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January 19, 2024 • 13 mins
On this episode of "Broncos Now," Sydney Jones is joined by Broncos lead writer Aric DiLalla to discuss top offensive and defensive plays from the year, which position group shined 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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Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's a Broncos Country.

Speaker 2 (00:01):
Welcome back to the Broncos podcast network and YouTube for
the latest episode of Broncos Now. As always were, your
host is Sidney Jones, and coming up on today's episode,
Broncos lead writer.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
Eric Delala joins the show.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
We'll take a look back at the season as we
get our evaluation of the year, look ahead to the
off season, all that more coming out. Joining me here
in the Broncos Podcast studio for today's episode of Broncos
Now is a Broncos.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
Lead writer Eric Delala. Eric, thanks for joining me today.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
You got it said, first official week of the off
season in the books. Did you have time to debrief
relax a bit from the season.

Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yeah, I did. It's going to be a busy off season,
but nice to take a few days and relax and
kind of reflect on the season and then look ahead
to what's next.

Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah. Absolutely, Like you said, it will be a busy
off season, but not a lot going on right now
in the Broncos world.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
Eric, that's right.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (00:50):
Sean Payton, he talked about taking a little bit of
time off before starting the evaluation process of this roster,
just to make sure you get some good separation, and
you know, he shared the story of back in New Orleans,
when you would review a playoff team, you'd probably always
give him a little bit higher of a grade than
they deserved. And when you reviewed a losing team, a
team that didn't make the playoffs maybe would get a

(01:12):
little bit harsher of a grade. So putting some time
between those things is helpful from the grading process. But
they'll be back at it soon. With that process, senior
roles on the horizon, Coybine is closer than you would think,
and then before you know it, will be talking about
free agency in the draft.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
Eric, like you mentioned, coaching staff is thinking some time
to have a mental reset. But I figured, since we'll
be back doing those evaluations next week, I figured week
ago in doing a little evaluation of the rosters, so
I want to start first looking back at the season,
who do you think was the best offensive and defensive
player of the year?

Speaker 3 (01:48):
Yeah, I mean offensively, I think it's got to be
Corland Sutton. The ten touchdowns were impressive, a lot of
spectacular plays. You know, it didn't have the kind of
the yardage numbers that normally go with a touchdown total,
like that, but I do think just in terms of
his ability to show up in big moments, he was

(02:09):
that guy. And you know, we talked a lot before
the season about Sean Payton in his offenses, normally there's
one guy that kind of emerges as the go to target,
and Courtland became that guy. Russell Wilson obviously had a
lot of confidence in him and had a good rapport
with Courtland Sutton and just personally to see Courtland bounce

(02:29):
back from a tough couple of years and not performing
at the level he knew he was capable of, it
was really cool to see him have this season. He
did defensively, you know, I know, I know Pat one
team MVP and and he was tremendous. You know, I
was voted on by the Pro Football writers here, I

(02:50):
do want to maybe just to be a little different,
I'm gonna go with Jakwon McMillan just because I thought
for the time he was inserted into the lineup. He's
a little bit of a revelation there. At Nickel made
a lot of plays, had a knack for forcing the
ball out, and I think you could make the argument
that he was just the defensive MVP in terms of

(03:12):
how many plays he made, and Pat obviously shut a
lot of guys down and I think should have been
an All Pro. It was disappointing to not see him
get that recognition. But I think just the way that
Jmack made those plays was really impressive to me. And
I don't know that nationally he got enough credit for
what he did. I think locally people understood that for sure.

(03:35):
But he had a heck of a season and certainly was,
if not the most valuable guy in that defense, certainly
right up there.

Speaker 1 (03:44):
Yeah, I think so too.

Speaker 2 (03:45):
Yeah, when you said you weren't gonna pick Pat, Eric,
for a second there, I thought you were gonna say
Alex Singleton because he had a heck of a year too.

Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, he did kind of tackles, double digit tackles almost
every single game. He was everywhere. Yeah, he had a
heck of a year. Two he'd be a good choice as.

Speaker 1 (03:59):
Well for sure.

Speaker 2 (04:00):
All right, Well, Eric, moving past that, looking at the rookies,
who do you think had the best rookie season?

Speaker 3 (04:05):
Well, good question. Yeah, I do think it was Marvin,
and not just because he was the first pick and
made the Pro Bowl and all that. But again, I
think the game changing type plays, we're just really impressive.
And I know a lot of those came in the
Special Teams game, but that's an area of the Broncos

(04:27):
just haven't been very good, frankly in a long time.
I think, you know, Rick Goslin puts out his Special
Team's rankings. The Broncos were seventh this year. They led
the league and kickoff returns they were obviously really getting
a punt return game too, been since twenty fifteen that
they ranked in the top ten of that unit. And
the credit goes to a lot of people there in
Mike Westoff, Ben Kotwica, Chris Banjo, all the players. Obviously

(04:52):
for an Ike, he makes some good videos for the
Special Teams videos. But you know, I just think the
way that Marvin was able to provide a jolt and
be kind of that must watch guy every time he
caught the ball, you know, was he gonna score, was
he gonna get a big return that gave the Broncos
a chance. It just was electric. And then obviously made

(05:13):
some big plays in the passing game too, as a
catch that sets up a win against Chicago, as a
big catch against New England that gave the Broncos a chance.
Obviously got a touchdown game too, exactly touchdown in the
big catch against Washington. So I'm looking forward to see
what he does moving forward, you know, Julil. Obviously McLaughlin
is kind of the other pick there, just in terms

(05:35):
of the way he was able to come in and
make the roster as an undrafted rookie, earned such a
big role I think more than sixty all purpose yards
in four games, had a couple of touchdowns early, and
just impress the coaching staff enough that he continued to
earn more reps moving forward and a bigger role. So

(05:55):
he'll be another guy that as you enter twenty twenty four,
what's the vision look like for him him? Because I
think he's got a promising future too.

Speaker 1 (06:03):
I think so too.

Speaker 2 (06:04):
Eric.

Speaker 1 (06:04):
Kind of going off of that, I know Julil.

Speaker 2 (06:07):
Talked in the final couple weeks of the season just
about him going to head coach Sean Payton and asking
him for a bigger role in kind of getting more
involved in the passing game. Do you see that being
kind of his role moving forward into the next couple
of seasons.

Speaker 3 (06:18):
Yeah, you know, it's whenever Sean Payton brings up that
joker role. You kind of know he thinks highly of
a player. He talks about Greg Dolcic potentially fulfilling that
before the season. Obviously that didn't come to fruition unfortunately,
But yeah, I think the fact that he's he used
that term with Julia as a possibility that extends to

(06:41):
the passing game, the running game. Just a guy that
can do a little bit of everything. He has the
speed that compliments the broncos other backs really well, and
it just doesn't take the big hits. As Sean Payne
pointed out, he's tough for a guy his size, So
with a year in an NFL offseason NFL strength program,

(07:02):
it'll be interesting to see kind of how he develops.
But yeah, he's kind of like the Broncos almost like
a secret weapon at times, and I'd imagine they'd look
to get him involved more moving forward. But I think
the exciting part of every season is just you hope
to see those guys take the next step. But who
else is coming in to try to get that role

(07:24):
for themselves, So there's always a little bit of unknown.
But certainly Julio great story, great guy, you love easy
to root for and so hopefully that success continues for him.

Speaker 1 (07:34):
I have to see that too, all right.

Speaker 2 (07:36):
Well, our next grouping top offensive play and top defensive
play of the year. Oh man, I'm putting you on
the spot here. It's hard to think back.

Speaker 1 (07:46):
I know.

Speaker 3 (07:48):
It's maybe a little bit of a cop out, but
that that play in Buffalo that Courtland Sutton made is
the first one I think of. It's either that or
the you know, I know, the Courtland cat against La
got a lot of attraction. I think the one against
Minnesota on that drive, the one hander and then the
one in the end zone, both of those were impressive.
But just the Buffalo play for what it meant, just

(08:13):
in terms of it being fourth down, Russ getting away,
Courtland somehow finding a way to get his feet exactly,
somehow finding a way to make that catch in Buffalo,
a good football team as we're seeing, those were just
it was just a great play and I think kind

(08:33):
of when you think back on Courtland season, that stands
out as the defining moment. And I just think, because
in my mind he was the offensive player of the year,
to me, that has to be the top offensive play defensively,
you know, a lot of great plays. I mean, certainly

(08:55):
all the turnovers takeaways against the Chiefs stand out. You know,
there was some great defensive plays against the Chargers, and
obviously came up with some stops against Minnesota. But again,
I think the one that stands out to me is
the Coop and score as we've called it against Chicago.

(09:15):
It just kind of changed the season. And I know
ultimately it didn't go the Broncos way and they didn't
make the playoffs, but that felt like a moment where gosh,
Nick Bonito strip sacks justin fields on kind of that
that naked boot and kind of think Cooper is able
to pick it up and run for the touchdown. That

(09:36):
was a big moment. It spurred the comeback and the
defense kind of switched it in the gear there where
took another couple of weeks maybe to be perfect, but
from that point forward, the defense was a lot better,
started figuring things out and it was just such a
such a fun play, I believe, right the lone defensive

(09:57):
touchdown of the year. Yeah, so to me, that stands
out as a memorable moment from the year.

Speaker 2 (10:02):
I agree, those were the two onths I had right now. Yeah,
all right, Well, ask the kind of evaluation question of
the year for you, What do you think the top
position group was this year for the Broncos.

Speaker 3 (10:12):
Oh Man, that's a tough one, you know. I'll say this.
The offensive line has taken a lot of flak here
over recent years. It was a big priority coming into
this season. Added Mike McGlinchey, added Ben Powers, you got
Garrett Bowles back from injury, brought a new offensive line

(10:36):
coaches and Zach Streve and Austin King. The way they
were able to perform great and it wasn't always perfect,
and there were some tough games, but I think back
to how they handled Myles Garrett in a big win
over Cleveland at home. I think to how good they
were in the run game at times. A lot of
these kind of evaluation metrics and analytic put them in

(11:01):
the top ten for the year, and I just thought
as a group they had an identity. They took a
step forward. Again, it wasn't always perfect, but I thought
that they set the tone, especially when the Broncos were
running the football well and having success in that area.
I was impressed with the offensive line obviously, until you know,
before Mike mclinchy missed that last game. They got to

(11:23):
play every single game together, same starting lineup for the
first sixteen games. That was a huge deal. Yeah, And
you know, for a long time the offensive line was
kind of a concern and this year it wasn't necessarily
and it was a strength of this football team. We
know Sean Payton likes to build up front. That was
a clear priority in the offseason, and it for the
most part, came to fruition.

Speaker 1 (11:45):
I love that choice.

Speaker 2 (11:45):
It wasn't sure where you were gonna which you were
going to go there, but that was a good one. Eric,
you mentioned the Browns and then the Bills atle bit earlier.
I know the Browns were just eliminated from the playoffs,
but just like to point out there's still three teams
remaining the playoffs with the Broncos beat this season.

Speaker 3 (11:58):
Yeah, I think I saw stat from our friend Mike
Cliss said that no team has beaten more than three
of the remaining playoff teams, and the Broncos are among
that grouping, right, and beat the Packers, beat the Chiefs,
beat the Bills, So it shows you that the Broncos
can can beat these teams. I think there's some of

(12:20):
that of any given Sunday, any anybody can beat anybody,
But when you beat three of them, I think it
says something. Now, the next step is just the consistency
of you got to beat the teams that are your
kind of talent level. You got to beat the teams
that are not competitive and can't drop some of those games.
Obviously the Broncos lost games to the Commanders, to the Jets,

(12:43):
to the Patriots. I mean, you've got to eliminate some
of that and play at a consistent level. But you're right.
I think you look at this playoff field and you say, Okay,
the Broncos on their best day can beat these teams
that are standing here at the end. And you know,
do they have as much you know, like, are they
going to win fifteen games? I don't know. I mean

(13:04):
that's the goal, right to be able to do that.
But I think they're a well coached team that has
the talent and certainly has the ability to beat these
teams if they play well. And the fact that they
well to beat three of these teams says something.

Speaker 2 (13:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (13:19):
I agree.

Speaker 2 (13:19):
Well, like you said, it's going to be a busy
offseason to get to that point, Eric, appreciate you joining
the show today.

Speaker 3 (13:23):
You got it said.

Speaker 2 (13:24):
Well, that's going to do it for today's episode of
Broncos Now Broncos Country. Thanks so much for tuning in
reach you right back here on the Broncos Podcast Network
in YouTube.

Speaker 1 (13:31):
Next week for another episode. I will see you all
then
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