09-18-25 Hour 2 of Broncos Country Tonight with Daniel Popper and Zach Segars

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
KWA comes both hotline and bring on our guy, Daniel Popper.
It covers the Chargers and covers the Chargers beat well.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Always love having him on, Daniel. How you doing doing great?

Speaker 3 (00:10):
Thanks for having me on? Yeah?

Speaker 1 (00:12):
Absolutely, Uh you know, we got an interesting game coming
up here.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
The Chargers have played nothing but.

Speaker 1 (00:17):
Division games so far this season, Broncos dipping their toe
in the divisional waters with this game. Broncos kreeling off
a last second loss literally to the to the Colts
in Indianapolis.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
The Chargers flying high as a sudden, Suddenly.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
The hottest passing offense, Greg Roman suddenly has the hottest
passing offense in the league.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
I look at this thing and.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
It's it's a must win for the Broncos. I don't
know that it's a must win for the Chargers, but
they want to keep it rolling.

Speaker 2 (00:47):
As we look at this thing. What's the general feeling
out there in LA right now? Says? They are sitting
atop the AFC West.

Speaker 4 (00:55):
Yeah, and standalone atop the AFCU West, first time since
Week five of twenty twenty one that they've been alone
in first place in the AFC wes vibes.

Speaker 3 (01:05):
Are definitely high.

Speaker 4 (01:07):
You know, Harbunch puts such an emphasis on divisional games,
So to come out two and zero in the division,
and most importantly there, I mean beating the Chiefs in Brazil.
They had lost seven straight to the Chiefs, so that
was obviously a very impressive and important start to the season.
But the energy is very, very high inside the Chargers'

(01:28):
locker room, and they are believing right now that they
are serious contenders, not just in the ACUS, but for
a Super Bowl trophy.

Speaker 5 (01:36):
Daniel, last week we saw against the Raiders, we saw
Justin Herbert get get out and run. He's a very
athletic guy. He went to slide and he took a shot.
And do you have any inclination or concern that maybe
that great Roman may want to kind of pull him
back from running, knowing as though he's taking unnecessary shots

(01:57):
heading into the Broncos game, knowing as though Broncos type
that defense that they would definitely take those shots if
they're available.

Speaker 3 (02:05):
Yeah, I honestly think it's the exact opposite.

Speaker 4 (02:07):
I mean, I think they're encouraging Justin Herbert to scramble
and to create with his legs. You go back to
the playoff loss at Houston. Last year, Herbert was under
a ton of pressure and did not scramble.

Speaker 3 (02:20):
A single time in that game.

Speaker 4 (02:22):
These first two games of this season, he's been scrambling
a lot, and they believe that it adds a different
dimension to the offense when he's a threat to scramble, specifically,
you know in those third down situations. That play that
you're alluding to. I asked Herbert about it this week.
He said that there were no lingering health effects outside
of a scrape on his legs.

Speaker 3 (02:41):
It wasn't really the hit that was scary about that play.

Speaker 4 (02:44):
He tried to slide and just really awkwardly sort of
drove his knee into the turf. And he mentioned to
us when we talked to him this week that, you know,
I'm a better slider than that. He was obviously an
excellent baseball player in high school. That play was actually
the rush, not a scramble. But I believe that they
want Justin Herbert to be using his legs because it

(03:07):
forces defense to account for him, especially in some of
those third down situations where opposing defenses are going to
be playing a lot of man coverage and he can
be a threat with his legs.

Speaker 3 (03:17):
In those situations.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
Talking with Daniel Popper at Daniel R.

Speaker 1 (03:20):
Popper on Twitter, senior writer or the Athletic covering the Chargers,
you know, defensive coordinator Jesse Mentor is somebody who could
be a top the short list for a team playing tonight,
the Miami Dolphins. What have you heard about the possibility
that he would either stick around for another year as
the DC there or the possibility that he would leave

(03:42):
for a head coaching job if things continue to go
well this season.

Speaker 4 (03:47):
Yeah, a bit of a surprise that he didn't get
any interviews last year.

Speaker 3 (03:51):
I was expecting him to get.

Speaker 4 (03:53):
Some more interest after putting together a really solid Chargers
defense last year. You know, I think you got to
see how this season. You know, the defense is obviously
playing really well. They had a bit of a step
back against the Bucks late in the season that I
think might have prevented him from getting some of those interviews.

Speaker 3 (04:08):
But I firmly believe he's.

Speaker 4 (04:09):
Gonna have a bunch of interest after this season. You know,
I wrote a big profile on Jesse Minter as a
preview to the season.

Speaker 3 (04:15):
I talked to him.

Speaker 4 (04:16):
About this specific topic one on one, and it's obviously
something that he's interested in. You know, he told me
that at some point, you know, he's going to start
thinking about becoming a head coach. I think if the
right opportunity comes this offseason and the Chargers put together
a really good season defensively, he would be open to
considering those opportunities. But you know, you also have to

(04:38):
factor in how loyal he is the Jim Harbaugh and
how determined he is to, you know, help Jim Barbab
reach you know, the one place in his career that
he hasn't been able to reach, which is a Lombardi Trophy.
So I get the sense that he'll be open to
those opportunities that they do come this offseason.

Speaker 3 (04:54):
Obviously, if they're.

Speaker 4 (04:55):
Able to get it done this year and win a
Super Bowl, that changes things. But I'm sure he'll be
listening because it's someth that you know, he's obviously wanted
for a long time in his coaching life.

Speaker 5 (05:03):
So when it comes to defense, Khalil Mack, he's kind
of solidified that edge rush spot, but he's going to
miss a couple of games. How is it that mentor
just kind of figures things out, who's that next guy
up that the Broncos would definitely need to worry about
from edge rush's standpoint.

Speaker 3 (05:21):
Yeah, so the next guy up is two Lee two below.

Speaker 4 (05:24):
To former second round pick already was you know, heading
into the season with a big opportunity after the Chargers
moved on from Joey Bosa.

Speaker 3 (05:33):
He was moving into.

Speaker 4 (05:34):
Sort of a full time starting role for the first
time in his career. Now with Khalil down, he becomes
that main guy. And I'll tell you this, after Khalil
went down on the final play of the first quarter
Monday night against the Raiders, I thought tu Ley two
below to really stepped up and had one of the
best games of his career. He's always been a very
dominant run defender. I think what I was looking for

(05:56):
from him this season was to really step up and
be that more consistent presence as a pass rusher. He
finished the game with six pressures. He was affecting Geno
Smith pretty consistently. He also had two bad passes in
the game. So he's the next man up. But without
Kohiel out there, they're a little thinner in the edge room.

Speaker 3 (06:14):
Coil just brings so much to.

Speaker 4 (06:16):
The table, you know, both as a pass rusher and
edge defender, so they're going to be rotating a bunch
of guys in. You still have veteran Bud Dupree there.
Caleb Murphy is now the third edge rusher, and they
took an edge rusher in the fourth round. And Kyle
Ginnard out of South Carolina had some okay moments as
a run defender in training camp in the preseason, but
never really flashed as a pass rusher. But I really

(06:38):
liked his film coming out of South Carolina.

Speaker 3 (06:40):
You know, obviously he.

Speaker 4 (06:40):
Led the SEC in sacks in his senior year last year,
so he's going to get an opportunity and we'll see
if the Chargers can fill in coil next shoes. It's
certainly not an easy thing to do. But the guy
to watch is definitely two Le.

Speaker 1 (06:52):
Two to Low two with Daniel Popper and Daniel Laura
Popper on Twitter. Sean Paige has not fared well again
Jim Harball over the course of his career. Back when
No orlans in San Francisco days, Harball with three and one.
Harball's two and zero against Sean Payton with the Chargers
in the Broncos series. That's that's a one in five

(07:12):
record for Sean Payton five and one for Jim Harball
is that Do you think that that's on Jim Harbaugh's
mind as much as it is on the mind of
fans and coaches here.

Speaker 3 (07:26):
I don't necessarily think he views it that way.

Speaker 4 (07:28):
I mean, I feel like he probably viewed the matchup
with Pete Carroll in a different light than he views
the matchup with Sean Payton getting an opportunity to go
against be the guy that he faced, you know, back
in the forty nine or Seahawks days, and then back
to the USC Stanford. I think Jim Harbaugh is really
singularly focused on, you know, getting off to this three
and oh start in the division.

Speaker 3 (07:49):
Like that's and me feels like what's most important to him.

Speaker 4 (07:51):
You know, he says that, you know, divisional games are
worth two and a half games in the standings because
you obviously get the two games swing plus whatever impact
it had on the tiebreaker. So I think his focus
is more on three division games to start to season
a unique situation. If they get out to three and
oh start, it's not just three and oh, it's three
to oh in the division, And my sensus his focus

(08:12):
is really on that versus any head coach on head
coach matchup.

Speaker 5 (08:17):
So there's a couple of injuries that the Chargers are
dealing with, one with starring corner Elijah Molder molded and
then Will Disley. Now my counterpart, Benjamin Albright. He doesn't
really see Will Disley as being somewhat of a thread
in the passing game. But you've got a chance to
see Will Disley. Can he present any type of issues

(08:38):
to the Broncos in the passing game?

Speaker 4 (08:41):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (08:42):
I mean, well, this is his career year as a receiver.

Speaker 4 (08:44):
Last year, I don't necessarily think that's how the Chargers
want to use him. It's why they went out inside
Tyler Conklin and free agency this offseason, and they also
drafted or receiving tight end, and it feels like Will
Disley's role is more tailored to his skill set now
they can really use him primarily as a run blocker,
and he's one of the elite run blocking tight ends
in the league. And I'll also throw this out there.

(09:05):
I mean last week they went up against Max Crosby
in that Raiders game, Crosby only had one pressure and
a big part of that was Will Dissley being used
as a helper and shipper on the right side with
Trey Diipkins. I thought difinitely had a phenomenal game in
terms of consistently mixing things up with Max Crosby and
not giving him a free run on Herbert.

Speaker 3 (09:22):
So that really feels like his role. That's where he
can be assessed.

Speaker 4 (09:26):
He gave them something in the passing game last year,
but that was really more out of necessity and a
lack of personnel than anything else. With Elijah Molden, yeah,
he's dealing with a hamstring injury. I don't expect him
to play this week.

Speaker 3 (09:38):
Obviously.

Speaker 4 (09:38):
They re signed him this offseason primarily because they like
to play Derwin James at the nickel and Elijah Molden
the LOGI Gilman sort of formed the safety pairing that
allows their when to play closer to the line of scrimmage.
Tony Jefferson is the guy that filled in for Elijah Molden.

Speaker 3 (09:52):
At safety last week.

Speaker 4 (09:54):
He's probably going to be the guy again. They signed
him from the practice squads of the active roster today,
a veteran guy. He had a pick in that Raiders game.
So Alatam Bullen is an important player. To this defense,
but they have depth there and they don't lose a
whole lot when they have Tony Jefferson in the game.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
With Dania Popper covers the chargers for the athletic well
real quick here. Then in the passing game, I mean,
Quentin Johnston has been a guy.

Speaker 2 (10:15):
They keep targeting.

Speaker 1 (10:16):
It hasn't been as efficient as is obviously targeting Keenan
Allen and lab McCage, but Johnson has been better than
he had been in previous years. Do you think they're
going to continue to make a concerted effort to kind
of feed him the ball or do you think that
this team and this offensive identity eventually the pendulum swings
back toward what Greg Roman has known most of his career,
which is running the football.

Speaker 4 (10:38):
Yeah. I mean, here's how I sort of frame that.
I mean, I think last year, heading into the season,
they knew what they had and Justin Herbert, and they
were going to want to throw the football. Unfortunately, Herbert
had all these injuries. He missed three weeks of training
camp for the plant of fash injury. He hit a
high ankle sprain in week two. He also dealt with
an ankle spray and the other leg he had a

(10:59):
neat intusion, an issue at thigh contusion, and so they
never really got to, you know, dive into the full
breadth of their playbook until about midway through the season,
just because Herbert was so limited in terms of his mobility.
And then you sort of saw over the second half
last season that the passing rates increased.

Speaker 3 (11:16):
And they're kind of in line with what they've been
this season.

Speaker 4 (11:19):
So I think they understand what they have in Herbert
and they kind of have always wanted to give the
offense over to him in his right arm. I think
what limited them early in the season last year was
you know, Herbert's injuries. As far as Quinton, I mean,
this guy has steadily improved, and obviously he gets a
lot of criticism, you know, online from the public and
from chargers stands because of the drops. But I give

(11:40):
him a lot of credit because he's just put his
head down and steadily improved in all the finer details
of playing receiver.

Speaker 3 (11:46):
He was really unrefined.

Speaker 4 (11:49):
As a route runner when he came out of college
and where he is now as a route runner in
terms of his releases at the top of his routes,
the way he sets up defenders, his understanding of how
to use his thought to set up cornerbacks and defensive
backs on certain routes, like, it's all markedly, markedly better.
And I think the reason you're seeing him produce right
now is because he's improved in that area.

Speaker 3 (12:10):
And you have to give a lot.

Speaker 4 (12:11):
Of credit to receivers coach Sanjay Lyle, who's worked daily
with Quentin Johnson to get him to this point where
he can really be a viable NFL threat.

Speaker 5 (12:19):
The biggest question for me playing on the defense side
of the ball is Derwin James and Durwin at six
two two fifteen is obviously known for being a defan
of you know, in the secondary, but now they've moved
him down and put him on the second level of
the defense. Since the beginning of this season, what have
you seen from him that could produce some kind of

(12:43):
concerns for the Broncos based on his versatility?

Speaker 3 (12:47):
Yeah, so, I think the really interesting thing is, you know.

Speaker 4 (12:49):
The super versatile player, and he can play all these
different positions.

Speaker 3 (12:53):
He can play both safety spots.

Speaker 4 (12:55):
He you know, can play you know, at nickel, he
can play dinebacker. He can pretty much anywhere on the field.
But where the genius of Jesse Minter and his coaching
staff has been, you know, kind of consolidating what Dirtwin
does and they play him at nickel a vast majority
of the time, and they kind of use his versatility
within that specific position, within that one position at nickel,

(13:16):
And so what they can do when he's close to
the line of scrimmage is they can you know, man
him up on various different players on tight ends, on
slot receivers.

Speaker 3 (13:25):
They feel like.

Speaker 4 (13:25):
They can be in a big nickel package and not
lose anything in terms of the run fit because he's
a really good run defender.

Speaker 3 (13:31):
And then they can scheme.

Speaker 4 (13:32):
Up a lot of blitzes with him out of that
position at nickel and get him one on one with
running backs where they have an advantage.

Speaker 3 (13:39):
So they're not using his.

Speaker 4 (13:40):
Versatility in terms of playing him at all these different positions.
They're playing him at one position, but they feel like
his versatility really thrives in this one position because the
nickel player has to be involved in the run fit.
The nickel player is going to be involved in coverage
against various different types of players. The nickel player has
to be able to Blitz and I think what you're
seeing now is the best version of Derwin James, the

(14:00):
guy that's around the football up because they're playing in
close to the line of scrimmage, and the guy who
impact the game in many different phases.

Speaker 2 (14:07):
Daniel Popper or the Athletic.

Speaker 1 (14:08):
We appreciate it as always and looking forward to this
game on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (14:14):
All right, guys, appreciate it absolutely.

Speaker 2 (14:15):
Take care of s Daniel Poper. Daniel R.

Speaker 1 (14:17):
Popper on Twitter covers the Chargers for the Athletic we
come back.

Speaker 2 (14:21):
We got an NFL six pack. Yeah, that works well.

Speaker 6 (14:29):
I don't even have the screen on me because it's
playing you guys at football.

Speaker 2 (14:32):
It's perfect.

Speaker 1 (14:33):
I've got the I get the screen at least helping
to light light it up here as well.

Speaker 2 (14:38):
Zach, we got you here for day to full six pack.
Let's let's get to it. It's time for the NFL
six pad.

Speaker 4 (14:44):
I'm gonna trink a lot up here, insight and insight
information you can't find anywhere else.

Speaker 2 (14:51):
The top six NFL.

Speaker 6 (14:52):
Headline on Carson Wentz said he's ready for his Vikings
debut this week and said playing for the this new
team will feel surreal. What are your expectations for Carson
Wentzon Minnesota? Could we see some Josh Doabs magic? And
do you think there is a chance we don't see
JJ McCarthy again this season if Wentz plays well enough.

Speaker 1 (15:17):
Carson Wentz man like dude, was the finished third in
the MVP voting his second season there in Philadelphia, thirty
three touchdowns, seven interceptions, He got a.

Speaker 2 (15:27):
Pro Bowl, he was a second team All Pro.

Speaker 1 (15:30):
He got a Comeback Player of the Year two years
later after that, and then, like it was like every
other year for him, he gave with the Indian and
he actually had decent.

Speaker 2 (15:37):
Stat line that year.

Speaker 1 (15:38):
They just couldn't win games, and then the wheels fell
off after that. He was in Washington, didn't do well.
He was with the Rams for a minute, the Chief
last year. We saw how that one went. I think
he could do all right. You know, he's got it
in him, But at this point his career, he's thirty
two years old, when I'm not expecting a sudden, you know,
resurgence out of nowhere. I think he can provide competence,

(15:58):
core competency within the the offensive scheme, and they've got
a decent.

Speaker 2 (16:01):
Offensive line there.

Speaker 1 (16:03):
You know, I'm not talking about magic, but you're gonna
see McCarthy at some point during the year.

Speaker 2 (16:06):
Of course you're gonna see McCarthy.

Speaker 5 (16:08):
But I feel a little different because here's what we're
talking about. Remember last week Broncos against Daniel Jones. Where
did Jennings Jones go before he ended up with the Colts.
He was in Minnesota Vicerus with Kevin o'cowne, who actually
taught him, you know, how to settle himself down, so
he would do the same thing for Carson Wentz. And
when you get that backup veteran quarterback with that experience

(16:28):
that steps in there with weapons around him, I think
this is gonna be a little different off for him
on Sundays, and he's gonna have the ability to shock
a lot of people like Daniel Jones shocked a lot
of people against the Broncos.

Speaker 2 (16:41):
Maybe because this is a sixth team in six years.
It's crazy.

Speaker 4 (16:45):
I know.

Speaker 5 (16:46):
Sometimes, hey, you might have to get divorced twice to
make good on that third marriage.

Speaker 2 (16:51):
I don't know. Maybe that's the.

Speaker 5 (16:52):
Case with Carson Wentz or five times in some cases.
Hopefully not, but it's.

Speaker 2 (16:59):
Like nineteen forties Detective two.

Speaker 6 (17:04):
Marvin Harrison Junior called the cries for him to get
more targets silly considering that the team is two to zero.
What are your thoughts on the start of Harrison Junior's
career relative to the lofty expectations he had coming out.

Speaker 2 (17:16):
Of Ohio State.

Speaker 6 (17:18):
And do you think the Cardinals record is just a
product of their opponents? Those being the New Orleans Saints
and Carolina Panthers. A part of that so you're playing
some you know, some bad teams and part of that to.

Speaker 1 (17:30):
Your run first offense, part of that is they got
up and they went conservative. You know, Marvin Harrison through
two games, got what eleven targets sets five and a
half targets a game. You know, you'd like to see
that number be a little higher. But I mean that's
relatively speaking in that offense, six seven eight targets of games?
About how what you're getting? So I don't know, I mean,

(17:51):
I they winning football games. What what's there to complain about?

Speaker 5 (17:54):
Yeah, you know, I like the comment from him. It's
sort of like what Rod Smith said when we would
playing together. As long as we're winning, that's the only
thing that matters. Because and I'm not saying that the
Cards win the Super Bowl, but Rod said that, you know,
you had it a ball through ow Davis. I get
a Super Bowl ring, He gets a Super Bowl ring. Well,
here's the other thing. Trey McBride, who was very talented

(18:16):
tied end. He led the team last year in receiving
yards and he's leaving the team right now. So the
idea is that as long as you're winning, the schedule's
gonna get tough.

Speaker 2 (18:23):
For they had two easy games.

Speaker 5 (18:25):
But as long as you're winning, who cares whether you're getting.

Speaker 2 (18:27):
Targets or not.

Speaker 5 (18:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (18:29):
I mean he only caught two out of five targets
against Carolina and I got five or six against New Orleans.
I maybe it's just getting ramped up. Well, give it
a couple of weeks. If it continues to not be either,
then you might have something.

Speaker 5 (18:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (18:40):
I think it hurts with elite neighbors looking like the
next up and coming, you know.

Speaker 2 (18:44):
All pro elite superstar receiver.

Speaker 6 (18:47):
But Marvin Harrison Junior is still a really exciting talent
who you know, as Fate continue to build things in Arizona,
he'll keep getting more and more opportunities.

Speaker 1 (18:54):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (18:55):
Three Ben Johnson said that he isn't concerned about having
a production meeting with Tom Brady this week despite the
Bears playing Brady's Raiders in Week four. Tom Brady is
getting to have these special production meetings that we normally
see with broadcast crew except normally the broadcast cast crews

(19:15):
don't feature NFL owners. What do you make of that
conflict of interest with Brady having this special access and
should he have to choose between broadcasting or ownership or
do you think it's fine that he does both.

Speaker 2 (19:30):
I guess if he doesn't care, he doesn't care.

Speaker 1 (19:33):
To me, it looks like it gives an unfair competitive
advantage to Tom Brady in a lot of ways. But
you know, I mean it didn't certainly didn't help the
Raiders beat the Chargers this past week. As an owner,
he's eligible to sit in the coaching box and do
all that kind of stuff. But I mean, let's be
honest here, Tom Brady hasn't exactly gotten what he wanted
as far as a lot of these things go. They
wanted Ben Johnson to be the head coach, thought he

(19:55):
was going to bring him in and didn't get him.
They wound up with Pete Carroll, who was their second
choice they wanted Matt Stafford. Stafford went back and signed
with the Rams after being offered by the Raiders. Not
like Tom Brady's just getting everything he wants. In fact,
so far, he hasn't got much of anything that he wants.
So I don't know if it's a competitive advantage. I
know how it looks and it looks bad, but beyond that.

Speaker 2 (20:15):
I don't know. I don't know what to tell you.

Speaker 1 (20:17):
Sean Payton's certainly not going to criticize it because they
share the same agent and Don Yee so well.

Speaker 5 (20:22):
I can understand the optics of it to know that
here's a guy who is a kind of minority owner
of a team and he's sitting down having these discussions,
and you wonder is he taking this information back? I
think the thing you look at and is say, okay, well,
on all the games that he's doing these production meetings,
will the Raiders play those teams now? If the Raiders

(20:44):
are playing those teams now, we have somewhat of an issue.

Speaker 2 (20:47):
And Raiders plays the Bears.

Speaker 6 (20:49):
So he's meeting with Ben Johnson this week and then
next week the Raiders played the Bears.

Speaker 5 (20:53):
Now let's just say they say the Raiders beat the Bears,
and then Ben Johnson said, well, what I told Tom
the previous week, he now therefore yous.

Speaker 2 (21:01):
That gives us.

Speaker 5 (21:02):
Now we would have some of an issue that the
league would definitely need your address.

Speaker 6 (21:07):
And knowing Brady and how competitive he is, I don't
know if much of extreme value is coming out of
those meetings, but anything that does come out of those
meetings that he finds valuable or important, he's going to
be sharing with the coaching staff. I don't think he's
gonna take the high road or whatever sit on that.
I mean, this is the deflate gate guy. I'm not

(21:27):
that hung up on those treating scandals, but I think
he's very clearly a competitive guy who is going to
use whatever advantages are at his disposal.

Speaker 2 (21:36):
Well, wats the game and then see what happens. I
would suggest that I agree with you.

Speaker 1 (21:41):
I would suggest that in that case, it becomes incumbent
upon those teams to go full coach speak in those
meetings so as not to give Tom Brady a competitive advantage.

Speaker 2 (21:50):
And I would agree.

Speaker 6 (21:50):
I think that because of that, the problem is less
weak to weak. I think the competitive advantage is more.
It's not a problem right now because he just hired
Pete Carroll, but when it comes to coach hiring, but
he's on that number one Fox broadcast, he's going to
get one of the top games in America every single week.
He's going to get to, as a result, interview a

(22:11):
lot of the top coordinators in the NFL every single week,
which most NFL owners can't do. He's going to have
insight into future coaching candidates that no other.

Speaker 2 (22:21):
Hiring party will have.

Speaker 3 (22:23):
Yeah, or.

Speaker 6 (22:27):
The Washington DC City Council has signed off on the
Washington Commander's multi billion dollar refurbishment of the old RFK
Stadium in Washington, DC, making the teams return to the
city proper official What do you think about this move
and how do you think the Broncos news stadium's final
cost will compare?

Speaker 2 (22:46):
For background information here.

Speaker 6 (22:48):
The Commander's stadium is estimated to cost three point seven
billion dollars. One billion of that is in public funding
and ten point seven is.

Speaker 2 (22:56):
In Commander's funding.

Speaker 6 (22:57):
The Commanders will also cover any costs over Yeah.

Speaker 2 (23:03):
I mean, you know, in the end, the Broncos are
still going.

Speaker 1 (23:06):
To have public costs associated with the area the stadium
itself will be the Walton Pettick group, but you're gonna
have infrastructure improvements. They've got a sidewalk tag. There's still
gonna be quite a bit of public funding when it
comes to the Broncos thing. I mean, it's not a
full billion set aside like that, and typically what you
seek is about seven or fifty millions, So the commanders
are getting a sizable chunk of public funding, more than

(23:27):
most most everybody else gets that said, you know, three
point seven billion, and having the commanders be on the
hook for any cost overrun.

Speaker 2 (23:35):
I like that.

Speaker 1 (23:36):
You know you're probably gonna these days for a stadium,
you're probably looking at three to four billion, you know,
give a take by the time you get done with it.
So you know, having the team on the hook for
the overruns I think is the main thing there for me.

Speaker 5 (23:48):
But I think it's crazy when teams build the stadium
and I guess the savings he's passed on to the taxpayers,
and you have to contribute a substantive lot of money
for someone else to build a stadium, and then they're
going to charge you for parking sessions, and then the
tickets themselves and not to mention PSLs. So if I'm

(24:12):
a fan of the Washington commandagers, you're happy by the possibility.

Speaker 2 (24:15):
Of getting a new stadium.

Speaker 5 (24:16):
But guess what, you're funding half of it. But they're
not reducing the prices. They're going to charge you on everything.

Speaker 2 (24:22):
I just listened.

Speaker 1 (24:22):
Yeah, you should have like a taxpayer card that entitles
you to a day. Hey, we provide your public fund.
This is my discount. I did the walk in for free,
A free.

Speaker 6 (24:30):
Beer or a hot dog or something at LEAs, it
would be a nice gesture. I like to see that
the Broncos doing this. Of course with Furnham Yards. The
Commander's doing this now too, with the move back to
the city.

Speaker 2 (24:41):
I like them keeping it in the city.

Speaker 6 (24:43):
I think having those teams that aren't, you know, like
the Niners moving to Santa Clara, took so much from
that that stadium, atmosphere, that fan base, that fan atmosphere.
I think it's great they're keeping it or moving it
back rather to that site when they had the fan
base at its best.

Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yeah, and it's obviously got the just to be able
to handle all that with a few tweeks, So good
on them.

Speaker 6 (25:03):
Five Lamar Jackson is arguably the greatest Monday Night Football
quarterback ever. He's thrown at twenty two touchdown passes without
a single interception. That's the longest unbroken touchdown streak in
Monday Night football history. After last week, he also now
holds the record for highest career passer rating in NFL history,

(25:28):
with a one twenty point sixty five That passes up
Aaron Rodgers, who is now at one twenty point six.
What do you make of Jackson holding that passer rating record?
And do you think there's any reality or any substance
to players performing better or worse in certain moments. Kirk
Cousins famously struggled in Monday Night Football. Here we have

(25:49):
Lamar Jackson having a streak of great performance. Is that
just luck of the draw? Or is there something there?

Speaker 1 (25:56):
Oh No, there's absolutely something too. You know, with a
light shine their bright as some guys turn it on
and some guys get cases in the type cheeks man,
there's absolutely something to that.

Speaker 2 (26:06):
I've seen it time and time again.

Speaker 1 (26:07):
I I'll tell you, I mean, even even in my
own limited scope, Like I loved it when the lights
came on, I loved it. I love playing the villain.
I love the attention I love and I had to
live up to that and it brought more out in
me when my back was against the wall. Playoff type
games eliminations always brought you whatever the sport, and always
brought out the best of me. We saw that with
what's his name, Tim Tebow, Right, He's stunk for three

(26:29):
quarters of the game. Then it came then the switch
flipped on. I got to do something here or not,
and you would, you would just find and will ways
to make it happen.

Speaker 2 (26:36):
I think there's absolutely something to.

Speaker 1 (26:39):
Uh some guys shrinking under the lights and some guys
thriving in it.

Speaker 5 (26:42):
Hey, some guys cheeks are so tight they fart. They're
far out of diamond.

Speaker 1 (26:47):
And to me there's another one once again, I mean.

Speaker 5 (26:51):
Lamar is a spectacular player. He's like Josh Allen and
we hear about it all the time and and sports.

Speaker 2 (26:58):
So the guys who have that club Julie, that guy,
guys who.

Speaker 5 (27:02):
Believe in themselves and they can get everyone else around them.
So this is bectacle for Lamar. But Lamar which trade
all of this for a shadow to Super Bowl?

Speaker 6 (27:11):
Absolutely, I mean that's ultimately going to be the bright
lights that matter the most for him. I think we've
seen steps in the right direction there. I think the
last two years he's been better in the playoffs, but still,
I mean this past year great overall, but has those
two turnovers rather that loom so large in that game.
Kind of needs to cut out those mistakes.

Speaker 2 (27:29):
Yeah, Cousins, Andy Dalton, they are guys that just the
lights came on, and those guys just wilted, you know.

Speaker 1 (27:34):
And then there are guys that the lights came on
and they just they just knew how to how to
turn it on.

Speaker 2 (27:38):
So yeah, I'm with it.

Speaker 1 (27:40):
Six.

Speaker 6 (27:42):
The Kansas City Chiefs are zero to two for the
first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, with games against
the Ravens, Lions, Bills, and Commanders before their bye week.
How worried should Chiefs fans be about their team's outlook
and knowing what you know now two weeks into the
sea and what would you expect the final order of

(28:03):
the AFC West standings to be.

Speaker 1 (28:06):
I think I probably just flipped the Chiefs and Chargers,
like you know, that was one of those.

Speaker 2 (28:09):
Things I was gonna put the Chargers second.

Speaker 1 (28:10):
I want to put them third. Because I want to
put the Broncos second. Probably shouldn't have.

Speaker 2 (28:15):
You know, I'm not too worried about that. I mean,
I see two wins there. Kansas City can beat the Lions,
they can beat the Commanders. I don't know about the Bills.
I don't know about the Ravens. Those teams are pretty tough.

Speaker 1 (28:22):
But you know, and if you can get to you
can get to two and four, hit the bye week
and then you know, and then just start stacking wins
after that. You know, who knows you're gonna have to
You gonna have to clip a couple of division games
people probably don't expect at this point, but.

Speaker 2 (28:35):
You know, not impossible.

Speaker 1 (28:36):
They've got a hold it themselves out of not impossible,
but they if there's one team not to bet against,
it's probably the team that's been there over and over.

Speaker 5 (28:43):
Yeah. And the fact that, uh, the Kass City Chiefs
lost of well, didn't lose alight against, but won a
lot of close games last season. And I'm sure that's
what Andy Reid is telling his crew to kind of
keep their heads in it and also tell him there's
no received. Rice is every Worthy got injured in the
first game of the season, those guys come back, they
feel as though they still have a chance because even

(29:04):
in the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, that game is
pretty close.

Speaker 2 (29:08):
That game was really tight.

Speaker 5 (29:09):
And spag Nolan's defense really kept them in the game.
So they're figuring as though this could run back, just
like last season. Is just going to look a little
bit different starting off the season because now we're ering two.

Speaker 6 (29:21):
I think they can have optimism that you know, you're
getting those reinforcements back on offense. You can always find
a running back at the trade deadline to maybe fix
that some I don't know if you're finding the reinforcements
on defense, and that unit also looks like it's it's
taking on a lot of water and some serious attrition recently.

Speaker 1 (29:37):
Yeah, I mean, Kansas City hung out to some players
beyond where they should have. Like, if we're being honest,
business decisions probably should have been made on Chris Jones
and Travis Kelce before this season so they could free up.

Speaker 2 (29:47):
That money to get younger or you know, younger guys
in there. I don't know, just my two cents. Broncos
Country tonight giving away a bunch of prime time next
right here? Okay, away. I know.

Speaker 5 (29:59):
You broke my Hey, some guys shoots are so tight
that they fart. They're far out of diamond. H m
hm