Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Joining us opening up the hour.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
We've got Parker Gabriel with the Denver Post. Make sure
you're following him over on x at Parker Jay Gabriel.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Parker, how are you doing on this New Year's Eve?
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Do you agree with Sean Payton that it's the most
overrated holiday?
Speaker 3 (00:18):
I don't know if it's the most overrated, but definitely
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna make it anywhere near
midnight tonight, if that's if that's what's that hand. So
it's a it's a quiet New Year's Eve at the
Gabriel House, and in that regard, I guess yeah, there's
not a lot of there's not a lot of festivities
(00:38):
going on.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Well, there will be a lot of festivities on Sunday
when the Broncos get the Dubs. I just kind of
put that spoken out here, exists they now for you,
even though the Chargers not playing those starters and we
don't know which other starters are.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Going to be out What it will be your take.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
On the game if the Broncos go out there one
and boat race the Charges team in two, If it's
similar to what we saw last week against Kansas City,
where it's like a twenty to thirteen victory.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
What are your thoughts on those two outcomes.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I don't think it really matters as long as they
win and get the first round by because then your
next game is not until two weeks later. The stakes
are different, obviously. I mean Lebroncos like they're they're rightfully
treating this like they have a lot to play for
and like it's a you know, champagne and just today
said it's a playoff game, which yeah, sure it is,
but it's a playoff game against a team that is
(01:37):
probably going to be something of a skeleton crew. I
mean just today, you know, it's not it's early in
the week. It's not for sure that it's all these guys,
but just today, the guys that you know, we're listed
as getting rest at practice today it was it was Herbert,
it was Khalil mack in Tuley two week below, two,
Keenan Allen. You know, so it just is like, is
(01:58):
like their best veteran players basically, so some guys are
going to play. Obviously you have to in the NFL,
but frankly, like whether it looks like Christmas Night against
the Chiefs twenty to thirteen or Week eighteen last year
against the Chiefs thirty eight to nothing. I just am
not real sure that it has a big impact on
what the division round looks like.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Talking about some New Year's resolutions for the team on
here too, and maybe what they hid change as we
get ready for the playoff push. Here, this defense it
started to you know, sputter a little bit these last
few games. How do you think the Broncos can turn
it around and return to the elite performances we saw
all throughout the first half of the season.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Yeah, well, I think it's gonna be a little bit
tough if they're playing you know, Sunday's one thing with
a sort of you know, light Chargers team, But it's
gonna be tough if they're playing without Brandon Jones in
the playoffs, if they're playing without you know, Drake Greenlow
will see he may be back for the divisional rounds.
But you know, those are good players and guys.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
That are integral to what they're doing.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Like to me, it just comes down basically the situational stuff.
If they're dominant in the red zone and they tackle
really well, they're going to be in good shape. That's
that those two areas and you know, third down, red
zone tackling obviously is a big part of that. And
then the sacks like that has been sort of the
secret sauce and the recipe for them this year, and
now you know you could you could have a few
(03:26):
fewer sacks, and if you go on a turnover bane
in the playoffs, you're also going to be just signed.
But to me, like it's just about doing the things
well that they did well for most of the season
and that that's sort of where I would start that list.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
So as you close out the year, I mean, I
know Zach Seeker's talking about New Year's resolutions.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
I don't make any.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
But from a player's standpoint, we have incentives, right, that's
ext your money in the bank that you didn't really tell.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
On, but you're closed through receiving now, if.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
I'm not mistaken, I know John the Cooper has some
incentives in his contract as far as sacks. But from
an offensive standpoint, I think the only person right now
kind of like with a big incentive would be Adam Trumtman,
and I think he might be five five catches for
the incentive. Do you think that Sean Payton would actually
(04:23):
go out of his way to make sure that Adam
Trumman gets those five catches.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
To get that bonus.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Probably depends on how the early part of the game goes.
Sean actually brought that up today and he said, you know, yeah,
Trumpman needs five catches, and then he sort of smirked
and he said, but that's like a season fourth for him,
so that I don't know. I mean, one of the
things that happens, Like one of the reasons why players
love playing for Sean Payton is because if they end
(04:53):
up going out there and Trumpman has a catcher too,
and you know, it's out a hand, or maybe they
won't they're playing away where just he's not as involved
or whatever. Like Sean is the kind of coach who
will go to George Peyton and Richard Toddo who handled
a cap, and say just pay it to them, you know,
just pay it to them. And so I'm not saying
(05:16):
that's definitely gonna happen in this situation, but there are guys,
certainly last year, there's been a couple times in Shawn's
time here where they've done that. It's like, hey, listen,
you're not gonna play very much because it's going to
be a blowout, or you know, we just need you
to rest a little bit more, but don't worry about
the number. We'll make sure you're taking care of on that.
(05:37):
So that's a Sean Payton staple. He obviously coaches hard,
he's you know, he's intense.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
Obviously we've all seen that over the last three seasons.
But he also endears himself to players by you know,
having their back on that sort of stuff, and that
obviously makes a big difference.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Bo Nix is playing some of the best ball of
his career over the last months, month and a half
or so, starting to make that passing offense one of
the most trustable elements of this team. When you look
at that AFC playoff picture, and even without Burrow and
you know, with Jackson being a maybe and Patrick Mahomes out,
it's still loaded with great quarter quarterback play, whether it
(06:19):
be Drake may.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Or Trevor Lawrence.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Where do you think bow knicks ranks or how does
he stack up even against all those great quarterbacks in
the AFC playoff picture.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Yeah, it's pretty wild. I mean to a large degree,
you're talking about the you know, outside of Josh Allen
and then maybe Lamar Jackson. We'll see you're talking about
sort of like the quote unquote second tier of quarterbacks
in the AFC, and you're talking about Justin Herbert's talking
about Drake May who probably is gonna win the MVP
this year, CJ. Stroud, Trevor Lawrence, obviously bow Knicks, you know,
(06:53):
one of Lamar Jackson or Aaron Rodgers and sort of
right down the line. So that's a good question in
the middle. You know, I think obviously he's been to
the playoffs once already, bo Nicks has, and he's got
a long way to go and a lot to prove
and all of that. Certainly doesn't have the track record
of some of the guys already in you know, c J.
(07:15):
Stroud and Drake May now have our young guys that
each probably have a season better than a season that
BONICKX has had. But look, bo Nick has won as
high a rate as any of them, and he's made
a lot of clutch plays and all of that, and
so you know, it's obviously about quarterback play, it's about
surrounding cast two and really at the end of the day,
(07:36):
what matters is the Broncos players and coaches feel like
they can go beat anybody with Bonix as their quarterbacks,
So that that's you know, the statistically or if you're
you know, drafting for a franchise, like where where does
he fall? I don't know, somewhere in the middle or
maybe towards the bottom of the seven that'll that'll be
in the postseason, But not if you ask Sean Payton,
(07:58):
not if you ask Mike McGlinchey out of Yascorland Sutton.
And that's those are the guys obviously that matter most
of the time of year.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
So when you think about the Broncos defense and how
they started season opposed to have things have look thus far,
there's some and I don't know if you have one
of those individuals, Parker, that feel as though this defense
still gives them a little reason to pause because they
feel as though they're not playing their best ball at
this particular moment. Do you share those same concern as
(08:29):
maybe some local individuals and national individuals as well, I.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Mean a little bit, But you've also seen I don't.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I guess I'm not quite ready to say, Oh, it's
definitely a major slide. I mean, I think last year
in December, it was a little bit more obvious like that.
It was across the board, it was every game, you know,
just the numbers got bad. They gave up a ton
I think they gave up thirty points three times in December,
and then obviously again in the playoffs game. It wasn't
(08:59):
like that year. And frankly like the things. You know,
Jackonville scored four times in the red zone. Jacksonville's red hot.
Nobody else has done that against Denver, certainly not in Denver.
Could that happen in the playoffs, sure, but they could
also go back to being really stingy in the red zone.
You know, Nick Benito and Johnathan Cooper. The sacks dried
up kind of down the stretch. That's They'll played a
(09:21):
bunch of guys where the name of the game was
to k rush, and you can make an argument it's
unselfish of those guys. I mean, Nick Benito had you know,
an eighteen percent pressure rate over the last three games
where he didn't have a sax. So that's gonna play
just fine. That's going to lead the sacks. That's gonna
that's gonna put you know, Benito in good spots to
make big plays. So I'm not saying it's nothing, because
(09:44):
I do think that they've got things that they need
to that they need to tighten up. And at the
same time, I just I think it's a group that's
turned a little bit of trust and a group that,
you know, especially with a game under it spelled in
the postseason last year, that that I think will hit
that sort of playoff speed that people talk about whatever.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
They end up playing. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Talking with Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post, Parker, as
we head towards the playoffs, the Broncos don't have a
lot of playoff experience, but neither do a lot of
the teams in the picture. Right now, it feels a
little more wide open than most, But a lot of
people would say the Broncos are ahead of schedule. You know,
(10:30):
they're kind of playing with house money. How much pressure
do you think is on the Broncos to take advantage
of this window or do you think there's a mentality
inside that building of.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Hey, this is just the beginning of whatever we're building here.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
No, I think there's a lot of pressures out I mean,
you don't know how often these opportunities are going to
come like you can have you can have really good teams,
you can be in the playoffs regularly and all of that,
and just the one seed thing. You know, the Chiefs
have sort of maybe numbed us too in the AFC
over the pats of years, like it's not that easy.
It doesn't happen every year. Things go wrong, you know,
your quarterback misses three games, or you know, or you
(11:09):
just hit a little skid or something weird happens or whatever,
and you know, you end up having to go on
the road. I mean, look at the Chargers. Maybe they're
playing for the division on Sunday, if both of their
all pro caliber tackles aren't out for the season, but
still like now they've got to go on the road
three games to try to make the super Bowl. So
(11:31):
you know, you just you can be really good and
end up not having the perfect scenario. So yeah, I mean,
anytime you get an opportunity like this to have the
one seed, to play at home, to be obviously nobody's
perfectly healthy, but to be in relatively good shape overall,
like you just those are opportunities that you don't come
(11:51):
by all that often in this league. And not only that,
but I mean, yeah, I mean, sure their windows open.
They've got a good core, and bot Nix is young
and all that, but it's not infinite. You know the
day is coming where, yeah, Russell Wilson's money will be
all the way off the books next year. But and
you can suppress even if you decide, hey, Bonux is
the guy, you give them a massive extension after the
(12:14):
twenty sixth season or whatever. You can suppress the number,
but the just the fundamental nature of this core is
going to change over the next year, over the next
two years and beyond that. So you know this group
has this chance right now, you don't know how often
they're going to come around. And that means that every
team that feels like they've got a real chance this
(12:35):
year feels that pressure and contender so different.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
We know that Chargers aren't, you know, going all out
to win this game. They're resting some players. Do you
think the Broncos obviously they won't be resting anybody, but
do you think they might look to keep a trick
up their sleeve or two? Looking at this is you know,
against a squad of backups going to be the easiest
game you have remaining on your schedule when there's a
(13:00):
very good chance you run into the Chargers again in
the postseason, because it would really only take them advancing
through the first round four that prematch to occur.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Yeah, that's a good question. I mean, I don't I
don't think Sean Payton's really gonna hold much back. I
really don't. Like they have to win. They cannot get
in a situation where it's, you know, you're down ten
to six at halftime and suddenly you're you're like, oh,
maybe we should pull a couple, you know, clubs out
of the bag that we weren't playing on using. I mean,
I think it's, you know, it's just a guess. I mean,
(13:31):
it feels kind of like we're eighteen last year, you know,
shokanaw at the beginning, trying to build a big lead
and then the rest. To me, the rest in the
health is more important than than you know, whether you
hold one thing back.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
I do think like if you have questions about how
maybe Jesse Mintor wants to play something, how he's going
to align to something, and we don't even know if
like throwin James Khalil Mack, these guys are going to play,
so there's only so much data. Again, I wouldn't be
some ride if Champayton and company. And it's hard to
even notice U much as you know, Nick and you've
(14:04):
played in the league. But like I wouldn't be surprised
if they stressed us a few things. Maybe see how
the Chargers play against the unique look or two to
just to try to gather data in casey newfacing later on.
But you guys played twice a year anyway as their
division rivals. They know each other well, they know what
each other want to do, and so I think it's
just I mean, I think Seampagne will go in fully
(14:26):
loaded and try to build a big league and then
get some guys some wrest play in the game if you.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Can fingers crossed it goes that way.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Parker Gabriel with the Denver Post, thank you so much
again for joining us at Parker J.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Gabriel on Twitter.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Everyone make sure you're checking out his work and Happy
New Year's to you Parker.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Yeah, I'm happy New Years to you guys too.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Thank you very much. Have a good one.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Great stuff from Parker there as always Nick him talking
about Sean Payton. Maybe you know, trying some things against
that jesse mentor defense. I think that's a good idea.
Made me think of the Veloci after in Jurassic Park,
you know, trying every quarter of the cage, try and
find that weak point to exploit.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
Well yeah, I mean, listen, this is why I made
the mention you know earlier about the Broncos and style points,
because I truly believe that you can really pressure opponent,
no matter who you're going to face in the playoff,
because you give them more information that they have to
diagnose and they have to prepare for. And that is
something that the Broncos could have done starting last week
(15:29):
against the Kanacy Chiefs, and they could definitely do it
on Sunday, showing a lot of plays that you want
other teams to jesse Mencher being one of them if
they say it should face the Chargers again to have
to prepare for. And I know sometimes the execution hasn't
been that great play calling, creation of the play, but
(15:50):
not the execution. So I would like to see the
Broncos throw a couple of wrinkles in just to make
the defense thing.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Now the Chargers are resting, guys, just fight the five
seed being on the table for them. If everything broke
right for them this week, they could wind up having
that road matchup with the winner of the AFC North,
which certainly looks like the easiest wildcard matchup you could have. Instead,
they're opting to rest guys and just go up against
(16:18):
the New England Patriots next week, which seemingly as.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
A matchup they feel very confident in.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Do you like that strategy from them of resting guys
and just taking that two seed matchup? Or if you
were a player on that team, would you rather be
playing starters and fighting to one place boiler for the Broncos,
but also get yourself an easier path to the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
I'm on the frame of mind where you rust our
guys because once again, the healthier you are, the better
your chances. Because why try to disrupt the apple cart
with the Denver Broncos and put your players that on
either side of the ball you're gonna need to rely
on and you get them injured? But is that right
(17:01):
in a game where you're not really going to change
that much in the seedings? So the idea is to
play the loan games that it's the loan game that
I'm thinking, Coach Harbar is considering and he's hoping that
Hey listen, he pushed his chips to the center of
the table and he bet on seven or whatever it is.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
So he's hoping that he's.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Guessing right and his players being healthy would give them
an opportunity. And oh, by the way, if your first
opponent in wildcard weekend, just say it happens to be
break Drake May, Mike Rabel and the Patriots. It seemed
like the Charges feel comfortable with being able to win
that game.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
I think I'm with you, Nick.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
After the break, we're going to talk about one area
the Broncos have to improve in if they want to
make the Super Bowl run that many and Broncos Country
are hoping for.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
That's coming up next on Broncos Country tonight. Nick.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Before the break, we were talking about in area or
its I should say, maybe an area where the Broncos
absolutely have to improve in in order to get where
they want to go this year, which is the Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
What do you think that area is, Nick Ferguson, Is
it running the ball? I mean, they do have to
improve there, But that wasn't quite where I was going.
So there's another one. There is another big one. Okay,
third down, third down, I'd also say you're right, I'd
say another thing go, but not quite the one. What
(18:33):
I was thinking, Nick, was the red zone problems.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
This team, I think kind of made their name, built
their image on great red zone play. You look at
their game against the Packers just a few weeks ago,
I think probably the best Broncos performance of the season.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
They were amazing in the red zone. They go four
for four on offense.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
They hold that Packers offense that heading into the game
was the best red zone offense in the league to
four rate, just completely shut them down. Since then, though, Nick,
they've really dropped off on offense. They've had six red
zone trips, they've only converted three touchdowns. On defense, they've
allowed six red zone trips and they've allowed five touchdowns.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Well, I would say one impacts the other. Does it not?
Statistically speaking? How in what way are you thinking?
Speaker 4 (19:25):
Oh? But once again, okay, it's a similar conversation when
we look at time of possession, because if we look
at the Broncos time of possession, and it's to say
that they lose the time of possession battle and the
defense has been out there for a long period of time.
The idea is that the defense can't get off the field, right,
(19:48):
but one is not really pulling back the layers on
the time of possession and say, okay, well.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Yes, you're absolutely right.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
The defense was on the field a lot when we
saw the Broncos who begin this season right or the
start of twenty twenty five that you're playing the Buffalo Bills,
and the Buffalo Bills dominated the time of possession, which
meant that the Broncos defense was out there for a
large amount of time and that was doing part because
the offense could not sustain third downs to keep the
(20:19):
defense on the sideline. So when we look at touchdowns score, yes,
if your offense is struggling to score points inside the
red zone, it's gonna put a lot of pressure on
you defensively, right, and that's going to give the opposition
opportunities to move the ball down the field knowing as
though they're dominating a time of possession, which means though
your players are going to be a little physically and
(20:42):
mentally exhausted, where they too may give up some touchdowns
that they ordinarily wouldn't have given up in the early
part of the season. So offense and defense. This is
just another examples act of those two sides of the
ball working hand in hand.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
So, now, how do you fix it? Because this hasn't
been a problem all season.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Prior to the Jags game, the Broncos were the best
red zone defense in the league. Even now they ranked second.
They're allowing a touchdown on just forty four percent of
opponent's red zone possessions. On offense, again, they've dropped down
after this recent cold stretch, but only to tenth. They're
still the tenth best red zone offense, scoring a touchdown
on sixty one percent.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Of their possessions there.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
How, if it is if the problem on defense and
allowing more touchdowns is one of you know, the fact
that the offense isn't cashing in more, how do you
get the offense to return to early season four and
start cashing in more of those touchdowns?
Speaker 1 (21:38):
I would say it's more or less focus in concentration.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Let's go back for to the most recent game that
we watched, and that was the game against the Cancy
the Chiefs last week Thursday night. Think about the number
of drops we saw in the game. You want to
go back before that, Let's go to the Jags game
and that game where the Broncos pretty much was behind
(22:04):
the eight ball. We saw Bow trying to get the
offense or keep the offense in rhythm. We saw some
drops balls a little behind, wide receivers are maybe too
far in front or too hot. This is where you
have to be better from an offensive standpoint, and knowing
as though the level of operation on third down equals
(22:26):
opportunities in the red zone, because if you're not converting
third downs, chances are you're not getting inside the red
zone and you're not completing those types of plays. And
here's what the Broncos have done. Because traditionally, when teams
get inside of the red zone, they want to run
the football because that's easier because the field shrinks, and
it seems as though the advantage goes to the offense.
(22:48):
But what we've seen the Broncos do. He's something you
said earlier in the show. When you look at RJ.
Harvey numbers seven receiving touchdowns seven rushing touchdowns, right, so
we see that there is a little ballast there. But
the Broncos in no situations, instead of handing it to them,
they are throwing it to them. On some of those
(23:08):
swinging routes or whatever. Well, once again, it goes back
to the ideas they go hand in hand. You need
the offense to strike when they're inside the red zone
to score touchdowns because if not, it puts pressure on
the defense.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
And I think the third down point is another excellent
one to mention, because they've seen way too many third
downs these past couple of weeks, and I think you know,
some of that's by design. Against the Chiefs, they were
happy just taking everything underneath the Raiders game.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Similarly, we're happy picking up four.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Yards every play and just converting third and short because
we think we're much better than you and we're going
to be able to convert.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Those at a high clip.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
They had twelve third downs against the Raiders, eleven against
the Packers, fourteen against the Jags, and eighteen against the Chiefs.
Even if you're converting those at the high rate, it's
a hard way to live. You want to have more
first and second down conversions, so you're not even facing
this spot of oh man, if we don't convert this play,
(24:04):
we're forcing our defense out onto the field. You know,
there's no there's no downside to not converting on second down.
You know that's not forcing your defense out on the
field right away. Every third down is do or die,
you know, barring obviously fourth and shorts.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
And all that.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
But if you're creating all these third down opportunities for yourself,
you're you're the best offense in the league, and you're
converting seventy percent of them. If you've got eighteen third downs,
you're putting the ball back to your opponents six times.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Yeah, this is why it's so important for the Broncos
to start out. You know, fans and a lot of
these these drives, and if you are in second and manageable, well,
you look at the play sheet, and we've seen Champagne's playshet,
how large and robust it is. It now gives him
an opportunity to choose plays because on this playsheet they're
(24:55):
color coordinated as far as down and distance personnels. So
when he sees the yard marker and he knows that
it's second and three, he knows exactly what's second and
three plays he wants.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
To actually go to. Now, I don't care if it's.
Speaker 4 (25:11):
Mike Shenahan, Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, or Sean Payton, there
are not too many third and fifteen, third and eighteen plays.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
That you call.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
You may have a couple of those, but you don't
have like five, six, seven, or even like twelve of
those plays.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
So this is why it's smart for the Broncos to
stay ahead of the chains.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
And that's why we have seen since the bye week,
we've seen bo Nicks under center more so than we
saw him at the very beginning.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
And he's playing much better as a result. Right now,
here's what I've been seeing.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
And I don't know, I don't think I'm giving away
any state secrets here, but this is what my football
eyes tell me.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
When the Broncos go.
Speaker 4 (25:49):
Under center, it's one or two plays, either the handing
the ball off or some kind of bootlet play.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Right.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
So that's something once again they need to break their
tennessees as far as part of the check lease of
things that they need to change, they help.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Them know be better.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
But the fact that they're willing to now put bow
under center with the idea or even give the impression
that they're going to run the ball, that helps them out.
Now you need a continuation of that and say, okay,
well we're going to run the ball still in page
out of Lee and Collins book where they didn't really
muster that much in the run game, but they still
stay committed because now that still open up play action.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
These are all aspects of the game that the Broncos.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Need to expand on and improve if they hope to
kind of get deeper in the playoffs and eventually get
to Levi Stadium in San Francisco.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
As they start turning their eyes towards the playoffs and
potential matchups and all that. Are there any teams you're
circling thinking, I hope it lines up where the Broncos
play this team because I think they're a good matchup.
Are there other teams you're thinking, Oh my goodness, I
hope they get eliminated in the first round or the
bracket breaks a different way where where the Broncos don't
(27:01):
have to see them until the AFC Championship. Who are
those teams on either side of the spectrum, because we know,
you know, outside of the AFC North champion who the
AFC playoff teams are going to be.
Speaker 4 (27:13):
Well, I'll say it's kind of threefold, and I'll start
from the bottom and work my way up to the top.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
The Patriots being number three. And the reason the Patriots
because as in the team you don't want to see I.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Don't want to see, right, because Drake May has improved
from year one to year two.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
He's in an MVP conversation in year two.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Right. Then you think about, well, what is it that
the Patriots do well. They have a quarterback that's mobile,
who can move around, who can give any defense problems
because of his mobility, and they run play action and
to run play action you have to do what, and
do what well, run the freaking ball. And that is
something that they do from an offensive standpoint. Now on
(27:55):
their defense, I mean that's not a defense with the
Patriots that get out the quarterback at a high level
to create turnovers. So that will be one advantage for
the Broncos offense. The next team would be the Buffalo
Bills and the Buffalo Bills defense, they've gotten healthier, they've
gotten much better as a unit as the season started
(28:17):
to close, and that's what you want to do. You
want to end the season on the Bryce side. Even
though I know they just recently lost to the Philadelphia Eagles,
just think about it. They shut the Eagles out in
that second half that only gave up thirteen total points.
Like that loss is not on the Bill's defense, that's right.
And Josh Allen had an opportunity to pull out a
(28:38):
superman cap and win the game.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
He was just a little like two to three yard
shot here in the open wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
Jalen Hurts didn't complete a single pass in the second half.
I think it's like only the second time since the
turn of the century that the teams won a game
without completing a pass in the second half. That's a
testament to the fact that this Bill's defense played great
in that loss.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
And then also you add what Josh Allen can do
from a quarterback standpoint. He's a threat in the passing
game because he is very accurate. Ball placement is very superior,
and then his movement in the pocket. That movement in
the pocket is given the Broncos defense some issue. Even
if you want to go cage rush. Now you could
say you're gonna cage rush Josh Allen, I wouldn't encourage
(29:21):
it because you're giving him more time to hurt you
in the passing game.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
And oh, by the way, you got James Cook too
as well.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
And Allan's a quarterback where if you're giving him that time,
it's especially deadly because he can access every single blade
of grass on the field. You let him run in
circles for fifteen seconds and let those receivers get fifty
yards downfield and you know, try and run against your
corners for all that time.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
He's going to burn you for a sixty yard game.
Speaker 4 (29:47):
Absolutely, And I know that their wide receivers are not
household names. But the one thing they do, they've done
a great job working in concert with him. And what
I mean by that is they know that he's a
mobile quarterback. Once he starts to scramble, whatever route they're running,
they're going to adjust and look for him to deliver
the pass. And I guess the final team would be
(30:10):
the Houston Texans. Nothing that's a good pick that team.
I'm not saying that it scares me, but it concerns
me because I look at their defense. You look at
the game when they played the Denver Broncos. What the
score was, what was it twenty or seventeen or thirteen
or something like that team to thirteen or something like that,
very low scoring game, because both defensive units showed out
and played, And I always wonder what would that game
(30:34):
have been like if CJ.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
Stroud had played.
Speaker 4 (30:37):
I don't know, and I know we just watched him
play against the Chargers. They jumped out to an early
fourteen point lead, but they didn't really do anything after that.
But it's their defense that bothers me because they have
the league guys up front. They're very athletic on the
second level, and they have guys who can play man
and zone in the back end. And the one thing
(30:59):
that they do is that they may not have as
many sacks as the Denver Broncos, but when you look
at QB hurries and pressures and then you look at
turnovers when we get to the postseason, that's going to
be really important no matter who the team is. Are
you a office that turns the ball over or your
defense that takes the ball away. So that's why putting
(31:20):
the Texas there because their ability to get after the
quarterback and create turnovers.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
There's two kind of different sorts of teams in the
AFC playoffs this year, with it, you know, being so open,
all the teams are fairly flawed. Teams like the Patriots
great offense, maybe a bit of a suspect defense or
a defense that's at least forgettable in some different ways. Buffalo,
their past defense has been amazing, but it looks like
like you.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Might be able to run it on them some still,
you know, the.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Which the Texans, of course, opposite end of the spectrum,
maybe so so offense, but that defense looks like it
could maybe be a historically great unit. Do you like
the Broncos better matchup against one of those defense first
teams or offense first teams? Which type of matchup do
you think favors the Broncos most?
Speaker 4 (32:08):
For me, it would have to be one of those
that like the Drake May and the Patriots. Yeah, because
the offensive score. They could run the ball, but they
don't have like elite pass rushers where they're creating a
lot of precious situations with what they're doing. That's kind
of a defense where they have to add other secondary
(32:30):
pieces in order to generate.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Pass rush at a very high level.
Speaker 4 (32:34):
So me, and this is probably why Goose Horla balls like,
you know what, we're gonna rest our.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Guys, because we want to play that team. We want
to play the Patriots, And I think that's the way
that that's how I look at.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
It, how do you look at I would tend to
agree with you. I think also it's smart on hardbuzz part.
Let's go against the team that doesn't have any pass rush.
I think right now I need to see more about
the defense to feel good about, you know, the Broncos
winning one of these mucky, low scoring games right now.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
And also I need to see more from the run game.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Weirdly, right now, part of this team I feel best
about is airing the ball out with bow knicks, and
I want them to find more balance. But until they
have that, I almost feel more confident in them getting
into a shootout with the Patriots. And yeah, maybe Drake
may is the better quarterback, but the Broncos have a
better defense and better pass rush and they can maybe
create that mistake or two, and so I think I
(33:25):
would favor them in that sort of matchup as well.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
We'll talk about how bo
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Nick stacks up with some of those AFC quarterbacks and
the rest of that AFC playoff picture coming up next
on Broncos Country Tonight on eight to fifty KA ninety
four one FM.
Joining us opening up the hour.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
We've got Parker Gabriel with the Denver Post. Make sure
you're following him over on x at Parker Jay Gabriel.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Parker, how are you doing on this New Year's Eve?
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Do you agree with Sean Payton that it's the most
overrated holiday?
Speaker 3 (00:18):
I don't know if it's the most overrated, but definitely
I'm not gonna I'm not gonna make it anywhere near
midnight tonight, if that's if that's what's that hand. So
it's a it's a quiet New Year's Eve at the
Gabriel House, and in that regard, I guess yeah, there's
not a lot of there's not a lot of festivities
(00:38):
going on.
Speaker 4 (00:39):
Well, there will be a lot of festivities on Sunday
when the Broncos get the Dubs. I just kind of
put that spoken out here, exists they now for you,
even though the Chargers not playing those starters and we
don't know which other starters are.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Going to be out What it will be your take.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
On the game if the Broncos go out there one
and boat race the Charges team in two, If it's
similar to what we saw last week against Kansas City,
where it's like a twenty to thirteen victory.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
What are your thoughts on those two outcomes.
Speaker 3 (01:15):
I don't think it really matters as long as they
win and get the first round by because then your
next game is not until two weeks later. The stakes
are different, obviously. I mean Lebroncos like they're they're rightfully
treating this like they have a lot to play for
and like it's a you know, champagne and just today
said it's a playoff game, which yeah, sure it is,
but it's a playoff game against a team that is
(01:37):
probably going to be something of a skeleton crew. I
mean just today, you know, it's not it's early in
the week. It's not for sure that it's all these guys,
but just today, the guys that you know, we're listed
as getting rest at practice today it was it was Herbert,
it was Khalil mack in Tuley two week below, two,
Keenan Allen. You know, so it just is like, is
(01:58):
like their best veteran players basically, so some guys are
going to play. Obviously you have to in the NFL,
but frankly, like whether it looks like Christmas Night against
the Chiefs twenty to thirteen or Week eighteen last year
against the Chiefs thirty eight to nothing. I just am
not real sure that it has a big impact on
what the division round looks like.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Talking about some New Year's resolutions for the team on
here too, and maybe what they hid change as we
get ready for the playoff push. Here, this defense it
started to you know, sputter a little bit these last
few games. How do you think the Broncos can turn
it around and return to the elite performances we saw
all throughout the first half of the season.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Yeah, well, I think it's gonna be a little bit
tough if they're playing you know, Sunday's one thing with
a sort of you know, light Chargers team, But it's
gonna be tough if they're playing without Brandon Jones in
the playoffs, if they're playing without you know, Drake Greenlow
will see he may be back for the divisional rounds.
But you know, those are good players and guys.
Speaker 1 (03:02):
That are integral to what they're doing.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Like to me, it just comes down basically the situational stuff.
If they're dominant in the red zone and they tackle
really well, they're going to be in good shape. That's
that those two areas and you know, third down, red
zone tackling obviously is a big part of that. And
then the sacks like that has been sort of the
secret sauce and the recipe for them this year, and
now you know you could you could have a few
(03:26):
fewer sacks, and if you go on a turnover bane
in the playoffs, you're also going to be just signed.
But to me, like it's just about doing the things
well that they did well for most of the season
and that that's sort of where I would start that list.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
So as you close out the year, I mean, I
know Zach Seeker's talking about New Year's resolutions.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
I don't make any.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
But from a player's standpoint, we have incentives, right, that's
ext your money in the bank that you didn't really tell.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
On, but you're closed through receiving now, if.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
I'm not mistaken, I know John the Cooper has some
incentives in his contract as far as sacks. But from
an offensive standpoint, I think the only person right now
kind of like with a big incentive would be Adam Trumtman,
and I think he might be five five catches for
the incentive. Do you think that Sean Payton would actually
(04:23):
go out of his way to make sure that Adam
Trumman gets those five catches.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
To get that bonus.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Probably depends on how the early part of the game goes.
Sean actually brought that up today and he said, you know, yeah,
Trumpman needs five catches, and then he sort of smirked
and he said, but that's like a season fourth for him,
so that I don't know. I mean, one of the
things that happens, Like one of the reasons why players
love playing for Sean Payton is because if they end
(04:53):
up going out there and Trumpman has a catcher too,
and you know, it's out a hand, or maybe they
won't they're playing away where just he's not as involved
or whatever. Like Sean is the kind of coach who
will go to George Peyton and Richard Toddo who handled
a cap, and say just pay it to them, you know,
just pay it to them. And so I'm not saying
(05:16):
that's definitely gonna happen in this situation, but there are guys,
certainly last year, there's been a couple times in Shawn's
time here where they've done that. It's like, hey, listen,
you're not gonna play very much because it's going to
be a blowout, or you know, we just need you
to rest a little bit more, but don't worry about
the number. We'll make sure you're taking care of on that.
(05:37):
So that's a Sean Payton staple. He obviously coaches hard,
he's you know, he's intense.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
Obviously we've all seen that over the last three seasons.
But he also endears himself to players by you know,
having their back on that sort of stuff, and that
obviously makes a big difference.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
Bo Nix is playing some of the best ball of
his career over the last months, month and a half
or so, starting to make that passing offense one of
the most trustable elements of this team. When you look
at that AFC playoff picture, and even without Burrow and
you know, with Jackson being a maybe and Patrick Mahomes out,
it's still loaded with great quarter quarterback play, whether it
(06:19):
be Drake may.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
Or Trevor Lawrence.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Where do you think bow knicks ranks or how does
he stack up even against all those great quarterbacks in
the AFC playoff picture.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
Yeah, it's pretty wild. I mean to a large degree,
you're talking about the you know, outside of Josh Allen
and then maybe Lamar Jackson. We'll see you're talking about
sort of like the quote unquote second tier of quarterbacks
in the AFC, and you're talking about Justin Herbert's talking
about Drake May who probably is gonna win the MVP
this year, CJ. Stroud, Trevor Lawrence, obviously bow Knicks, you know,
(06:53):
one of Lamar Jackson or Aaron Rodgers and sort of
right down the line. So that's a good question in
the middle. You know, I think obviously he's been to
the playoffs once already, bo Nicks has, and he's got
a long way to go and a lot to prove
and all of that. Certainly doesn't have the track record
of some of the guys already in you know, c J.
(07:15):
Stroud and Drake May now have our young guys that
each probably have a season better than a season that
BONICKX has had. But look, bo Nick has won as
high a rate as any of them, and he's made
a lot of clutch plays and all of that, and
so you know, it's obviously about quarterback play, it's about
surrounding cast two and really at the end of the day,
(07:36):
what matters is the Broncos players and coaches feel like
they can go beat anybody with Bonix as their quarterbacks,
So that that's you know, the statistically or if you're
you know, drafting for a franchise, like where where does
he fall? I don't know, somewhere in the middle or
maybe towards the bottom of the seven that'll that'll be
in the postseason, But not if you ask Sean Payton,
(07:58):
not if you ask Mike McGlinchey out of Yascorland Sutton.
And that's those are the guys obviously that matter most
of the time of year.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
So when you think about the Broncos defense and how
they started season opposed to have things have look thus far,
there's some and I don't know if you have one
of those individuals, Parker, that feel as though this defense
still gives them a little reason to pause because they
feel as though they're not playing their best ball at
this particular moment. Do you share those same concern as
(08:29):
maybe some local individuals and national individuals as well, I.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Mean a little bit, But you've also seen I don't.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
I don't.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
I guess I'm not quite ready to say, Oh, it's
definitely a major slide. I mean, I think last year
in December, it was a little bit more obvious like that.
It was across the board, it was every game, you know,
just the numbers got bad. They gave up a ton
I think they gave up thirty points three times in December,
and then obviously again in the playoffs game. It wasn't
(08:59):
like that year. And frankly like the things. You know,
Jackonville scored four times in the red zone. Jacksonville's red hot.
Nobody else has done that against Denver, certainly not in Denver.
Could that happen in the playoffs, sure, but they could
also go back to being really stingy in the red zone.
You know, Nick Benito and Johnathan Cooper. The sacks dried
up kind of down the stretch. That's They'll played a
(09:21):
bunch of guys where the name of the game was
to k rush, and you can make an argument it's
unselfish of those guys. I mean, Nick Benito had you know,
an eighteen percent pressure rate over the last three games
where he didn't have a sax. So that's gonna play
just fine. That's going to lead the sacks. That's gonna
that's gonna put you know, Benito in good spots to
make big plays. So I'm not saying it's nothing, because
(09:44):
I do think that they've got things that they need
to that they need to tighten up. And at the
same time, I just I think it's a group that's
turned a little bit of trust and a group that,
you know, especially with a game under it spelled in
the postseason last year, that that I think will hit
that sort of playoff speed that people talk about whatever.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
They end up playing. Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Talking with Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post, Parker, as
we head towards the playoffs, the Broncos don't have a
lot of playoff experience, but neither do a lot of
the teams in the picture. Right now, it feels a
little more wide open than most, But a lot of
people would say the Broncos are ahead of schedule. You know,
(10:30):
they're kind of playing with house money. How much pressure
do you think is on the Broncos to take advantage
of this window or do you think there's a mentality
inside that building of.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
Hey, this is just the beginning of whatever we're building here.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
No, I think there's a lot of pressures out I mean,
you don't know how often these opportunities are going to
come like you can have you can have really good teams,
you can be in the playoffs regularly and all of that,
and just the one seed thing. You know, the Chiefs
have sort of maybe numbed us too in the AFC
over the pats of years, like it's not that easy.
It doesn't happen every year. Things go wrong, you know,
your quarterback misses three games, or you know, or you
(11:09):
just hit a little skid or something weird happens or whatever,
and you know, you end up having to go on
the road. I mean, look at the Chargers. Maybe they're
playing for the division on Sunday, if both of their
all pro caliber tackles aren't out for the season, but
still like now they've got to go on the road
three games to try to make the super Bowl. So
(11:31):
you know, you just you can be really good and
end up not having the perfect scenario. So yeah, I mean,
anytime you get an opportunity like this to have the
one seed, to play at home, to be obviously nobody's
perfectly healthy, but to be in relatively good shape overall,
like you just those are opportunities that you don't come
(11:51):
by all that often in this league. And not only that,
but I mean, yeah, I mean, sure their windows open.
They've got a good core, and bot Nix is young
and all that, but it's not infinite. You know the
day is coming where, yeah, Russell Wilson's money will be
all the way off the books next year. But and
you can suppress even if you decide, hey, Bonux is
the guy, you give them a massive extension after the
(12:14):
twenty sixth season or whatever. You can suppress the number,
but the just the fundamental nature of this core is
going to change over the next year, over the next
two years and beyond that. So you know this group
has this chance right now, you don't know how often
they're going to come around. And that means that every
team that feels like they've got a real chance this
(12:35):
year feels that pressure and contender so different.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
We know that Chargers aren't, you know, going all out
to win this game. They're resting some players. Do you
think the Broncos obviously they won't be resting anybody, but
do you think they might look to keep a trick
up their sleeve or two? Looking at this is you know,
against a squad of backups going to be the easiest
game you have remaining on your schedule when there's a
(13:00):
very good chance you run into the Chargers again in
the postseason, because it would really only take them advancing
through the first round four that prematch to occur.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
Yeah, that's a good question. I mean, I don't I
don't think Sean Payton's really gonna hold much back. I
really don't. Like they have to win. They cannot get
in a situation where it's, you know, you're down ten
to six at halftime and suddenly you're you're like, oh,
maybe we should pull a couple, you know, clubs out
of the bag that we weren't playing on using. I mean,
I think it's, you know, it's just a guess. I mean,
(13:31):
it feels kind of like we're eighteen last year, you know,
shokanaw at the beginning, trying to build a big lead
and then the rest. To me, the rest in the
health is more important than than you know, whether you
hold one thing back.
Speaker 4 (13:43):
Now.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
I do think like if you have questions about how
maybe Jesse Mintor wants to play something, how he's going
to align to something, and we don't even know if
like throwin James Khalil Mack, these guys are going to play,
so there's only so much data. Again, I wouldn't be
some ride if Champayton and company. And it's hard to
even notice U much as you know, Nick and you've
(14:04):
played in the league. But like I wouldn't be surprised
if they stressed us a few things. Maybe see how
the Chargers play against the unique look or two to
just to try to gather data in casey newfacing later on.
But you guys played twice a year anyway as their
division rivals. They know each other well, they know what
each other want to do, and so I think it's
just I mean, I think Seampagne will go in fully
(14:26):
loaded and try to build a big league and then
get some guys some wrest play in the game if you.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
Can fingers crossed it goes that way.
Speaker 2 (14:33):
Parker Gabriel with the Denver Post, thank you so much
again for joining us at Parker J.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Gabriel on Twitter.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Everyone make sure you're checking out his work and Happy
New Year's to you Parker.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Yeah, I'm happy New Years to you guys too.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Thank you very much. Have a good one.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
Great stuff from Parker there as always Nick him talking
about Sean Payton. Maybe you know, trying some things against
that jesse mentor defense. I think that's a good idea.
Made me think of the Veloci after in Jurassic Park,
you know, trying every quarter of the cage, try and
find that weak point to exploit.
Speaker 4 (15:06):
Well yeah, I mean, listen, this is why I made
the mention you know earlier about the Broncos and style points,
because I truly believe that you can really pressure opponent,
no matter who you're going to face in the playoff,
because you give them more information that they have to
diagnose and they have to prepare for. And that is
something that the Broncos could have done starting last week
(15:29):
against the Kanacy Chiefs, and they could definitely do it
on Sunday, showing a lot of plays that you want
other teams to jesse Mencher being one of them if
they say it should face the Chargers again to have
to prepare for. And I know sometimes the execution hasn't
been that great play calling, creation of the play, but
(15:50):
not the execution. So I would like to see the
Broncos throw a couple of wrinkles in just to make
the defense thing.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Now the Chargers are resting, guys, just fight the five
seed being on the table for them. If everything broke
right for them this week, they could wind up having
that road matchup with the winner of the AFC North,
which certainly looks like the easiest wildcard matchup you could have. Instead,
they're opting to rest guys and just go up against
(16:18):
the New England Patriots next week, which seemingly as.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
A matchup they feel very confident in.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Do you like that strategy from them of resting guys
and just taking that two seed matchup? Or if you
were a player on that team, would you rather be
playing starters and fighting to one place boiler for the Broncos,
but also get yourself an easier path to the Super Bowl.
Speaker 4 (16:38):
I'm on the frame of mind where you rust our
guys because once again, the healthier you are, the better
your chances. Because why try to disrupt the apple cart
with the Denver Broncos and put your players that on
either side of the ball you're gonna need to rely
on and you get them injured? But is that right
(17:01):
in a game where you're not really going to change
that much in the seedings? So the idea is to
play the loan games that it's the loan game that
I'm thinking, Coach Harbar is considering and he's hoping that
Hey listen, he pushed his chips to the center of
the table and he bet on seven or whatever it is.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
So he's hoping that he's.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
Guessing right and his players being healthy would give them
an opportunity. And oh, by the way, if your first
opponent in wildcard weekend, just say it happens to be
break Drake May, Mike Rabel and the Patriots. It seemed
like the Charges feel comfortable with being able to win
that game.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
I think I'm with you, Nick.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
After the break, we're going to talk about one area
the Broncos have to improve in if they want to
make the Super Bowl run that many and Broncos Country
are hoping for.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
That's coming up next on Broncos Country tonight. Nick.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Before the break, we were talking about in area or
its I should say, maybe an area where the Broncos
absolutely have to improve in in order to get where
they want to go this year, which is the Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
What do you think that area is, Nick Ferguson, Is
it running the ball? I mean, they do have to
improve there, But that wasn't quite where I was going.
So there's another one. There is another big one. Okay,
third down, third down, I'd also say you're right, I'd
say another thing go, but not quite the one. What
(18:33):
I was thinking, Nick, was the red zone problems.
Speaker 2 (18:36):
This team, I think kind of made their name, built
their image on great red zone play. You look at
their game against the Packers just a few weeks ago,
I think probably the best Broncos performance of the season.
Speaker 1 (18:50):
They were amazing in the red zone. They go four
for four on offense.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
They hold that Packers offense that heading into the game
was the best red zone offense in the league to
four rate, just completely shut them down. Since then, though, Nick,
they've really dropped off on offense. They've had six red
zone trips, they've only converted three touchdowns. On defense, they've
allowed six red zone trips and they've allowed five touchdowns.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
Well, I would say one impacts the other. Does it not?
Statistically speaking? How in what way are you thinking?
Speaker 4 (19:25):
Oh? But once again, okay, it's a similar conversation when
we look at time of possession, because if we look
at the Broncos time of possession, and it's to say
that they lose the time of possession battle and the
defense has been out there for a long period of time.
The idea is that the defense can't get off the field, right,
(19:48):
but one is not really pulling back the layers on
the time of possession and say, okay, well.
Speaker 1 (19:53):
Yes, you're absolutely right.
Speaker 4 (19:55):
The defense was on the field a lot when we
saw the Broncos who begin this season right or the
start of twenty twenty five that you're playing the Buffalo Bills,
and the Buffalo Bills dominated the time of possession, which
meant that the Broncos defense was out there for a
large amount of time and that was doing part because
the offense could not sustain third downs to keep the
(20:19):
defense on the sideline. So when we look at touchdowns score, yes,
if your offense is struggling to score points inside the
red zone, it's gonna put a lot of pressure on
you defensively, right, and that's going to give the opposition
opportunities to move the ball down the field knowing as
though they're dominating a time of possession, which means though
your players are going to be a little physically and
(20:42):
mentally exhausted, where they too may give up some touchdowns
that they ordinarily wouldn't have given up in the early
part of the season. So offense and defense. This is
just another examples act of those two sides of the
ball working hand in hand.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
So, now, how do you fix it? Because this hasn't
been a problem all season.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Prior to the Jags game, the Broncos were the best
red zone defense in the league. Even now they ranked second.
They're allowing a touchdown on just forty four percent of
opponent's red zone possessions. On offense, again, they've dropped down
after this recent cold stretch, but only to tenth. They're
still the tenth best red zone offense, scoring a touchdown
on sixty one percent.
Speaker 1 (21:23):
Of their possessions there.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
How, if it is if the problem on defense and
allowing more touchdowns is one of you know, the fact
that the offense isn't cashing in more, how do you
get the offense to return to early season four and
start cashing in more of those touchdowns?
Speaker 1 (21:38):
I would say it's more or less focus in concentration.
Speaker 4 (21:43):
Let's go back for to the most recent game that
we watched, and that was the game against the Cancy
the Chiefs last week Thursday night. Think about the number
of drops we saw in the game. You want to
go back before that, Let's go to the Jags game
and that game where the Broncos pretty much was behind
(22:04):
the eight ball. We saw Bow trying to get the
offense or keep the offense in rhythm. We saw some
drops balls a little behind, wide receivers are maybe too
far in front or too hot. This is where you
have to be better from an offensive standpoint, and knowing
as though the level of operation on third down equals
(22:26):
opportunities in the red zone, because if you're not converting
third downs, chances are you're not getting inside the red
zone and you're not completing those types of plays. And
here's what the Broncos have done. Because traditionally, when teams
get inside of the red zone, they want to run
the football because that's easier because the field shrinks, and
it seems as though the advantage goes to the offense.
(22:48):
But what we've seen the Broncos do. He's something you
said earlier in the show. When you look at RJ.
Harvey numbers seven receiving touchdowns seven rushing touchdowns, right, so
we see that there is a little ballast there. But
the Broncos in no situations, instead of handing it to them,
they are throwing it to them. On some of those
(23:08):
swinging routes or whatever. Well, once again, it goes back
to the ideas they go hand in hand. You need
the offense to strike when they're inside the red zone
to score touchdowns because if not, it puts pressure on
the defense.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
And I think the third down point is another excellent
one to mention, because they've seen way too many third
downs these past couple of weeks, and I think you know,
some of that's by design. Against the Chiefs, they were
happy just taking everything underneath the Raiders game.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Similarly, we're happy picking up four.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Yards every play and just converting third and short because
we think we're much better than you and we're going
to be able to convert.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
Those at a high clip.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
They had twelve third downs against the Raiders, eleven against
the Packers, fourteen against the Jags, and eighteen against the Chiefs.
Even if you're converting those at the high rate, it's
a hard way to live. You want to have more
first and second down conversions, so you're not even facing
this spot of oh man, if we don't convert this play,
(24:04):
we're forcing our defense out onto the field. You know,
there's no there's no downside to not converting on second down.
You know that's not forcing your defense out on the
field right away. Every third down is do or die,
you know, barring obviously fourth and shorts.
Speaker 3 (24:18):
And all that.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
But if you're creating all these third down opportunities for yourself,
you're you're the best offense in the league, and you're
converting seventy percent of them. If you've got eighteen third downs,
you're putting the ball back to your opponents six times.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Yeah, this is why it's so important for the Broncos
to start out. You know, fans and a lot of
these these drives, and if you are in second and manageable, well,
you look at the play sheet, and we've seen Champagne's playshet,
how large and robust it is. It now gives him
an opportunity to choose plays because on this playsheet they're
(24:55):
color coordinated as far as down and distance personnels. So
when he sees the yard marker and he knows that
it's second and three, he knows exactly what's second and
three plays he wants.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
To actually go to. Now, I don't care if it's.
Speaker 4 (25:11):
Mike Shenahan, Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, or Sean Payton, there
are not too many third and fifteen, third and eighteen plays.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
That you call.
Speaker 4 (25:21):
You may have a couple of those, but you don't
have like five, six, seven, or even like twelve of
those plays.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
So this is why it's smart for the Broncos to
stay ahead of the chains.
Speaker 4 (25:31):
And that's why we have seen since the bye week,
we've seen bo Nicks under center more so than we
saw him at the very beginning.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
And he's playing much better as a result. Right now,
here's what I've been seeing.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
And I don't know, I don't think I'm giving away
any state secrets here, but this is what my football
eyes tell me.
Speaker 1 (25:48):
When the Broncos go.
Speaker 4 (25:49):
Under center, it's one or two plays, either the handing
the ball off or some kind of bootlet play.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Right.
Speaker 4 (25:56):
So that's something once again they need to break their
tennessees as far as part of the check lease of
things that they need to change, they help.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
Them know be better.
Speaker 4 (26:05):
But the fact that they're willing to now put bow
under center with the idea or even give the impression
that they're going to run the ball, that helps them out.
Now you need a continuation of that and say, okay,
well we're going to run the ball still in page
out of Lee and Collins book where they didn't really
muster that much in the run game, but they still
stay committed because now that still open up play action.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
These are all aspects of the game that the Broncos.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
Need to expand on and improve if they hope to
kind of get deeper in the playoffs and eventually get
to Levi Stadium in San Francisco.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
As they start turning their eyes towards the playoffs and
potential matchups and all that. Are there any teams you're
circling thinking, I hope it lines up where the Broncos
play this team because I think they're a good matchup.
Are there other teams you're thinking, Oh my goodness, I
hope they get eliminated in the first round or the
bracket breaks a different way where where the Broncos don't
(27:01):
have to see them until the AFC Championship. Who are
those teams on either side of the spectrum, because we know,
you know, outside of the AFC North champion who the
AFC playoff teams are going to be.
Speaker 4 (27:13):
Well, I'll say it's kind of threefold, and I'll start
from the bottom and work my way up to the top.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
The Patriots being number three. And the reason the Patriots
because as in the team you don't want to see I.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
Don't want to see, right, because Drake May has improved
from year one to year two.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
He's in an MVP conversation in year two.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Right. Then you think about, well, what is it that
the Patriots do well. They have a quarterback that's mobile,
who can move around, who can give any defense problems
because of his mobility, and they run play action and
to run play action you have to do what, and
do what well, run the freaking ball. And that is
something that they do from an offensive standpoint. Now on
(27:55):
their defense, I mean that's not a defense with the
Patriots that get out the quarterback at a high level
to create turnovers. So that will be one advantage for
the Broncos offense. The next team would be the Buffalo
Bills and the Buffalo Bills defense, they've gotten healthier, they've
gotten much better as a unit as the season started
(28:17):
to close, and that's what you want to do. You
want to end the season on the Bryce side. Even
though I know they just recently lost to the Philadelphia Eagles,
just think about it. They shut the Eagles out in
that second half that only gave up thirteen total points.
Like that loss is not on the Bill's defense, that's right.
And Josh Allen had an opportunity to pull out a
(28:38):
superman cap and win the game.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
He was just a little like two to three yard
shot here in the open wide receiver.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
Jalen Hurts didn't complete a single pass in the second half.
I think it's like only the second time since the
turn of the century that the teams won a game
without completing a pass in the second half. That's a
testament to the fact that this Bill's defense played great
in that loss.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
And then also you add what Josh Allen can do
from a quarterback standpoint. He's a threat in the passing
game because he is very accurate. Ball placement is very superior,
and then his movement in the pocket. That movement in
the pocket is given the Broncos defense some issue. Even
if you want to go cage rush. Now you could
say you're gonna cage rush Josh Allen, I wouldn't encourage
(29:21):
it because you're giving him more time to hurt you
in the passing game.
Speaker 1 (29:26):
And oh, by the way, you got James Cook too
as well.
Speaker 2 (29:29):
And Allan's a quarterback where if you're giving him that time,
it's especially deadly because he can access every single blade
of grass on the field. You let him run in
circles for fifteen seconds and let those receivers get fifty
yards downfield and you know, try and run against your
corners for all that time.
Speaker 1 (29:45):
He's going to burn you for a sixty yard game.
Speaker 4 (29:47):
Absolutely, And I know that their wide receivers are not
household names. But the one thing they do, they've done
a great job working in concert with him. And what
I mean by that is they know that he's a
mobile quarterback. Once he starts to scramble, whatever route they're running,
they're going to adjust and look for him to deliver
the pass. And I guess the final team would be
(30:10):
the Houston Texans. Nothing that's a good pick that team.
I'm not saying that it scares me, but it concerns
me because I look at their defense. You look at
the game when they played the Denver Broncos. What the
score was, what was it twenty or seventeen or thirteen
or something like that team to thirteen or something like that,
very low scoring game, because both defensive units showed out
and played, And I always wonder what would that game
(30:34):
have been like if CJ.
Speaker 1 (30:35):
Stroud had played.
Speaker 4 (30:37):
I don't know, and I know we just watched him
play against the Chargers. They jumped out to an early
fourteen point lead, but they didn't really do anything after that.
But it's their defense that bothers me because they have
the league guys up front. They're very athletic on the
second level, and they have guys who can play man
and zone in the back end. And the one thing
(30:59):
that they do is that they may not have as
many sacks as the Denver Broncos, but when you look
at QB hurries and pressures and then you look at
turnovers when we get to the postseason, that's going to
be really important no matter who the team is. Are
you a office that turns the ball over or your
defense that takes the ball away. So that's why putting
(31:20):
the Texas there because their ability to get after the
quarterback and create turnovers.
Speaker 2 (31:25):
There's two kind of different sorts of teams in the
AFC playoffs this year, with it, you know, being so open,
all the teams are fairly flawed. Teams like the Patriots
great offense, maybe a bit of a suspect defense or
a defense that's at least forgettable in some different ways. Buffalo,
their past defense has been amazing, but it looks like
like you.
Speaker 1 (31:44):
Might be able to run it on them some still,
you know, the.
Speaker 2 (31:49):
Which the Texans, of course, opposite end of the spectrum,
maybe so so offense, but that defense looks like it
could maybe be a historically great unit. Do you like
the Broncos better matchup against one of those defense first
teams or offense first teams? Which type of matchup do
you think favors the Broncos most?
Speaker 4 (32:08):
For me, it would have to be one of those
that like the Drake May and the Patriots. Yeah, because
the offensive score. They could run the ball, but they
don't have like elite pass rushers where they're creating a
lot of precious situations with what they're doing. That's kind
of a defense where they have to add other secondary
(32:30):
pieces in order to generate.
Speaker 1 (32:32):
Pass rush at a very high level.
Speaker 4 (32:34):
So me, and this is probably why Goose Horla balls like,
you know what, we're gonna rest our.
Speaker 1 (32:39):
Guys, because we want to play that team. We want
to play the Patriots, And I think that's the way
that that's how I look at.
Speaker 2 (32:45):
It, how do you look at I would tend to
agree with you. I think also it's smart on hardbuzz part.
Let's go against the team that doesn't have any pass rush.
I think right now I need to see more about
the defense to feel good about, you know, the Broncos
winning one of these mucky, low scoring games right now.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
And also I need to see more from the run game.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Weirdly, right now, part of this team I feel best
about is airing the ball out with bow knicks, and
I want them to find more balance. But until they
have that, I almost feel more confident in them getting
into a shootout with the Patriots. And yeah, maybe Drake
may is the better quarterback, but the Broncos have a
better defense and better pass rush and they can maybe
create that mistake or two, and so I think I
(33:25):
would favor them in that sort of matchup as well.
Speaker 1 (33:29):
We'll talk about how bo
Speaker 2 (33:30):
Nick stacks up with some of those AFC quarterbacks and
the rest of that AFC playoff picture coming up next
on Broncos Country Tonight on eight to fifty KA ninety
four one FM.
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