10-17-25 Hour 3 of Broncos Country Tonight with Zach Segars

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The text from uh, I think it.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Stacy in Utah was saying he's going to be here
for the Cowboys game. She's really looking forward to it,
gonna be there early, gets a tail, getting in hope,
gets a chance to meet you guys.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
A person.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Wife says, I look a little bit like Santa Claus.
I'd like to think it's because of all my gifts,
but who knows.

Speaker 3 (00:14):
Now, I mean, how can we put that in context?
Is it because he's jolly or he has a white beard?

Speaker 1 (00:22):
Which one I don't know.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
That's one of those things we'll have to get Stacy
to elaborate on just a little bit. But he says
he'll be the guy with the garden home dressed like
a New York Giant.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Well, you know what, hey, listen, if you're going to
look like jolly o Saint Nick, please come bearing gifts, right,
m h these come bearing gifts. Make sure you define
us when you do get here. Stacy would definitely love
to chop.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
It up with you, for sure.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
Absolutely love to love to meet you if we can
make that workout. I get a little busy on game
day sometimes, but you know, try to try to make
it work out as best we can so a couple.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
Of things here. You would ask NICKO, would ask you
about Sean.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Payton's play calling, which is more likely conservative game plan
or some creative plans we haven't seen yet.

Speaker 3 (01:12):
Well, for me, I think the game plan has been
a little conservative.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
And the reason I.

Speaker 3 (01:21):
Would say this is just my opinion. You tell me
what you think is you're playing to your defense. You
know your defense done a great job all season long
trying to you know, bail out of the offense, get
stops whenever it is needed for them to get stops.

Speaker 1 (01:37):
Even when the defense is.

Speaker 3 (01:38):
Put in tight situations, they hold opponents to field goals.
They're one of the better teams in the NFL as
far as red zone defense is concerned.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
But at some point that damn is gonna break.

Speaker 3 (01:52):
You're gonna play against other teams who are really creative offensively,
and the defense is not gonna be able to hold up.
There may be a cheap touchdown here and there, and
I guess, Ben, I'm always waiting for the other two
to drop because I know that fans want to say, well,
the Broncos lost because of their defense, And to me,

(02:13):
you can't continue to put your defense in tough spots
and ask them to kind of continue to bail you out.
You have to help them out when it comes to
time and possession. The Broncos offense needs to dominate time
and possession. They're gonna need to do that against the
Giants on Sunday, and hell, they're gonna need to do
that throughout the season to be able to dominate time
and possession and reward your defense. Because here's what I know.

(02:36):
When we look at the team that's gonna be celebrated
on Sunday, right, that Super Bowl fifty team twenty fifteen,
that defense, I mean they get after quarterbacks, they really did.
And with the Broncos defense, now they've proven if you
keep them healthy, you keep them fresh, right, you able

(02:57):
to maintain or dominate the time of possession. Now that
other team, once they get back on the field, guess
what they're gonna have to do at an alarm and rate.

Speaker 1 (03:06):
They're gonna have to throw. And what that means is
that Nick Benito Johnny Cooper lets dial up the blitz.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
Well, you know, if anybody advance does dial up the blitz,
he learned from one of the best guys to ever
do it in dialing up the blitz and Waite Phillips
his mentor, I'm just saying.

Speaker 1 (03:24):
This way belong in the Broncos Ring of Fame. You're
damn right he does. He does. Why would he not
deserve to be in the ring form?

Speaker 3 (03:33):
Because think about it, I mean, if the defense doesn't
dominate the way that they do, the Broncos don't go
to Super Bowl. Peyton Manning doesn't get a chance to
retire the way that he retired. And just think about
as a player, how many players actually in their careers
at the apex.

Speaker 1 (03:55):
Of the football world.

Speaker 3 (03:56):
You own the precipice, You're on the mountain, right, you
in in that away. I mean, I only know if
so many guys who've done it. Peyton's been one of
those guys. Jeron Bettess has been one of those guys.
There are not too many guys I get a chance
to retire and Wade in that defense and no file Zone,
they were a huge part of it.

Speaker 1 (04:12):
Well, and it wasn't I mean, it wasn't even just that.

Speaker 2 (04:13):
I mean because Wade he was the defensive coordinator for
the eighty nine Super Bowls they lost.

Speaker 1 (04:21):
He's been to Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos.

Speaker 2 (04:24):
And they learned right as a defensive coordinator, and in
a large part of those teams that made it to
those Super Bowls was the fact that he was a
great defensive coordinator. I think he was underrated as a
head coach too. I mean, you know, the head coach
record wasn't it wasn't stellar, but eighty two and sixty
four it is not bad as a head coach. Fifty
six percent winning percentage, that's that's a pretty good winning percentage,

(04:48):
you know, all time.

Speaker 3 (04:49):
But you know what, with that being said, there are
people who try to look at Wade and say, well,
he was a better decordinator than he was a head coach.

Speaker 1 (04:58):
There's some truth to that, I.

Speaker 3 (04:59):
Mean yeah, and they use it as a reason as
to say, well, why Wade would make a great head
coach or more or less, I've seen people use that
same narrative as to why Vance should get to not
receive another opportunity as a head coach.

Speaker 1 (05:15):
I think that's hardwatched. But based on what.

Speaker 3 (05:17):
He's done this season and last season with his defense,
he deserves to or he's let me I say deserve,
He's earned the right to have an opportunity to be
a head coach for another team in this league, would
you consider Kyle Shanahan a good head coach?

Speaker 2 (05:31):
Certainly, Kyle Shanahan's winning percentage is fifty four percent all
the time. Wade Phillips is fifty six percent. That's pretty
darn impressive.

Speaker 3 (05:40):
But now here's where the storyline changes though, because when
you look at I mean, Wade has been to a
lot of Super Bowls, more or less as a defensive
coordinator than.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
A head coach.

Speaker 3 (05:51):
So some in that argument would say, well, you know,
from a percentage standpoint, they still will give the nod
to Kyle because he was the head.

Speaker 1 (05:57):
Coach at the time.

Speaker 2 (05:58):
Well, the knock on Wade Phillips, and this is what
always gets him. He's he's playoff winning percentage. He's one
and five in the playoffs as a head coach. That's
not get it done. And so that that's always where
the knock comes in a way, because Wade did the
Super Bowls. Thing is that he'd be one a defensive coordinator,
a Super Bowl defensive coordinator, been to them as others.
Kyle of course has been to one as an offensive winner,

(06:18):
been to him as a as a head coach, but
hasn't won the big win.

Speaker 1 (06:21):
But I just think that that's impressive because people.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
Always talk about Wade Phillips, Oh, he wasn't that good
as a head coach.

Speaker 1 (06:26):
He you know, whatever, he's he's stunkause the head coach,
that kind of stuff.

Speaker 2 (06:30):
The reality was he had a winning, positive winning percentage
everywhere he went, with the exception of when he was
the interim in New Orleans for four games and the
interroim in Houston for free games.

Speaker 1 (06:40):
That's it. He had a winning perce. He was sixteen
and sixteen.

Speaker 2 (06:42):
And Denver twenty nine to nineteen, in Buffalo, thirty four
and twenty two in Dallas two in one as he
interhim in Atlanta.

Speaker 1 (06:48):
But everyone will go.

Speaker 3 (06:49):
Back to the playoff one in five as a way
to kind of keep him out and he being way
films out of the conversation.

Speaker 1 (06:57):
But his coaching record side, I actually look.

Speaker 3 (07:01):
At what he was able to do here as a
member of the Denver Broncos and how he had that
defense playing the way that he did.

Speaker 1 (07:09):
And I'll tell you this, the fact that he had to.

Speaker 3 (07:12):
Deal with the no fly zone and all those personalities,
that alone should put him in the Broncos riga fame right,
just being able to manage Darren Stewart, Brandley Roby, Chris
Harris right, TJ.

Speaker 1 (07:25):
War and of course the ring leader of them all.

Speaker 3 (07:29):
Are keep to leave to be able to have that
group together, and how timely of turnovers when the team
needed the most they would come up with. So for me,
it's similar to this defense. Now, this is why I
called the Broncos defense mcgiver.

Speaker 2 (07:48):
Right.

Speaker 3 (07:48):
If you don't want to come up with another, you
know name the call of defense, hey hey do it,
but right now there mcguiver. Just like the Super Bowl,
fifty guys came up when they needed this Broncos team
continued to come up way when you need him the most.

Speaker 1 (08:02):
And Vance is going to be in line for some
head coaching interviews.

Speaker 2 (08:05):
I would have thought he would been in mind for
more last year, but certainly after this season. If it continues,
the trajectory continues the way it does. If Cincinnati, which
you know that may go the other direction. Now that
they seem to have found their quarterback from.

Speaker 1 (08:15):
The have they found their quarterback?

Speaker 3 (08:18):
Ben?

Speaker 1 (08:19):
Well? Have they?

Speaker 2 (08:20):
They don't have a secute quarterback from their senior citizens,
So yes, it subs to teacher, right, but you know
as far as as far as that goes, I mean,
like if they were to move on, that's the obvious connection.

Speaker 1 (08:32):
Vance has a very you know, nosed to Brown family.

Speaker 2 (08:33):
In fact, Cincinnati denied him a lateral move to Denver
back in the day because they were so impressed with.

Speaker 3 (08:38):
Very true, well not not as the fact that they
were so impressed. They were playing Haydon Right, you're going
to hold a coach back from getting a head coach
job with another team.

Speaker 1 (08:50):
That wasn't even a lateral move.

Speaker 3 (08:52):
So because of that, do you think that Vance in
Cincinnati came McCallin?

Speaker 1 (08:59):
Right? You would you want to go there? Would you
want to go to Cincinnati for a head coaching job? Though?

Speaker 2 (09:04):
Yeah, he's got a pre built offense with a quarterback
already and Joe Burrow and two receivers and this you'd
be your job to build out the defense. And you
know who I think he'd get as his offensive coordinator
because everybody assumes Davis Webb, right, but I'm not sure sure.

Speaker 1 (09:17):
It would be. Well, who do you think it would be?

Speaker 2 (09:20):
I do his mentor's son, Wes Phillips looking to get
out on his own.

Speaker 1 (09:23):
As an offensive coordinator. Off'm under Kevin O'Connor. I forgot
about Wes. That's right. Wes is out there just saying
so that you tell me that.

Speaker 2 (09:31):
I'm just hey, look, I'm I'm not saying I'm just saying, well,
you know.

Speaker 1 (09:36):
What, Now here's what you're competing with.

Speaker 3 (09:38):
Now that sounds great West Phillips mixed with Vance Joseph.
You could bring Wade on as a defensive consultant.

Speaker 1 (09:47):
But the only problem is that the ownership. Yeah, I mean,
we know that's the problem in Cincinnati. He's the ownership.

Speaker 2 (09:55):
They're cheap, they make bad decisions, they have small scouting staff.

Speaker 1 (09:58):
They don't put resources in.

Speaker 3 (10:01):
That's the only thing. Whether it's Vance or any other coach.
I mean, if you want to win, you have to
put money into your team. You have to develop your
scouting department.

Speaker 1 (10:09):
They have the smallest scouting department in the NFL.

Speaker 3 (10:11):
How do you how do you evaluate players with the
smallest scouting department.

Speaker 2 (10:14):
I mean they seem to find what they seem to
find guys that are okay.

Speaker 1 (10:21):
They see it wasn't themselves on defense because it.

Speaker 2 (10:23):
Couldn't pay for them. They had guys I mean even
when Marvin Lewis was there.

Speaker 1 (10:26):
I mean they found guys.

Speaker 2 (10:27):
They took chances on character guys, but they found guys.

Speaker 1 (10:32):
No. See, once again, it's not about just finding guys.
See you going, well, you're going searching to find guys.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
That that tells me is that one either you don't
have a lot of cash from a soundcraft standpoint, and
also because of that, you don't have a lot of
draft capital either. So you have to mix and match
and find guys to build out a team. That's not
a strategy to win. And you know what that's like. Hope,

(10:59):
I hope we find the right guy. I hope we
win the game on Sunday.

Speaker 1 (11:03):
I hope he.

Speaker 3 (11:04):
Can hold on to the ball. Hope is a terrible strategy.
You want to know. You want to be able to
look at players and say, well he can do this,
and you don't want to say he can do this.
But that's a problem. Yeah, that butt least a limitation.
So I want to see Vance go to a team

(11:24):
where he can really showcase his ability because in his
first stint with the team from a head coaching standpoint,
his hands were tied right, and you can't do that
to any head coach you want, you want to let
guys like Bill part says once famously said, if you
want me to cook the food, you have to allow
me to buy the grocery.

Speaker 1 (11:44):
Yeah, and I think that's I think that's a part
of it.

Speaker 2 (11:46):
You know, Vance's first time as head coach, he was
a little hands were tied, right. He didn't get to
pick his offensive coaches and the offensive coaching staff.

Speaker 1 (11:53):
He didn't have much say on the first tale.

Speaker 2 (11:54):
In fact, that was one of the worst moroncos draft
classes of all time. Remember the Carlos Anderson draft class.
You know how many of those guys even played for
the team. Overall, he was a very bad draft class.

Speaker 1 (12:07):
They had.

Speaker 2 (12:08):
The objective was to get some juice. I remember that
was the word that year. But they didn't get much
juice and they advanced the guy who you know, dating
back this time in Cincinnati, Miami, places.

Speaker 1 (12:18):
Like that, has had a good eye for talent. You know,
there were mistakes that he made.

Speaker 2 (12:25):
As a head coach, and never don't get me wrong,
but a lot of what went wrong there a lot
of the things that went on. There were dysfunctioned that
wasn't necessarily on Vance Joseph.

Speaker 3 (12:34):
It wasn't and the betel vionn is Van's got a
wrong deal because the local media kind of fed into it, right,
They didn't for me on outside looking in, they didn't
really disclose everything the way that they were actually unfolded.

Speaker 1 (12:51):
And once you build that narrative and you put it
out there to.

Speaker 3 (12:55):
The fans, they're going to eat that up like chicken
noodle soup and that they did it. And that's why
there are fans some who root for Vance and some
who don't. And I'm like, well, his first time with
the team wasn't great for the obvious reason that we're
actually talking about right now.

Speaker 1 (13:14):
Well, let's think about what he's doing.

Speaker 3 (13:16):
Now this fast forward, because where the team is at
four and two, if you don't have Vance Joseph leading
this team, you're not foreign two foreign too.

Speaker 1 (13:27):
I would agree with that. I mean, there's probably some
other defensive coordinators that could have this team playing very well.
Brian Flores was the year you go, you know what
I mean?

Speaker 2 (13:34):
If Jesse Minter was the DC, he's probably pretty good product.
Maybe the same, but yeah, I mean, this team, if
you just chopped Vance Joseph off and just plug anybody
in there, I don't know.

Speaker 1 (13:43):
And to be honest with you, my faith is.

Speaker 2 (13:45):
A little bit shaken by what we did on special
teams and firing then Kuwika and bringing in Darren Rizzy
and the special teams have suddenly falling off the map.

Speaker 1 (13:54):
He fired Mike west.

Speaker 2 (13:55):
Off and Ben Kuwika and special teams are suddenly falling
off the map.

Speaker 3 (13:57):
Well, I don't forget you know Chris Benjo too as well?

Speaker 4 (14:00):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (14:01):
Who I mean this special teams, Let's keep it a
buck out play. They're Rizzy in the backleast push team
and that's not throwing shay. Those are actual facts. And
to be totally honest, when you look at the Jets team,
I guess the one soul bright spot is this message teams.

Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yeah, that's also bright spot. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (14:21):
Five six, six nine zeros of TEXTLA one two and
three says Broncos had the greatest win percentage in North
America before fans got here. Well, there is true to that,
but but what's the caveat? The caveat is Peyton Manning?
You had you had Peyton Manning as your quarterback until
he fell off, and then you saw the team start
to fly. You know, you started to start to follow
up fall apart as part of the reason, you know, Coops,
I was like, all right, I'm good here.

Speaker 1 (14:42):
You know, we got our Super Bowl. Good. That team
is already starting to fall apart a little bit.

Speaker 2 (14:46):
They needed a complete reload at that point, and they
didn't have the quarterback. And you know, we saw what
happened and that as they tried to patch it instead
of just rebuilding it, it got worse and worse and
worse until you got you know, Vic in here, and
then Vic Fangiel started to build a thing that up
a little bit, got the got the bones.

Speaker 1 (15:02):
You know, fairly solid.

Speaker 2 (15:03):
We had that disaster of a year when Nate Hackett
and then Sean Payton came in here. And Peyton has
a history of from the Parcels School, another guy who
of building you know, things back up, and we've we've
kind of built ourselves back to respectability.

Speaker 1 (15:14):
That's the same thing.

Speaker 2 (15:14):
That John Fox did with when Josh McDaniels got far.
John Fox built this thing back to respectability.

Speaker 3 (15:19):
That's right, because you need to have certain pieces either
on both sides of the ball, just one side of
the ball. And with that Texter, yes, because the Broncos
are known as being a winning organization. That's kind of
what the culture has always been. And the Broncos have
always kind of had decent defensive units, right, But you

(15:40):
have to say, well, you look at Waye's defense, that
defense was nuts, but then look at Dvance defense and
compare it to that.

Speaker 1 (15:47):
Those dudes played crazy last year. Yea sixty three sax.
That's right.

Speaker 3 (15:53):
So let's not undermine what Vance has done defensively by saying, well,
the Broncos historically have had a winner percentage.

Speaker 1 (16:00):
That's because the koachure.

Speaker 3 (16:01):
That's like attacking Mike Tomlin and the culture of the pittsburghs.

Speaker 2 (16:04):
Tillis, Yeah, I'm with you on them. We got an
NFL six pack, we come back. Of course he is
the text line. He missed any part of the show.
You got a Broncos Country Night dot com slash podcast
where each podcast Apple iTunes, Spotify, the free redesigned iHeartRadio
app where you can get the taking it.

Speaker 1 (16:24):
For granted podcast archives. Thus doze off. Maybe we can
all peer pressure Grant in a start in that back cup.
We'll see how it goes with that. Let's get to
a NFL six.

Speaker 4 (16:32):
Pac It's time for the NFL six pat I'm going
to turn the last year insight and insight information you
can't find anywhere else. I know the top six NFL headlines.

Speaker 5 (16:45):
What After missing last week's game with a foot injury,
Kyler Murray is listed as questionable to make his return
for the Arizona Cardinals this week. If Jacoby Brissett posts
another strong performance for the Cardinals in Kyler's absence, do
you think there's any chance a quarterback controversy could developed
in Arizona And the side of that, do you think

(17:09):
Kyler will be the Cardinals Week one starter come twenty
twenty six?

Speaker 2 (17:13):
Okay, several questions here. First of all, I think Jacoby
will play this weekend. I don't think it's gonna be Kyler,
but we'll see. Second a strong performance. Look for the
coaching staff, probably not for the fans. There's already a
controversy based on the first game. The fans are kind
of done with Kyler. There's a little bit of a
different energy when we're sets out there. Kyler kind of

(17:34):
has that you know, I don't care, you don't care,
we don't care, but it's okay kind of attitude. You know,
like laid back attitude, where Jacoby kind of has a
little bit more of an intense kind of attitude, and
you can see it out there. That said, I don't
believe there will be a controversy the rest of here
be Kyler unless he can't go or unless he just
absolutely tanks, you know, at some point. The flip side

(17:55):
of that, No, I don't believe Kyler Murray will be
on the airs on a Cardinals next year.

Speaker 3 (17:58):
Well for us, No, there's no quarterback controversy regardless of
how the fans feel, because Murray's contract runs through twenty
twenty eight. Now, if you're going to get rid of
a player, you've better have someone waiting now, Jacobe Brissett.

Speaker 1 (18:11):
I mean, they have a different skill set.

Speaker 3 (18:13):
One guy is your typical statue as quarterback who has the.

Speaker 1 (18:16):
Capability of running.

Speaker 3 (18:18):
The other guy in Kyler Murray, he can definitely run
with the football.

Speaker 1 (18:22):
So I don't believe that there's going to be a switch.

Speaker 3 (18:25):
And I do believe that Kyler Murrays will still be
with the Arizona Cardinals come twenty twenty six.

Speaker 5 (18:31):
A crazy stat I heard about Kyler Murray's tenure with
the Cardinals since entering the NFL the in twenty nineteen
with the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals have the NFL's twenty
seventh best winning percentage, so not really living up to
that franchise quarterback promise.

Speaker 2 (18:48):
Yeah, somebody's checking, say if it's a call of duty
double XP weekend.

Speaker 5 (18:52):
WW Another young quarterback here, JJ McCarthy is returning for
the Minnesota Vikings this week.

Speaker 1 (19:00):
Instead of returning as their starter.

Speaker 5 (19:02):
He will only be activated as the team's third string
emergency quarterback. Do you think that designation suggests any dissatisfaction
from the coaching staff with JJ McCarthy considering he could
potentially play the game but they won't start him. And
how good do you think Minnesota's offense will be upon
JJ's return.

Speaker 1 (19:23):
I don't think it's a dissatisfaction thing at all.

Speaker 2 (19:25):
I think there's strengths and weaknesses each guy brings to
the table. Wentz is averaging one hundred and twenty more
passing yards a game than McCarthy, but he's also averaging
four sacks more per game than McCarthy and putting him
second actually in the NFL worst as far as getting sacked,
behind only justin fields. I think that, Yeah, any chance
I get to drop a fields nugget, I'm happy to

(19:46):
do so. I don't think it's a disaster. I think
he's just not you know, his game.

Speaker 1 (19:51):
McCarthy's game is a little more physical than Carson Wentz's.

Speaker 2 (19:54):
You know McCarthy's. His legs are a part of his game.
So I don't think you want him out there. It's
all you're one hundred percent sure, but in an emergency situation,
you could, you know, you could have him back there.

Speaker 1 (20:03):
And I think that's kind of what this is.

Speaker 3 (20:04):
The offense kind of moved and operated a lot smoother
with Carson Wentz.

Speaker 1 (20:09):
In the lineup.

Speaker 3 (20:10):
And I know that JJ McCarthy is the future for
the Minnesota Vikings. So the idea is that is a
guy's coming up injured, don't rush him back.

Speaker 1 (20:18):
If there's a situation where Carson.

Speaker 3 (20:20):
Wentz either gets injured or he's not playing well, then
you insert JJ McCarthy. But I like, you know, Carson
Wentz with this with his offense, and look at Justin
Jefferson numbers with Carson Wentz opposed to with JJ McCarthy.

Speaker 1 (20:35):
That tells the take right there.

Speaker 5 (20:37):
I'm really curious to see how the Vikings kind of
handle this push and pull of you maybe have a
veteran who will be better right now and help you
win games right now with your very talented roster. But
like you said, the future is JJ McCarthy at How
do you manage maybe sacrificing some games in the short
term for the long term benefits. Yeah, I you wait

(20:57):
on McCarthy until you're one hundred percent sure this is
a body. He's not the long term answer there either way,
even if the offense is doing enough, he's not the
long term answer.

Speaker 1 (21:05):
You don't put McCarthy back out there. Oh my god.

Speaker 3 (21:08):
Wait wait, I mean they made they made well No, no, no,
not bringing him back. But remember you know this whole
idea of you look at Keivin O'Connell. How many quarterbacks
has he resuscitated?

Speaker 1 (21:20):
Let's call it that way. Yeah, he's done that before
with Sam Donald. Look at Daniel Jones. Same thing is
happening when Carson wentz. If it's not broke, don't try
to fix it. Yeah, I'm with you on that.

Speaker 5 (21:30):
Three Chief's star wide receiver Rashi Rice will be making
his return from his six game suspension this week. It'll
also be Rice's first game since his twenty twenty four
season came to an early end with an ACL tear.
What are your expectations for Rice as he makes his
twenty twenty five debut and once he does return to

(21:52):
the Chiefs offense? How many attacks in the league do
you think will be better than Kansas City's.

Speaker 2 (21:58):
That's a tough question, and I don't know how long
it'll take him to get all the way run back
up to where he needs to get to. I do
believe he's He'll be a big part of that, especially
because you know, when you got Worthy vertical and you
got him kind of horizontal, you know, it creates It
creates space across the entire field. He really really stresses
the defense out because there's just more blaeds grass to defense.
I don't know, man, that'd be up there if he's

(22:19):
fully healthy and fully ready to go. That's a real
tough offense to stop.

Speaker 1 (22:23):
I know it's.

Speaker 2 (22:23):
Indivision, we don't comp with the Chiefs and all that,
but man, it's number one or number you know, not
certainly no worse than five as you go down the list.

Speaker 3 (22:32):
Well, it definitely gives Patrick Mahomes more targets because right
now the guy leading in the clubhouse in yards is
his whole companion, Travis kelce You throw another vertical wide
receiver thread in that mix, it makes it difficult, especially
for teams that man only have one good corner. When
you talk about the Denver Broncos, this secondary you know

(22:52):
pans out, they an't cover anyone. And then with the
ability to get after quarterbacks, they put a lot of pressure.
So on teams who don't that that are not deep
in the secondary, you can't get.

Speaker 1 (23:02):
After quarterbacks, you're gonna have problems. Once for she Rice
comes back.

Speaker 5 (23:06):
Yeah, He's just add such an explosive element to this
Chiefs offense. You know, they've kind of lost that ability
to target an underneath weapon and get an explosive gain
as Travis Kelcey's reached the end of his career. For
she Rice gives them that ability back, and we know
how deadly Casey's offense is when they have that.

Speaker 4 (23:23):
Option or.

Speaker 5 (23:27):
Cam Taylor Britt was a healthy scratch for the Bengals
in there must win Thursday night football game against the
Steelers last night. That said, since the defensive coordinator Al
Golden told the media that he's not giving up on
Camp Taylor Britt and is hoping that he'll bounce.

Speaker 1 (23:42):
Back from the benching.

Speaker 5 (23:44):
Do you think that Cam Taylor Britt will bounce back
or is his time coming to an end in Cincinnati?

Speaker 1 (23:51):
I think it's coming to an end. I mean, obviously
nothing's done until it's done.

Speaker 2 (23:55):
But you know, he's been a guy who hasn't really
fit what they've tried to do. You know, they're trying
the benching thing and the healthy you know, healthy scratch
type stuff. I just think they're they're at their best,
probably moving him on to Indie where he can reunite
with the defensive coordinator they did know how to use
him and go from there because he just is not
adapted to what they're trying.

Speaker 1 (24:15):
To do under old Golden One. I think.

Speaker 3 (24:16):
I know, being a former player, the more games that
you are inactive and you are a healthy scratch, the
writing is on the wall, right.

Speaker 1 (24:25):
It happened to me in my last year with Houston.

Speaker 3 (24:30):
Texas, and luckily I was able to overcome some of it,
but not all of it. But someone has their frame
of mind made up about you, whether it's right or wrong,
then that puts I mean the Dyans already cast. It
puts a bad taste in everyone's mouth. And the whole
idea is that we have to keep you out because
if you start playing better, they have to play you,

(24:52):
and that's something that they want. They don't want to do.
So as far as his kids concerned, Man, I feel
form and you never want to career to be in
a position where you have multiple games where you enacted.

Speaker 5 (25:04):
I do like the Indianapolis mentioned Ben. I think that
could make a lot of sense for all sides. To
your point, Nick, maybe the new DC and since he's
made his mind up on Camp Taylor britt Well, Indy
needs cornerback depth right now. A DC who liked him
is currently in Indy could benefit the Colts, benefits Cam
Taylor Britton. Maybe they can even work out some pre

(25:24):
deadline deal and get the Colts a little bit of
or the Bengals rather a little bit of rampant.

Speaker 2 (25:28):
Yeah, that's one of those win win wins if they can,
you know, if you can get it done.

Speaker 4 (25:31):
So five.

Speaker 5 (25:35):
You guys were talking about Wade Phillips Ring of Fame
candidacy last segment. It got me thinking about his counterpart
on those Super Bowl fifty Denver Broncos. Gary Kubiak, who,
much like Wade Phillips, spent time as a Denver Broncos
head coach. Much like Wade Phillips, is one of the
most legendary, if not the most legendary coordinator in franchise history.

(25:58):
On their side of the ball, do you think Gary
Kubiak should be enshrined in the Broncos Ring of Fame
as well? And if so, who do you think should
get the nod first? Gary Kubiak for Wade Phillips.

Speaker 2 (26:12):
I think Wade should get in first, but Gary probably
deserves it too.

Speaker 1 (26:18):
Gary was the head coach when they won. You know,
he got him over the hump, and he did.

Speaker 2 (26:25):
It by by piecemealing a broken down Peyton Manning and
a bronc osweiler you know, you know, offense in order
to get just enough points on the board. Yeah, I
think he belongs in there. I think both of belong,
but Waite's gotta go first.

Speaker 3 (26:38):
Yeah, both guys belong in the Hall of Fame, but
in this particular predicament. Gary Koubek, being a former Denver Bronco,
won several Super Bowls with you know, Mike Shanahan, and
back to back Super Bowls.

Speaker 1 (26:51):
With John Elway.

Speaker 3 (26:52):
He would probably be the ideal guy to go in
and first because he was the head coach. But you
still have to put Wade in because when you go
back and you look at that season, that whole run,
it was a lot of that Broncos defense making things
happen to put them in a situation that they were
in and that's where they're celebrating ten is of it

(27:13):
on a Sunday.

Speaker 1 (27:14):
Yeah, you know, that's what the Ring of Fame is for.

Speaker 5 (27:16):
Jason Elam isn't going to make the Hall of Fame,
but he's the greatest kicker in franchise history.

Speaker 1 (27:21):
He deserves to be in the Ring of Fame.

Speaker 5 (27:22):
These guys are the best coordinators on their respective sides
of the ball in franchise history.

Speaker 1 (27:27):
Both.

Speaker 5 (27:28):
I think the pioneers of the game oversaw great units.
And to Kubiak's point, just because we've given Waye Phillips
a lot of his deserved love already, I believe Gary
Kubiak is the only coach in Broncos history who is
a part of all three Super Bowl winning staffs, which
nice arrow in his quiver.

Speaker 1 (27:47):
I'd have to go back and look, but I think
you're probably right.

Speaker 4 (27:51):
Six last one for.

Speaker 1 (27:54):
You guys here.

Speaker 5 (27:54):
I did this with Nick last night with the AFC,
going through a little lightning round of the contending teams
and whether or not they're contenders or pretenders.

Speaker 1 (28:03):
I'll throw them out to.

Speaker 5 (28:05):
One by one going through the twelve NFC teams that
have a winning record, Starting with the NFC North the
Green Bay Packers. Are they contenders or pretenders?

Speaker 1 (28:16):
Back? I think they're contenders.

Speaker 2 (28:18):
It's tough division, but I picked them preseason to be
the NFC Super Bowl and I had not changing off that.

Speaker 1 (28:24):
I'll say contenders.

Speaker 2 (28:26):
Next up the Detroit Lions. Contenders or pretenders. I think
pretenders either two hit or miss. When they're good, they're good,
but when they're not, they're really not.

Speaker 3 (28:33):
I'm gonna say contenders because the only problem is the
fact that they have injuries. But they've show them from
the beginning of the season when new office of coordinated
former Denver Broncos coach John mood they can put up points.

Speaker 5 (28:45):
The Minnesota Vikings, who we were just talking about, are
they a contender or a pretender?

Speaker 4 (28:50):
Hi?

Speaker 1 (28:50):
Pretender.

Speaker 2 (28:50):
They got a great defense, but the offense be hit
or miss You're probably going back to the rookie at
some point and that'll that'll put that thing back and
I don't want to say park, but it'll put it
in first.

Speaker 1 (28:58):
Gear rather than third. Tenders.

Speaker 5 (29:01):
The Chicago Bears in the bottom of the division right now.

Speaker 1 (29:04):
Contenders are pretenders. Pretenders.

Speaker 2 (29:05):
This division's gonna cannibalize itself, and that's they're gonna unfortunate form.
They're gonna be fun, they're exciting, they're on the upswing.
But I think pretenders this year.

Speaker 1 (29:12):
Pretenders as well.

Speaker 5 (29:14):
Maybe the most surprising division of the NFC, the NFC South.
How about those Tampa Bay Buccaneers contenders are pretenders?

Speaker 1 (29:20):
Contenders. Baker Mayfield is him, they live and die by him. Contender, Yeah,
contenders for me?

Speaker 3 (29:27):
I mean, could he also be the guy who's leading
club house as being the MVP.

Speaker 1 (29:32):
We need to ask his receiver Tess Johnson, because I
think the chance for.

Speaker 5 (29:38):
How about those Atlanta Falcons contenders are pretenders?

Speaker 1 (29:40):
Pretenders?

Speaker 2 (29:41):
But I will tell you what that Rahie Morris has
turned around that defense, Jeff Ulberts, where Mars turn around
that defense?

Speaker 1 (29:46):
Be aware or Atlanta's defense is not a joke anymore.

Speaker 3 (29:49):
They are pretenders, even though they still will be competitive
throughout the remaining of the season.

Speaker 1 (29:54):
Great step in the right direction. How about the Panthers pretenders.

Speaker 2 (29:57):
The offenses I love Dave Canalis, a love with under
the offense, but that defense is terror bad.

Speaker 1 (30:03):
They've got to figure something out there. Yeah, pretenders. Man,
they don't have all the.

Speaker 3 (30:06):
Necessary pieces that'll require to even make a competitive.

Speaker 1 (30:10):
Push in the season.

Speaker 5 (30:11):
The division the Broncos are getting really familiar with right now.

Speaker 1 (30:14):
The NFC East. How about those Philadelphia Eagles. I like
to contenders.

Speaker 2 (30:18):
They got a lot of talent on the roster, even
with the you know, the injuries, retirements and a dead
on arrival offensive coordinator that they've got.

Speaker 1 (30:26):
I still think they're contenders.

Speaker 3 (30:28):
Yeah, they have the person Noel, but once again it
is their offensive play call in which happens to be
their kryptonite.

Speaker 1 (30:34):
But they are definitely contenders. But Jayden Daniels is back
healthy for them. How about the Washington.

Speaker 2 (30:39):
Commanders contenders are pretenders, pretenders. The defense is as bad
as Dallas, except older. The offense is good, but they
got a ton of injuries right now. McLaren is not
playing again this weekend. I like obviously what they're doing,
but they've got to figure something out on defense because
the offense is having to carry them and can't do
it week to week.

Speaker 3 (30:59):
Age and injuries normally derailed the team, and that's what's
happening to the Commanders.

Speaker 5 (31:04):
Last year the stars aligned and not quite the case
this year. The NFC West, how about those forty nine
ers ben.

Speaker 1 (31:11):
Pretenders?

Speaker 2 (31:13):
This is a tough division and the team I thought
was going to be better at it has lost what
four last second games? That are three last second games
and one last minute game in a row.

Speaker 1 (31:22):
It's just a tough division.

Speaker 2 (31:24):
And I think it's probably the Rams in the Seahawks's
division this year. So almost say pretender even though they
played the Niners have played above.

Speaker 1 (31:29):
What I thought they would.

Speaker 3 (31:31):
Yeah, I'm gonna say pretenders only because they've dealt with
a lot of injuries and they're constantly being snake bickon bitting.
They have no Bosa Frey Warner is gone. How do
you make up all for all of these injuries? And
it's gonna be tough for them. But I will say
this at the same time, Kyle Shannon has done a

(31:51):
hell of a job dealing with all of those injuries.
I don't know another coach in the league right now
who's going through the type adversity who would be overcoming
the way that he did.

Speaker 2 (32:01):
How about the Seattle Seahawks. I gotta go with contenders here, Man,
they've surprised me. I didn't think the darnold thing behind
that offensive line was gonna work. Hat tip to Kid
Koubiak for what he's been able to do on the
offensive side of Mike Donald man con he is.

Speaker 1 (32:15):
He's got that defense hobbin there in Seattle.

Speaker 3 (32:18):
Yeah, they they're playing great football in all three phases.
And Clint Kubiak, I mean, and I'm not gonna say
his first opportunity as often as a coordinator, but if
things keep training in the right direction, he too may
find himself being becoming a head coach of the NFL team.

Speaker 5 (32:34):
Last one for you guys here the l A Rams
contenders or pretenders.

Speaker 1 (32:40):
I think contenders.

Speaker 2 (32:40):
Anytime you got Sean McVay, Matt Stafford, you know, you
think he's just about bit it with the back and
the elbow and everything else, and you know Poka's got
the foot so he's out and all that kind of stuff,
And just when you think they're done, they come back
and find ways to win. That's a side of great coaching,
great players. Their defensive cordator, Chris Shule, is pretty good.

Speaker 1 (32:57):
Pretty good guy. Probably get some sniffs at head coach contenders.
I would say they are contenders. Maybe contenders be more
than contenders.

Speaker 3 (33:06):
Ay a lot of injuries, but hey, coach quarterback are
both solids.

Speaker 1 (33:11):
By the way, show how tiny has three home months tonight,
three ridiculous months. Must have been on his own over
for this