In 2018, the Broncos’ defense finished the season tied for eighth in the NFL in sacks (44) and tied for fifth in interceptions (17), with pass rushers Von Miller and Bradley Chubb combining for 26.5 sacks and six forced fumbles.



When Vic Fangio was hired in January as the Broncos’ head coach, he was fresh off a year in which his Bears defense led the league in interceptions (27) and tied for third in sacks (50). Their star pass rusher, Khalil Mack, accounted for 12.5 of those sacks, plus a career-high six forced fumbles.



This led to genuine and warranted excitement about what sort of production Fangio could extract from an already very good defensive roster in Denver.



“We’re going to try to take them both to bigger and better levels,” Fangio said this summer of Miller and Chubb. “I think Von Miller can play even better than he’s played in his career.”



Through the first three weeks of the season, the...