January 8, 2024 • 14 mins
On this episode of "Broncos Now," Sydney Jones recaps what players talked about in the locker room before they headed out for the offseason. Plus, Broncos lead writer Aric DiLalla joins the show to discuss his evaluation of the 2023 season, the team’s mentality heading into the offseason and more. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher or wherever you find your podcasts. Make sure to leave a rating and review.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's a Broncos Country. Welcome back to the Broncos podcast
(00:02):
network and YouTube for the latest episode of Broncos Now.
As always, I'm your hostess, Sidney Jones, and coming up
on today's episode, we went inside the locker room and
it spoke with the players for the final time of
this season. We'll hear from them as they reflected on
the year, and Broncos lead writer Eric Delala will join
the show to take a look at the teams of
mindset heading into the off season. All that more coming
out number Broncos finish the season within eight and nine record,
(00:30):
not the winning season they had hoped for, but their
best record since twenty sixteen. Following the loss in Las
Vegas to the Raiders on Sunday, head coach Sean Payton
told the team to remember how they were feeling in
cornerback patser Ten, inside linebacker Alex Singleton, and tackle Mike
McGlinchey all spoke on that feeling today.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Ozzity, Yesterday was an outcome we wanted. Ozzie wanted to
finish off with that winning record, But I think the
main thing is just understanding the guys we have in
the locker room and how can we build off.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
You know, guys were pissed off yesterday. I know a
lot of people, you know, however you look at it
want to say those games don't matter or whatever, but
you know it did matter, and guys, guys weren't happy
to you know, go out there and play that way
and just have the you know, it kind of accumulates
kind of just how you feel in the whole season,
and so to you know, take that in and yeah,
I think we'll be able to build off it. I think,
(01:19):
you know, this is the first time in my last
four years that I won't have a new head coach.
So it's it's just nice not to have, you know,
all that change, new position coaches, so to just kind
of be able to build something for the first time.
And I know it's the first time in a long time,
you know here it's able to build something and not
kind of have question marks all over the place. So,
you know, to be able to do that as a group.
You know the guys are going to be here. You know,
(01:40):
we're already a close team, so to you know, keep
those guys closer and whoever you know comes in because
you know, with the turnover, people are going to come
in and bring them in and grow the culture and
get going again.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
Hardships and struggle and the grind, you know, makes it
that much better when you do come out on top.
I know, my first year as a rookie went four
and twelve, didn't have a season that anybody wanted to have.
And then that following year, you know, we went to
the Super Bowl, and the feeling of that accomplishment and
(02:15):
overcoming you know, all the bs that goes with losing
and and getting to be becoming a winning franchise and
expecting to win each week, and that feeling and that
confidence that comes with that is truly one of the
best feelings in the world. And I can't wait till
till we can accomplish that.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Alex singletona wide receiver, Marvin Mims junior, and pastor Tana
also spoke about the philosophy and culture that head coach
Sean Pan instilled in the team this year.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
I've just seen a lot of confidence, you know, through
the adversity. He always stayed calm, you know, always trusted
us in the team. That's what I've seen from him,
and it showed, you know, his proven ability to keep
guys you know at a high level, playing at high
level was showed and you know, I mean next year
is going to be the biggest thing.
Speaker 5 (03:00):
I think is just really his culture, you know, the
way he wants things done, his way, the way he
I mean, just talking to the guys from the past,
they said it's been different. So just coming in and
you know, me, it's my first year, so just kind
of just going into the NFL life and getting adjusted
to it. And the guys that've been here have gotten
to get adjusted to it too.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
I would say something that's grown so much in this
locker room that I think continues to it and like
it surprises me every single day. It's just how many
guys get along outside of football. You know, there's twenty
thirty guys that go to dinner and hang out every
single week, and it is it's not you're not forced
to it. It's like true friendships in this locker room.
(03:36):
And I think that's what has kind of led us
to where we are right now. And I think, like
I said, it's just going to continue because we have
that family atmosphere in this locker room and guys that
want to win and sacrifice things to win.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
And so that's been the biggest thing is here.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Quarterback jared's Dinham also spoke to the media today inside
the locker room and reflected on the past two weeks
and evaluated his two starts.
Speaker 6 (03:58):
I felt like I definitely, you know, in those two weeks,
it's it's one thing to practice certain things, but once
you're out there playing and you know, making calls at
the line and and and doing certain things and getting
a feel for it, you know, and live action, felt
like I definitely grew and looking forward to.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Uh, you know, the spring, plus, Jared said, I'm and
Marvin Mims also went on to talk about how much
it will mean to be in the same offensive system
next year.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
Yeah, I mean it's it's huge, you know, be be
in a system you know now for a year. You know,
like some of us were talking, whenever we come back
in the spring, nothing's going to be new. You know,
it's all gonna be stuff that we've heard before, stuff
that we know how to do and why we're doing it. So,
you know, half the time that's that's the battle. So, uh,
it's good to kind of have that.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Under your belt.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Yeah, I think it'll be huge, you know, especially this
off season studying, just kind of knowing what the coaches want,
what they look for, all that different stuff, and then
when OTAs come, training camp comes, I mean all the
guys will pretty much be close to the same page
because we've been through it for a year. So I
think it will help tremendously.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
But certainly not, he says. The players that leave for
the offseason, Alex Singleton and Mike McGlinchey detailed their belief
in this team moving forward and how they can build
off of this season.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Now, like I said, I think a lot of it
early with new coaches and everything is just kind of
seeing what works, what doesn't work. You know, what players
you want here and there, and you know, so to
you know, have everybody, you know, coaches back and you know,
a lot of the key guys back it, Day one
of OTAs is going to be more smooth than we
were Week five during the season. So to you know,
have on at that point another four months before game one,
(05:31):
it's going to be huge for us. And you know,
I'm just excited to be able to start the season
that way instead of you know, just you know, learning
each other at that point.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Well, I think we took great strides to be honest,
of turning this thing around into believing that we can
win games and and you know, the great disappointment that
you feel after a season like this and games like
yesterday or New England or Detroit when you're in the hunt,
it doesn't come without that disappointment doesn't come without the
(05:58):
expectation of being great. And I think that expectation of
winning ball games and putting and believing that we can
do this is why it hurts so much. And you know,
I think the belief that this team has moving forward
to accomplish what we can, what we set out to
accomplish from you know, starting in April is an exciting opportunity.
I think we've grown a lot, We've we've improved a lot,
(06:21):
but the biggest stride is you've got to maintain that
consistency all the way through and offensively, certainly, we don't
feel as though we did enough this year, and that's
where we got to start moving forward in April.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Now, joining me here in the Broncos Podcast studio is
Broncos lead writer Eric Delalai. Eric, thanks for joining me.
Season has officially come to an end.
Speaker 7 (06:40):
It asks ad a disappointing result yesterday in Las Vegas,
but I still think some good things to move forward
from the season with and head into twenty twenty four
hopefully finding some better results and capitalizing and building on
the momentum that the Broncos found at times this season.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Yeah, absolutely, ericn It. You know, we went inside the
locker room today and heard from several guys. Weird from
them earlier in the show. It seems like everyone's pretty
optimistic cutting into the off season here.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (07:07):
I mean, at the end of the season is always tough,
right because you know the business of the NFL, the
locker room's ever going to be exactly the same as
it was the previous year. Some guys are going to
move on. But I do think there's this sense among
the guys that you've got to remember how it felt
these last few weeks. And I think too, remember how
it felt when you won five in a row and
the difference between those two stretches and what it takes
(07:32):
to win football games and put yourself in position to
get to the playoffs. And I think several guys talked
about that fine line. We heard Sean Payton say that
all year, the fine line between a groove and a rut.
And I think guys are motivated for the twenty twenty
four season, the off season that's coming up. I think
Jared Stidham said, you've got to have that burning desire
(07:54):
this offseason and fuel yourself, motivate yourself and come back
ready to work. I did, like Sean Payton said post game,
which is nobody said that this was going to be easy,
and it is going to require some work, and there's
going to be some stumbles, some difficulties, some roadblocks along
the way. But as Michael McGlinchey said said, that makes
it feel a whole lot sweeter if and when you
(08:16):
do get to kind of that ultimate goal.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Yeah. Absolutely. And Eric, you know, as we look back
at the season here, what progress do you really just
feel like the team made this year? Yeah?
Speaker 7 (08:25):
I do think it's a tougher, like more mentally tough team,
a team that found ways to win close games at times.
I do think even though you know the Broncos ended
with really four losses in their last six games here,
there was still I think progress made from that Packers
game forward and finishing the season seven and four. Moving
(08:49):
forward from that one in five start it felt like
a different group, a group that maybe grew up a
little bit, learned something about itself, found some of its heart.
As Mike mcglinchy said last week said, and you know,
you're not going to win every close game. I think
the Broncos were five and four and one score games
this year. But if you can improve that a little bit,
as Justin Simmons talked about on Sunday Night, that can
(09:11):
be the difference, right, if you're able to make that
six and three, you know, is that enough to turn
things in your favor. But I thought the Broncos, you know,
at times did what they were supposed to do and
took care of business against certain teams, and rode the
momentum during the win streak and found some guys, some
un heralded guys who can really play football. And you know,
(09:33):
you got to start all over and do it again
each season. It's its own identity and its own deal.
But it did feel, especially for a stretch there, like
a different team, a more mature team than we've seen
kind of the past several years.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Definitely, Yeah, Eric, you mentioned that kind of final stretch
of the season here, the last third of the season.
What do you think just changed for this team kind
of after that five game win streak.
Speaker 7 (09:55):
Well, I mean part of it was the turnovers, right,
I mean game Houston that really ended up being critical
to the Broncos season. I mean, I know that the
Broncos finished with eight wins, and so it's a little
silly to sit here and say, Okay, well, what if
they had ten wins? But even if you even if
the Broncos had beaten the Patriots and Raiders, they would
have still missed the postseason because of the way things
(10:16):
played out with Buffalo winning the AFC East, Pittsburgh ending
up with ten wins, So the Broncos unfortunately would not
have made it even if they finished ten and seven
and won those last three. Now, obviously I think you
feel a bit better if you're ten and seven and
barely miss out. But that Houston game, obviously, the turnovers
there were critical. In Detroit, that was just a good
(10:39):
Lions team that I think, at the end of a
three game road trip, posed a tough ask and was
maybe just too big an ask at that point. At
the end of a three game road trip New England,
again a tough game where turnovers made the difference, and
then yesterday said I just think, you know, early the
Roncas had some chances they weren't able to capitalize maybe,
(11:02):
and then things just got a little bit out of hand.
And Sean Payton mentioned upfront and you know, in the
you know, defensively, just it wasn't quite where he expected
it to be. But I think overall, it's just about
not beating yourself as you look at that stretch. And
even if you just won the turnover battle and two
of those against the Texans and Patriots, and maybe you
still lose that game in Detroit, that's a tough game,
(11:23):
and maybe against the Raiders you're still not you know,
maybe the Raiders just on that day win upfront, You're
gonna lose football games. I mean, it's the NFL. You're
not going to go undefeated. But if you are better
in the turnover margin, maybe you win a couple of
those other games, you're able to get wins there. So
I think that was the biggest change. And then you
know it just you've got to be able to have
(11:46):
more consistency, I think offensively and defensively on both sides
of the ball. Mike mcglinche talked about how offensively he
didn't feel like it was good enough. They've got to
keep getting better. And then defensively, when they didn't have
those turnovers, there was you know, maybe a little bit
of just too many big plays, and so Bronco's I
think this offseason have to get better in both those areas,
(12:06):
which obviously, right, you got to just get better. Yeah,
but when you didn't have those takeaways and the turnover
margin to kind of help things, it created some difficulties.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
I think sure.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Yeah, Eric, Another topic of conversation in the locker room
this morning was, you know, just Sean Payton's philosophy, his culture,
and I know last offseason we talked a lot about that,
how Sean was going to come in and change the
culture here. What do you think he just really instilled
in this team in the first year.
Speaker 7 (12:32):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's all about building a
foundation and and what's acceptable, what's the standard for this team?
And I think you know, you heard that from the
guys where yeah, they were happy that they took a
step forward and won three more games, and they won
in twenty twenty two, but it still wasn't enough and
it wasn't what they wanted or aspired to do this year.
And Michael Eglinchy was asked about, Oh, you've got all
(12:54):
this extra time off because you're used to going to
the playoffs or the super Bowl with San Francisco, and
he was like, I don't want to get used to that.
And so I think it takes that mentality that that
Sean Payton has definitely helped bring here himself, and then
with the players he's brought in. You've got to have
that again, that burning desire to get better and demand excellence.
(13:15):
And I think there's all sorts of small things in
terms of accountability and the intention of detail and those
sorts of things, but I think big picture, it's just
about having those those lofty goals and trying to meet them.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Eric, last one for you here. You know, as the
players head out for the off season, which just the approach,
what's the mentality here for the next few months, you know,
before they get back here for OTAs and the off
season program.
Speaker 7 (13:36):
Yeah, he'l up. You know, take some time and rest
if you're these guys or hear some guys talk about that,
and then get back to work. I mean, I know
that's the off season program that normally starts in April.
But if I think one of the things you learn
this year is that every moment matters, every day matters,
You've got to be ready to go. And so you know,
(13:57):
if you want to have twenty four be the year
where you turn things around and get back to the postseason,
the work's got to start. And so I'm sure these
guys away from the facility, the ones who are back,
will be working hard to get ready for the off
season program. I think there's some excitement just in terms
of about the familiarity that they'll have with them when
(14:18):
they come back. But you know, from a standpoint of
being ready to go, you got to put the work in.
And again, I think it goes back to Sean Payton
saying it's gonna take hard work. No one said this
was going to be easy. And you know, the twenty
twenty four season starts starts.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Now, starts now. Yep, Eric, appreciate you joining the show today.
Speaker 7 (14:36):
You got it, said that's going to do it.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
For today's episode of Broncos Now Broncos Country, Thanks so
much for tuning in. Let meet you right back here
on the Broncos Podcast Network in YouTube tomorrow for another episode.
I will see you all then
What's a Broncos Country. Welcome back to the Broncos podcast
(00:02):
network and YouTube for the latest episode of Broncos Now.
As always, I'm your hostess, Sidney Jones, and coming up
on today's episode, we went inside the locker room and
it spoke with the players for the final time of
this season. We'll hear from them as they reflected on
the year, and Broncos lead writer Eric Delala will join
the show to take a look at the teams of
mindset heading into the off season. All that more coming
out number Broncos finish the season within eight and nine record,
(00:30):
not the winning season they had hoped for, but their
best record since twenty sixteen. Following the loss in Las
Vegas to the Raiders on Sunday, head coach Sean Payton
told the team to remember how they were feeling in
cornerback patser Ten, inside linebacker Alex Singleton, and tackle Mike
McGlinchey all spoke on that feeling today.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Ozzity, Yesterday was an outcome we wanted. Ozzie wanted to
finish off with that winning record, But I think the
main thing is just understanding the guys we have in
the locker room and how can we build off.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
You know, guys were pissed off yesterday. I know a
lot of people, you know, however you look at it
want to say those games don't matter or whatever, but
you know it did matter, and guys, guys weren't happy
to you know, go out there and play that way
and just have the you know, it kind of accumulates
kind of just how you feel in the whole season,
and so to you know, take that in and yeah,
I think we'll be able to build off it. I think,
(01:19):
you know, this is the first time in my last
four years that I won't have a new head coach.
So it's it's just nice not to have, you know,
all that change, new position coaches, so to just kind
of be able to build something for the first time.
And I know it's the first time in a long time,
you know here it's able to build something and not
kind of have question marks all over the place. So,
you know, to be able to do that as a group.
You know the guys are going to be here. You know,
(01:40):
we're already a close team, so to you know, keep
those guys closer and whoever you know comes in because
you know, with the turnover, people are going to come
in and bring them in and grow the culture and
get going again.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
Hardships and struggle and the grind, you know, makes it
that much better when you do come out on top.
I know, my first year as a rookie went four
and twelve, didn't have a season that anybody wanted to have.
And then that following year, you know, we went to
the Super Bowl, and the feeling of that accomplishment and
(02:15):
overcoming you know, all the bs that goes with losing
and and getting to be becoming a winning franchise and
expecting to win each week, and that feeling and that
confidence that comes with that is truly one of the
best feelings in the world. And I can't wait till
till we can accomplish that.
Speaker 1 (02:32):
Alex singletona wide receiver, Marvin Mims junior, and pastor Tana
also spoke about the philosophy and culture that head coach
Sean Pan instilled in the team this year.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
I've just seen a lot of confidence, you know, through
the adversity. He always stayed calm, you know, always trusted
us in the team. That's what I've seen from him,
and it showed, you know, his proven ability to keep
guys you know at a high level, playing at high
level was showed and you know, I mean next year
is going to be the biggest thing.
Speaker 5 (03:00):
I think is just really his culture, you know, the
way he wants things done, his way, the way he
I mean, just talking to the guys from the past,
they said it's been different. So just coming in and
you know, me, it's my first year, so just kind
of just going into the NFL life and getting adjusted
to it. And the guys that've been here have gotten
to get adjusted to it too.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
I would say something that's grown so much in this
locker room that I think continues to it and like
it surprises me every single day. It's just how many
guys get along outside of football. You know, there's twenty
thirty guys that go to dinner and hang out every
single week, and it is it's not you're not forced
to it. It's like true friendships in this locker room.
(03:36):
And I think that's what has kind of led us
to where we are right now. And I think, like
I said, it's just going to continue because we have
that family atmosphere in this locker room and guys that
want to win and sacrifice things to win.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
And so that's been the biggest thing is here.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Quarterback jared's Dinham also spoke to the media today inside
the locker room and reflected on the past two weeks
and evaluated his two starts.
Speaker 6 (03:58):
I felt like I definitely, you know, in those two weeks,
it's it's one thing to practice certain things, but once
you're out there playing and you know, making calls at
the line and and and doing certain things and getting
a feel for it, you know, and live action, felt
like I definitely grew and looking forward to.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Uh, you know, the spring, plus, Jared said, I'm and
Marvin Mims also went on to talk about how much
it will mean to be in the same offensive system
next year.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
Yeah, I mean it's it's huge, you know, be be
in a system you know now for a year. You know,
like some of us were talking, whenever we come back
in the spring, nothing's going to be new. You know,
it's all gonna be stuff that we've heard before, stuff
that we know how to do and why we're doing it. So,
you know, half the time that's that's the battle. So, uh,
it's good to kind of have that.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Under your belt.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
Yeah, I think it'll be huge, you know, especially this
off season studying, just kind of knowing what the coaches want,
what they look for, all that different stuff, and then
when OTAs come, training camp comes, I mean all the
guys will pretty much be close to the same page
because we've been through it for a year. So I
think it will help tremendously.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
But certainly not, he says. The players that leave for
the offseason, Alex Singleton and Mike McGlinchey detailed their belief
in this team moving forward and how they can build
off of this season.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Now, like I said, I think a lot of it
early with new coaches and everything is just kind of
seeing what works, what doesn't work. You know, what players
you want here and there, and you know, so to
you know, have everybody, you know, coaches back and you know,
a lot of the key guys back it, Day one
of OTAs is going to be more smooth than we
were Week five during the season. So to you know,
have on at that point another four months before game one,
(05:31):
it's going to be huge for us. And you know,
I'm just excited to be able to start the season
that way instead of you know, just you know, learning
each other at that point.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Well, I think we took great strides to be honest,
of turning this thing around into believing that we can
win games and and you know, the great disappointment that
you feel after a season like this and games like
yesterday or New England or Detroit when you're in the hunt,
it doesn't come without that disappointment doesn't come without the
(05:58):
expectation of being great. And I think that expectation of
winning ball games and putting and believing that we can
do this is why it hurts so much. And you know,
I think the belief that this team has moving forward
to accomplish what we can, what we set out to
accomplish from you know, starting in April is an exciting opportunity.
I think we've grown a lot, We've we've improved a lot,
(06:21):
but the biggest stride is you've got to maintain that
consistency all the way through and offensively, certainly, we don't
feel as though we did enough this year, and that's
where we got to start moving forward in April.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Now, joining me here in the Broncos Podcast studio is
Broncos lead writer Eric Delalai. Eric, thanks for joining me.
Season has officially come to an end.
Speaker 7 (06:40):
It asks ad a disappointing result yesterday in Las Vegas,
but I still think some good things to move forward
from the season with and head into twenty twenty four
hopefully finding some better results and capitalizing and building on
the momentum that the Broncos found at times this season.
Speaker 1 (06:58):
Yeah, absolutely, ericn It. You know, we went inside the
locker room today and heard from several guys. Weird from
them earlier in the show. It seems like everyone's pretty
optimistic cutting into the off season here.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (07:07):
I mean, at the end of the season is always tough,
right because you know the business of the NFL, the
locker room's ever going to be exactly the same as
it was the previous year. Some guys are going to
move on. But I do think there's this sense among
the guys that you've got to remember how it felt
these last few weeks. And I think too, remember how
it felt when you won five in a row and
the difference between those two stretches and what it takes
(07:32):
to win football games and put yourself in position to
get to the playoffs. And I think several guys talked
about that fine line. We heard Sean Payton say that
all year, the fine line between a groove and a rut.
And I think guys are motivated for the twenty twenty
four season, the off season that's coming up. I think
Jared Stidham said, you've got to have that burning desire
(07:54):
this offseason and fuel yourself, motivate yourself and come back
ready to work. I did, like Sean Payton said post game,
which is nobody said that this was going to be easy,
and it is going to require some work, and there's
going to be some stumbles, some difficulties, some roadblocks along
the way. But as Michael McGlinchey said said, that makes
it feel a whole lot sweeter if and when you
(08:16):
do get to kind of that ultimate goal.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
Yeah. Absolutely. And Eric, you know, as we look back
at the season here, what progress do you really just
feel like the team made this year? Yeah?
Speaker 7 (08:25):
I do think it's a tougher, like more mentally tough team,
a team that found ways to win close games at times.
I do think even though you know the Broncos ended
with really four losses in their last six games here,
there was still I think progress made from that Packers
game forward and finishing the season seven and four. Moving
(08:49):
forward from that one in five start it felt like
a different group, a group that maybe grew up a
little bit, learned something about itself, found some of its heart.
As Mike mcglinchy said last week said, and you know,
you're not going to win every close game. I think
the Broncos were five and four and one score games
this year. But if you can improve that a little bit,
as Justin Simmons talked about on Sunday Night, that can
(09:11):
be the difference, right, if you're able to make that
six and three, you know, is that enough to turn
things in your favor. But I thought the Broncos, you know,
at times did what they were supposed to do and
took care of business against certain teams, and rode the
momentum during the win streak and found some guys, some
un heralded guys who can really play football. And you know,
(09:33):
you got to start all over and do it again
each season. It's its own identity and its own deal.
But it did feel, especially for a stretch there, like
a different team, a more mature team than we've seen
kind of the past several years.
Speaker 1 (09:46):
Definitely, Yeah, Eric, you mentioned that kind of final stretch
of the season here, the last third of the season.
What do you think just changed for this team kind
of after that five game win streak.
Speaker 7 (09:55):
Well, I mean part of it was the turnovers, right,
I mean game Houston that really ended up being critical
to the Broncos season. I mean, I know that the
Broncos finished with eight wins, and so it's a little
silly to sit here and say, Okay, well, what if
they had ten wins? But even if you even if
the Broncos had beaten the Patriots and Raiders, they would
have still missed the postseason because of the way things
(10:16):
played out with Buffalo winning the AFC East, Pittsburgh ending
up with ten wins, So the Broncos unfortunately would not
have made it even if they finished ten and seven
and won those last three. Now, obviously I think you
feel a bit better if you're ten and seven and
barely miss out. But that Houston game, obviously, the turnovers
there were critical. In Detroit, that was just a good
(10:39):
Lions team that I think, at the end of a
three game road trip, posed a tough ask and was
maybe just too big an ask at that point. At
the end of a three game road trip New England,
again a tough game where turnovers made the difference, and
then yesterday said I just think, you know, early the
Roncas had some chances they weren't able to capitalize maybe,
(11:02):
and then things just got a little bit out of hand.
And Sean Payton mentioned upfront and you know, in the
you know, defensively, just it wasn't quite where he expected
it to be. But I think overall, it's just about
not beating yourself as you look at that stretch. And
even if you just won the turnover battle and two
of those against the Texans and Patriots, and maybe you
still lose that game in Detroit, that's a tough game,
(11:23):
and maybe against the Raiders you're still not you know,
maybe the Raiders just on that day win upfront, You're
gonna lose football games. I mean, it's the NFL. You're
not going to go undefeated. But if you are better
in the turnover margin, maybe you win a couple of
those other games, you're able to get wins there. So
I think that was the biggest change. And then you
know it just you've got to be able to have
(11:46):
more consistency, I think offensively and defensively on both sides
of the ball. Mike mcglinche talked about how offensively he
didn't feel like it was good enough. They've got to
keep getting better. And then defensively, when they didn't have
those turnovers, there was you know, maybe a little bit
of just too many big plays, and so Bronco's I
think this offseason have to get better in both those areas,
(12:06):
which obviously, right, you got to just get better. Yeah,
but when you didn't have those takeaways and the turnover
margin to kind of help things, it created some difficulties.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
I think sure.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
Yeah, Eric, Another topic of conversation in the locker room
this morning was, you know, just Sean Payton's philosophy, his culture,
and I know last offseason we talked a lot about that,
how Sean was going to come in and change the
culture here. What do you think he just really instilled
in this team in the first year.
Speaker 7 (12:32):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's all about building a
foundation and and what's acceptable, what's the standard for this team?
And I think you know, you heard that from the
guys where yeah, they were happy that they took a
step forward and won three more games, and they won
in twenty twenty two, but it still wasn't enough and
it wasn't what they wanted or aspired to do this year.
And Michael Eglinchy was asked about, Oh, you've got all
(12:54):
this extra time off because you're used to going to
the playoffs or the super Bowl with San Francisco, and
he was like, I don't want to get used to that.
And so I think it takes that mentality that that
Sean Payton has definitely helped bring here himself, and then
with the players he's brought in. You've got to have
that again, that burning desire to get better and demand excellence.
(13:15):
And I think there's all sorts of small things in
terms of accountability and the intention of detail and those
sorts of things, but I think big picture, it's just
about having those those lofty goals and trying to meet them.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
Eric, last one for you here. You know, as the
players head out for the off season, which just the approach,
what's the mentality here for the next few months, you know,
before they get back here for OTAs and the off
season program.
Speaker 7 (13:36):
Yeah, he'l up. You know, take some time and rest
if you're these guys or hear some guys talk about that,
and then get back to work. I mean, I know
that's the off season program that normally starts in April.
But if I think one of the things you learn
this year is that every moment matters, every day matters,
You've got to be ready to go. And so you know,
(13:57):
if you want to have twenty four be the year
where you turn things around and get back to the postseason,
the work's got to start. And so I'm sure these
guys away from the facility, the ones who are back,
will be working hard to get ready for the off
season program. I think there's some excitement just in terms
of about the familiarity that they'll have with them when
(14:18):
they come back. But you know, from a standpoint of
being ready to go, you got to put the work in.
And again, I think it goes back to Sean Payton
saying it's gonna take hard work. No one said this
was going to be easy. And you know, the twenty
twenty four season starts starts.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
Now, starts now. Yep, Eric, appreciate you joining the show today.
Speaker 7 (14:36):
You got it, said that's going to do it.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
For today's episode of Broncos Now Broncos Country, Thanks so
much for tuning in. Let meet you right back here
on the Broncos Podcast Network in YouTube tomorrow for another episode.
I will see you all then
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