs 11 personnel, and at times vs 12 personnel, depending on what they think of your run game and who you're weapons are in the passing game.

You will also see their tite 3-4 front against teams when they get 21/12. Both of these fronts he has used over the years.

Here you see a 4-2 nickel look vs 12 in the Jets game. Safety rotates late to the 3x1 side. Again, the Broncos can bring either safety down to help in the run game.

vs the Chargers

Chargers come out in 12 with the  tight end  to the boundary in a 2x2 set. The Broncos go 3 weak and do a nice job vs the run. 

 The Jets come out in 12 personnel with 2 tight ends and 1 wr to the same side. The Broncos run cover 3 to the 2 tight end side to get the extra run defender there.

   Here's another example of how they disguise and show a 2 high look and move the safety down late. 

The Bengals come out in 11 personnel 2x2, the Broncos run 3 weak, the safety comes down to the curl  away from the 2 wr. 

3-4 front vs 12 and 21

They will also play some 3-4 fronts vs 12/13 and 21 personnel. They played it against the Lions, probably because of the lack of threats in the passing game. They will play some 3-4 and bring an extra lb in depending on the opponent.

Lions in 22 personnel. 2 backs and 2 tight ends

Lions go 12, 2 tight ends and 2 wr, the Broncos go 3-4

vs Bunch Man principles

Broncos

The Broncs show a 2 high look but the coverage is man free with the Safety to the side of the bunch diving down to help on crossers. They used it a few times vs the Jets in week 3 as show below. 2 clips are attached

On 3rd and 6 the Jets run the concept again. The Broncos switch the coverage and how they sort the bunch route out.

Nice scheme on defending bunch!

vs the Chargers

They play man free and run the safety hole concept away from the 3x1. They play man to man with the skill players and dive the hole player the other way. They force Herbert to take the fade route on the outside with #1

Combo coverage vs 3x1

Another thing you will see from Fangio is combination coverage, part man part zone. He does it with different coverages on the front side of the combination coverage.

Vs. The Chiefs they run different variations of it. In the first example they play cover 2.

In the next example, they play man on the backside but run a variation of 1/4 coverage with the sam carrying #2 vertical. Nice design with what looks like the mike matching the RB to the flat.

The RB opens late but Mahomes is forced to scramble.

Here are the 2 examples of the coverages discussed above:

Vs the Chargers

They play zone to  the field and man to man on #1. The LB do a great job delivering routes to each other taking away the shallow crossing routes.  They are playing a hole concept with the safety and he takes away the over route. Great scheme.

Fire Zones

Vic will run some fire zones occasionally on early downs to stop the run with a cover 3 rotation. Here are a few clips of that.

2nd and 5 vs The Chargers

2nd and 2 vs the Raiders

On 3rd down,  the Broncos were ranked 28th. Which is rather surprising considering their points against. 

They don't really get too exotic on 3rd down with their fronts and pressures. You don't see too many mug looks or 3-2 fronts.  They are more traditional.

A large amount of 4 man pressures with some zone and man schemes where you see the safety dropping down to rob the hole. 

3rd and 7-10

2 sample coverage on 3rd and 7-10

You' ll see some man free hole in these situations.

The other coverage is some combo where they play man to the 1 WR side and zone to the trips side. Here you see the safety looking to play the hole in search of any deep crossing route.

The 2 coverages from above

3rd and 4-6 

Below is a man free coverage vs condensed where the safety drops to 5 yards to help on the crossing routes. Fangio will drop him shallow vs condensed  and to 8 yards vs more spread sets depending on the situation.

3rd and 3 

Man free with a hole safety

In the next example they drop the safety to the strong side. He does a nice job taking away the routes to the inside but the CB loses the matchup with the TE across the field.

1/4 1/4 1/2 coverage

Here's a few clips from his play book, He will play some 1/4, 1/4 half vs certain sets.  and they will do it vs different sets and formations. They played it often in years past and 

These are just some of the concepts you will see from Vic Fangio. He is an outstanding coordinator and excellent football coach.

Here are some other resources:

Man Free Blitzes

http://www.blitzology.com/search/label/Vic%20Fangio

Tale of the Tape

https://www.milehighreport.com/2019/5/29/18640212/broncos-vic-fangios-coverages

Vic Fangio Philosophy:

https://matchquarters.substack.com/p/the-fangio-philosophy-pt-1?s=r