11-24-25 Hour 1 of Broncos Country Tonight with Grant Smith and Steve Atwater

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hall of Famer Steve Atwater joining us in the studio
alongside Nick Ferguson. Steve, how you doing, man.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Doing pretty good? Doing pretty good?

Speaker 3 (00:07):
Man?

Speaker 4 (00:09):
After that nice run we've had and a little break here,
I'm ready to go, ready to finish this thing off strongly.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
It's nice to have a bye week right this late
in the season. You know, I got to go watch
some games as a fan. I had a Browns buddy
in town. We went and watched Shador's first start at
Stoney's Downtown Nice, which is like a Browns backer bar.
People were going nuts. Yeah, it was fun to just
take taking the slate as a fan instead of just
you know, working. Yeah, even though it's been a fun

(00:39):
year to work with the Broncos successes.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Yeah, it's been. It's been awesome.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
How are you doing, Nick, let.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
Me turn that on. Yes, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
I thought I was gonna be able to just kind
of speak a great feeling through the mic with the
mic being off. That's not how this works. But I'm
doing a great man, Just like you guys, got a
chance to sit back and watch a lot of games,
especially on Saturday, watching college football. But uh, Saton really
wants that Colts game against Kansas City.

Speaker 1 (01:14):
You didn't watch it, no, I said, I did, Oh, okay,
sat down and really watched it.

Speaker 3 (01:17):
I watched the really good detail and I was a
little pissed, really yeah, because I was like, I was
at the I was at the bar that I mentioned
Stony's downtown and I was like, it was on one
of the side screens the end of the Chiefs singing
Colts game, and I was like, I don't know who
to root for as a Broncos fan in this game.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
I was root for a tie that would have been
the best. I hate times of football, yes.

Speaker 3 (01:44):
But the odds that we were going to get a
tie in that particular.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
Game, I know, Yeah, you're not. I'm not root for
the one of them though.

Speaker 3 (01:53):
Well, I know Broncos fans were saying, well to say,
all Broncos fans they couldn't root for Kansas City, And yeah, yeah,
you can't because you're rooting for the outcome.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
That's what you're rooted for. I'm not rooting for the Chiefs.

Speaker 1 (02:05):
But that's not gonna tear, that's not gonna take even
what helps the Broncos in their playoff push.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
I'm not I'm rooting for a time see a hard Broncos.
I'm right now, I'm not.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
The chief you can actually root I'm not the outcome.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
I can't do it.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
I mean, rooting for the outcome is not essentially rooting
for the chief like rooting for the Chiefs. And you
sell me from wrong. On any defensive drive or offensive drive,
you're rooting for the defensive.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
Or off a player to have success. Let me check
nick out.

Speaker 3 (02:38):
What what are you taking for it?

Speaker 4 (02:41):
But there no, I cut his wrists.

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Wait wait, wait, I don't. I don't believe Rod.

Speaker 3 (02:55):
I'm just saying, realistically speaking, realistically speaking, I was cheering
for the outcome on behalf of the Chiefs because the Colts.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
The Colts had already beaten the Broncos.

Speaker 3 (03:09):
Though it may not sound right, but it feels right
to meet today because.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
You want the Broncos for the best chance to get
the number one seed. Yes, because look it's already losing
head to head to the Colts exactly.

Speaker 3 (03:22):
And that's how I'm trying to think. I'm not trying
to say I become a Chiefs fan. I'm rooted for
the outcome. That's what I'm root for.

Speaker 1 (03:30):
See the side I landed on was this could be
the nail on the coffin for the Chiefs. This could
be the game that makes them not really have a
chance to even get into the playoffs, regardless of what
their next six games look like. So that's the side
I landed on because I think, you know, regardless if
the Broncos are the number one overall seed or not,
and we still got to worry about the Patriots are
now at ten and two, if you get a first

(03:53):
home game in the playoffs, for the Broncos, I think
we win that game no matter who we're playing. With
the home field advantage we've had this year. What have
we got eleven straight home games? We've won longest streak
in the NFL going back to last year. Like, I
think the Broncos are going to be just fine if
they have to play that first week. And it may
be even better for a guy like bo Nick's, a
young young quarterback, to not be in the Divisional round

(04:16):
right off the starts and getting to play a wild card.

Speaker 3 (04:18):
But this is why I was rooting for the outcome
of the Kansas City game where the coachs lose the
game and it gives the Broncos an upper hand because
let's be totally honest, Cana, the Chiefs possibly win enough
games to get in and make some noise. Yes, possibly,
and I anticipate.

Speaker 2 (04:35):
That they're going to do that.

Speaker 3 (04:37):
But at the same time, it's all about elevating the
Broncos to a point where.

Speaker 2 (04:41):
That's not even our concern, dough, that's not our concern.
We want the.

Speaker 3 (04:45):
Number one seed. So now Kansas City's got to fight
it out with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, who oh,
by the way, lost it to Houston, Texas.

Speaker 1 (04:53):
And we didn't. We were hosting the show Thursday night
and it was like six to three quarter. There's no
way the Bills are going to lose this game to
the Texans, right, and then they end up losing exactly.

Speaker 3 (05:04):
So I'm rooting for the outcome score for any teams.

Speaker 1 (05:12):
Ravens.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
I've been hanging out with Oh no, no.

Speaker 1 (05:17):
No Sas talking about wait, what's going on country tonight?

Speaker 2 (05:25):
Wait?

Speaker 3 (05:26):
This is far beyond the wet blanket, right, But also
I like to speak truth to power, right while you
and and other individuals and along with Steve Atwater, they
don't want to admit was standing before the Broncos at
the end of the season. There's a possibility, and we
see every single year when the team does well, when

(05:47):
you go like from worse to first, your staff gets raided.

Speaker 2 (05:51):
That's what happens.

Speaker 1 (05:52):
We're not talking about Vance Joseph leaving the.

Speaker 3 (05:54):
Night Well, you may not want to talk about it.

Speaker 4 (05:57):
I don't know, but.

Speaker 3 (06:01):
There are a couple of teams that are definitely talking
about it.

Speaker 1 (06:04):
And he has been making the media rounds a little
bit lately, getting his face out, and I.

Speaker 3 (06:09):
Didn't expect for Advance to show with Peter Schrager. I
was like, now, this is something different. You don't see
this every day, So yeah, you got you got No.
One defense. I'm just I'm just saying top defense, and
what happens when that happened, When someone has a top
defense or offense in the NFL in any given year,
what usually happens, Gentlemen.

Speaker 1 (06:30):
Tell me six nine zero health text man mass Joseph
maybe will be the highest paid coordinating in the NFL
next year. Yeah, especially now that Chip Kelly's got fired
by the Raiders.

Speaker 3 (06:45):
If that, if that happens, I welcome that, But I'm
a realist. We know that typically doesn't happen in the NFL.
Just keep it a buck. We know that doesn't happen.
So I don't know. Maybe you guys have watched Wicket
this weekend. All you guys are in Kansas Land. But
but but I'm in a really real world. That's what

(07:06):
I'm talking about, the really real world.

Speaker 1 (07:08):
The really real world.

Speaker 2 (07:09):
That's right, when you got something going good, you just
want you got to break it up. Huh well that's
not how I look at it. Hold on better. But yet,
see this is not only half.

Speaker 3 (07:23):
It's yes, that's true, But I just I just set
that bard that way. Think about it. You are a
music guy, gret right, what happened to the Beatles? Remember
they broke up?

Speaker 2 (07:34):
Yeah, but that was I'm just saying they did they
not broke up? Break up? Yeah that was?

Speaker 1 (07:40):
That was due to the outside circumstances.

Speaker 3 (07:41):
Don't make it, doesn't make a difference. Did they did
they break up or did they stay together?

Speaker 1 (07:45):
They broke up?

Speaker 2 (07:45):
That's right. What happened to Van Hangling broke up? That's right. Yes,
what happened in New Audition?

Speaker 1 (07:52):
Yeah, well I get I'm just the examples.

Speaker 3 (07:56):
Are here examtly, and that's what I'm trying to tell
to usc.

Speaker 2 (08:00):
But you guys don't want to see that.

Speaker 1 (08:02):
But as a as a Broncos fan having the best
year in a decade, let's focus on the present moment.
You say that all the time, living the living the now.
My favorite quotes from you. Yes, that Joseph is the
best defensive coordinator league. We got the number one defense
missing two of our key players, yes, including the reigning
defensive player of the year.

Speaker 2 (08:22):
Check that box two.

Speaker 1 (08:23):
So let's enjoy the moment.

Speaker 3 (08:25):
I'm not saying you can't enjoy the moment, but I
want to make sure that we all prepared. It's almost
like Christmas playoffs.

Speaker 2 (08:34):
Yeah, we're prepared, Yes, and we got that big ring.

Speaker 3 (08:38):
Yes, you guys are acting as though if even if
that were to happen. Let's say Broncos go on and
they faced the Rams in the Super Bowl in Santa
Clara and they beat them right for another victory. Yeah,
the same conversation we're having now is going to happen then?

Speaker 2 (08:54):
Well why not? Which is wait, exactly, it just started
a lot earlier. Why you want to started earlier? Though?
What benefit is that for us?

Speaker 3 (09:01):
Because I know that's the end result, it was not
gonna change anything that happens with the Broncos.

Speaker 2 (09:06):
Right now is having a com on. People wanted to.

Speaker 4 (09:08):
Say, oh, I see, I see the way back when
I'm just being told you how that was gonna happen,
that's not great.

Speaker 3 (09:15):
We have enough individuals in this media market in Denver
who can say that. I'm just being realistic, That's all
I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (09:23):
From the seven to h what if VJ thinks he
has the best chance to win a Super Bowl with
the Broncos. Yeah, instead of going to some rebuild franchise.
This is says you know a lot of times you
only get the two opportunities in the NFL. As a
head coach, you get your first opportunity and people you know,
scrap it and they're like, that was his first chance.
He didn't get much control. If he goes to another
rebuilding franchise and struggles again, that's it for him as

(09:47):
a head coach. Why not stay with the Broncos for
a couple more years and then get whatever opportunity he wants.

Speaker 3 (09:52):
Grant that sounds great, but I'm gonna speak some language
that I know both you, Steve and the listeners know.
Money talks and everything else walks to marathon.

Speaker 1 (10:02):
And our owners got the most money in football.

Speaker 2 (10:04):
Man. Well, and you.

Speaker 3 (10:05):
If what you're suggesting comes true, where you had Sean
Payton making twenty million, advanced making sixteen to five or twenty,
sign me up for it.

Speaker 2 (10:14):
But I know, I know that's not how this works.
But guess what, though, everybody's not motivated by the money either.
Oh well, I said everybody. Well, he's not motivated by
the Are you motivated by money?

Speaker 1 (10:31):
No?

Speaker 2 (10:31):
No, no, no, no, not a situation you are? You're not
right now, No, I'm not So if you were in.

Speaker 3 (10:36):
Vj's shoes, you wouldn't be motivated by money.

Speaker 2 (10:39):
Well, I don't know vj situation.

Speaker 1 (10:41):
But don't you think VJ is probably like Steve. You
can speak to this. You know, you chase greatness as
a player. Maybe he's he's motivated by having that opportunity
to prove to himself and everyone else that he can
be a head coach in this league.

Speaker 2 (10:55):
Well he may. I don't know, though.

Speaker 1 (10:57):
I don't know that, And that's why I don't want
to just assume that speculate that, yeah.

Speaker 4 (11:04):
I'm interested in being the next best head coach When
I'm at the top of my game as a defensive coordinator, and.

Speaker 2 (11:12):
I could probably take it to another line. I can't
believe you guys.

Speaker 3 (11:15):
What what if the great Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant
had the mentality that you guys had, they wouldn't be
as great as they are the great players.

Speaker 2 (11:22):
They didn't want to be a great coaching No, I'm.

Speaker 1 (11:24):
Talking about great too.

Speaker 3 (11:27):
Yeah, but he but people don't know him like Michael Jordan,
do they. They don't speak about him. It's like they
speak of Michael Jordan. They don't speak about that like
they speak about Michael mcobe.

Speaker 2 (11:36):
They don't. And this is the whole thing.

Speaker 3 (11:38):
Look, I don't know what Vance is thinking, but I've
been around this game long enough to know that we've
seen this happen.

Speaker 2 (11:46):
We've seen he's driven.

Speaker 4 (11:48):
If he doesn't want to be a head coach, no,
that that would be on him.

Speaker 3 (11:53):
But I'm just speaking true with the power based on
what I've seen. I don't know what what Vance's desire,
but grant what you just said is very logical.

Speaker 2 (12:02):
Who is to say.

Speaker 3 (12:03):
That Vance doesn't want another shot that the head coach position.

Speaker 2 (12:07):
To prove that he can do it?

Speaker 3 (12:08):
Because all I heard all season long in this local
market and outside of his local market, right before they
start talking about Vance Joseph in a defense was the
fact that, yeah, you know what, he's done a great
job as a decoordinator, but not as a head coach. Right,
So to have another opportunity to prove to people that

(12:28):
guess what, I can do this, and I could do that,
and I'm not a one trick pony.

Speaker 2 (12:33):
That's what he's trying to prove. And maybe that may
be in his mind now.

Speaker 3 (12:37):
For the sake of the fan base, the organization, and
the defense, maybe they can work something out where monetarily
to keep him here because just saying that, oh, you
got the best defense and your defense broke the Bears
record of seventy two sacks in the season, right to me,
I like to think that, you know what, he's a

(12:57):
driven person and that is not an enough because at
the end of the day, they say he helps the
Broncos win the Super Bowl, how will he be remembered.
And you guys both know this because you know who's
gonna possibly do that. I'm going to Disney World commercial,
not anyone on defense.

Speaker 2 (13:12):
I don't care how.

Speaker 3 (13:13):
Many Sacks, Nick Benito or Johnny Cooper. It's going to
be bow Nick's doing that, doing that that commercial. And
then what we're gonna hear, well, look out great that
Sean Payton.

Speaker 1 (13:23):
Did Peyton's Hall of Fame resume and.

Speaker 2 (13:26):
Nothing about Vans. Yeah, nothing about Vans. And you guys
know that the listeners. I don't know that. I don't
know that it's happening right now. Well, I'm saying now,
I don't know how much of and I won't say ego,
but how how bad he wants to be a head

(13:46):
coach versus how much he may love being a defensive coordinator.
Some people love their job as defense coordinators. I bet
he not.

Speaker 3 (13:53):
But here, you know what I bet And I don't
know this. This is me just putting it out there myself.
Who's to say that? Bands say, well, you know what,
look at what I was able to do with this
particular defense. Can I not go to another team start
over with a whole bunch of new players and think
about it. When we start talking about coaches and we
talk about the legacy and the culture that they built,

(14:14):
we always go back to how many.

Speaker 2 (14:16):
Times have they duplicated?

Speaker 3 (14:17):
Because here's the standard of a leader, right, a leader
is defined by how many more leaders can you develop?

Speaker 2 (14:24):
That's what it is.

Speaker 1 (14:25):
Think Mike Shanahan coaching tree, thank you, and.

Speaker 2 (14:29):
Why don't we talk about Mike in that way? And
how Mike has.

Speaker 3 (14:31):
Been shafted by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which
is the Dan blasphemy, which I don't understand. But this
is what coaches, This is why you coach the game
because you want to be known and you want your
name up there with some of the best defensive coordinators
and the best head coaches to ever do it. And
this is why when we look at Kyle Shanahan, as

(14:53):
many playoff appearances as he's made super Bowl appearances as
he made with Mystery Irrelevant and Jimmy Garoppolo, if he
doesn't win a super Bowl, he's going to be spoke
and talked about as a guy that almost made it,
that almost made it.

Speaker 2 (15:10):
That super Bowl changes everything.

Speaker 4 (15:11):
How many coaches are like that? More coaches are like
that than have more Super Bowls?

Speaker 3 (15:18):
Possibly so, but I know, but I know Cotton driven
and then he's the son of Mike Sanahan is driven that.
There's some coaches who are not driven, and that's kind
of what we're talking about.

Speaker 2 (15:30):
Vj's not one of them. You're saying Vj's not driven.

Speaker 4 (15:33):
What I'm saying, VJ is not one of those people
who's not driven.

Speaker 2 (15:35):
He's driven, That's right, That's what I'm saying.

Speaker 3 (15:37):
He's driven to a point of getting this defense where
they need to be to have an opportunity in open
twenty twenty six cycle of coaches, I mean, other teams
now buying for his talent.

Speaker 2 (15:53):
You don't think so, Noah, it's good to be great
to be wanting.

Speaker 4 (15:57):
But you know, you may have some little girl on
the side, none of them the side, but you're somebody
who's looking at you who wants to get with Nick.

Speaker 2 (16:07):
But Nick, you're not available. You're not available Nick, not
at the moment. You ain't not gonna be available any time.

Speaker 1 (16:14):
So well, maybe if missus Ferguson, here's that comment.

Speaker 3 (16:21):
Obviously in that circumstance. No, no, I'm not well with
marriage that there's a certain level of commitment, right, I
don't have a wondering now, but when you were a coach,
there's no commitment. But when you were hell, when you're
a player, there's no commitment. When we both know that
some people, when you are a player, there's no commitment

(16:42):
because you said, well, you play for the team that's
writing your check, and so that team decides that guess
what your money in the years that you play, it's
too much. They're looking to go in a different direction.
So now we talk loyalty. So they want you to
be loyal to them, but they are not loyal to
you when it matters to mo right, And like I said,
I'm gonna go back to this money talks and you

(17:05):
know what else walks to Marathon Neo Brown said it
himself and Jackson.

Speaker 2 (17:12):
Team sports. It's difficult to have a winning coulture with
players with that attitude. Wait, players who don't think about.

Speaker 4 (17:21):
Who don't buy in and say no, I'm doing this
for my team.

Speaker 1 (17:24):
Which is exactly the Broncos. I mean, from the outside
looking in, all these dudes on the defense have bought
in advance Joseph system, and you're you can't you can't
always replicate that somewhere else.

Speaker 3 (17:36):
No, you can't, but I'm glad you phrased it in
that way. They've all bought in to dance Joseph's system right,
based on how he treats them. It was no different
Steve when we For me, I can speak for myself,
but I still know you feel the same way playing
for mister B and Mike Shanahan to buy in.

Speaker 2 (17:53):
Once you bought in, man.

Speaker 3 (17:55):
You were willing to sacrifice life and limb for those coaches.

Speaker 2 (17:59):
And that's what. But that defense is right now.

Speaker 3 (18:02):
And I'm sure if you ask any one of those
different defensive players if they could play to a certain level,
play where they're playing now and take it to a
certain level to help VJ getting another job, I.

Speaker 2 (18:13):
Bet you a job, crazy, stay here.

Speaker 3 (18:23):
I would like to think like like if it was
my if it was my dude, my boy, the job. Yeah,
but this is not a letter of a movie. It's
a head coaching job. So the idea is that almost
think about this. Blaine Kiffer is going through the same
thing in Old Miss, right because how Old Miss is

(18:43):
playing right now. There are other universities like Nebraska looking
at a guy.

Speaker 4 (18:49):
You think players are like, oh man, we're gonna we're
gonna get them about of here.

Speaker 2 (18:53):
But Lane told his players.

Speaker 3 (18:55):
The reason we're hear in all this chatter and teams
are trying to interview me, it's on what you guys
are doing on the field. Yeah, you think they want
him to leave. They don't want him to leave now.
But this is part for the course. This is what happens.
Your team does well, your roster on the pro level
is going to get raided. Even on a collegiate level,
your players are playing well. Guess what in ideas, I

(19:18):
got the money, I got the nil money.

Speaker 2 (19:21):
That's how this happens.

Speaker 3 (19:22):
So I don't know why you guys are in there
acting as though this is not real.

Speaker 1 (19:26):
To you guys, we're we're just living by Nick Ferguson's modo.
In the now, embrace the embrace the opportunities right ahead
of you, which are winning the Super Bowl with the
Broncos this year.

Speaker 3 (19:37):
And then after that we can have that conversation.

Speaker 1 (19:40):
Then we can have that conversa man, while guy the
Broncos are committed to, Will Lutts signs a three year
extension today. We'll talk about that more next on Broncos
Country to Night on KOA.

Speaker 5 (19:51):
This ball be spotted right between the hash marks at
the twenty five an attempt of thirty five yards against
Kansas City.

Speaker 2 (19:58):
I won't even mention it now. Placement kick all the.

Speaker 1 (20:01):
Way and it is good.

Speaker 5 (20:07):
They don't block this one like last year in Kansas
City that on the final play of the game, the
Denver Broncos have beaten the Kansas City Chiefs by a
final score of twenty two to nineteen.

Speaker 1 (20:22):
That call from the Kansas City Chiefs win for the
Broncos twenty two to nineteen, and it was on the
foot of Will Lutz who signs a three year extension.
Today got Steve Atwater in studio the Hall of Famer
alongside Nick Ferguson. I'm Grant Smith and what do you
guys think, Well deserved right from Will LUTs getting a
three year extension with the Broncos.

Speaker 3 (20:42):
Yeah, put the money in a bag, that's what you say, right,
Because put the money in the bag, that's what you say.
Because Will Ludz has been saving the day.

Speaker 5 (20:54):
Right.

Speaker 2 (20:55):
That's how I'll put that together.

Speaker 3 (20:56):
Because when you look at this team in closing moments
or waning moments where the offense were struggling. Is you
mentioned the Kansas City game inside the red zone in
the first the first half several times couldn't really punch
it in.

Speaker 4 (21:12):
What did you turn it over to Will Lut's right, No, No,
you got his name wrong. What will money lets? Oh
yeah he big money. Now let me hold south.

Speaker 2 (21:23):
I was money. You was already money before he got
the money.

Speaker 1 (21:25):
Yeah no, uh no details on the extension. He was
making three point nine million dollars this year, so I
assume he's going to get a little bump in the
pay with all the success he's had this year. But
how valuable is that? You know, because a kicker, they
get a bad rap a lot of times, so they
miss a kick. But how valuable is that on a
good team and the culture that that builds when you
know that you your guy you can count on when

(21:46):
it comes down to it.

Speaker 4 (21:47):
It is huge because everyone on the team has confidence
in them, and the player himself has confidence that he's
going to make these clutch kicks and he's been doing
it so well for so long, and everybody has.

Speaker 2 (22:01):
Confidence of them.

Speaker 1 (22:02):
I mean, you could see Sean Payton, like before they
even lined up to kick the game winning field goal
against Kansas City, He's was pretty much celebrating. He's like,
I know, this game's over.

Speaker 3 (22:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (22:10):
I felt the same way. I'm like, this will money lost?

Speaker 3 (22:12):
Baby?

Speaker 2 (22:13):
You know what money in the bank?

Speaker 1 (22:14):
Money in the bank.

Speaker 3 (22:15):
You know what, there was another guy that that I
played with and Steve played with him two who was
I called him Automatic Elam, right, that.

Speaker 2 (22:24):
Was Jason Jason Elam and he was just.

Speaker 3 (22:27):
That automatic, no matter where you need to kick it from,
no matter the stress of the game, he was going
to come in and he was going to do justice.
And I know as far as will Lutz, even though
his numbers may not have come out, but there's some
suggesting that he could be the sixth highest paid kicker
in the league and his deal could be up to

(22:48):
five point four per season.

Speaker 2 (22:50):
We'll wait to get those numbers.

Speaker 3 (22:51):
But to your point, having a guy like that who's reliable,
that you know that's automatic three points and man's that's
love because offensively, you're saying, all we need to do
is get the ball on the opposite forty yeah or
forty five. And the way that some of these kickers
kicking the day, man, shoot, I don't know if it's

(23:11):
like the MLB baseball is the ball juice?

Speaker 2 (23:14):
No, I don't know. The curve ball.

Speaker 1 (23:16):
Yeah, well they did change it.

Speaker 2 (23:18):
They did.

Speaker 1 (23:18):
They did change the regulations for the kicker balls. Now
you get to like keep them with you all week,
so maybe they're getting to manipulate them how they want
to and that's leading to all these longer field goals.
I mean, I think it was a Bengals kicker yesterday
hit like a sixty three yarder guy that I wanted
to run out of town to the Bengals ye now, yeah,

(23:39):
breaking team records, So you know, maybe there is something
to think.

Speaker 3 (23:43):
About how deadly that is though, right, those are instant
points to know that you have a kicker that I
can do that. Like obviously I mentioned Jason Elam hadn't
been in Terry was another guy that whether he played
for the Patriots or the Coats, that just kind of
broke our hearts because he's a fifty one yard kid.

Speaker 2 (24:02):
Oh yep, he about to make.

Speaker 1 (24:03):
That in the snow, doesn't matter, and he made.

Speaker 2 (24:06):
His Like gosh, these damn kickers.

Speaker 1 (24:09):
You know Matt Prater for a while here in Colorado, Yeah,
he was that guy I lost the text I was
looking for here. Oh is there from the seven to? Oh?
Do you think we need to add another running back
to finish strong this year for the Broncos? Do you
think we're okay with where we're at? I mean, we
saw Jalil have a pretty good game. He didn't have
many carries, but it looked like he was running his

(24:31):
ass off. It had some fresh legs.

Speaker 4 (24:33):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (24:33):
RJ. Harvey, who looks like he still has some room
to grow, but there's been plenty of flashes. Do you
think we need a veteran presence in that room with JK.
Dobbins out?

Speaker 2 (24:42):
You know what I think?

Speaker 3 (24:43):
So?

Speaker 4 (24:43):
I think one more guy with a little bit more
bulk would be helpful there. You know, we got some
extremely fast guys. We got, you know, guys that can
hit that hole.

Speaker 2 (24:56):
But all our guys are there.

Speaker 4 (24:58):
They're if anybody over two fifteen on the roster, right,
all right, that's playing right now.

Speaker 2 (25:05):
So I just like to see one more guy a
little bit bigger. I will my opinion.

Speaker 1 (25:08):
I will say, man, I was impressed with Julio last week,
Like he's for such a small guy, the way he
gets through the middle of the pile when he's running
up the gut like that, that dude does something.

Speaker 4 (25:19):
He's got hard man, he's got he's He's showing that
from day one.

Speaker 2 (25:23):
And we know that Sean Payton loves him.

Speaker 4 (25:27):
Uh and I know that it probably hurt Sean not
to not to have him acting. Yeah yeah, but uh,
you know, he's done a great job of staying ready
and when he got his opportunity, man, he showed up.

Speaker 1 (25:41):
A big nick. What do you think we need another
running back in the room, a veteran presence or just
a bigger body.

Speaker 2 (25:47):
Absolutely, I feel that way.

Speaker 3 (25:49):
It isn't necessarily Maybe let me back in for a
second because before I make my statement, when you say
bigger body, what do you mean like for as far
as girth or height.

Speaker 1 (25:58):
Well, we know we've had this conversation with Benjamin Albright
plenty of times. R. J. Harvey is not a small man.
He is just shortened stature right right, right, But he's
still a young guy, and it seems like he's struggling
to pick his spots. I would say he looks like
to me, at least last week against the Chiefs or
two weeks ago now, it looks like he's trying to

(26:19):
kind of emulate the JK. Dobbins style of the patients
been picking out his hole, but he's just not there yet.
He doesn't see it as well as JK. Dobbins does.
As a veteran in the League. So I think I
just think another big body for goal line and short
yardage would be a big boost for this Broncos offense.

Speaker 3 (26:36):
Well, what happens with young bags. They're used to seeing
it and hitting it right as soon as they get
the ball. They're ready to just get out there and
make something happen. As you play the game and you
progressively understand the game better from a running back position,
guess what, you're more patient. You're allowed the offensive line

(26:56):
and time to get in front of you to be
your shield. Now you can cut off their backside.

Speaker 2 (27:01):
Some of them are. Some of them get to that point.

Speaker 4 (27:04):
Some of them they keep running, They keep on getting
there too soon and being impatient.

Speaker 3 (27:08):
Yeah, those dudes right there, they on the street, Those
dudes on the street. But I've watched Clinton Porters go
through that same thing, and Alex Gibbs kind of scream
at him to just kind of be a little patient
because at University of Miami he was hitting and getting it.

Speaker 1 (27:24):
Right, kind of like RJ. Harvey at UF Right.

Speaker 3 (27:26):
But now it's a little different because maybe that linemen
are not as quick as your collegiate lineman, or you
need to set it up. You got to set it
up a little more. But I do believe that the
Broncos definitely need another veteran running back who has a
physical presence because once we get into the latter part
of the season, right, you're gonna need to have the

(27:49):
ability to wear down defenses. And even with JK. Dombas
just keep it a buck. The Broncos were not running
him in the manner of which they should have run
him or not. But since they don't have him into
the in the lineup now, you need other running backs
that you can throw multiple guys at opposing defenses to
wear them down.

Speaker 1 (28:10):
How much does bow Knicks's running ability play into the
Broncos having a proficient run game going down the stretch too?
I mean, I love when we see him a couple
of times a gay game and rate option look or
just you know, an impromptu scramble like. I think that
opens up so many more holes for the running game
as well. When your quarterback is also.

Speaker 2 (28:30):
A threat, oh, I think it's extremely important to the
offense of productivity and defense.

Speaker 4 (28:37):
I know, personally, you hate it when you have a
mobile quarterback, right.

Speaker 2 (28:42):
Especially in a quarterback that'll take off, because you really
don't have anyone to defend him. If you're playing your.

Speaker 4 (28:48):
Regular base defense or a nickel defense, most of the
time you're not really accounting for somebody to fire the quarterback.

Speaker 2 (28:54):
You only do that in a certain certain situation.

Speaker 4 (28:56):
You know, you got a mobile guy, and you're kind
of weaker in another area of your defense.

Speaker 2 (29:02):
But it makes us a better team when.

Speaker 4 (29:04):
He's able to do that and keep defenses on guard
to where, hey, if you got to watch out for
a quarterback. Now, guess what now, Cortland Sun is going
to be open now, Troy Franklin, Pat Bryan, you know,
all those guys, they're going to have fewer guys able
to come for them.

Speaker 2 (29:19):
So it makes it to where it makes defenses a
little more vulnerable to the past.

Speaker 3 (29:26):
I'll sum up your question with my answer in one.

Speaker 1 (29:29):
Word, Michael Vick, that's two words.

Speaker 2 (29:33):
Well, it's one word, one name.

Speaker 3 (29:37):
It's one words to me because that's how fast he's
that's how fast he's moving.

Speaker 2 (29:43):
It looks like a run on sentence.

Speaker 1 (29:46):
Good recovery there, well, the good recovery there. Well, let's
head out to the KWA Traffic Center and see how
fast people are moving on the highways. Hall of Famer
Steve Atwater is in studio with US five six six
nine zero is the text line where talking about Will
Lutz in the last segment his three year extension he
just signed with the Broncos from the three to zero three. Hey, guys,

(30:07):
Will LUTs is a great kicker, but he is only
part of a three member team, long snapper, Holder and Lutz.
The long snapper is like a quarterback with one hundred
percent accuracy on his pass or an upside down and
between his legs. Now, that's a talent which isn't always recognized.
I was actually the long snapper for my high school
football team because no one else could do it. Yeah,

(30:27):
and I still wasn't very good at it. So I
have a deep appreciation for the long snapper.

Speaker 4 (30:31):
I don't know we appreciate that, but I would just
imagine that there's a lot more pressure kicking a sixty
year a field goal than it is snapping the ball back.

Speaker 3 (30:40):
Right.

Speaker 2 (30:40):
Well, well, I'm gonna say this.

Speaker 3 (30:43):
I think it's pressure associated with all of it because remember,
it's the snap, it's the hold, and it's the kick.

Speaker 2 (30:52):
I agree, yes, I agree with those.

Speaker 3 (30:53):
Guys have to be you know, it's succenc and you
seldom see a.

Speaker 4 (30:59):
Snap a long snapper or a holder screw it up.

Speaker 2 (31:03):
It's normal. Yeah, there's normally the kicker who missed the kick. Well, well,
I will push back on that.

Speaker 3 (31:09):
There have been some holders who don't spin the ball
and move the strings away because kickers don't like the
kick and kick with the strings. So that guy miss handling.
We've seen it, guys catching miss handling and take his
eye off it and can't really sit.

Speaker 1 (31:23):
It down in that playoff game.

Speaker 2 (31:26):
Yes, yeah, so it happens.

Speaker 3 (31:28):
And think about this in my and when I played,
and I think the rules were still the same with Steve.
You can line up over the center where it's they're
they're snapping the ball to the punter on the field
goals and just running right over.

Speaker 1 (31:41):
There are a lot more protected nowadays.

Speaker 2 (31:42):
Now you can't do that.

Speaker 1 (31:43):
I mean, even when you don't really touch them like
the Broncos the Colts game earlier this year. You know,
leverage right lege.

Speaker 4 (31:53):
Make this statement to say that those guys need razors too.

Speaker 1 (31:58):
I guess maybe I think he was just trying to give.

Speaker 2 (32:01):
Them some love. They're not getting that dog.

Speaker 1 (32:03):
No, I agree with Steve, Like as as that's a routine.
You know, that's like an extra point for a kicker.
You're doing the same thing every time as a long snapper,
same thing every time as a holder. You don't have
the weight of a winner loss as like you do
as a kicker. When you got a sixty three yard or.

Speaker 3 (32:20):
They're gonna say, oh man, it was the holder holding
it right where First of all, I'm not in fair.
I'm not favor for everyone getting paid, but idea paying
a long snapper more money and a guy who holds
the ball a significant amount of change when that's all
you do, You're not tackling anyone, So why we gonna.

Speaker 2 (32:38):
Pay you all that money?

Speaker 1 (32:39):
No, I think there's other places to spend your money
on an NFL world.

Speaker 2 (32:43):
Yeah, but but I agree with that. I agree with
the caller. We appreciate it, We appreciate it, but it's
just a different, little different level of pressure.

Speaker 4 (32:51):
Right, Oh okay, you got to kick that kick because
if it goes left, they're not gonna be looking at.

Speaker 2 (32:59):
Either.

Speaker 1 (33:00):
Well, speaking of pressure, do you think after finally taking
down the Chiefs in a legitimate game with the Broncos
and bow Knicks and Sean Payton like, do you think
that there's a new level of pressure found for these
Broncos because now they're expected to be a great team.
I mean, all year, we've all all the national media said,
you know, the Broncos, Yeah, they got a great record,

(33:21):
but they haven't played anybody. They aren't there a year away.
The quarterback hasn't been consistent. But now you put up
a showing like that where Bo Knicks arguably had his
best game of the season, and you know, no touchdown passes,
but he looked like he was going through his reeds.
He was figuring it out and looked comfortable in the pocket,
which he hasn't for a lot of this year. Do
you think there's a new found pressure going into this

(33:41):
game on Sunday Night Football, another big national attention game.
Do you think there's a new found level of pressure
for the Broncos going into this game?

Speaker 2 (33:50):
Well, I don't think.

Speaker 4 (33:51):
It's necessarily more pressure for the guys. I think they've
kind of filtered all year, right, especially on the defense side,
and I'm sure.

Speaker 2 (34:00):
The offensive side have felt it as well.

Speaker 4 (34:04):
But the defense, they've been playing well pretty consistently, and
I think their level of pressure may have been just
a tap bit higher than than the offense is because
everybody's expecting them to play well. If you're if your
offense isn't putting points on the board.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
You got to stop them. You gotta you gotta do this,
you gotta do that.

Speaker 4 (34:23):
So but but I think overall the pressure has been there,
and I think they're I think they're ready for it.

Speaker 1 (34:29):
I think they're just say, this is what we got
to do. Yeah, it feels like they're ready for it.
And uh, we're never ready for you to leave. Steve
Dowerk always goes too fast. I have a great Thanksgiving
and I appreciate you stopping it.

Speaker 2 (34:40):
As always, I appreciate you guys man every Thanksgiving. Much
love to all our listeners to appreciate you.

Speaker 1 (34:46):
We got Cody or when we come back. I brought
us country tonight on KOA