11-17-25 Ian Rapoport with KOA Sports

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We head out to the KAA Comma Spirit Heal Highline
and bring on Ian Rappaport, our NFL Network Insider powered
by Chevron. Chevron the human Energy Company committed to our
local communities and safely delivering affordable, reliable, ever cleaner energy.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Ian.

Speaker 1 (00:13):
Good afternoon, sir, Thank you so much for the time.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
How are you no problem? What's going on? Guys? How
are you? Oh?

Speaker 1 (00:18):
We're fantastic. I mean you can imagine how excited we
are here in Denver after winning that game yesterday afternoon.
What has been sort of the buzz that you've heard
off the Broncos win?

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's an interesting one. The
whole Broncos season has been interesting because, you know, I
don't know how like aesthetically.

Speaker 3 (00:38):
Pleasing it's been, you know, and generally, I mean, you
have teams that have great defenses, and the offenses just
sort of make plays when it matters, like sometimes it doesn't,
you know, quote unquote look great, which I think.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
You know, is probably why Broncos fans are feeling like
maybe people don't fully appreciate them. But that's okay because
the winds still count. They're still you know, in commanding
possession of first place in the division. They still beat
the Chiefs and I think, you know, are the biggest
threat to Kansas, you know, basically taking away Kansas City

(01:14):
stranglehold on the ANFCU West. Really pretty fascinating, honestly, Ian.

Speaker 4 (01:20):
Around the league, how do people look at the Broncos
now at ninety two. I'm sure a lot of people
didn't envision this when the season started. They'd be ninety
two at the at the break for them and you said,
they've been winning ugly. It hasn't been that pleasant at times,
but they certainly seem to have the clutch gene bow

(01:42):
Nicks in particular, They're going to be a form formidable
team down the stretch. How are people looking at them
around the NFL?

Speaker 1 (01:51):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (01:52):
Yeah, And I think, you know, they do the things
that good teams really need to do in you know,
December and January when it gets really cold, which is
they hit and they run the football. You know. Obviously
that took a took a hit when JK. Dobbins went
out for the season. Obviously there's a chance it could
be back in February, but I think, you know, out
for the season is generally kind of the thought and

(02:16):
you know, so, look, I think they're going to be
around when it matters. You know. The interesting thing is,
and especially as it relates to bo Nicks, is like,
you know, there are plenty of things you can point
to where you can say, well, you know, he's he's inconsistent,
and like you know, for instance, on you know, on
the Thursday night game with it one, it was sort
of like, well, it's a main consistencies only really makes

(02:37):
plays at the end. But it's sort of like that's
what it is, and that's what the NFL is, and
I think that's how then the margin Prairie is. You know,
if you can hang around and make important plays at
the end, you can win plenty games until you know
your consistency and your you know, everything else kind of
catches up. So, you know, I think the Broncos are

(02:59):
good enough. I think the record is going to put
them in a place where they're gonna have some advantages
in the playoffs. They'll have to go play and win,
but certainly looks like they're going to be there again.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
You know, how would you characterize the AFC right now?
It feels relatively wide open, especially as we consider teams
like Baltimore's, the Kansas City Chiefs, I guess, maybe even Cincinnati.
In that conversation, the Chargers had a tough loss yesterday
and even Buffalo is playing for a wild card. It
seems like we have a lot of new blood there
at the top of the AFC right now.

Speaker 2 (03:29):
Yeah, And I think that's you know, for those of
us who've been doing this a while, like, you know,
nothing against Kansas City obviously, but you sort of, you know,
nothing wrong with some new blood, some new faces. You
get into the playoffs and you're learning about people and
you're watching new people, and you know, it's like the
Bills are great, and my guess is they're going to

(03:50):
be there right at the end. But this Patriots team
is pretty fun and pretty fun to watch, you know.
I think the Ravens are, you know, kind of the
team that's lurking right now. One last week didn't even
play great, but are you know, back to five hundred.
Lamar's healthy, and you know, they're a team to really
really keep an eye on. The Cults are another one.

(04:10):
You know, nobody came into the season talking about the Colts,
and I think they've showed that they do it the
right way. They have some great weapons, they played defense well,
and they run the heck out of the ball. That's enough,
you know. But I'm looking forward to seeing some new
teams and learning about some new teams as you get
deep into the season and the postseason.

Speaker 4 (04:32):
Here Ian, regarding the Chiefs five and five, I'm hearing
some people say the end of a dynasty. Patrick Mahomes
not having a great year. They didn't look that great
yesterday against the Broncos. I could see why people would
say that maybe the dynasty's over for this season. But

(04:52):
let's go look a little bit forward after the season.
Do you think they can rebuild that mojo that they
had with this group they have right now?

Speaker 2 (05:01):
Yeah. I'm not even ready to give up on the
season though, because as long as they have Patrick Mahomes,
they got a shot. I mean again, like, God forbid,
they get into the playoffs. Let's say they get into
the playoffs and they're the seventeen Who in the world
wants to face Who in the world wants to face
Patrick Mahomes? You know who in the world. So I

(05:22):
think that's you know, I am not ready to give
up on the dynasty, and it's you know, it's like
when when Joe Burrow said, and Owen said, you know,
how long is the Bengals playoff window open? He said,
as long as I'm playing. I would say this very
very same thing for Kansas City, no doubt, as long
as Mahomes is playing, the window is open.

Speaker 1 (05:40):
Have you heard anything on Jayden Daniel's potential availability on
the other side of this buy for Washington? I know
they lost yesterday. They're on a bit of a losing
streak right now. Does that impact at all the way
they would prepare to bring him back?

Speaker 2 (05:54):
It might? Yeah, you know, I just if he's going
to get back out there, you sort of let if
it was all worth it, you know. Now, he's gonna
want to play, just like Joe Burrow is gonna want
to play. All these guys want to play. They are
football players and know what they do. They play football.
So he's gonna want to get out there, and it'll
be interesting to see, you know, kind of what the

(06:15):
team does. Do they you know, protect him from himself
and if he's fully cleared, you know, shouldn't he be
able to say, like, I want to play. So I
think there's some big decisions coming my general sense was that,
you know, the Broncos game would maybe be a game

(06:36):
too early, but no one has ruled it out either,
so you know, we'll we'll see, and I think more
information coming later in the week because the plan was
to evaluate Jayden throughout the buy and that's kind of
where they're at now.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
Last one I have for you, Michael Pennix Junior going
on I are kind of another tough injury for him
over the course of his young career. The Falcons are
three and seven, and I obviously going to go Kirk Cousins. Now,
what do you think that this does for maybe their
future plans at quarterback, assuming that this season continues down
the trajectory that they missed the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (07:10):
Well, I would say this like there's some ACL damage
for Michael Pennix, and so if he ends up having
ACL reconstruction is probably right up against the start of
the year next year. At the very least, they're going
to have to bring in some protection for him, a
bridge starter, a really good backup, you know, someone like

(07:31):
Kirk Cousins, but hard to imagine it is Kirk counsin.
Aws he decides to take a very very very low
deal you know, or unless he you know, maybe plays
lights out the next month and everything has to be reconsidered,
so you know, they'll need sort of a backup plan.
But if you're asking, do I think that they've stopped
thinking Michael Penicks as a franchise quarterback, I don't. I

(07:53):
think the people who are there still invested in him,
people who made the pick. I think there's a lot
to like. He's just, you know, a quarterback without a
ton of NFL experience, who you know, unfortunate. It has
done some things, It made some throws, it makes At
various times it makes you think that he's the guy.
But then at other times you're kind of like, all right,

(08:13):
is he so I still plenty of answers to come
in Atlanta.

Speaker 1 (08:17):
Yeah, no doubt about it. Ian always appreciated me. A
we'll check in me next week.

Speaker 2 (08:21):
Okay, thanks guys, Thank you, er, thank you.

Speaker 1 (08:23):
Ian Rockaport Our NFL Network Inside