09-26-25 KOA Sports Hour 2 with Benjamin Allbright

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We are on until six o'clock tonight and then Broncos
Country Tonight takes over until seven point thirty. Final Friday
night game here with the Rockies season and their final
series this weekend.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
So go Rockies, there we go. We will.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
We'll get to a little CU conversation a little bit
later on, as well as the issue like how hot
is this seat for j Norvel I want to ask
you about that in your opinion as somebody that covers
the issue.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
I'm just kidding, but I basically the CSU beat.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, hey hey, every day up there at Fort Collins
their favorite of this game.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
He was Washington say so, I mean this is one
of those like, hey man.

Speaker 1 (00:36):
You gotta show a competency as a staff, right core concepts,
like it's got to prove that it's working.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
So we'll get to that conversation here a little bit.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
I want to hear a little bit from Joe Lombardi
though he spoke today, and we'll get to Vas Joseph
in a bit. This was Joe Lombardi on finding rhythm
for the Broncos offense. They had, boy, they had seven
to three announce I mean it was it was miserable
miserable work there for the Broncos offense last weekend is
the Chargers.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
Here's what he had to say.

Speaker 4 (01:05):
You know, it just comes down to execution. You know,
it's it's all razor thin in this league, and we're
close on so many of these plays on the early downs,
and you know, we just keep working, keep executing. We
know we're you know, just inches away from from getting
to that rhythm that you're talking about, and had it

(01:27):
a little bit against Indianapolis. Obviously, this last game was
rough with all the three and outs, but you know,
we're close. So I think, you know, looking at the
players we have and the way we're practicing, you know,
we're feel confident that. You know, it's a small sample size.
I think by the end of the year we'll be happy.

Speaker 1 (01:42):
Okay, So on the const of it being close, that's
the one thing there that I kind of pulled out.
I mean, I appreciate the transparency of him saying it's rough,
not sure coding it, not trying to say it any
other way.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
You had a couple of explosive plays.

Speaker 1 (01:58):
Without those, it would be one of the worst offensive
performances of the entire NFL weekend. This is just kind
of what it is, and by mini metrics, it really
was anyways, even with the added explosive plays in.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
But let's sort of table that for a second here.

Speaker 1 (02:11):
It's close thing because I think sometimes fans and sometimes
media too, we get into this like trending of So
every week is kind of its own deal, right, It's
an encapsulation. You're playing that team and how they're playing you,
and so on and so forth. But you're also simultaneous
a little bit building on the season. So like two

(02:33):
things are true. You're building on the season. You're hoping
that you built off last week and perform better than
you did last week.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
But this isn't always the case.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
So taking a step back or regression in a week
doesn't necessarily mean I guess that the offense overall is regressing,
or in your opinion, does it looks like the offense
is regressing?

Speaker 2 (02:52):
I don't know. I mean, I like what you're saying there.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
It's sort of like a season of The X Files, right,
you have individual contained episodes, but you got a whole
season story arc, Like there's there is an element of that.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (03:01):
I mean, if the offense isn't scoring points, and I mean,
is it on one person, because if it's not, then
the offense is you know, I hate to use the
term regressing, but since that's the word reason here. Yeah,
I just think it's not living up to or not
getting to where they thought it would be at this point.

Speaker 5 (03:16):
You know.

Speaker 3 (03:17):
And again something I preached all off season with that
you know, stopping wet blanket that I have is, you know,
team's got a whole off season to look at this
offense with this quarterback.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
Something they didn't have last year.

Speaker 3 (03:30):
They weren't using the stuff that he did in Oregon,
so they were like doing it on the fly last year.

Speaker 2 (03:35):
They got a whole off season to look at what
worked and.

Speaker 3 (03:37):
What didn't against Boonix, and they're throwing some of those
concepts at the Broncos right now. The idea is to
get him to get happy feet, to get the push
on the interior of the line and get him up
on his tiptoes and letting the ball sail because he's
not under a good base and so you know, you're
seeing the byproduct to that, which what we need to
see is the CounterPunch to that. Right right, they just
hit us with a good shot Okay, now we got

(03:58):
a counter punch and we Bo's gotta go. Okay, I
see what they're doing to me. I need to solve
this problem in my mind. And so that's really where
we're at with all this. The rest of this stuff,
you know, regression or whatever, they're not, it's the same
guys aren't regressing per se. You just have a new
condition of being people. They're throwing new things that you were.
They're throwing things at you that they know work, and
now it's your job to solve them. And so that's
that's on the coaching staff to continue to put together

(04:20):
play designs and play calls that help put you the
best possible position, and then it's on the players to
execute and speaking. Yeah, the Day tweeted in earlier saying like,
I listened to the first few minutes of the show
and oh my gosh, I think the BRONC is gonna
lose like fourteen. Knowing me, I would the one saying
that I don't think we were being all that negative.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
Maybe we were. I don't know.

Speaker 1 (04:40):
I think there's you go through I'll just say that
for me, you go through the ebbs and flows of
a week. One day, you come in, You're like, gosh,
there's no way to lose this game. And then you
watch a little bit more and you're.

Speaker 2 (04:50):
Like, well, let me guess.

Speaker 1 (04:51):
I guess is the Chase Brown goes off and Jamar
Chase has like a typical Jamar Chase game, and oh
my gosh, t Higgins he had three touchdowns against the
team last year or so, oh boy, he's still really good.
So then you start, you know, because I think you
get into the other side of the argument, like in
everything right, where you start telling yourself, well, I should
at least entertain because it is the NFL, how the

(05:14):
other team will go about trying to beat you and
they just beat this team a few games ago technically, right,
I mean, this was last year where the Broncos wanted
this game because then they locked up a playoff spot
and they officially kicked Cincinnati to the curb nothing to
watch or play for. But in the meanwhile, they lost
this game and then they gave Cincinnati some month.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
My point of it is is it's not as so
much negativity.

Speaker 1 (05:39):
I still feel very good about the Broncos winning this game,
but you start to talk about the other options and
the way that Cincinnati might play this team, and that
maybe lends itself to well, we're exploring all the options
because if we just spent every single day talking about
the Broncos are going to hammer.

Speaker 2 (05:54):
This team, well that's kind of boring.

Speaker 3 (05:56):
Yeah, I mean for me, right, I don't think, I mean,
this is football. We don't have to reinvent the wheel
in terms of looking for new angles to talk about.

Speaker 2 (06:04):
This game.

Speaker 3 (06:05):
It's a Monday night primetime football game with the team
that's one and two and lost games you know at
the at the buzzer two weeks in a row.

Speaker 2 (06:12):
So I you know, I mean, I think you need
you need.

Speaker 3 (06:13):
To look at this and say, Okay, what works, what
doesn't work for us, what works, what doesn't.

Speaker 2 (06:17):
Work for them?

Speaker 3 (06:18):
And how can we avoid a and cause B and
vice versa.

Speaker 5 (06:22):
You know, can we.

Speaker 3 (06:22):
Avoid them, you know, doing the things that don't work
for us and go from there.

Speaker 2 (06:27):
You know you want to, you want to.

Speaker 3 (06:29):
There's an idea that you want to set the table
a little bit for later in the season with some
some plays and some stuff like that. But I don't
even think you need to be thinking that far ahead.
This is a team that's got to get the basics down.
You've got to be you gotta have a core competency,
any belief that every drive.

Speaker 2 (06:43):
Is going to end in points.

Speaker 3 (06:44):
Once you get that confidence in yourself, you know, from
going down and doing that, then you could start looking
at setting the table for the rest of the season,
putting stuff on tape for you know, for people to do.
You got to get the basics down before you're you
know you're not. You got to learn how to ice
skate before you're out there trying to tep triple soul House.

Speaker 1 (07:01):
I like, that's like a new little twist on your
crawl before you walk, before you run. Astiboy, that's good.
Let me ask you this. We were just talking about
Jane Novel for a second. Jane Novel is is approaching
a moment where you feel like proof of concept, like

(07:21):
we're beyond the okay, well, you show that you can
have some success, but then now a massive step back
would be a major disappointment. Does Sean Payton have to
show any kind of proof of concept in year two
of boone Nicks in year two of this iteration?

Speaker 2 (07:38):
Or do we should we more or less know what
they want to be? They just haven't gotten there. Yet.

Speaker 3 (07:44):
I mean, I don't He's gonna get another year regardless,
So I don't really know.

Speaker 2 (07:48):
Yeah, he's not in the hot seat.

Speaker 1 (07:49):
That's not that, it's it's more of to quell some
of the panic that's happening right now. Like there's some
people out there. I mean, we had the text earlier
that saying, hey, this guy's he's over there. I don't
think he represents most of Broncos fans, but saying, hey,
this guy is past his prime when it comes to
play calling and those kinds of things. And again I
disagree with that, but there might be a sentiment out

(08:10):
there of well what Sean and the best of Sean was.

Speaker 2 (08:15):
He may not get there with Bo, like.

Speaker 1 (08:19):
He may not get do fans are still they still
holding on to Okay, when he really gets everything out
of that he wants out of this offense and out
of bow Nicks, we're gonna see prime time Saints Drew Brees,
Sean Payton like that proof of concept?

Speaker 2 (08:32):
Are we still waiting on that?

Speaker 3 (08:33):
I mean, Bo's not Drew Brees though, Like they're not
the same guy in fact, Bo, you know, I mean
he would be a lot closer to maybe a Tony
Romol than he where would be to a Drew Brees.

Speaker 2 (08:44):
Yeah, and and that's really inflating bo beyond what he is.
I don't. I mean, what are you looking.

Speaker 3 (08:51):
For five thousand yard passing seasons? I mean, I you know,
with the way the league is now and defending him
too high, I just don't think you're seeing that.

Speaker 2 (08:58):
You're gonna see more four thousand.

Speaker 3 (09:00):
It's gonna be more of the number for uh, for
people that the five thousand yard seasons, just with the
way defenses defend now, you're you're unlikely to see that.
As for the rest of it, I mean, what what
is it that? What is it that you mean by
prime Sean pay? I guess we need to quantify that
or qualify it in order to, you know, in order
to know what we're going in order to maximize this offense.
I mean, you just this offense has been around a while,

(09:22):
the book on it is out there. People know how
to defend it, and so that's what you're getting. And
you've got a quarterback who's not as good as the
previous quarterback that used to run it, and so you know,
there are there are gaps in there, there are things
that are that are less than you can CounterPunch that
you can you can run the ball more, you could
do some other things like use your quarterback's legs a
little bit more. But you know you've got you've got

(09:42):
the same offense that he's run. I mean, this offense
hasn't really evolved that much in a decade and a half,
and you've got a lesser quarterback running it. So the
results theoretically are going to be lesser.

Speaker 1 (09:59):
All Right, we're gonna check you in with Jay Morrison
from Bengals.

Speaker 2 (10:03):
He writes for s I well check in with him
about ten minutes.

Speaker 1 (10:05):
Your chance to win Broncos Bengals tickets coming up in
the five o'clock hour, early in the five o'clock hour,
so'll be listening left five o'clock. Give you a chance
to win Broncos Bengals tickets for Monday night football's game.
Give you that cue to call five six six ninety
zero is our Kway Comma spirit heal text line. A
couple more things in the offense. This was Joe Lombardi.

(10:27):
He was asked about the sequencing because this has been
a big discussion and once again design versus sequencing, Like
I think there's some really good things design wise happening
with the offense, but it kind of doesn't matter.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
I don't know.

Speaker 1 (10:43):
I'll just ask you what's more important designer sequencing.

Speaker 2 (10:46):
If you had to pick one, well, I mean good,
you need both.

Speaker 3 (10:51):
Design has to be number one because if you can't
get guys open, it doesn't matter what how you call
the plays if your plays aren't getting anybody open. So
you know, I mean the reality is everybody you know,
there's only one eight ways to run the ball and
nine ways to throw it. You know, a per receiver
that you get to mix it up a little bit,
but it's it's not you know. I think there's something

(11:13):
to designing it and then having the guys that can
execute it so that you can create space. And then
you know, when you create that space, the quarterback's got
to be able to recognize that and put the ball.
It's all interdependent variables. I don't think anything's more important
than the other. But your design has to like have
guys open or then it doesn't matter what sequence you call. Well,
not to answer the question, that's good, that's good. I

(11:34):
did answer the question. It's got to be designed because
if you don't have the design, but you can you
can run the same play over and over again it's okay.

Speaker 1 (11:40):
So so then there actually are close in that respect
because the design looks pretty good.

Speaker 2 (11:48):
From the Broncos like the design the place.

Speaker 1 (11:51):
Well, guys are open, there are I would say more
often than not.

Speaker 2 (11:56):
Yeah, design the place.

Speaker 3 (11:57):
Don't have any problem about I don't have any problems
with the specific play designs. I have a problem with
certain concepts that they don't go to or you know
that kind of stuff.

Speaker 1 (12:06):
So I have more problem with the sequencing. That's what
you're trying to get at. Yes, exactly what I need. See,
it only took you four minutes to get there.

Speaker 2 (12:12):
You know, we had to fill our time.

Speaker 1 (12:14):
So see some of us approached this job differently than others.
That's that answer right there. That's all you need to
know about. Benjamin albrighton Broncos Country tonight coming up at
six o'clock.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
Here's Joe Lombardi talking about offensive sequencing.

Speaker 4 (12:26):
I think it is mostly execution. You know, if if
you have a good run and in a good pass
and run, pass sequence looks pretty good. And so it's
seeing what happen on first down and then what situation
you're in on second down, you know it's easy to say, hey,
we're going to go run run here, But if you're
second eleven, you know you might want.

Speaker 5 (12:44):
To get back on.

Speaker 4 (12:45):
Track with a with a high percentage completion. So there's
a lot that goes into it. You know, when you're
when when when plays are working, I feel like you're
in a good rhythm and whether or not. And I
don't think there's a secret to the sequencing or it's
just playing well and making the plays and you know,
game plan and the right stuff. And once once you
get that rhythm and things start working, I think you

(13:06):
feel good about it. And everyone, you know, hindsight's always
twenty twenty like, oh we we did this and at work,
let's do it again. And defense is different every play,
so you know there's a lot that goes on there.

Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yeah, they're still trying to figure out the sequencing. I mean,
it's it's very clear from his answer there. I appreciate
as much as he tried to explain what goes into
the sequencing, what they're trying to accomplish with the sequencing.

Speaker 2 (13:29):
It's still a work in progress.

Speaker 1 (13:30):
And I think to our answer or a conversation We
had just a few minutes ago in the last segment
where we're talking about how each game is its own
kind of entity. Like you made reference to X files.
That's going to change week in and week out. The
sequencing of how you think you can attack a team,
and that's through the tape, that's through whatever processes you're

(13:51):
trying to build on me. It's it's all of it, really,
But I don't think that there's one easy answer on Hey,
this is how you improve sequencing, and you can do
that as soon as next week.

Speaker 3 (13:59):
Yeah, And there's not really been I mean in the
Sean Payton tenure here, there hasn't really been games where
I've looked at that and said, wow, they really hit
the nail on the head without there The one I
can think of off the top of my head is
the Cleveland Browns game when they came out and you know,
run trap and absolutely put it to the Browns defensive
line in that game, run trap on them. You know,
that's that one I could think out the time that

(14:19):
was a coaching clinic. But there's been a lot of
times where you look at this and you're like, what
are these what are they doing here? Like why are
we this is working? Why are we not doing that much?
You know, Sean Payton, there was a there was a
great thing on Twitter came out the other day talking
about from patent analytics, and it was talking about the
variety that did in the Broncos were somewhere in the middle,
and people were using that to say to try to
counter my point about personnel grouping. So like, it's not

(14:39):
about how many different personnel groups he used over the
course of the game, it's how often he changes them,
whereas other teams will leave them in for chunks of
plays and then do something out of them and let
guys get in a rhythm and then rotate that. He's
rotating these guys in and out every play. Running backs
have been complaining for years they can't get in a
rhythm in this offense.

Speaker 1 (14:56):
Uh it.

Speaker 3 (14:57):
It takes out the amount of time that you have
with your quarterback at the line to be able to
survey and read a defense and get a tip.

Speaker 2 (15:04):
One of the things that you.

Speaker 3 (15:05):
Saw in Arizona last night, that's it's a good part
of their design is how fast they get.

Speaker 2 (15:09):
To the line.

Speaker 3 (15:09):
And then Kyler Murray sitting there and he's got thirty seconds
to diagnose this say, not literally thirty, but you get what.
You get my point. He's you know, he's sitting there
with with fifteen seconds, so to sit there and look
over an entire defense and look this thing over, and
you know, that's sort of the modern offense. And I
don't know why we don't do things like that that
would improve you know, sequencing an execution, those kinds of things.

Speaker 1 (15:35):
Amspirit hell highline and bring on Jay Morrison, who does
a fantastic job writing for running covering the Bengals for
binglestalk dot Com.

Speaker 2 (15:43):
Jay, thank you so much for the time. What an intro.

Speaker 1 (15:46):
I don't know if you're a Phil Collins fan at all,
but we appreciate you joining us today.

Speaker 5 (15:51):
I do like Phil Collins. I like all music. And
that was right in my wheelhouse. That was what like
mid to late eighties, right about my graduating high school. Time.

Speaker 2 (15:58):
Nice, that's so.

Speaker 3 (15:59):
Okay, you can appreciate the way I'm trying to bring
out rock back here to this bring some culture to
the station.

Speaker 5 (16:05):
Was good.

Speaker 2 (16:06):
Well, Jay, we really appreciate the time.

Speaker 1 (16:08):
Obviously, a big game here on Monday night for both
of these teams coming off of that game against the Vikings.

Speaker 2 (16:13):
What do you feel like you learned about this team.

Speaker 5 (16:17):
That they could be in trouble. It's it's it's easy
to dismiss the five turnovers and how fast they came
the Avalanche. It was three turnovers and four plays. Two
turnovers were touchdowns. It just snowballed on.

Speaker 2 (16:31):
Them so fast.

Speaker 5 (16:33):
So it is easy to kind of dismiss that and
say it was so fluky, But there was there were
a lot of things before that that were concerning that.
They went into that game knowing it was going to
be loud, It was going to be Jake Browning's first
start after the Borough injury, and they were going to
play a lot as well personnel and run the ball
and be very very conservative, and they could not run

(16:56):
the ball at all. Their their offensive line was getting
blown back. And if that's not an aberration, then this
team is going to be in big trouble. And Denver's
got a great d line as well, you guys know,
So I think we're going to see more of the
same Monday Night where they try to run the ball
and try to take some pressure off of Jake Browning.

(17:16):
But if Chase brown is having to make cuts in
the backfield again and getting three yards on ten carries
that they have no shot at winning this game, and
really they have no shot at having any kind of
hope of making any kind of meaningful run this year.

Speaker 3 (17:31):
Jake Browning had a successful run of starts before a
couple of years ago. But the biggest thing missing from
that arrow is seems to be Joe Mixon.

Speaker 2 (17:39):
Am I missing something there because I.

Speaker 3 (17:40):
Mean obviously Brown and smogyp Ryan or not Joe Mixon
and the aggregat, but you know, mixing it really helped
take some of the pressure off and allow Browning to
be successful at.

Speaker 2 (17:49):
What he does.

Speaker 3 (17:49):
What's missing for Chase brown to be that is this
offensive line really that much less?

Speaker 2 (17:54):
Or are these running backs that much less?

Speaker 5 (17:58):
Chase brown really kind of that was his coming out
party too, when he had been hurt earlier in the year,
and so he really started playing well when Jake Browning
took over in twenty twenty three for that seven game run.
The O line it's been an issue. They just ignored
it in the offseason, and it was a glaring need

(18:19):
and they dragged their feet on getting Tea and Jamar extended.
They didn't reach the extension with those guys until after
free agency had began, had begun, and then all the
good guards had been snatched up. And so last week
against Minnesota, they have a rookie at left guard and

(18:40):
they have a guy that they just signed off the
street a couple of weeks before training camp began, and
Dalton Reisner, who you guys know well it played in Denver,
and then he gets hurt and they put in They
got two rookie guards in there against that Minnesota defense.
That's just not a recipe for success. It was a
mismanaged roster from the beginning. It seemed like it was
going to be try and now it is now if

(19:01):
they've had injuries. They signed Lucas Patrick and in free
agency is kind of one of the last available guards.
He has an injury history, and he gets hurt in
OTA's makes it to the week one, gets hurt in
week one and that's when Dalton Reisner stepped in. So
there's issues on that O line. And I don't put it.
I think a lot of people expected this to be
a huge year for Chase Brown. He's a terrific back.

(19:23):
I put it more on this offensive line than I
do on the running back.

Speaker 1 (19:27):
Jamy Morrison joining us at by j Morrison on Twitter
rights for Bengals Talk dot Com. Well, it looks like
Dalton Reister got in a full practice last couple of days.
Is he going to start along the offensive line? And
what's going on with Noah Fan and Shamar Stewart.

Speaker 5 (19:43):
Yeah, don't. I don't know that we're going to see
Reisner start. I think they saw enough that they liked
from Jalen Rivers. Reisner did a great job in stepping
in when Lucas Patrick got hurt after only having two
practices here in Cincinnati, but he didn't play well against
Minnesota and the injury. He may have got pulled in
that game if it hadn't been for the calf injury.

(20:03):
So I think we're gonna see the rookie. I think
you can see two rookie starter guard Jalen Rivers and
Joan Fairchild. No offense going through concussion protocol. He was
going through team stretch today. It seems like he's making
the progression through the needed steps, but it's gonna be
probably a game time decision. And then Shamar Stewart ankle injury,
did not play last week isn't expected to play this week.

(20:25):
That's a big loss as well. He's been a really
impressive guy at first round the first round pick A
Texas A and M and they need help on that
defensive line.

Speaker 3 (20:34):
The last one for me, you know another former Bronco
up there, smash a p Ryan. Could this be a
game you see a healthier dose of p Ryan given
more of that that bannering ram.

Speaker 2 (20:44):
And his ability to catch the ball.

Speaker 3 (20:45):
Or is this really going to be the Chase Brown
we got to get him going show?

Speaker 5 (20:50):
Yeah, I think you'll see more of p Ryan. He's
a terrific run blocker, so maybe on some third downs
they do lean into him on in four minute offense
and when they get in the two minute mode, and
he did, he had some run. He injured his thumb
in that game. He got the ball chopped out. They
thought his finger might have been broken and which one

(21:13):
would put him out. But the best case scenario the injury.
It's sore, but it's not broken. He's going to be
able to play. He's also returning kicks for him this year.
I maybe a handful of carries if that, but it
is going to mostly be the Chase Brown show. And
this isn't an offense that runs the ball a lot anyhow.
I know they want to, but if they're not able
to get some traction there, I think you're going to

(21:34):
see them just drop Jake Browning back over and over
again and over the best.

Speaker 2 (21:38):
I have two more questions for you.

Speaker 1 (21:40):
First one here is does the injury did Joe Burrow
buy Zach Taylor more time in the eyes of the fans.

Speaker 5 (21:49):
I don't think so the fans, the Fitchforks are out.
I think the front office it might buy some time there.
You know, it's interesting because they you know, last year
see one of the best offenses in the league and
by all metrics, and Jack Taylor is the play caller
was he was largely responsible for that, but the defense

(22:10):
was horrible and they'd missed the playoffs because of it.
He fired the defensive coordinator. It always felt like this
was going to be the year that he had to
prove it, because you can only blow up you know,
fine escape built like that and then blow things up
at the coordinator level so many times before they move
on at head coach. I feel like the Borough injury
just kind of pushes not push his pause, but just

(22:32):
pushes it down the road that you don't get a
true evaluation now. Obviously, if they if they get Jake
Browning playing well and they make a playoff run, maybe
he gets an extension out of it. But I'd be
surprised to see the team move on from Zach after
this year.

Speaker 2 (22:48):
And the last one.

Speaker 1 (22:48):
I have for you just more perspective on how you
think the Bengals the Bengals fans are viewing the Broncos
right now. I mean, obviously we have just dealt with
two kind of gut wrenching losses back to back on
last second field goals. A lot of discussion out here
on Bonix and the offense. What are the Bengals fans
or what do you think the Bengals think about the
Broncos in this matchup?

Speaker 5 (23:10):
Yeah, I think there's a heavy dose of respect for
that defense, obviously, certain player of the year, the defensive line.
I don't know where the respect level is for the
offense because it has struggled, But the Bengals have their
own offensive issues to worry about. That was the heck
of a game last year, that that shootout in Week
seventeen that went to overtime. I think a lot of

(23:35):
Bengals fans think it's over that the Minnesota game wasn't
an aberration and that they're going to go into Denver
and get their doors blown off. If they do, then
there's going to be some really hard questions that need
to be asked. But if they go out there and
they play well, maybe they can save their season. But
there's just not a lot of confidence among the fan
base right now. Now.

Speaker 1 (23:54):
I can understand that our resident producer Grant Smith, who
you talk to, he's a massive Bengal and anytime I
bring him up, he almost lowers his head and just god,
I don't even want to talk about it. So I
get that sense every single day when I talked to
him about it. A Jay, really good stuff, man, Really
appreciate the time.

Speaker 5 (24:10):
Thank you, Yeah, thanks for every one, guys, all.

Speaker 1 (24:13):
Right, J Morrison, really really good content there at by
J Morrison Bengals Talk dot Com. Good stuff there, and
that's I could completely understand that. You got to respect
the defense. That was a really fun game last year
in Week seventeen. But Bonix and the Broncos offense aren't
performing at that level yet. I hope they can get
back to that and meanwhile, yeah, it's gonna be an

(24:36):
interesting moment here for the Bengals. If they lose this game,
they will only be two and two, right, I mean,
certainly your season isn't over. But if they lose in
a similar fashion to the way they lost to the Vikings,
or even close to that, then it's gonna be tough
I think for the organization.

Speaker 2 (24:53):
And the team to to really have much belief in,
especially the fan base.

Speaker 3 (24:56):
Yeah, I think if Jake Browning is a disaster, I
think you have to consider making a change or making
a trade. Maybe you go ahead and get a Russell
Wilson who can we could at least fire up the
deep ball to those receivers and you know, and make
it interesting.

Speaker 1 (25:08):
I don't know, Grant really quick here, our resident Bengals fan,
how would you feel about that?

Speaker 2 (25:14):
Bengals fans, let's roar welcome to the jungle with Russell Wilson.

Speaker 6 (25:20):
No, thank you, I've seen how that experiment plays out
here in Denver. I think we got to ride with
Jake Browning and hope he gets another hot streak like
he did a couple of years ago.

Speaker 3 (25:28):
Gret Smith said, Bengals fans, I'll pass.

Speaker 2 (25:32):
There is gonna be a sort of silver lining here,
And it's.

Speaker 1 (25:34):
Not to say that it's not to say that if
it's as bad as it was against the Vikings, that
you're gonna have a lot of faith. But I'm saying
at two and two, the season is not over. You
bought yourself a little bit of work there with the
two first games. Like that's kind of my point here,
And I'm not saying the Bengals gonna come in here
and know that and feel that you want to get
to three and one, that's that's the goal you try
to win every week. But it's understanding like, hey, it's

(25:55):
a very long season. You're two and two, you've lost
your starting quarterback, and you found a way to eke
out that second game, which is which is already a
bit of a remarkable. Yeah, so the trends aren't great,
but it doesn't mean the season's over.

Speaker 6 (26:07):
But I think that's the hardest pill for or for
Bengals fans to swallow, is that this was the year
that we got off to a heart hot start after
so many years of a slow start, and then Joe
Burrow gets hurt again and you see the way that
Vikings game plays out and you just lose all faith.
A very somber day, A very somber I know it breaks.

Speaker 1 (26:30):
It breaks my heart because we come to you with
the and then it's who are day.

Speaker 5 (26:35):
It's just.

Speaker 1 (26:37):
Like a wet blanket was poured all over it. You
want to pick some games, Let's.

Speaker 2 (26:41):
Have some fun. Let's pick some games.

Speaker 1 (26:43):
We started Dublin as the Minnesota Vikings take on the
Pitts First Dealers, swamps back to pass, roach over the
metal pot. It is Josh Oliver Minnesota Bike Games, straight
down field on the undefeated Bengals.

Speaker 2 (27:03):
Streaked down the field.

Speaker 1 (27:04):
Paul Allen KFA in Minnesota Vike's radio network.

Speaker 2 (27:07):
I almost only to pick six.

Speaker 1 (27:08):
I A Rodgers, but again, I feel like we're piling
on Bengals fans at that point. But Minnesota won that
one relatively easy. He didn't need much from Carson Wentz
in the game. Minnesota technically a road game. They're both
two and one, they are favored by two and a half.
Then what do you think I like the Steelers in
this one.

Speaker 3 (27:24):
I think Aaron Rodgers, he's gonna have he his absolute
pettiest because this is a team one of the teams
he was holding out for and they didn't want any
part of him. You know, bring it him, man. They
want a JJ McCarthy. Now they've got Carson Wentz going
for him. I kind of like the Steelers in this
one in a lower scoring affair grants.

Speaker 6 (27:43):
I like the Steelers as well, as much as I
hate to agree with Benjamin Albright the wet blankets. I
think Aaron Rodgers is gonna have a big game. I
think we'll actually see something from the Steelers offense and.

Speaker 2 (27:53):
They get to win. Oh man, I thought I would
be surprising you guys.

Speaker 1 (27:57):
I'm not big on the Steelers, but I really don't
think much of Carson Wentz. And people are writing all
these off eds about Carson Wentz is back, and the
Minnesota say if the season is safe, I will agree
that Kevin O'Connell gets the best out of quarterbacks, even
ones that we don't think can play anymore.

Speaker 2 (28:13):
But Carson Wentz doesn't do it for me. I'm sorry.
I think this is.

Speaker 1 (28:16):
The reality check that those people need.

Speaker 2 (28:20):
And by the way, our guy reeves.

Speaker 1 (28:23):
Own personal hell so refas we see on the road,
and he deserves it.

Speaker 2 (28:31):
I mean to be fair well, but he hates.

Speaker 1 (28:33):
Carson Witz so much and the fact that he has
to cover the Minnesota Vikings with Carson.

Speaker 2 (28:39):
I almost signed him previously.

Speaker 3 (28:40):
I remember a while back, it was last year or whatever,
and I told him like, you're you're close here, and
then it happened this year.

Speaker 2 (28:45):
I was like, eh, oh, Buffalo bll's hosting the says.

Speaker 1 (28:53):
Shotgun Alan Playflake throw a special year with the head
of Steam at the tent racing carstot fuck, hey to.

Speaker 2 (28:58):
The ans, what's up here?

Speaker 5 (29:01):
By the quick pass down on the line, it's a
fifteen yard score.

Speaker 2 (29:06):
Jason Horowitz west Wood One. Buffalo favored by fifteen and
a half.

Speaker 1 (29:11):
And by the time we do the pick them on
Sunday morning, we do the opening line, this might even
get beak higher.

Speaker 2 (29:18):
I'll throw your grits. Does Buffalo cover we we all
think Buffalo is good to win. Do they cover Bells
cover easily.

Speaker 6 (29:26):
I'm gonna say it's gonna be forty two to Tampa
Day Saints are just so bad, philarly bad.

Speaker 2 (29:33):
Ben.

Speaker 3 (29:34):
I think it's gonna be a little a little closer
than people think. I Buffalo, Buffalo could probably cover this,
but this is gonna be an over type game. Saints
offense is not half bad. It's our defense. It's absolute
trash now.

Speaker 1 (29:47):
And so.

Speaker 3 (29:49):
I think that this game gets up there to the
over Buffalo covers. So what am I doing? Bufflow cover?

Speaker 5 (29:55):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (29:56):
I was like covers.

Speaker 3 (29:56):
I tried to talk myself into the rattlesnake and I
couldn't do it.

Speaker 2 (29:59):
What are you doing? Are you Arby? Are you trying
to kneel out the clockett? I tried to. I tried to.

Speaker 3 (30:04):
Well, I'm surprised that you guys were all on the Steelers,
you know, I was trying to do some a.

Speaker 2 (30:08):
Little different and then you got and I'm like, all right,
they're taking all the fun out of this. Lions and Brown's.

Speaker 3 (30:13):
Showfers in the gun, he Gotschris Dolphins, drops back three
poor man rush those when the ends up first, I.

Speaker 2 (30:19):
Caught over the shoulder forest hide Saint Brown. Lions come
right backing in through the Ravens and eighteen touchdown.

Speaker 1 (30:28):
Pass and that's Kevin Harlan west Wood one Lions favorite
by ten and a half.

Speaker 2 (30:32):
Another massive line.

Speaker 1 (30:34):
Of course, Shelby Harris joins us on Tuesdays at four
point thirty.

Speaker 2 (30:37):
So I hope for his sake.

Speaker 1 (30:39):
It's not a blowout, but my goodness, the Lions look
very good offensively defensively.

Speaker 2 (30:44):
I like the Lions. I like the Lions to win.

Speaker 1 (30:45):
They aren't going to let Cleveland hang around like the
Packers did. Now. I will say Brown's defense is pretty good. Ben,
so forty four and a half might like the under
on this game, but I do think the Lions win
this game pretty handily.

Speaker 3 (31:00):
Lions win, Lions cover, and the under. Well, you just
said everything you said everything I said, great.

Speaker 2 (31:05):
Toole all my notes for Lions win, Lions cover and
the under.

Speaker 6 (31:13):
I will say big win for the Browns last week
for our guys Shelby Harris with the block field goal,
but uh, they get back to being the Browns this week.

Speaker 1 (31:20):
I don't have the hard to play a positive Chargers
highlight in the Chargers Giants game, So we're just gonna
pick that one.

Speaker 2 (31:27):
It just it's too soon.

Speaker 1 (31:29):
Chargers are favored by six and a half on the
road taking on Jackson Darts in New York. Ben, and
you're on the Chargers. Well, the Chargers win, the Chargers cover,
and I'm on the under in.

Speaker 3 (31:40):
This one as well. I don't think the Giants may
not even get on the board in this game.

Speaker 2 (31:43):
No way.

Speaker 6 (31:44):
Jackson Dart's gonna come out there. He's gonna look competent,
and I think they will score some points, but the
Chargers will move on to four.

Speaker 1 (31:51):
Now the Chargers are gonna be four and oh that
is unfortunate. Two three and oh teams. The Buccaneers and
Eagles hold.

Speaker 3 (31:58):
The bull spotted the kicks away, fluck bake block.

Speaker 2 (32:03):
Its fucked up by the Eagles.

Speaker 3 (32:04):
Wable thirty cline tub fuck touchdown, gave over killed the
great Merril Reese Sports Radio ninety four w ip so
both three and no Buccaneers and Eagles.

Speaker 2 (32:20):
It's a really good game.

Speaker 1 (32:21):
The early slates weird line though three and a half.
Eagles favored by three and a half on the road
in Tampa Bay. What do you think, Grant Well, I
told you last week.

Speaker 6 (32:30):
But during that game, when we were ready to doing
the Broncos broadcast, I was rooting for the Rams, and
then I realized that the Eagles were returning the field
goal back for a touchdown, and it was gonna win
me some money in my thirty three league.

Speaker 2 (32:42):
But I like the Bucks in this one.

Speaker 6 (32:44):
Baker Mayfield What did you call him, Ben Baker, the
comeback maker. I am riding with Baker all season long.
I like the Bucks to win straight up in this game.

Speaker 2 (32:54):
Benjamin, Well, yeah, Baker.

Speaker 3 (32:56):
You call him the butcher, the Baker, the candlestick maker,
because he's gonna butcher this defense. Well, he would if
they had a full compliment of receivers, but they don't
for this one. And that's the reason I'm going the
other direction here and taking Vic Fangio and the Eagles
on the road.

Speaker 2 (33:08):
That was actually pretty clever. That's pretty good.

Speaker 1 (33:10):
I'm trying to find a Houston highlight, but I cannot,
so we will just pick this one. Houston oh and
three Titans, oh and three ejus in favor by seven
and a half.

Speaker 3 (33:19):
Hey.

Speaker 1 (33:19):
By the way, Diana Rasini today said on an interview
that there's some behind the scenes stuff happened with c. J.

Speaker 2 (33:25):
Strout. What does that mean to you, Ben, We'll get
to that directly. Okay, you got some stuff from me, huh,
I got some maybe stuff for you.

Speaker 1 (33:34):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (33:35):
I like the Titans to cover this. I'm probably on
the Texans to win.

Speaker 6 (33:40):
Brands and a low, low scoring game, very low scoring game,
and after that hint from Benjamin Albright.

Speaker 2 (33:46):
I can't wait to hear what that news is. I
like Cam more than the Titans.

Speaker 6 (33:50):
Through all the horrible coaching mistakes they've had this year,
They're gonna win this game.

Speaker 2 (33:55):
First win of play calling.

Speaker 5 (33:58):
There you go.

Speaker 3 (33:59):
You know, you guys know why the wit with the
quarterbacks coach instead of the OC in that one for
play calling?

Speaker 1 (34:02):
Right?

Speaker 3 (34:03):
No, aus he has experience, Yeah, because Nicholson never called
plays either.

Speaker 2 (34:06):
So you go there, you go, get the harder ahead.

Speaker 1 (34:08):
Chiefs Ravens both one and two. One will leave this
matchup one in three?

Speaker 2 (34:12):
Who will it be?

Speaker 3 (34:13):
First?

Speaker 6 (34:13):
Far from the gun?

Speaker 1 (34:14):
Will throw WAPs it near sideline looking for Hopkins and
zum that's a Jordan touchdown DeAndre Hopkins. So they're not
going to overrule that one. W bal W I why
why Ravens Game Day Network? That's Jerrysindusky on the call.
So Chiefs are hosting this one. They are underdogs, home

(34:34):
dogs by two and a half. Look to you first, Grant,
what do you think?

Speaker 6 (34:38):
I think there's good reason for them to be a
home underdog and any reason for the Chiefs to lose
once again, I'll take it. I'm on the Ravens bouncing
back and being back to five hundred by the.

Speaker 2 (34:47):
Chiefs fall to one in three. Benjamin, I'm a grant
on this one.

Speaker 5 (34:50):
Come.

Speaker 3 (34:51):
I'm on the Ravens even with their defense gotto being trash.
Chiefs defense looks washed and their offense is not not
where it needs to be yet.

Speaker 2 (34:58):
So give me the Ravens to a couple quick ones here.
Raiders and Bears.

Speaker 1 (35:02):
Raiders favored by one and a half, ben hosting the
resurgence suddenly research and Bears.

Speaker 2 (35:07):
Give me the Raiders at home? What do you give
me the Bears? I like the Bears too. Raiders fall
to one in three.

Speaker 1 (35:14):
Cowboys and Packers the return of Micah Parsons.

Speaker 2 (35:21):
Benjamin, Ah, this is so sweet. What do you think man?
I mean Packers. I think winn this one rights in Dallas.

Speaker 3 (35:29):
The over under on this one is forty six and
a half. The Packers might cover that by themselves.

Speaker 6 (35:36):
I think it's a pretty closer than people think. I
think Dak Prescott's going to have a decent day against
his old teammate and Michah Parsons. It's going to be
a close game, but I think the Packers win.

Speaker 1 (35:45):
Jerry Jones was unnecessarily adding fuel to the fire. Doing
an interview, he said, while he does make great plays,
there is also a way to approach playing against Micah
as we know because we didn't exactly win Super Bowls
those years. That looks beautiful, But in other plays, especially
running plays, you wish you had a different formation.

Speaker 2 (36:06):
We should pray it, really do.

Speaker 1 (36:10):
We should pray for Michael we should we should pray
for Dak Prescott.

Speaker 3 (36:13):
Yeah, there's a joke I want to make right now
that I can't, so I'm just letting it go.

Speaker 2 (36:18):
I want to come back.

Speaker 1 (36:20):
Your chance to win Broncos Bengals tickets. Give those away. Also,
Ben has some insight for us on the CJ. Stroud story.
We are going to hear to a tug of a
looa not know that Cam Newton was a quarterback in
the NFL. That was fun audio. We'll get to that
as well. All sorts fun stuff coming up here at
five o'clock on k WA