Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Closing you out here for twenty twenty five at zach
Seegers and joining me, of course, is the great Nick Ferguson.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Nick.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
During the break, we were talking about how, you know,
we're wrapping up this this twenty twenty five season bo
Nicks's sophomore year. You know, of course we're gonna get
to see him against this Chargers defense.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
He'll get one more game.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
To hopefully pile up some more stats. But remarking on
just how you know, his stats are are pretty similar
year to year, but just a slight improvement from him
maybe across the board.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, it's definitely a slight improvement when you look at
last season and how he finished up. He finished up
with three thousand, seven and seventy five yards passing. Right
now he is fifteen yards over that at thirty seven ninety.
And you look at touchdowns interception ratio last year twenty
nine touchdowns, twelve interceptions, So the interceptions are down by
(00:52):
one with eleven this year, but he's down four touchdowns
from the previous year. So when you look across the board,
a lot of those numbers are sort of the same,
with the one that kind of jumps out is the
number of attempts last year was five sixty seven. This
year it is five to eighty nine. He's high with
(01:12):
Dak Prescott for the most passing attempts in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Now that's concerning because the last year's run game was
a lot worse than this year's. This year's run game
has had its fits and starts, but they've been able
to run the ball generally speaking, much better than they
were last year. And for them to be passing it
at an even higher rate despite that is troubling to
say the least. Now, maybe it's because the offensive better
(01:37):
in general, excuse me, has been better, and so you
just have more offensive plays. But the concerning that, with
again a game left to play, you're already there.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
See the one thing when I look at take a
deep dive into the Broncos, you look at the number
of explosive plays, and over the past couple of games,
they've had a couple of sprinkles here and there. The
Packers game, I would say arguably was their best game
as an offense, where they had explosive run plays, they
had explosive passing plays, but also explosive runs by bow
(02:09):
knicks to add to the run game. But this team,
it's not a downfield attacking team. I know that's what
they want to be, but the stats would tell you
that that's not what they have kind of emerged into.
But that is another aspect of the game that I
would love to see improve. Because it's okay to methodically
(02:30):
move the ball down the fields long as you could
do it at a high clip and the level of
consistency the.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Word again, you're able to do it.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
But we've seen the Broncos where we've seen drive stall
because the level of consistency isn't there if they can
and the ability to start fast, we already know.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
That they can close.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
So you're starting fast, you had a couple of explosive
plays here and there, and you become a great team
as far as running the ball consistently. Then that makes
the Broncos a dangerous team moving into the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
I think that's going to be what we're watching for
the rest of the way here. Looking at bow Nicks,
I will say I think the advanced analytics are a
bigger fan of BO than maybe the raw numbers, or
at least I should say since the mini buy you
you highlight the season long numbers and how they are
pretty much one and the same. But I think you've
(03:28):
been getting a different version of bow Nicks over this
last what month, month and a half or so. During
that span, he ranks tenth and EPA per play or
ePaper dropback I should say, sixth in success rates. So
to your point, maybe not having a lot of explosives,
but on a down to down rate, he's passing the
ball as good as just about any quarterback in the league.
(03:48):
This will now be his second trip into the playoffs.
Among those AFC playoff quarterbacks we were talking about with
Parker Gabriel, he ranks third in those aforementioned met tricks
EPA per play in success rate, Trey Lean, only Drake
May and Trevor Lawrence. Drake made the likely MVP. Trevor
Lawrence has at least gotten some MVP buzz this year. Nick,
(04:09):
what do you think our fair expectations for bow Knicks
as he leads the Broncos into their second playoff appearance together.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Just lead, Just be that dude, be that dog, you
said to yourself.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
As we look at bow in comparison to the back
half of the season opposed to what we saw at
the very beginning where so many people were criticizing Bo
saying is so well, basically he's beiling on plays far
too soon. And even with that, I felt as those
people were over judging and over being overly critical and
not really digesting the offensive play for what its worth.
(04:47):
Because the same thing that Bo was being criticized for
early on in the season, it's the same thing as
to why he's been successful thus far, and it is
the reason why the Broncos offense they've only giving up
eighteen sacks to lead the league. It's all because what
Baul is doing and the ability to escape the pocket,
(05:09):
to leave the pocket. I know most people they wanted
the quarterback to stay between the tackles.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
That's not today's NFL.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
You need a quarterback to play some backyard football that's
right now.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
That might have worked when I was growing up in
the eighties and the nineties, when you got Dan Marino.
That's not where the game is right now, because, like
I told you, you have guys like Will Anderson and
Daniel Hunter chasing you down.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
You can't stand in that pocket. Like let's just.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Say Peyton Manning was extraordinary quarterback. We would both agree
right well.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Absolutely, what did we see Peyton do?
Speaker 3 (05:43):
He was very smart because when Peyton saw the pocket
breaking down and he's got any penetration anywhere, he's falling
on the ground. Yep, he's not going to make a
negative play. So I appreciate that from Peyton Manning, but
he knew that he wasn't going to outrun anyone. When
you got guys who can get on the perimeter, and
(06:03):
we've talked about it, the Jordan Loves the Josh Allens,
the Drake May those guys for pressure on your defense.
BO has that ability. Now we're seeing Bow now leaning
into that more because when those plays break down, it's
not Sean Payton.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Calling a play. He's not a design quarterback run.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
He sees something breaking down, he escapes and he's looking downfield.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
That's what you need more of Bo to do. Now.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
You don't want Bo to be in that situation a lot,
because that means that at some point in along that
offensive line something broke down there you go back there.
And that's the thing that's not being talked about. And
that's not to say, well, I'm trying to throw the
offensive line under the bus. That's not what I'm doing.
I'm just talking about real facts because to not give
(06:51):
Bow credit for alleviating a lot of those sacks that
could have happened to me is doing him a discredit.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
In terms of sack mitigation. There's a wrong case. He's
the best quarterback in the league. He did it last
year as a rookie, and he's only gotten better this year.
And I think the other thing that's been so huge
for him, we talked about how the stats are pretty similar.
I think, you know on the tape, one area he's
grown the most is what he's doing in those creation moments.
(07:19):
You know, last year he'd escape the sack and it
would lead to a throwaway or you know, an incomplete pass,
kind of like what you were talking about with Peyton
Manning flopping.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Over like that's great.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
It's not a loss of eight, it's a loss of two,
or in this case, it's an incomplete pass. But it's
not you know what Patrick mahomes or Josh Allen, dude.
But to our conversation about Josh Allen earlier, he'll run
around in the pocket while you're trying to cage rush him,
buy seven seconds and then bomb at seventy yards downfield
on you, and that's what makes it so backbreaking.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Boenixon started to unlock some of that this year.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Where's he's, like you said, running up in the pocket
looking downfield. I wish sometimes he was a little more decisive.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
On running the ball and just nine yards.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
But I'll say, you know a lot of times I'm like,
I should have ran it there, and then Pat Bryant
snags it out of the air for a twenty five
yard game downfield and I go, I don't know what
I'm talking about.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
I'm an idiot, So you know what.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
See that's where once again, as a quarterback, you want
your quarterback.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
To be more decisive. But like I've told people, I
think that Boe is trying to play his game.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
But he's also trying to appease his office a coordinator, right,
And sometimes you can do that. But when you're on
the field as a player, you're on the field, you have.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
To overcome coaching.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Your coach may want you to do something when you
go back to the sideline, if it ends up it's
being a positive, you say, look, man, I know what
you wanted me to do. This is what I saw,
and I took it. Did I move the ball? Did
even get it first down? Did I make a positive
play to put us in position to actually kick a
field goal, score a touchdown?
Speaker 2 (08:59):
I did that? Get out of my face, right, It
has to be that type of mentality.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
But that's what I've seen from Bowl in the past
couple of weeks where Bow is now starting to do.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Think about the play against Kansas City.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
It looks the play was breaking down, and it looked
I gotta go back and look at it.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Looked like it was the Harvey touchdown. No no, no, no, no,
no no, not the Harvey touchdown.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
When both scrambled, Oh yes, yes, right right, it's just like, okay,
well was that a design quarterback draw?
Speaker 2 (09:29):
I don't think it was, and I go go back
and take another look at it.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
But that's once again Bow seeing an opening, knowing as
though I gotta get points where what our office is
struggling this Thursday night is Kansas City's Christmas.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
I need to take it, and I think it demonstrates
his improvement.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Reading out the field on that play, Spouse draws up
a perfect blitz call. The receivers downfield are smothered. Pressure
is getting home. BO has to do something to create
there and rightfully. So he he recognizes you've got two
defenders covering the flat. That means there's a wide open
void in the middle of the field. I'm going to
go exploit that and runs right by Nick Bolten for
(10:09):
to your point, one of the biggest plays of that game.
I think those are plays bow was not making or
not making it nearly this high of a cliff last year.
And again you look at the AFC where a lot
of the scariest passing attacks are out of the picture.
You know it's Mahomes isn't there, Lamar Jackson and the
(10:29):
Ravens haven't been the same this year. Joe Burrow obviously
isn't there. And then you know, by the time the
Broncos are even playing a playoff game, you could have
Josh Allen or Trevor Lawrence. Honestly, those two probably match
up with each other.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
One of those two's going to be gone.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
If the Chargers get their way, they might eliminate Drake May.
And now you're talking about bo Nix and this Broncos
passing attack being you know, maybe the best passing attack
remaining on their side of the bracket. It's not too
far fetched.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
No, He's not and speaking as far as bo deciding
to take what is presented to him. Go back to
the Jacksonville Jaguars game. The Broncos are inside the red zone.
There's an opportunity for Bow to run and take it. It
looks like he's going to do it, but he kind
of gets closer to the line of scrimmage and he decides, well,
let me throw it to Cortland right, and the passes
(11:20):
a little off is incomplete. Will Lutz has to come
in and kick the field goal. Those are the moments
when you're in that scoring position.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Take those points.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
And if your coach would tell you, okay, look at
Bow at this point, you see a receiver open an
end zone. Yeah, so I'm coach, But did I score right?
Because that's the only thing we're talking about points on
the board.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Now.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
If he makes a bad decision, it takes points off
the board. Now, as a coach, you can you can
kind of get into me and just try to tell
me this is what I would like you to do.
But in a situation like that, take the points. How
much can your coach yell at you for actually putting
poison on the board.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I think it's fair. I also think though you got
to cash on those. To our conversation in the last segment,
them regressing is you know them maybe or in part
their aggression is they're settling for more field goals instead
of touchdowns in those moments.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
And you know, I think.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
There's greater problems than Bo in those moments, for sure,
But those red zone opportunities are times where I'd like
Bo Nicks to bet on himself a little bit. Go
I'm I'm one of the best players on the field.
I'm an incredible athlete. I can run the ball as
well as you know, plenty of other quarterbacks in this league.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
And I've got a strong arm.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
That everyone underrated coming out of the draft, and I
think that's what makes him so deadly in.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Those tight spaces.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
He can burn you running the ball, and if you
over adjust to that, he's got the arm where he
can whip it into those tight windows because in those
compressed areas, that's where the arm strength is really going
to show up. I think that's why, you know, prior
to this recent cold stretch, the Broncos were one of
the best red zone offenses in the league. And I
just want to see, you know, as they try and
win a Super Bowl year, bet on yourself a little
(13:01):
more bow like. If they're gonna score touchdowns here, it's
gonna be because of you making the right play.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
In that moment. You betting on yourself.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Yeah, think about Josh Allen inside the red zone. This
is one of the reasons why I never really pick
up any Buffalo Bills running backs because their big running back,
who is their quarterback, He's normally gonna get the call
inside the red zone and it's gonna be a quarterback keeper.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Right.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
You look at Trevor Lawrence when they came here and
played against the Denver Broncos.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
What did he do? It was a keeper inside the
red zone. Two more rushing touchdowns last week for Lawrence
too exactly. Then you look at last week.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
We just talked about one of Bowl rushing touchdowns, but
the scramble to keep the play alive.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Sign RJ.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Harvey in the end zone. This is the whole thing.
Embrace who you are. Let Bowl be who he is.
Let's not keep him somewhat boxed in. Embrace it. Now,
make sure that he's making the right throws on when
he bails out of the pot, but use his natural
running ability, like Justin Herbert used like even though Houston
(14:08):
had like five sacks against Herbert when they when they
last played, he was still a nightmare for them because
he kept breaking contained.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
He stayed alive.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
And I could tell you as a dB man, when
you get morbile quarterbacks who continue to stay alive, it
makes life miserable for you because you don't know, like
the stop clock, You're like, when could I stop covering
this guy?
Speaker 2 (14:28):
Oh, he's still open. Right.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
That's the thing that made Patrick Mahomes so successful, why
the Chiefs has dominated the AFC West for so many years.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
And in that Shaguars game, I think you saw him
do more of the quarterback run game stuff. I wonder
if you know, now we're in the part of the
schedule where hey, it's all or nothing every week.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
You know, you might as well spend him if you
got him.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
I wonder if we start seeing more bow Nicks quarterback
run game, something we've been clamoring for really ever since
the start of last season.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Well remember last season, what was it the Thursday night
game on the road its Saints.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
I believe they had that huge run.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
I think what was it like off the left hand
side design quarterback run. I'm not saying that you put
bowl in those situations a lot, but we've seen that overseas.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And remember the Giants game. Yeah, who it was?
Speaker 1 (15:22):
The Giants were trying to think of that that weird
kind of fake toss and then he ran out wide.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
To the left.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Yes, it was kind of like a either fake toss.
They've they've done it off an RPO type of action
and then they pull a guard right and they get
bow out there on the edge with the blocker.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
They've actually done it too where they've had.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I think Nate Atkins maybe a line to the left
off the ball, motioned across to the right side, and
on the snap of the ball. He was the guy
leading the charge on the quarterback design run.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Against the Jags. You know that that great run defense.
Their most successful runs came when they gave him that
look in conflict because I don't think defenses are ready
for that with bonus.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
And also, you know R. J.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Harvey struggles to read things out some If you are
consistently making the right read there and you get a
defense to stay with bonis, you're making that read a
little more simpler for for R J.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
RV.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Because you're removing a defender from the box equation.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Uh. Really excited for this upcoming Broncos Chargers game. Everyone,
make sure you're tuning into tuning into that. After the break,
we're going to run around the league and would look
at some of the biggest NFL news stories because it's
time for an NFL six pack that's coming up next
on Broncos Country Tonight.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
Broncos.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Tackle here help me receivers.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
On the official home of the Broncos. All right, all
night KOA.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Hello everybody, and welcome back once again to the last
episode of Broncos Country Tonight in twenty twenty five. We'll
be back on Friday with some more Broncos Country Tonight action.
Joining me as always is Nick Ferguson. It's Zack Seegers
on the mic right now, filling in for Benjamin Albright.
(17:32):
Time for the last segment, but before we have full
right now, excuse me, it's time for an NFL six pack.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
It's time for the NFL six Path. I'm going to
tread the last year insight and insight information you can't
find anywhere else I know, the top six NFL headline one.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Starting off with our very own Benjamin all bra who
on KOA Sports Today, predicted that either Lamar Jackson or
John Harbaugh won't be returning to the Ravens in twenty
twenty six. If you were the Ravens owner, Nick, which
side of that divorce would you choose? Either John Harbaugh
or Lamar Jackson? And do you think we see Harbaugh
(18:20):
and Jackson break up this offseason?
Speaker 3 (18:23):
No, you're not going to see them break up. And
I don't want to see a separation of either two.
But this is just a conflict that arises when your
team has been so successful. And just think about it.
You have Harbaugh on one side, you have Mike Tomlin
on the other. Both face off this weekend for Do
(18:44):
a Die game, and both fan bases or individuals in
the media in the case of Lamar and Coach Harbaugh
calling for a separation or divorce. Here's the thing about it.
If you ask for a divorce and you get it
either way with coach Harbaugh or Lamar Jackson, you better
have another coach lined up because you're talking about eighteen
(19:06):
years of success. Now, how many coaches you know in
their NFL history can say that they were mainstays in
the playoffs, regardless if they went to the Super Bowl
of Knut.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
He's one of the winningest coaches in NFL history. He's
seldom had a losing season. It's not the Tomlin streak
of zero, but it's pretty darn close to it. I'm
gonna zag on you though here, nigga, Okay, I think
I think John Harbaugh is gonna be coaching elsewhere next season.
Now he's gonna get a head coaching job. He is
(19:38):
a fantastic coach. But I think you look at this
story I mistake. I would tend to agree with you,
but I think this relationship might be past repair. That
columnist in Baltimore this past week put out that story.
It dragged Lamar Jackson through the mud. It said he's
showing up to meetings late, he's sleeping in meeting, played
(20:01):
video games too much. I'm not sure how much truth
there is to all those rumors. Frankly, I do think
though it reads to me like a head coach making
a last ditch effort to go, Hey, guys, I'm not
the problem, it's the quarterback. I think that relationship might
be beyond saving. I think one of them is going
to have to go and I think if the Ravens
were smart, they favored the Lamar Jackson side of things.
(20:24):
He's an aging running quarterback, but he's just he's too
darn talented to ship out.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
I hope we don't see the divorce of those two guys.
I think they just need to fix a couple of
things in an organization with some personnel issues.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
But I don't think this is a good idea. I
really don't.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I don't think so either. I think the same thing
for Steelers and Mike Tomlin. They might find out and
Tomlin was better off than the alternative.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Two.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Next up here, Jerry Jones told the media today that
he's unsure whether or not he'll negotiate George Pickens's contract
with the agent David Mulligan. Jones frayed relationship with mullageda
famously played a role in Michael Parson's departure. Muligetas parsons agent,
and Jerry Jones was more or less unwilling to negotiate
(21:13):
with Parsons through Mulligata and then instead wanted to negotiate
directly with Parsons. What do you make of Jerry Jones
saying he's not sure whether or not he's willing to
negotiate with Bulagetta regarding George Pickens. And if you were
still a player, Nick looking at the free agency landscape,
would this type of behavior from Jerry Jones' impact your
(21:34):
desire to play in Dallas?
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Yeah, I would, because you want to negotiate strictly with
me the player, and not every player knows all the
loopholes when it comes to building out a contract, because
there are incentives and you don't want an incentive latent contract.
You saw Ricky Williams years ago with the Saints build
that into his contract, any incentives that he couldn't reach.
(21:59):
So for owners to negotiate with the players opposed to
the agent, that's why you hired the agent to be
somewhat of a buffer. But if the Cowboys value Pickins,
George Pickens and his ability, if you have to negotiate
with al Getta, then you got to get it done
because don't get upset because things that work out with
(22:20):
Michael Parsons. You can't take one what happened in one
situation into another. And these are decisions that hurt your team,
and they've hurt the Cowboys in years past and.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
This isn't like I don't know Sean Payton burning bridges
with Nate Hackett. You know, this is David Blagetta is
maybe the top agent in the game. You're gonna have
to negotiate with this guy.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Figure it out.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Eventually, you better figure it out, and then I don't know,
be the bigger man or I don't be an adult
in this situation.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Well, Mike Westalf that was his claim the fame. That
was his favorite phrase, figure it out. So this means
as though Jerry is going to have to humble himself
something he doesn't want to do.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
And I think, you know, maybe this is just an
old school way of doing things, But if I was
a player, it's exactly what you said. It reads to
me like you're trying to take advantage of me. Why
else are you so dead set on not letting my agent,
who I'm paying to do this job for me. Why
are you so insistent he doesn't get involved unless you're
trying to, you know, sneak something past me.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
I'm just saying three.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Next up here, we talked about Mike Tomlin. Mike Tomlin
told the media he's committed to making sure this week's
winner go home game against the Steeler or between the
Steelers and Ravens. Isn't the last of Aaron Rodgers' career.
Who do you think wins that game on Sunday, either
the Steelers or Ravens. And will Aaron Rodgers retire at
the end of this year?
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Nick, No, he doesn't retire.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
But I still have the Ravens winning his game because
the Stillers haven't shown as though they can throw the
ball down on the field without DK Metcalf and if
it's another game where they have to define themselves in
the back alley fight trying to stop that monster Derrick Henry.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
We saw what he did agass Green Bay.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Hey, you better get your last will and testament together,
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Man.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
It's it's looking rough for the Steelers. I think the
Ravens are hitting, you know, some sort of stride at
the right time. I don't know if it's it's the
stride they thought they'd be on at the start of
the season, but they're playing their best ball right now.
In the Steelers, it just seems like every year they
go out with a whimper. I'm kind of anticipating this
is the same and I don't know who will want
(24:39):
Aaron Rodgers back next year. It just it doesn't seem
like to Jesus Worth the squeeze, Yes.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
You have him back, you have him back? Would I was,
he's just okay, he's declining. What other direction you're going in? Then?
Where are you going?
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Do you know?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
You bring up a fair I think there's what about
just drafting a guy again?
Speaker 2 (24:57):
What about that Ryan?
Speaker 1 (24:59):
What about tried Malik Willis from the Packers, But just
taking a swing on something that that maybe has some
upside to it.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
You can try that.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
You can do all of that with Aaron Rodgers being there,
But just parting ways with him doesn't make sense. And
it seem as though we saw the discount double say,
it's like it came back right. There's a working relationship
between him and Mike Tomlin. So to me, keep everything
above board, bring him back and make take a nice
shot at it.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Great job by Mike Tomlin keeping this season on track
with Aaron Rodgers and everything for.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
The Panthers.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Bucket Bucks game on Saturday will likely determine the division
title winner, unless the Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday,
in which case the Panthers will make the playoffs no
matter what. All they need is Falcons to beat the
Saints and they can lose to the Bucks and they'll
still make the playoffs. That said, they make it as
a nine to eight team, the Bucks make it, they'll
(25:58):
be making it as an eight to nine team. I
actually know if they lose, they would be an eight
nine team. So so a good chance at eight nineteen
makes the playoffs. Here representing the NFC South with that
in mind, is this year's NFC South the worst division
in recent memory? And who do you think either the
Panthers or Bucks wins the NFC South this year?
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Well?
Speaker 3 (26:19):
I think well, I feel as though it's gonna be
Tampa Bay, right, It's gonna be your competitive game. But
I love where the Panthers are and Dave Canalis at
this particular time. But Tabos Baker Mayfield, they get it done.
But to your point about that NFC South, that division
over the years hasn't really had like four quality teams.
(26:42):
It's usually was like either Matt Ryan and the Falcons
and Drew Brees and the Saints.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
That was pretty much it. Yep, right, So it was
kind of one of those eat out of Tomrady bucks.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Right, But it was one of those divisions that if
you wanted to win it, you didn't have to do
too much us do it.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
It's weird how they've just consistently been such a low
wattage Division two. I think put it kindly, there was talk,
I think each of the past couple off seasons, in
terms of the rules proposals about taking away that guaranteed
home game for division winners. Winning your division would still
get you in the playoffs automatically, but home field advantage
(27:22):
would be determined by just overall record one through seven.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Do you like that.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Proposal or do you prefer the idea of division winners
having that guaranteed home game?
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Nick, I mean, you know, I like division winners to
have that home game. And once again, it's really tough
because when the San Francisco forty nine is face off
against the Seattle Seahawks, the team that loses, that team
is going to go to the fifth or sixth seed,
and it's terrible that that has happened. And I do remember,
if I'm not mistaken, Seattle one time won their division
(27:57):
and they hosted a New Orlean Saints team that had
a bit better overall record than they did. Right, that
was the least quake game. Yes, yes, I hate that
aspect of it. But how do you kind of neag
of this? If you are the league, do you have
a college football type bracket?
Speaker 2 (28:14):
I mean, do you do? You go there? So it's
one of those things.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
You win, the first team win your division, you get
in and hopefully you don't make mistakes along the way
that you can win your division. But if you want
of those teams that have a great record and you
just happen to be second and now you have to
go on the road and you're the seventh seed, I
understand how that sucks for a lot of teams.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
I'm with you, though, you know, win your division if
you want home field. I kind of like the old
school way.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
Five.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
This week's NFL slate features three high stakes games. We
talked about Panthers, Bucks and Raven Steelers, but the last one,
Seahawks at forty nine Ers on Saturday night, is going
to be for the NFC's number one seed. Who do
you think is going to win that game and therefore
become the NFC's number one seed. And we haven't talked
(29:01):
much about the forty nine Ers this season, but they're
in the position to own this number one seed. Are
they the most overlooked team in the NFL this year?
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Yes, they are.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
And I've said this countless times that Kyle Shanahan, for
what they have been able to do from a team standpoint,
he has earned Coach of the Year. And this is
a prime example that coaching freaking matters, right. I know
people talk about the idea that Kyle has made it
to the Promised Land, but he can't. He couldn't really
(29:33):
deliver to me. You know how many teams would give
their right foot, pinky thumb and everything else to even
kind of being that rarefied air.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
So he's done. He's done a lot.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
I mean, no, Brendan, I you he lost Fred Warner,
No Nick Bosa, right, and then mac Jones had to
come in and fill in, and then Brod Purdy came back. Yes,
so I'm rooting for San Francisco. Here's the crazy thing
about it, these are similar coaching staff. Off was a
coordinator versus Kyleege Shanahan, who wants Clint Kolbiak and was
(30:04):
all in the San Francisco coaching staff. And where do
you learn he learned from his father, who learned from
Mike Shanahan. It's gonna be one hell of a game.
This is one of my must watch games of the week.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
It's going to be maybe the biggest regular season game
of the year. It reminds me of last year when
we had the Lions and Vikings dueling it out in
the NFC North, except I think, you know, the NFC
West is even even tougher than last year's NFC North,
which is saying something.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
I can't wait for that game either.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
I you know, some of the games are gonna have
some backups or you know, two meaningless teams playing in it.
But I think we got a pretty good slate with
these three really meaningful games. That's more than we normally get.
And I just can't wait for this this weekend.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Can't wait six my bad there.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
This week the quarter finals of the college football playoffs
are underway. Had the Ohio State Miami game night where
Miami emerged victorious twenty four to fourteen. We got three
more tomorrow, Texas Tech versus Oregon, Indiana versus Alabama, and
(31:12):
Georgia against Old Miss Nick.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Who do you like to win the national title this season?
Speaker 3 (31:20):
Well, you know what, after what I saw tonight, I
may have to roll with Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
I mean, they're playing great defense, they're running a ball.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Well.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
We'd love to see a little more from Carols and Beck,
But after eliminating Ryan Day and the reigning national champions,
and they did it in a very physical way, I
have to go with the Hurricanes.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
From the ACC man.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
I might be with you, this was an incredibly impressive
game from the Canes. Of course, only Indiana beat Ohio
State this year, and that game was a really hard fought,
really close all the way down to the wire and
Knees just beat him by multiple touchdowns, went up fourteen
to nothing in this game. They look fantastic. That said,
(32:09):
I think I'm gonna go with Indiana. I think I
think Ohio State and all that NFL talent and the
prospect of trying to beat that team two out of
two times was was a little too much. I think
Signetty's got that team going. I think they've got a
lot of players that are gonna get drafted this year.
They have a sneaky amount of talent that everyone's overlooking.
They got the best quarterback left of the bunch. I
(32:31):
think Miami is gonna get it done this year and
win a national title. Bring it back to uh or
not Miami. Sorry, you think it's gonna be Miami. I
think it's going to be bring it back to Bloomington.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
Yes, Mendoza is a Miami kid. He played his high
school ball like high school Yes, so hey, listen, sign
me up for But I grew up with the Orange
and Green, even though I didn't go to the University
of Miami. So it'd be great move for their program
if they're able to do it. And Carson Beck after
(33:02):
transfer from Georgia going to Miami, there was a lot
of question marks about him, and it seems as though
they're starting to answer a lot of those questions.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
So I'm still rolling with the Canes. I love the pick.
I can't blame you at all. I think they got
a great chance to win it this year. I'm also
for the Canes. I think college football is just a
lot more fun when they're good.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
Thank you for making me look good, Nick.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
I enjoyed ringing in the new year with you and
look forward to seeing you again on Friday.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
See you on Friday.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
We got more of Broncos Country Tonight coming up, Stay tuned,
Closing you out here for twenty twenty five at zach
Seegers and joining me, of course, is the great Nick Ferguson.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Nick.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
During the break, we were talking about how, you know,
we're wrapping up this this twenty twenty five season bo
Nicks's sophomore year. You know, of course we're gonna get
to see him against this Chargers defense.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
He'll get one more game.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
To hopefully pile up some more stats. But remarking on
just how you know, his stats are are pretty similar
year to year, but just a slight improvement from him
maybe across the board.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, it's definitely a slight improvement when you look at
last season and how he finished up. He finished up
with three thousand, seven and seventy five yards passing. Right
now he is fifteen yards over that at thirty seven ninety.
And you look at touchdowns interception ratio last year twenty
nine touchdowns, twelve interceptions, So the interceptions are down by
(00:52):
one with eleven this year, but he's down four touchdowns
from the previous year. So when you look across the board,
a lot of those numbers are sort of the same,
with the one that kind of jumps out is the
number of attempts last year was five sixty seven. This
year it is five to eighty nine. He's high with
(01:12):
Dak Prescott for the most passing attempts in the NFL.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Now that's concerning because the last year's run game was
a lot worse than this year's. This year's run game
has had its fits and starts, but they've been able
to run the ball generally speaking, much better than they
were last year. And for them to be passing it
at an even higher rate despite that is troubling to
say the least. Now, maybe it's because the offensive better
(01:37):
in general, excuse me, has been better, and so you
just have more offensive plays. But the concerning that, with
again a game left to play, you're already there.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
See the one thing when I look at take a
deep dive into the Broncos, you look at the number
of explosive plays, and over the past couple of games,
they've had a couple of sprinkles here and there. The
Packers game, I would say arguably was their best game
as an offense, where they had explosive run plays, they
had explosive passing plays, but also explosive runs by bow
(02:09):
knicks to add to the run game. But this team,
it's not a downfield attacking team. I know that's what
they want to be, but the stats would tell you
that that's not what they have kind of emerged into.
But that is another aspect of the game that I
would love to see improve. Because it's okay to methodically
(02:30):
move the ball down the fields long as you could
do it at a high clip and the level of
consistency the.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Word again, you're able to do it.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
But we've seen the Broncos where we've seen drive stall
because the level of consistency isn't there if they can
and the ability to start fast, we already know.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
That they can close.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
So you're starting fast, you had a couple of explosive
plays here and there, and you become a great team
as far as running the ball consistently. Then that makes
the Broncos a dangerous team moving into the playoffs.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
I think that's going to be what we're watching for
the rest of the way here. Looking at bow Nicks,
I will say I think the advanced analytics are a
bigger fan of BO than maybe the raw numbers, or
at least I should say since the mini buy you
you highlight the season long numbers and how they are
pretty much one and the same. But I think you've
(03:28):
been getting a different version of bow Nicks over this
last what month, month and a half or so. During
that span, he ranks tenth and EPA per play or
ePaper dropback I should say, sixth in success rates. So
to your point, maybe not having a lot of explosives,
but on a down to down rate, he's passing the
ball as good as just about any quarterback in the league.
(03:48):
This will now be his second trip into the playoffs.
Among those AFC playoff quarterbacks we were talking about with
Parker Gabriel, he ranks third in those aforementioned met tricks
EPA per play in success rate, Trey Lean, only Drake
May and Trevor Lawrence. Drake made the likely MVP. Trevor
Lawrence has at least gotten some MVP buzz this year. Nick,
(04:09):
what do you think our fair expectations for bow Knicks
as he leads the Broncos into their second playoff appearance together.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Just lead, Just be that dude, be that dog, you
said to yourself.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
As we look at bow in comparison to the back
half of the season opposed to what we saw at
the very beginning where so many people were criticizing Bo
saying is so well, basically he's beiling on plays far
too soon. And even with that, I felt as those
people were over judging and over being overly critical and
not really digesting the offensive play for what its worth.
(04:47):
Because the same thing that Bo was being criticized for
early on in the season, it's the same thing as
to why he's been successful thus far, and it is
the reason why the Broncos offense they've only giving up
eighteen sacks to lead the league. It's all because what
Baul is doing and the ability to escape the pocket,
(05:09):
to leave the pocket. I know most people they wanted
the quarterback to stay between the tackles.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
That's not today's NFL.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
You need a quarterback to play some backyard football that's
right now.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
That might have worked when I was growing up in
the eighties and the nineties, when you got Dan Marino.
That's not where the game is right now, because, like
I told you, you have guys like Will Anderson and
Daniel Hunter chasing you down.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
You can't stand in that pocket. Like let's just.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
Say Peyton Manning was extraordinary quarterback. We would both agree
right well.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Absolutely, what did we see Peyton do?
Speaker 3 (05:43):
He was very smart because when Peyton saw the pocket
breaking down and he's got any penetration anywhere, he's falling
on the ground. Yep, he's not going to make a
negative play. So I appreciate that from Peyton Manning, but
he knew that he wasn't going to outrun anyone. When
you got guys who can get on the perimeter, and
(06:03):
we've talked about it, the Jordan Loves the Josh Allens,
the Drake May those guys for pressure on your defense.
BO has that ability. Now we're seeing Bow now leaning
into that more because when those plays break down, it's
not Sean Payton.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Calling a play. He's not a design quarterback run.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
He sees something breaking down, he escapes and he's looking downfield.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
That's what you need more of Bo to do. Now.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
You don't want Bo to be in that situation a lot,
because that means that at some point in along that
offensive line something broke down there you go back there.
And that's the thing that's not being talked about. And
that's not to say, well, I'm trying to throw the
offensive line under the bus. That's not what I'm doing.
I'm just talking about real facts because to not give
(06:51):
Bow credit for alleviating a lot of those sacks that
could have happened to me is doing him a discredit.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
In terms of sack mitigation. There's a wrong case. He's
the best quarterback in the league. He did it last
year as a rookie, and he's only gotten better this year.
And I think the other thing that's been so huge
for him, we talked about how the stats are pretty similar.
I think, you know on the tape, one area he's
grown the most is what he's doing in those creation moments.
(07:19):
You know, last year he'd escape the sack and it
would lead to a throwaway or you know, an incomplete pass,
kind of like what you were talking about with Peyton
Manning flopping.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Over like that's great.
Speaker 1 (07:29):
It's not a loss of eight, it's a loss of two,
or in this case, it's an incomplete pass. But it's
not you know what Patrick mahomes or Josh Allen, dude.
But to our conversation about Josh Allen earlier, he'll run
around in the pocket while you're trying to cage rush him,
buy seven seconds and then bomb at seventy yards downfield
on you, and that's what makes it so backbreaking.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Boenixon started to unlock some of that this year.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Where's he's, like you said, running up in the pocket
looking downfield. I wish sometimes he was a little more decisive.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
On running the ball and just nine yards.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
But I'll say, you know a lot of times I'm like,
I should have ran it there, and then Pat Bryant
snags it out of the air for a twenty five
yard game downfield and I go, I don't know what
I'm talking about.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
I'm an idiot, So you know what.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
See that's where once again, as a quarterback, you want
your quarterback.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
To be more decisive. But like I've told people, I
think that Boe is trying to play his game.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
But he's also trying to appease his office a coordinator, right,
And sometimes you can do that. But when you're on
the field as a player, you're on the field, you have.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
To overcome coaching.
Speaker 3 (08:39):
Your coach may want you to do something when you
go back to the sideline, if it ends up it's
being a positive, you say, look, man, I know what
you wanted me to do. This is what I saw,
and I took it. Did I move the ball? Did
even get it first down? Did I make a positive
play to put us in position to actually kick a
field goal, score a touchdown?
Speaker 2 (08:59):
I did that? Get out of my face, right, It
has to be that type of mentality.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
But that's what I've seen from Bowl in the past
couple of weeks where Bow is now starting to do.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Think about the play against Kansas City.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
It looks the play was breaking down, and it looked
I gotta go back and look at it.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Looked like it was the Harvey touchdown. No no, no, no, no,
no no, not the Harvey touchdown.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
When both scrambled, Oh yes, yes, right right, it's just like, okay,
well was that a design quarterback draw?
Speaker 2 (09:29):
I don't think it was, and I go go back
and take another look at it.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
But that's once again Bow seeing an opening, knowing as
though I gotta get points where what our office is
struggling this Thursday night is Kansas City's Christmas.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
I need to take it, and I think it demonstrates
his improvement.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Reading out the field on that play, Spouse draws up
a perfect blitz call. The receivers downfield are smothered. Pressure
is getting home. BO has to do something to create
there and rightfully. So he he recognizes you've got two
defenders covering the flat. That means there's a wide open
void in the middle of the field. I'm going to
go exploit that and runs right by Nick Bolten for
(10:09):
to your point, one of the biggest plays of that game.
I think those are plays bow was not making or
not making it nearly this high of a cliff last year.
And again you look at the AFC where a lot
of the scariest passing attacks are out of the picture.
You know it's Mahomes isn't there, Lamar Jackson and the
(10:29):
Ravens haven't been the same this year. Joe Burrow obviously
isn't there. And then you know, by the time the
Broncos are even playing a playoff game, you could have
Josh Allen or Trevor Lawrence. Honestly, those two probably match
up with each other.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
One of those two's going to be gone.
Speaker 1 (10:46):
If the Chargers get their way, they might eliminate Drake May.
And now you're talking about bo Nix and this Broncos
passing attack being you know, maybe the best passing attack
remaining on their side of the bracket. It's not too
far fetched.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
No, He's not and speaking as far as bo deciding
to take what is presented to him. Go back to
the Jacksonville Jaguars game. The Broncos are inside the red zone.
There's an opportunity for Bow to run and take it. It
looks like he's going to do it, but he kind
of gets closer to the line of scrimmage and he decides, well,
let me throw it to Cortland right, and the passes
(11:20):
a little off is incomplete. Will Lutz has to come
in and kick the field goal. Those are the moments
when you're in that scoring position.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Take those points.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
And if your coach would tell you, okay, look at
Bow at this point, you see a receiver open an
end zone. Yeah, so I'm coach, But did I score right?
Because that's the only thing we're talking about points on
the board.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Now.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
If he makes a bad decision, it takes points off
the board. Now, as a coach, you can you can
kind of get into me and just try to tell
me this is what I would like you to do.
But in a situation like that, take the points. How
much can your coach yell at you for actually putting
poison on the board.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
I think it's fair. I also think though you got
to cash on those. To our conversation in the last segment,
them regressing is you know them maybe or in part
their aggression is they're settling for more field goals instead
of touchdowns in those moments.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
And you know, I think.
Speaker 1 (12:13):
There's greater problems than Bo in those moments, for sure,
But those red zone opportunities are times where I'd like
Bo Nicks to bet on himself a little bit. Go
I'm I'm one of the best players on the field.
I'm an incredible athlete. I can run the ball as
well as you know, plenty of other quarterbacks in this league.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
And I've got a strong arm.
Speaker 1 (12:34):
That everyone underrated coming out of the draft, and I
think that's what makes him so deadly in.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Those tight spaces.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
He can burn you running the ball, and if you
over adjust to that, he's got the arm where he
can whip it into those tight windows because in those
compressed areas, that's where the arm strength is really going
to show up. I think that's why, you know, prior
to this recent cold stretch, the Broncos were one of
the best red zone offenses in the league. And I
just want to see, you know, as they try and
win a Super Bowl year, bet on yourself a little
(13:01):
more bow like. If they're gonna score touchdowns here, it's
gonna be because of you making the right play.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
In that moment. You betting on yourself.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Yeah, think about Josh Allen inside the red zone. This
is one of the reasons why I never really pick
up any Buffalo Bills running backs because their big running back,
who is their quarterback, He's normally gonna get the call
inside the red zone and it's gonna be a quarterback keeper.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Right.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
You look at Trevor Lawrence when they came here and
played against the Denver Broncos.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
What did he do? It was a keeper inside the
red zone. Two more rushing touchdowns last week for Lawrence
too exactly. Then you look at last week.
Speaker 3 (13:36):
We just talked about one of Bowl rushing touchdowns, but
the scramble to keep the play alive.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Sign RJ.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Harvey in the end zone. This is the whole thing.
Embrace who you are. Let Bowl be who he is.
Let's not keep him somewhat boxed in. Embrace it. Now,
make sure that he's making the right throws on when
he bails out of the pot, but use his natural
running ability, like Justin Herbert used like even though Houston
(14:08):
had like five sacks against Herbert when they when they
last played, he was still a nightmare for them because
he kept breaking contained.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
He stayed alive.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
And I could tell you as a dB man, when
you get morbile quarterbacks who continue to stay alive, it
makes life miserable for you because you don't know, like
the stop clock, You're like, when could I stop covering
this guy?
Speaker 2 (14:28):
Oh, he's still open. Right.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
That's the thing that made Patrick Mahomes so successful, why
the Chiefs has dominated the AFC West for so many years.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
And in that Shaguars game, I think you saw him
do more of the quarterback run game stuff. I wonder
if you know, now we're in the part of the
schedule where hey, it's all or nothing every week.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
You know, you might as well spend him if you
got him.
Speaker 1 (14:51):
I wonder if we start seeing more bow Nicks quarterback
run game, something we've been clamoring for really ever since
the start of last season.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Well remember last season, what was it the Thursday night
game on the road its Saints.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
I believe they had that huge run.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
I think what was it like off the left hand
side design quarterback run. I'm not saying that you put
bowl in those situations a lot, but we've seen that overseas.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
And remember the Giants game. Yeah, who it was?
Speaker 1 (15:22):
The Giants were trying to think of that that weird
kind of fake toss and then he ran out wide.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
To the left.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
Yes, it was kind of like a either fake toss.
They've they've done it off an RPO type of action
and then they pull a guard right and they get
bow out there on the edge with the blocker.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
They've actually done it too where they've had.
Speaker 3 (15:41):
I think Nate Atkins maybe a line to the left
off the ball, motioned across to the right side, and
on the snap of the ball. He was the guy
leading the charge on the quarterback design run.
Speaker 1 (15:54):
Against the Jags. You know that that great run defense.
Their most successful runs came when they gave him that
look in conflict because I don't think defenses are ready
for that with bonus.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
And also, you know R. J.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
Harvey struggles to read things out some If you are
consistently making the right read there and you get a
defense to stay with bonis, you're making that read a
little more simpler for for R J.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
RV.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Because you're removing a defender from the box equation.
Speaker 1 (16:22):
Uh. Really excited for this upcoming Broncos Chargers game. Everyone,
make sure you're tuning into tuning into that. After the break,
we're going to run around the league and would look
at some of the biggest NFL news stories because it's
time for an NFL six pack that's coming up next
on Broncos Country Tonight.
Speaker 4 (16:48):
Broncos.
Speaker 2 (16:50):
Tackle here help me receivers.
Speaker 4 (16:55):
On the official home of the Broncos. All right, all
night KOA.
Speaker 1 (17:09):
Hello everybody, and welcome back once again to the last
episode of Broncos Country Tonight in twenty twenty five. We'll
be back on Friday with some more Broncos Country Tonight action.
Joining me as always is Nick Ferguson. It's Zack Seegers
on the mic right now, filling in for Benjamin Albright.
(17:32):
Time for the last segment, but before we have full
right now, excuse me, it's time for an NFL six pack.
Speaker 4 (17:41):
It's time for the NFL six Path. I'm going to
tread the last year insight and insight information you can't
find anywhere else I know, the top six NFL headline one.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Starting off with our very own Benjamin all bra who
on KOA Sports Today, predicted that either Lamar Jackson or
John Harbaugh won't be returning to the Ravens in twenty
twenty six. If you were the Ravens owner, Nick, which
side of that divorce would you choose? Either John Harbaugh
or Lamar Jackson? And do you think we see Harbaugh
(18:20):
and Jackson break up this offseason?
Speaker 3 (18:23):
No, you're not going to see them break up. And
I don't want to see a separation of either two.
But this is just a conflict that arises when your
team has been so successful. And just think about it.
You have Harbaugh on one side, you have Mike Tomlin
on the other. Both face off this weekend for Do
(18:44):
a Die game, and both fan bases or individuals in
the media in the case of Lamar and Coach Harbaugh
calling for a separation or divorce. Here's the thing about it.
If you ask for a divorce and you get it
either way with coach Harbaugh or Lamar Jackson, you better
have another coach lined up because you're talking about eighteen
(19:06):
years of success. Now, how many coaches you know in
their NFL history can say that they were mainstays in
the playoffs, regardless if they went to the Super Bowl
of Knut.
Speaker 1 (19:16):
He's one of the winningest coaches in NFL history. He's
seldom had a losing season. It's not the Tomlin streak
of zero, but it's pretty darn close to it. I'm
gonna zag on you though here, nigga, Okay, I think
I think John Harbaugh is gonna be coaching elsewhere next season.
Now he's gonna get a head coaching job. He is
(19:38):
a fantastic coach. But I think you look at this
story I mistake. I would tend to agree with you,
but I think this relationship might be past repair. That
columnist in Baltimore this past week put out that story.
It dragged Lamar Jackson through the mud. It said he's
showing up to meetings late, he's sleeping in meeting, played
(20:01):
video games too much. I'm not sure how much truth
there is to all those rumors. Frankly, I do think
though it reads to me like a head coach making
a last ditch effort to go, Hey, guys, I'm not
the problem, it's the quarterback. I think that relationship might
be beyond saving. I think one of them is going
to have to go and I think if the Ravens
were smart, they favored the Lamar Jackson side of things.
(20:24):
He's an aging running quarterback, but he's just he's too
darn talented to ship out.
Speaker 3 (20:28):
I hope we don't see the divorce of those two guys.
I think they just need to fix a couple of
things in an organization with some personnel issues.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
But I don't think this is a good idea. I
really don't.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I don't think so either. I think the same thing
for Steelers and Mike Tomlin. They might find out and
Tomlin was better off than the alternative.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Two.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
Next up here, Jerry Jones told the media today that
he's unsure whether or not he'll negotiate George Pickens's contract
with the agent David Mulligan. Jones frayed relationship with mullageda
famously played a role in Michael Parson's departure. Muligetas parsons agent,
and Jerry Jones was more or less unwilling to negotiate
(21:13):
with Parsons through Mulligata and then instead wanted to negotiate
directly with Parsons. What do you make of Jerry Jones
saying he's not sure whether or not he's willing to
negotiate with Bulagetta regarding George Pickens. And if you were
still a player, Nick looking at the free agency landscape,
would this type of behavior from Jerry Jones' impact your
(21:34):
desire to play in Dallas?
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Yeah, I would, because you want to negotiate strictly with
me the player, and not every player knows all the
loopholes when it comes to building out a contract, because
there are incentives and you don't want an incentive latent contract.
You saw Ricky Williams years ago with the Saints build
that into his contract, any incentives that he couldn't reach.
(21:59):
So for owners to negotiate with the players opposed to
the agent, that's why you hired the agent to be
somewhat of a buffer. But if the Cowboys value Pickins,
George Pickens and his ability, if you have to negotiate
with al Getta, then you got to get it done
because don't get upset because things that work out with
(22:20):
Michael Parsons. You can't take one what happened in one
situation into another. And these are decisions that hurt your team,
and they've hurt the Cowboys in years past and.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
This isn't like I don't know Sean Payton burning bridges
with Nate Hackett. You know, this is David Blagetta is
maybe the top agent in the game. You're gonna have
to negotiate with this guy.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Figure it out.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
Eventually, you better figure it out, and then I don't know,
be the bigger man or I don't be an adult
in this situation.
Speaker 3 (22:51):
Well, Mike Westalf that was his claim the fame. That
was his favorite phrase, figure it out. So this means
as though Jerry is going to have to humble himself
something he doesn't want to do.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
And I think, you know, maybe this is just an
old school way of doing things, But if I was
a player, it's exactly what you said. It reads to
me like you're trying to take advantage of me. Why
else are you so dead set on not letting my agent,
who I'm paying to do this job for me. Why
are you so insistent he doesn't get involved unless you're
trying to, you know, sneak something past me.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
I'm just saying three.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Next up here, we talked about Mike Tomlin. Mike Tomlin
told the media he's committed to making sure this week's
winner go home game against the Steeler or between the
Steelers and Ravens. Isn't the last of Aaron Rodgers' career.
Who do you think wins that game on Sunday, either
the Steelers or Ravens. And will Aaron Rodgers retire at
the end of this year?
Speaker 2 (23:49):
Nick, No, he doesn't retire.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
But I still have the Ravens winning his game because
the Stillers haven't shown as though they can throw the
ball down on the field without DK Metcalf and if
it's another game where they have to define themselves in
the back alley fight trying to stop that monster Derrick Henry.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
We saw what he did agass Green Bay.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
Hey, you better get your last will and testament together,
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 2 (24:17):
Man.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
It's it's looking rough for the Steelers. I think the
Ravens are hitting, you know, some sort of stride at
the right time. I don't know if it's it's the
stride they thought they'd be on at the start of
the season, but they're playing their best ball right now.
In the Steelers, it just seems like every year they
go out with a whimper. I'm kind of anticipating this
is the same and I don't know who will want
(24:39):
Aaron Rodgers back next year. It just it doesn't seem
like to Jesus Worth the squeeze, Yes.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
You have him back, you have him back? Would I was,
he's just okay, he's declining. What other direction you're going in? Then?
Where are you going?
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Do you know?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
You bring up a fair I think there's what about
just drafting a guy again?
Speaker 2 (24:57):
What about that Ryan?
Speaker 1 (24:59):
What about tried Malik Willis from the Packers, But just
taking a swing on something that that maybe has some
upside to it.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
You can try that.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
You can do all of that with Aaron Rodgers being there,
But just parting ways with him doesn't make sense. And
it seem as though we saw the discount double say,
it's like it came back right. There's a working relationship
between him and Mike Tomlin. So to me, keep everything
above board, bring him back and make take a nice
shot at it.
Speaker 1 (25:26):
Great job by Mike Tomlin keeping this season on track
with Aaron Rodgers and everything for.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
The Panthers.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
Bucket Bucks game on Saturday will likely determine the division
title winner, unless the Falcons beat the Saints on Sunday,
in which case the Panthers will make the playoffs no
matter what. All they need is Falcons to beat the
Saints and they can lose to the Bucks and they'll
still make the playoffs. That said, they make it as
a nine to eight team, the Bucks make it, they'll
(25:58):
be making it as an eight to nine team. I
actually know if they lose, they would be an eight
nine team. So so a good chance at eight nineteen
makes the playoffs. Here representing the NFC South with that
in mind, is this year's NFC South the worst division
in recent memory? And who do you think either the
Panthers or Bucks wins the NFC South this year?
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Well?
Speaker 3 (26:19):
I think well, I feel as though it's gonna be
Tampa Bay, right, It's gonna be your competitive game. But
I love where the Panthers are and Dave Canalis at
this particular time. But Tabos Baker Mayfield, they get it done.
But to your point about that NFC South, that division
over the years hasn't really had like four quality teams.
(26:42):
It's usually was like either Matt Ryan and the Falcons
and Drew Brees and the Saints.
Speaker 2 (26:48):
That was pretty much it. Yep, right, So it was
kind of one of those eat out of Tomrady bucks.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Right, But it was one of those divisions that if
you wanted to win it, you didn't have to do
too much us do it.
Speaker 1 (27:01):
It's weird how they've just consistently been such a low
wattage Division two. I think put it kindly, there was talk,
I think each of the past couple off seasons, in
terms of the rules proposals about taking away that guaranteed
home game for division winners. Winning your division would still
get you in the playoffs automatically, but home field advantage
(27:22):
would be determined by just overall record one through seven.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Do you like that.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
Proposal or do you prefer the idea of division winners
having that guaranteed home game?
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Nick, I mean, you know, I like division winners to
have that home game. And once again, it's really tough
because when the San Francisco forty nine is face off
against the Seattle Seahawks, the team that loses, that team
is going to go to the fifth or sixth seed,
and it's terrible that that has happened. And I do remember,
if I'm not mistaken, Seattle one time won their division
(27:57):
and they hosted a New Orlean Saints team that had
a bit better overall record than they did. Right, that
was the least quake game. Yes, yes, I hate that
aspect of it. But how do you kind of neag
of this? If you are the league, do you have
a college football type bracket?
Speaker 2 (28:14):
I mean, do you do? You go there? So it's
one of those things.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
You win, the first team win your division, you get
in and hopefully you don't make mistakes along the way
that you can win your division. But if you want
of those teams that have a great record and you
just happen to be second and now you have to
go on the road and you're the seventh seed, I
understand how that sucks for a lot of teams.
Speaker 1 (28:33):
I'm with you, though, you know, win your division if
you want home field. I kind of like the old
school way.
Speaker 4 (28:38):
Five.
Speaker 1 (28:40):
This week's NFL slate features three high stakes games. We
talked about Panthers, Bucks and Raven Steelers, but the last one,
Seahawks at forty nine Ers on Saturday night, is going
to be for the NFC's number one seed. Who do
you think is going to win that game and therefore
become the NFC's number one seed. And we haven't talked
(29:01):
much about the forty nine Ers this season, but they're
in the position to own this number one seed. Are
they the most overlooked team in the NFL this year?
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Yes, they are.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
And I've said this countless times that Kyle Shanahan, for
what they have been able to do from a team standpoint,
he has earned Coach of the Year. And this is
a prime example that coaching freaking matters, right. I know
people talk about the idea that Kyle has made it
to the Promised Land, but he can't. He couldn't really
(29:33):
deliver to me. You know how many teams would give
their right foot, pinky thumb and everything else to even
kind of being that rarefied air.
Speaker 2 (29:42):
So he's done. He's done a lot.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
I mean, no, Brendan, I you he lost Fred Warner,
No Nick Bosa, right, and then mac Jones had to
come in and fill in, and then Brod Purdy came back. Yes,
so I'm rooting for San Francisco. Here's the crazy thing
about it, these are similar coaching staff. Off was a
coordinator versus Kyleege Shanahan, who wants Clint Kolbiak and was
(30:04):
all in the San Francisco coaching staff. And where do
you learn he learned from his father, who learned from
Mike Shanahan. It's gonna be one hell of a game.
This is one of my must watch games of the week.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
It's going to be maybe the biggest regular season game
of the year. It reminds me of last year when
we had the Lions and Vikings dueling it out in
the NFC North, except I think, you know, the NFC
West is even even tougher than last year's NFC North,
which is saying something.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
I can't wait for that game either.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
I you know, some of the games are gonna have
some backups or you know, two meaningless teams playing in it.
But I think we got a pretty good slate with
these three really meaningful games. That's more than we normally get.
And I just can't wait for this this weekend.
Speaker 2 (30:44):
Can't wait six my bad there.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
This week the quarter finals of the college football playoffs
are underway. Had the Ohio State Miami game night where
Miami emerged victorious twenty four to fourteen. We got three
more tomorrow, Texas Tech versus Oregon, Indiana versus Alabama, and
(31:12):
Georgia against Old Miss Nick.
Speaker 2 (31:15):
Who do you like to win the national title this season?
Speaker 3 (31:20):
Well, you know what, after what I saw tonight, I
may have to roll with Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
I mean, they're playing great defense, they're running a ball.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Well.
Speaker 3 (31:33):
We'd love to see a little more from Carols and Beck,
But after eliminating Ryan Day and the reigning national champions,
and they did it in a very physical way, I
have to go with the Hurricanes.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
From the ACC man.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
I might be with you, this was an incredibly impressive
game from the Canes. Of course, only Indiana beat Ohio
State this year, and that game was a really hard fought,
really close all the way down to the wire and
Knees just beat him by multiple touchdowns, went up fourteen
to nothing in this game. They look fantastic. That said,
(32:09):
I think I'm gonna go with Indiana. I think I
think Ohio State and all that NFL talent and the
prospect of trying to beat that team two out of
two times was was a little too much. I think
Signetty's got that team going. I think they've got a
lot of players that are gonna get drafted this year.
They have a sneaky amount of talent that everyone's overlooking.
They got the best quarterback left of the bunch. I
(32:31):
think Miami is gonna get it done this year and
win a national title. Bring it back to uh or
not Miami. Sorry, you think it's gonna be Miami. I
think it's going to be bring it back to Bloomington.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
Yes, Mendoza is a Miami kid. He played his high
school ball like high school Yes, so hey, listen, sign
me up for But I grew up with the Orange
and Green, even though I didn't go to the University
of Miami. So it'd be great move for their program
if they're able to do it. And Carson Beck after
(33:02):
transfer from Georgia going to Miami, there was a lot
of question marks about him, and it seems as though
they're starting to answer a lot of those questions.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
So I'm still rolling with the Canes. I love the pick.
I can't blame you at all. I think they got
a great chance to win it this year. I'm also
for the Canes. I think college football is just a
lot more fun when they're good.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
Thank you for making me look good, Nick.
Speaker 1 (33:27):
I enjoyed ringing in the new year with you and
look forward to seeing you again on Friday.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
See you on Friday.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
We got more of Broncos Country Tonight coming up, Stay tuned,
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