Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I've got about an hour left.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Get over right here and get registered to win Raiders
at Broncos tickets for this Sunday cortes See kaway. I
always love giving those tickets away, so look forward to
doing that here in about an hour.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Less than an hour now, Benjamin All RD.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Nick Ferguson here with you Monday night football action. You've
got the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks scoring office wells, the
Miami Dolphins, and the Tennessee Titans, and a snooze fest
over there in the game that mirrors, I guess in
a way the sort of low scoring nature of the
Broncos Jets, although you don't have much of the elements
in that would just bad quarterback play between Tyler Huntley
(00:37):
and Will Levis is out. Mason Rudolph is on in
relief of him. Hontley the first half seven of ten
for thirty five yards passing, not exactly an offensive juggernaut,
even with those speed receivers that the Miami.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Dolphins have love to see Han get a little more involved.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
My fantasy team would love to see him get more
involved too, But that's beside the point.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Nick.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
As we as we look back at last, there are
things to take away. There were concepts, there are offensive
concepts that are working.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
You hit on this a little bit in the last segment.
The question is execution on some of these things. We're
not seeing Greg Dulsich block at the way that he
should be blocking. We're not seeing skill position players block
at the way they should be blocking.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
On some of these things.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
We're not seeing, you know, the execution in the past game,
specifically vertically that we should be seeing at times.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Part of that is quarterback throw.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Part of that seems to be receiver quarterback not being
on the same page of times. As we move forward
and the Broncos have played an admittedly tough schedule in
the first quarter of the season, how can they tighten
that up?
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Well, it goes back to every single man judging themselves
really hard during the film sessions. What exactly didn't you
do and what were you coached to do during the week.
All of those things are really important and what the
Broncos are right now from a personnel standpoint, they are
(02:11):
not amongst the best in the league. They have a
lot of inexperience of young players and some betterment players
who are finally coming together for the first time, and
the biggest thing is focus on those fundamentals. Those fundamentals
are so key and so vital for having success.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Because even though.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
The Broncos have gone through the first well first four
weeks of the season and now they're at five hundred,
the question has to be, Okay, well, what's the highest
ceiling for this team and for me? As long as
the defense continues to play at a high level. They
(02:53):
have depth on the defensive side of the ball. They
have interchangeable edge rushers. You go from Jonah Ellis to
Nick Benito to Jonathan Cooper. Just watching the Broncos defense
perform yesterday, they were able to re establish a new
line of scrimmage.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Those things are so important.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
So if you're on the offensive side of the ball,
you have to say, for the first four weeks of
the season, the defense has been carrying you to a
certain extent. So the idea is that you want to
reward those guys for what it is that they do
when you go to practice, show that there's a commitment
and the focus and rededication on your technique. Because I'm
(03:36):
just going to go back to my time playing with
the Jets and playing for Mike Westah, you didn't want
to be that guy come film study day when they
turn on a film and that's.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
What are you doing here?
Speaker 4 (03:48):
No no, no, no, no, no, no no, because that's
how you get fired. So for me, it was more
of an emphasis. And you can call it walking on eggshos,
call it whatever you want to. I just knew that
our special teams group, we didn't want to.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Be the guy that let the team down. So for me,
if I'm.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Talking to the offensive players and I'm a member of
that team, I'm not ripping guys. I'm just telling you, man,
I need you on Sunday, but before we get the
Sunday bind, I need you during the week.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Whatever you gotta do, do it.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
If that means that you got to tell people, don't
come in town, you don't play.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Video game, whatever it is I need you to show that, maybe.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Tell Greg DLSI is only one layer of conditioner in
the hair. You need to spend more time out here
working on it.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
May be a case of we need more.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Conditions than six layers.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yes, whatever it takes.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
The blocking has been some far. As we look around,
is there anything that you think that this team needs
that they don't have in terms of personnel.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Well, I would say the usage from the tight end position.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
It's funny you mentioned that because I put something out
there today. There are people that have been asking me
about a Mariray Cooper. The Cleveland Browns are shopping a
Mariy Cooper. I don't I think that's what the Broncos
would be looking at. I think that's something more with
that Kansas City would be looking at at this point.
And I don't think they need another backside receiver. They
got plenty of those kind of guys. I think what
the Broncos need is something that is dynamic, that can
block at the tight end position. You talked about the usage.
(05:14):
You know, you've got Troutman, who's kind of an inline guy.
You got Kroll, who's you know, a developmental guy. You
got Dulsa. You has the athleticism, but it's just not there.
What's to stop the Denver Broncos from pursuing a trade
for a by low option, like for instance of Kyle
Pitts from Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Oh wow, that that is very interesting and very entice
it Now, that would mean as though you're going to
find a way to get that particular player Kyle Pitts.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
In your situation, your.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Scenario, the ball, you have to make a conservative effort
to get that person in the ball. Now that's not
to say that the Broncos can't do it. I think
donald' parum is still.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
He's more of a red zone at six eight whatever,
not really much of a blocker. But man, he looks
like he's on a pogo stick when he goes up
to get the ball.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Don't.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
I don't need him to block. Here's what I need
you to do. Can we open you up and flex
you out? Force it, force linewise, get the linebackers they
step outside of the box, right, and we're gonna throw
you a couple of those high passes so you can
high point it because you're a big body.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
God.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Yes, can we use that inside the red zone, yes,
but we can't use it out in the field.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
So what you do with that?
Speaker 4 (06:31):
If you start to get the tight end involved, Now,
guess what you do from an americal standpoint, you get
a favorable box, right, Because football is about mathematics, baby, right,
So running against maybe four is better than running against
five if you find a way to get guys outside
the box. And what and what Davonte showed you is
(06:53):
that if you stay committed to him and you get
him in the rhythm and you get him all lathered up,
he gonna come through for you.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Well, and I'm I'm here for that.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
I as I look at what we have, what we
don't have, the collection of tit ends by the partum
has even has he been active yet?
Speaker 1 (07:09):
I mean, it's just it's they haven't.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
What's see the thing? Here's the thing, Ben, No, he
hasn't been.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
So what are we doing?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Like we got him on the roster now because he chargers.
We need to get him, you know, get him in
the mix. The Greg Dosage situation, to me, has just
sort of run its course, Like we just have not
been able to find a way to get to take
advantage of the athleticism. And he's a liability in areas
that we do need him for. Right now, if they're
gonna run that pop screen game, you're wouldn't have to
have him out there blocking, and it just the effort
(07:36):
isn't there, let alone the technique.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
But if you know that dolzag is struggling with blocking,
or any player is struggling with any aspect of the game,
list not put him in that situation.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I'm with you on that. So I put him in
that situation.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
I'm with you on that.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
But they okay, So then stop calling those plays or
get Greg Dolsich off the field.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
In any event, Kyle.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Pitts is not really working out in Atlanta right now.
First of all, that offense is is eleven person. They
don't use the tight end that much anyway. He had
zero catches this past week. Second of all, he's coming
back off that the knee injury. Still hasn't quite been
the same guy, and I think the welcome has sort
of worn out there in Atlanta. It's one of those
guys was drafted top five. I mean he was drafted
right after uh uh, Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lanson.
(08:16):
Then it was he was the first skill position player
taken in that draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Uh as
you as you as you look at this. To me,
I look at Kyle Pitts and I'm like, you know,
I saw what Sean Payton did for Jimmy Graham down
there in New Orleans, and I want that for me.
So it's the popular meme where the guy's praying you know,
dear Lord, I've seen you give him the front, and
I want that for me.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
I want it for me.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
And I started thinking about Talladega Knights and Will Ferrell's
you know, the sweet Baby Jesus State pounds two ounces
of lying there in the Major and I'm I'm giving
it at the end the old I want to Kyle
Pitts thing to happen for me and I from what
I understand, Atlanta is not openly telling people they're shopping
Kyle Pitts, but I have heard from reliable sources that
there have been, you know, a lot of teams making
(09:01):
by low phone calls.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Over there, and I would not exclude Denver from that list.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Well, look, I.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Mean having a player like Kyle Pits and I'm going
back to Kyle Pitts the way that he performs these
at Florida, right right, that would be great. But I
think what the Broncos need from their tight end position,
they can get it. Like, all you need, Ben is
about maybe eight targets thrown at your tight ends per game.
(09:32):
And they say you throw eight targets, they catch five
of those.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
That's good enough.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, well you've got okay, fair, But right now, you've
got Barham and Crowler don't get on the field, troutman
who can't get open, and Greg Dolcic who just catches nothing.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Okay, well, Ben, this is the way that I would
handle with the current situation with the Broncos having with
their tight end position.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
The game is all about production, right.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
I think Lucas Crowl didn't play because maybe he was
injured or it was a healthy scratch, whatever it was.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
He was talking about as being the greatest Bronco player ever,
and it's the pride was just right.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
So the idea is that you're not getting adequate production
from your tight end position, something has to give. We
now have to take someone and demote them off the
active roster and promote someone. And the reason I'm saying
is because playing for Bill Parcells, That's how it was
with the New York Jets, right, If we need to
move someone down, he didn't really care because the only
(10:25):
thing he mattered to him was a level of production
that he was getting on Sunday, because that's the only
thing that we can account for statistically on the box score.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Right at the end of the day, you do have
to produce it. You're not gonna be there because what
are we doing carrying dead?
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Wait, that's right, So all it takes all it takes
for a coach to make a move like that to
get everyone's attention.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Now everyone's paying attention.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
Now they know that if I don't perform on a
consistent basis, that could be me standing on the sideline
watching and spectator. And once you become a spectator, they
say football is expectator sport. Once you become a spectator,
sometimes it is. It's hard to get from that backseat
to the passenger.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
And you're more likely to go from the sideline to
the stands than you are to go from the sideline
to the you know, it's out into the field at
that point, and that's excuse me, that's that's that's part
of the part of the thing.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
And the Broncos have another issue to Tyler babyday.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Excuse me, it's going to be out for a little bit,
certainly with that back and kidney issue suffered in that game.
Who's gonna be the third Broncos running back? You know,
his estimate ready to go? Can you bring him back?
Because if not, you've got Jamonte, and you got Jalil
and and It's fine to rotate those two guys in
a game. I'm here for that and just give them
the majority of the carriers. But you need a body
back there because the running back is a very easy
(11:36):
to injure position.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Well, one thing you can do, you can check the
wave of wire and look to bring someone in and
put someone on the practice squad. But that means if
you're putting someone on the practice squad, then you're taking
someone off the practice squad. But you have to make
sure going into Sunday, if but they cannot go, you
have to go in with at least three backs, right,
because we know the Broncos have established that they want
(12:00):
to run the ball, and they show last week that
they can run the ball and they need to run it,
that's right. So the commitment must stay there. You can't
go back, No, no, no, you can't go back after
you show that this is the standard, this is the
football that's right, So you cannot go back. So having
an extra back in plays a role. Now what you
can do if you are Sean Paige, you can be
(12:21):
a little more creative with your offensive scheme where you
can take the pressure off your running back position by
maybe throwing the ball a little more on the more
short dump passes.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And the first thing that comes to mind, I think.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
About Sean McVay when Gerald Evert was running tight end
little screen delays and just kind of blocking one thousand,
two hundred thousand, just falling off into the coverage. You
can do that as a way of taking the pressure
off of the running backs in key situations. So that's
always an option, but you have to have forward thinking
(12:55):
to want to implement that.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
But the Broncos can't go in the Sunday game with just.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
You want to be No, you can't. That's just not
that's just not smart football. Although they're gonna have to
figure that out. I'm hoping Estimate will be back because honestly,
I think a rotation with the three back those three
backs is good. You can use Estimate in those early
downs that they've been using Jamante on you know, just
run it into the wall. Estimate can be that guy
and then use Javonte in a role that suits him better,
or he is back there.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
In pass protection, can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Oh, by the ways, available for the handoff on the
read or you know, inside zone, whatever it is. That
you're that you're running there and then you'll sprinkle a
few carries that Juli only kind of get that explosive play.
We saw what he's able to do in the open
field against Tampa there running that touchdown to stop start
for the for the touchdown there.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
So I think there is.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Something too, uh the way that they can work out
this distribution of rotation. But as I look at this team,
I'm like, is there anything that we can add because
we're two and two right now.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
The season is.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Far from over.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Even if you didn't like the way the Broncos won,
you just want two games in a roll on the
roade like it's two pretty good football teams.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Well, I mean if you want to add something, Ben,
I mean, you look inside your own house, furs and
it's can consistency. You just need more consistency from the
offensive group as a whole. On run plays, you want
your wide receivers to show a commitment to block, and
then when it comes to passing plays, run precision routes.
(14:15):
And we saw something in the Tampa Bay game that
we hadn't seen, especially with Court and Sun throwing the
back show the faith. I mean, you're doing anything to
kind of establish a rhythm. And what what I'm seeing
here is similar to what we saw last year when
Courtland became Russell's number one target. He is quickly becoming
a reliable, consistent player for bow Knicks where Bo is
(14:38):
in trouble, bow needs to play. Guess where he's going.
He's going back to old reliable because look at what
Corland Sutton's gonna do.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
He's gonna reward you. Hell, he cut your first touchdown.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
There you go and save the ball and brought it
right to you. He had you in mind. I'm just
saying that you don't have to go. Little Jordan doesn't
have to be the security blanket anymore. Courtland Sutton can be.
We're lying fro their sporty pickle bar and growl about
a half mile northeast for seventy here on Piorry got
a half hour to get qualified for Raiders Broncos tickets, myself,
Nick Ferguson here Broncos Country Tonight. We got Tim Jenkins,
got on top of the hour. We'll be back with
you right for this. Welcome back to it, Broncos Country Tonight.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Benjamin all Right.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Nick Ferguson Live from the sporty pickle bar and grill
about half mile north I mean four seventy on Peori.
I got about about ten to fifteen minutes left to
get in here and register for raiders at Broncos tickets.
Give it a pair of those away here at the
top of the hour. Also have Tim Jenkins join us
top of the hour as well. Nick, We've been going
(15:57):
back and forth over with the Broncos. You know, maybe
need what they can do going forward, but let's talk
now about what they did.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Well in this game.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
You know, obviously, I think everybody knows the commitment to
the run game yielded results in the second half. To me,
the thing that stands out that it just isn't talked
about enough. And we've been over quite a few times
on this show, but just in terms of even the
local market, everybody.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Wants to talk about the quarterback. We all getting explained
to death.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
But the defense is carrying this football team and it's
been carrying this football He was carrying them even in
Week one when it got two safeties and then another
i think another interception that set up up for a
field goal, and then you had special teams set them
up for a field goal.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
The defense is carrying.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
This football team. It might be the best defense in
the NFL right now. Vance Joseph is doing wonders. I mean,
it's the narrative from where this defense was post Miami
debacle last year to where this defense is now is incredible.
But the thing about it, Vance is going to get
some head coaching interviews this offseason. He's got previous experience
(17:00):
as a head coach. He's turned around defenses both in
Arizona and here. He's a guy that as well is
very highly thought of around the league for his eye
for personnel. You know, I get the jokes about the
great week of practice and all that kind of stuff
that we've seen, but that was a guy whose first
try as a head coach and really didn't have the
autonomy to be a head coach the way he wanted to.
(17:21):
Is a lot of his staff was dictated to him,
a lot of decisions were dictated to him. In that scenario,
He's going to be different in his second iteration. The
thing that I think Broncos fan should should be wary
of with that, or at least getn't considering that as
one losing a good defensive coordinator. Though Jim Leonard would
probably be the next man up there. Two the Denver
Broncos would receive two third round compensatory picks. Advance Joseph
(17:43):
is hired as a head coach somewhere, So shouldn't people
be rooting for Vance Joseph to get hired as a
head coach somewhere.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Absolutely, because Advance is being hired by someone else.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
That means that the.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
Defense this year continue to exceeds. And the one thing
that makes it when we look at this defense as
a whole, they don't get the recognition that they deserve
because everyone's constantly talking about the offensive side of the ball,
what they did, what they didn't do, what they should do.
(18:17):
But it's time to just talk about what they are
doing well and that is on the defensive side of
the ball. And when you look at how and where
you're getting contributions. When you look at this defense, it's
not a lot of guys who were former first round
draft choices. There were not a lot of guys who
were second to third round draft choices. But they're able
(18:38):
to squeeze the juice out of the players and get
the most out of them. So for me, I'm gonna
give first and foremost advanced Joseph a lot of credit
for pushing all the negative things that have been said
about him as a play caller, but as a former
coach by certain people in the media. In this particular, Mone,
(19:00):
the second thing I want to do is give validation
to the players for going out there and executing and
making sure that they know what they're doing on a
weekend and week out. Basis the other guy that I
definitely want to make sure that I give validations too,
and he desperately needs his flowers too, because this guy's
been criticized as well. It is George Payton the GM,
(19:24):
because the GM helped go out and get the collection
of players that we are now able to see here
with the Denver Broncos, and those guys are playing well.
And what we've seen from George Baden thus far, there's
a lot of guys that he has drafted that over
his tenure have had a lot of productive time and
(19:46):
that's not talked about as often, but this defense is
definitely playing at a high level and watching these guys
not only challenge all the teams that they're playing, but
it's still now when you know you have a good defense,
guys are challenging other guys along the defense. It was
the same thing when I played here, Jay Bly, Al Wilson,
(20:10):
Champ Bailey, Darren Williams, John Lynch. The whole thing was
that you didn't want them to make all the plays.
You want to make some plays yourself, right, But that
makes a better defense. And watching bothe Vance and Jim
Leonard kind of coach these guys that has been a
thing of beautity.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Watch certainly has.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
And as we look at this, it's not just been
though the coaching, it's you look at this defense. They're
doing it with one first round draft pick on the
defense and Pats are Tan. The rest of these guys,
there are six guys on there that are Day three
or undrafted guys that are starting right now on this defense.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
If you include stre Not as well, who's now started.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
You're talking about a great scouting job to put this
thing together. Vance bringing along Zach Allen, George Payton, going
out and drafting guys like John Cooper in the seventh rout,
getting undrafted guys like Jay Kwan McMillan.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Having this Stones to sit there and take Patzer tan when.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Everybody and their mother was telling you you needed to
draft Justin Fields right, and and and just saying no,
we're getting the you know, we're getting a generational football
player and passing on the chance at the quarterback. You
look at around at this defense, making the trade for
a guy like John Franklin Myers, moving DJ Jones from
who's probably at his best somewhere between a three and
a one tech moving him to a zero basically in
(21:23):
this defense, and him being willing to do that, the
inside backers going out and get Cody Barton on the
free agent market. You look at the excuse me, You
look at the corner position, drafting Riley Moss, who, by
the way, I think has been a bit of a
revelation of there taking a few penalties some of the
which I think we're a bit tickie tag, but he's
been a revelation when there's nowhere else to go with
the ball because Jaquan and Pats are ten are so good,
(21:44):
teams are avoiding them. You look at the safety position, Uh,
you let Justin Simmons go, which you know the entire
fan base is a popleptic, myself included. You bring in
Brandon Jones, and Jones has been another guy who's been
a revelation. I mean, the guy's contributed a turnover in
three out of four games.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
Yeah, it's kind of and it's kind of one of
those things where you look at it and you look
at turnovers. Turnovers become a part of who you are,
and it's kind of a natural course of things. And
this defense is getting to a point where, just like
the no flies on, no matter what's happening during games,
(22:19):
they feel as though there is a play out there,
someone's gonna make that play. And I put a little
video up of the past interference call on Raleigh Moss
and immediately Chris Harris jumped all on it and we
had a conversation about it because it's like there's something
that we both see in Raleigh Moss. Raleigh was drafted
(22:42):
by the Broncos, maybe in the third round.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
But I told Chris, I said, look, if I didn't know.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
Any better, I would think that Raleigh Mass was an
undrafted player like both Chris and I. And the reason
I say that because when you are undrafted, you know
the world and the league is stacked against you. Every
time you go out there, you feel as though you
have something to prove and with Riley knowing as though
you are playing opposite PS two, you're going to get
(23:08):
every team's challenge every single game.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
That's why I'm okay with the PIS.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
I'm okay with that because it's the subtle coaching point
that I would tell Riley, and it's just trying to
get your head back. But don't let that take your
aggressiveness away from you.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Keep playing. Players are gonna turn around. But once you start.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
To get in on yourself from a mental standpoint and
you get upset about the calls, things start going down.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
But I'm liking what I'm saying from the defense thus far.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Oh grit, no quick, gotta play, You gotta play.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
You gotta play your game.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
And I think Riley Moss, you know, does that there
are things to iron out, certainly, but I think he's
acquitted himself well as being the other starter opposite a
slot and a and a generational other corner in you know,
in Pats or ten. Stepping into the the Broncos secondary
has got to be daunting in and of itself. What
a legacy, you know, you look back at the players
that they've had over the years. You go back to
the Atwater Dinnis Smith's stuff. So you go back further
(24:00):
than that. You can bring that all the way up
to the Kenoi Kennedy's, to the John Lynch's and Champ Bailey's,
the Nick Ferguson's right there at the top of that pyramid.
But I think that there's and then no flies home,
you know, even after they like, there's so much legacy
there with with with the Broncos secondary that's stepping into that.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
It's gotta be daunting in and of itself.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
And listen, Nicks s A for one play white white
guy corner, white guy corner. I know how you can
get embarrassed out there. Yes, okay, I know from experience
how you can get embarrassed out there. As for my one,
my lengthy career as a white guy corner where I
was steamrolled on the way to do an.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Absolutely effort free eighty yard touchdown.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
I look, I think there's gotta be You mentioned that
he plays like an undrafted guy, that he's got that chip.
I wonder if some of that contributes to because there
are doubters to that, whether there shouldn't be as a
matter of a green, purple, white, black, whatever you can
throw the ball. If you can catch the ball, you
defend the ball, you can play get out there.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
We're seeing it.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
With the quarterback now the VIC documentary coming out, you know,
but the black cornerback and all that kind of stuff.
If you got to spain the talent to play corners,
a white guy could get out there and play corners
a white But the idea.
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Is that it seems to be very when when you
look at football as a whole, especial on the professional level,
you don't.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
See that many guys like a Rileigh Moss out there.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
Because when I was growing up, there was Scott Case
who was playing for the Atlanta Falcons and Jerry Glanville,
and he was moved to safety when Dion Sanders was
drafted out of Florida State.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Right and then.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
But I think in that one case, you're definitely moving
if gets drafted.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
I don't Carroll, You're probably moving to safety.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
Come on, you know what, there's a there's a story
about it, and I'll tell you really quickly. When I
was coaching in the CFL, Jerry Glanville came as a
kind of a volunteer coach, and he man he told
a lot of stories about Nick Saban or whatever. I
get into that with you off air. That was very interesting.
But he did tell the story about before Dion was drafted.
(25:54):
He said he went to Skoty Case and he told him, look,
I know you've been playing corner, but there's this corner
of this kid out Florida State. He is awesome, and
what we're looking to draft him now. He was saying
that he didn't have to tell Scott Kase, He wasn't
obligated to tell him, but he did it out of
pure respect and just let him know, if Dion's available,
(26:15):
we're taking him. You're moving to safety. And Scott Case
was so against it. I mean he protested, he protests it.
Dion came in and I'll tell you this, that was
the first time Scott Case made the Pro Bowl moving
the safety. He made the pro Bo moving the safety.
So the rest, as they say, it's history. And then
you know when I came when I was a young player,
(26:35):
Keimen in the league, Jason sew Seahorn was coming out
of USC He was another one of those guys and
just to look at the guy and say, well, he
can't play this particular position because it's a highly skilled
position that Dion Dalrel Green and so many others have played,
and Riley doesn't look the part.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
That doesn't necessarily mean that he can't play.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
Being there watching him every day in practice, being a
part during the Sky internship with the Broncos, I saw
certain levels to his game and he was one of
those players. If you beat him one time, you're not
gonna beat him on the same thing. He's gonna go back,
he's gonna watch and he's gonna remember it, and he's
gonna be in a better position. That's the one thing
I love about every player, but I love what I'm
(27:15):
seeing from ronniey Moss from that particular standpoint.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Yeah, I think he's, like I said, I think he's
a quitted himself.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
Well.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
I got somebody on Twitter the other day said he's
you know, he didn't care for him, and I'm like,
I don't know what's not to like. I mean, I
thought he's played himself really well. He's got a couple
of you know, a couple of p I calls that
you're like, okay, but but you're gonna but you're gonna
get flag for those because your opposite certain they're gonna
flag you because you're the other guy, and that's that's
sort of what happens there. So I yeah, I think
the other thing that the one that surprised me Cody
Barton stepping into the green dot.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
You know, Cody is a guy you go back and
watch the tape he was miscast and a fourth three
they had him playing the mic at a forty three
and he's just not athletic enough to.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Be doing that.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
But you watch him on the inside there at a
thirty four, like what he's doing now, it's perfect for him.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
It's one of those situations where.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
You get a guy like Josie Jewel and if you
put him in a forty three at a mic, you're you
got a liability out there. Put him inside on the
three four and the instincts are gonna take over. He's
he's got the ability to do most of the stuff
that you need to do. He's not gonna able to
take on the most athletic tight ends, but beyond that
he can do he can do most of what you do.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
But this's the thing that makes you know what the
broncos on on the Vans Rose so impressive because when
you look at a guy you bring a guy in
no matter what you draft him or is a free
agent guy, you have a list of what he can
and can't do from an evaluates the standpoint, right, So
you say, okay, well let's not put him in this
situation where he's trying to run down the middle to feel.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
The third But that's you know, and yeah, but you
know he's instinctive.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Play.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Dan Hill played with it himself, showcased us some stuff
and it made it look even better. When you get
a guy like Justin sternat out there who comes in
and sacks Aaron Rodgers on the first play, love it?
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Well, you know what?
Speaker 4 (28:47):
Okay, So if you go back and watch that particular play,
have you seen the angle looking at it?
Speaker 1 (28:52):
At Stronaut's face coming in.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
No, I haven't seen that.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
His eyes light up.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
You could see the moment he was like, I'm about
to sack Aaron Rodgers, Like you could say, eyes start
to get big. You can see it if you watch it.
There's an angle, and I promise you watch. You can
see when he starts coming.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Through and he's all of a sudden, he's like cutting
through the hole and you can see his eyes.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
He's like, I'm gonna get a sack, like it justis.
You can see it register on his face.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
And the great thing about that particular play is that
neither Cody or Justin gave the blitz up because you
get a little antsy, right, and like you said, play
nerves you ready to Yeah, yeah, I mean if you're not,
hasn't really play while and this is a big moment
for him, and you want to make sure that you
get your get a sack, right, You actually get a
sack on the play. But they did a great job
(29:36):
staying at depth allowing the play to develop because it's
like the Broncos pitched down on the A gaps and
then the B gaps open up because the outside andrew rushers.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Rushed wide to create that lane.
Speaker 4 (29:49):
And I'm sure both Cody Bard and Justice Schernard was like,
there's no way we're both gonna get there. At the
same time. He came a contest of who's gonna get
there first.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Yeah, it's it's a meat at the quarterback part and
uh and and Sternad got.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Uh yeah, you know got the early invite.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
Yes, he shut up early. Uh.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
It was it was fun watching straight up because Stnat's
a guy who's just languished on the Broncos that labored
and tried to get this scratch and claw to get
that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
And uh, they bring in other guys.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
They've had guys, Pat Jonas Griffin, you know, whatever it was,
he just has not gotten there.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
He was injury, other people, whatever.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
And he finally gets his chance and dude bawled out
in that game.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
And once again, this is how things come to fruition
in the NFL. It doesn't matter how you get there.
It's about what you do when you get there. You
don't know when your moment is going to come. Just
like for Alex Singleton, I mean, he was viewed as
just being a special team ace, a reserve linebacker, a
guy that teams didn't really think that he could start.
(30:47):
But he came here, he played well with a tackle
of machine and look what happened to him.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
Yeah, Stranaud has an opportunity. He has an opportunity.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
If it's not with the Denver Broncos, he has an
opportunity to elevate his value somewhere else. But out tell
you what, it was a good thing that those two
linebackers actually got to Aaron Rodgers when he did. The
reason I say that, you go there was three double
moves on the outside on the right side of Lassault
at the top of the field with Garrett Wilson, but
(31:16):
also at the tight end position because there was a
little confusion if you go back and look with the
defenders figuring out who's going to cover who. There was
no one in the middle of the field right and
the tight end ran someone out and up on PJ.
Lock and it was open. But the problem was Aaron
could find it. He did have time to find it.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Yeah, I thought, you know, I thought again, the defact
could go on and on.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
John Franklin Myers had a great day.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Zach Allen, It's so funny to me Pro football focuses
got him rated so low when he's playing so well.
You look at the the Pro football focused grades on
Zach Allen or low.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
And I'm looking at this and I'm like, well, well,
the reason why here's probably their justification because he's not
getting a lot of sacks, but they need to start
counting the pressure.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
Yeah, he's creating for the other kings.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
Creating that that that's kind of a hidden stat that
I would love to see in the stat books. But
I'm sure when teams look through signed players, they're not
gonna look at the pressure that you created.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
They're gonna look at the sacks that you were able
to actually make.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Well, we're gonna find out what Tim Jenkins thinks about
Bodex on the quarterback side of things when we come back.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
It is Roccos Country Dyck right here on kaawe
I've got about an hour left.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Get over right here and get registered to win Raiders
at Broncos tickets for this Sunday cortes See kaway. I
always love giving those tickets away, so look forward to
doing that here in about an hour.
Speaker 1 (00:13):
Less than an hour now, Benjamin All RD.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Nick Ferguson here with you Monday night football action. You've
got the Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks scoring office wells, the
Miami Dolphins, and the Tennessee Titans, and a snooze fest
over there in the game that mirrors, I guess in
a way the sort of low scoring nature of the
Broncos Jets, although you don't have much of the elements
in that would just bad quarterback play between Tyler Huntley
(00:37):
and Will Levis is out. Mason Rudolph is on in
relief of him. Hontley the first half seven of ten
for thirty five yards passing, not exactly an offensive juggernaut,
even with those speed receivers that the Miami.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Dolphins have love to see Han get a little more involved.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
My fantasy team would love to see him get more
involved too, But that's beside the point.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Nick.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
As we as we look back at last, there are
things to take away. There were concepts, there are offensive
concepts that are working.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
You hit on this a little bit in the last segment.
The question is execution on some of these things. We're
not seeing Greg Dulsich block at the way that he
should be blocking. We're not seeing skill position players block
at the way they should be blocking.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
On some of these things.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
We're not seeing, you know, the execution in the past game,
specifically vertically that we should be seeing at times.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
Part of that is quarterback throw.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Part of that seems to be receiver quarterback not being
on the same page of times. As we move forward
and the Broncos have played an admittedly tough schedule in
the first quarter of the season, how can they tighten
that up?
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Well, it goes back to every single man judging themselves
really hard during the film sessions. What exactly didn't you
do and what were you coached to do during the week.
All of those things are really important and what the
Broncos are right now from a personnel standpoint, they are
(02:11):
not amongst the best in the league. They have a
lot of inexperience of young players and some betterment players
who are finally coming together for the first time, and
the biggest thing is focus on those fundamentals. Those fundamentals
are so key and so vital for having success.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Because even though.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
The Broncos have gone through the first well first four
weeks of the season and now they're at five hundred,
the question has to be, Okay, well, what's the highest
ceiling for this team and for me? As long as
the defense continues to play at a high level. They
(02:53):
have depth on the defensive side of the ball. They
have interchangeable edge rushers. You go from Jonah Ellis to
Nick Benito to Jonathan Cooper. Just watching the Broncos defense
perform yesterday, they were able to re establish a new
line of scrimmage.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Those things are so important.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
So if you're on the offensive side of the ball,
you have to say, for the first four weeks of
the season, the defense has been carrying you to a
certain extent. So the idea is that you want to
reward those guys for what it is that they do
when you go to practice, show that there's a commitment
and the focus and rededication on your technique. Because I'm
(03:36):
just going to go back to my time playing with
the Jets and playing for Mike Westah, you didn't want
to be that guy come film study day when they
turn on a film and that's.
Speaker 1 (03:47):
What are you doing here?
Speaker 4 (03:48):
No no, no, no, no, no, no no, because that's
how you get fired. So for me, it was more
of an emphasis. And you can call it walking on eggshos,
call it whatever you want to. I just knew that
our special teams group, we didn't want to.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Be the guy that let the team down. So for me,
if I'm.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
Talking to the offensive players and I'm a member of
that team, I'm not ripping guys. I'm just telling you, man,
I need you on Sunday, but before we get the
Sunday bind, I need you during the week.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
Whatever you gotta do, do it.
Speaker 4 (04:21):
If that means that you got to tell people, don't
come in town, you don't play.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Video game, whatever it is I need you to show that, maybe.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Tell Greg DLSI is only one layer of conditioner in
the hair. You need to spend more time out here
working on it.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
May be a case of we need more.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Conditions than six layers.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yes, whatever it takes.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
The blocking has been some far. As we look around,
is there anything that you think that this team needs
that they don't have in terms of personnel.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
Well, I would say the usage from the tight end position.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
It's funny you mentioned that because I put something out
there today. There are people that have been asking me
about a Mariray Cooper. The Cleveland Browns are shopping a
Mariy Cooper. I don't I think that's what the Broncos
would be looking at. I think that's something more with
that Kansas City would be looking at at this point.
And I don't think they need another backside receiver. They
got plenty of those kind of guys. I think what
the Broncos need is something that is dynamic, that can
block at the tight end position. You talked about the usage.
(05:14):
You know, you've got Troutman, who's kind of an inline guy.
You got Kroll, who's you know, a developmental guy. You
got Dulsa. You has the athleticism, but it's just not there.
What's to stop the Denver Broncos from pursuing a trade
for a by low option, like for instance of Kyle
Pitts from Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Oh wow, that that is very interesting and very entice
it Now, that would mean as though you're going to
find a way to get that particular player Kyle Pitts.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
In your situation, your.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Scenario, the ball, you have to make a conservative effort
to get that person in the ball. Now that's not
to say that the Broncos can't do it. I think
donald' parum is still.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
He's more of a red zone at six eight whatever,
not really much of a blocker. But man, he looks
like he's on a pogo stick when he goes up
to get the ball.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Don't.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
I don't need him to block. Here's what I need
you to do. Can we open you up and flex
you out? Force it, force linewise, get the linebackers they
step outside of the box, right, and we're gonna throw
you a couple of those high passes so you can
high point it because you're a big body.
Speaker 3 (06:23):
God.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
Yes, can we use that inside the red zone, yes,
but we can't use it out in the field.
Speaker 3 (06:30):
So what you do with that?
Speaker 4 (06:31):
If you start to get the tight end involved, Now,
guess what you do from an americal standpoint, you get
a favorable box, right, Because football is about mathematics, baby, right,
So running against maybe four is better than running against
five if you find a way to get guys outside
the box. And what and what Davonte showed you is
(06:53):
that if you stay committed to him and you get
him in the rhythm and you get him all lathered up,
he gonna come through for you.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Well, and I'm I'm here for that.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
I as I look at what we have, what we
don't have, the collection of tit ends by the partum
has even has he been active yet?
Speaker 1 (07:09):
I mean, it's just it's they haven't.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
What's see the thing? Here's the thing, Ben, No, he
hasn't been.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
So what are we doing?
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Like we got him on the roster now because he chargers.
We need to get him, you know, get him in
the mix. The Greg Dosage situation, to me, has just
sort of run its course, Like we just have not
been able to find a way to get to take
advantage of the athleticism. And he's a liability in areas
that we do need him for. Right now, if they're
gonna run that pop screen game, you're wouldn't have to
have him out there blocking, and it just the effort
(07:36):
isn't there, let alone the technique.
Speaker 4 (07:38):
But if you know that dolzag is struggling with blocking,
or any player is struggling with any aspect of the game,
list not put him in that situation.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I'm with you on that. So I put him in
that situation.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
I'm with you on that.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
But they okay, So then stop calling those plays or
get Greg Dolsich off the field.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
In any event, Kyle.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Pitts is not really working out in Atlanta right now.
First of all, that offense is is eleven person. They
don't use the tight end that much anyway. He had
zero catches this past week. Second of all, he's coming
back off that the knee injury. Still hasn't quite been
the same guy, and I think the welcome has sort
of worn out there in Atlanta. It's one of those
guys was drafted top five. I mean he was drafted
right after uh uh, Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Trey Lanson.
(08:16):
Then it was he was the first skill position player
taken in that draft by the Atlanta Falcons. Uh as
you as you as you look at this. To me,
I look at Kyle Pitts and I'm like, you know,
I saw what Sean Payton did for Jimmy Graham down
there in New Orleans, and I want that for me.
So it's the popular meme where the guy's praying you know,
dear Lord, I've seen you give him the front, and
I want that for me.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
I want it for me.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
And I started thinking about Talladega Knights and Will Ferrell's
you know, the sweet Baby Jesus State pounds two ounces
of lying there in the Major and I'm I'm giving
it at the end the old I want to Kyle
Pitts thing to happen for me and I from what
I understand, Atlanta is not openly telling people they're shopping
Kyle Pitts, but I have heard from reliable sources that
there have been, you know, a lot of teams making
(09:01):
by low phone calls.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
Over there, and I would not exclude Denver from that list.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Well, look, I.
Speaker 4 (09:06):
Mean having a player like Kyle Pits and I'm going
back to Kyle Pitts the way that he performs these
at Florida, right right, that would be great. But I
think what the Broncos need from their tight end position,
they can get it. Like, all you need, Ben is
about maybe eight targets thrown at your tight ends per game.
(09:32):
And they say you throw eight targets, they catch five
of those.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
That's good enough.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Yeah, well you've got okay, fair, But right now, you've
got Barham and Crowler don't get on the field, troutman
who can't get open, and Greg Dolcic who just catches nothing.
Speaker 4 (09:45):
Okay, well, Ben, this is the way that I would
handle with the current situation with the Broncos having with
their tight end position.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
The game is all about production, right.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
I think Lucas Crowl didn't play because maybe he was
injured or it was a healthy scratch, whatever it was.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
He was talking about as being the greatest Bronco player ever,
and it's the pride was just right.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
So the idea is that you're not getting adequate production
from your tight end position, something has to give. We
now have to take someone and demote them off the
active roster and promote someone. And the reason I'm saying
is because playing for Bill Parcells, That's how it was
with the New York Jets, right, If we need to
move someone down, he didn't really care because the only
(10:25):
thing he mattered to him was a level of production
that he was getting on Sunday, because that's the only
thing that we can account for statistically on the box score.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Right at the end of the day, you do have
to produce it. You're not gonna be there because what
are we doing carrying dead?
Speaker 4 (10:36):
Wait, that's right, So all it takes all it takes
for a coach to make a move like that to
get everyone's attention.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Now everyone's paying attention.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
Now they know that if I don't perform on a
consistent basis, that could be me standing on the sideline
watching and spectator. And once you become a spectator, they
say football is expectator sport. Once you become a spectator,
sometimes it is. It's hard to get from that backseat
to the passenger.
Speaker 2 (11:02):
And you're more likely to go from the sideline to
the stands than you are to go from the sideline
to the you know, it's out into the field at
that point, and that's excuse me, that's that's that's part
of the part of the thing.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
And the Broncos have another issue to Tyler babyday.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
Excuse me, it's going to be out for a little bit,
certainly with that back and kidney issue suffered in that game.
Who's gonna be the third Broncos running back? You know,
his estimate ready to go? Can you bring him back?
Because if not, you've got Jamonte, and you got Jalil
and and It's fine to rotate those two guys in
a game. I'm here for that and just give them
the majority of the carriers. But you need a body
back there because the running back is a very easy
(11:36):
to injure position.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Well, one thing you can do, you can check the
wave of wire and look to bring someone in and
put someone on the practice squad. But that means if
you're putting someone on the practice squad, then you're taking
someone off the practice squad. But you have to make
sure going into Sunday, if but they cannot go, you
have to go in with at least three backs, right,
because we know the Broncos have established that they want
(12:00):
to run the ball, and they show last week that
they can run the ball and they need to run it,
that's right. So the commitment must stay there. You can't
go back, No, no, no, you can't go back after
you show that this is the standard, this is the
football that's right, So you cannot go back. So having
an extra back in plays a role. Now what you
can do if you are Sean Paige, you can be
(12:21):
a little more creative with your offensive scheme where you
can take the pressure off your running back position by
maybe throwing the ball a little more on the more
short dump passes.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
And the first thing that comes to mind, I think.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
About Sean McVay when Gerald Evert was running tight end
little screen delays and just kind of blocking one thousand,
two hundred thousand, just falling off into the coverage. You
can do that as a way of taking the pressure
off of the running backs in key situations. So that's
always an option, but you have to have forward thinking
(12:55):
to want to implement that.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
But the Broncos can't go in the Sunday game with just.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
You want to be No, you can't. That's just not
that's just not smart football. Although they're gonna have to
figure that out. I'm hoping Estimate will be back because honestly,
I think a rotation with the three back those three
backs is good. You can use Estimate in those early
downs that they've been using Jamante on you know, just
run it into the wall. Estimate can be that guy
and then use Javonte in a role that suits him better,
or he is back there.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
In pass protection, can catch the ball out of the backfield.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Oh, by the ways, available for the handoff on the
read or you know, inside zone, whatever it is. That
you're that you're running there and then you'll sprinkle a
few carries that Juli only kind of get that explosive play.
We saw what he's able to do in the open
field against Tampa there running that touchdown to stop start
for the for the touchdown there.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
So I think there is.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Something too, uh the way that they can work out
this distribution of rotation. But as I look at this team,
I'm like, is there anything that we can add because
we're two and two right now.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
The season is.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Far from over.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
Even if you didn't like the way the Broncos won,
you just want two games in a roll on the
roade like it's two pretty good football teams.
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Well, I mean if you want to add something, Ben,
I mean, you look inside your own house, furs and
it's can consistency. You just need more consistency from the
offensive group as a whole. On run plays, you want
your wide receivers to show a commitment to block, and
then when it comes to passing plays, run precision routes.
(14:15):
And we saw something in the Tampa Bay game that
we hadn't seen, especially with Court and Sun throwing the
back show the faith. I mean, you're doing anything to
kind of establish a rhythm. And what what I'm seeing
here is similar to what we saw last year when
Courtland became Russell's number one target. He is quickly becoming
a reliable, consistent player for bow Knicks where Bo is
(14:38):
in trouble, bow needs to play. Guess where he's going.
He's going back to old reliable because look at what
Corland Sutton's gonna do.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
He's gonna reward you. Hell, he cut your first touchdown.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
There you go and save the ball and brought it
right to you. He had you in mind. I'm just
saying that you don't have to go. Little Jordan doesn't
have to be the security blanket anymore. Courtland Sutton can be.
We're lying fro their sporty pickle bar and growl about
a half mile northeast for seventy here on Piorry got
a half hour to get qualified for Raiders Broncos tickets, myself,
Nick Ferguson here Broncos Country Tonight. We got Tim Jenkins,
got on top of the hour. We'll be back with
you right for this. Welcome back to it, Broncos Country Tonight.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Benjamin all Right.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Nick Ferguson Live from the sporty pickle bar and grill
about half mile north I mean four seventy on Peori.
I got about about ten to fifteen minutes left to
get in here and register for raiders at Broncos tickets.
Give it a pair of those away here at the
top of the hour. Also have Tim Jenkins join us
top of the hour as well. Nick, We've been going
(15:57):
back and forth over with the Broncos. You know, maybe
need what they can do going forward, but let's talk
now about what they did.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
Well in this game.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
You know, obviously, I think everybody knows the commitment to
the run game yielded results in the second half. To me,
the thing that stands out that it just isn't talked
about enough. And we've been over quite a few times
on this show, but just in terms of even the
local market, everybody.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Wants to talk about the quarterback. We all getting explained
to death.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
But the defense is carrying this football team and it's
been carrying this football He was carrying them even in
Week one when it got two safeties and then another
i think another interception that set up up for a
field goal, and then you had special teams set them
up for a field goal.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
The defense is carrying.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
This football team. It might be the best defense in
the NFL right now. Vance Joseph is doing wonders. I mean,
it's the narrative from where this defense was post Miami
debacle last year to where this defense is now is incredible.
But the thing about it, Vance is going to get
some head coaching interviews this offseason. He's got previous experience
(17:00):
as a head coach. He's turned around defenses both in
Arizona and here. He's a guy that as well is
very highly thought of around the league for his eye
for personnel. You know, I get the jokes about the
great week of practice and all that kind of stuff
that we've seen, but that was a guy whose first
try as a head coach and really didn't have the
autonomy to be a head coach the way he wanted to.
(17:21):
Is a lot of his staff was dictated to him,
a lot of decisions were dictated to him. In that scenario,
He's going to be different in his second iteration. The
thing that I think Broncos fan should should be wary
of with that, or at least getn't considering that as
one losing a good defensive coordinator. Though Jim Leonard would
probably be the next man up there. Two the Denver
Broncos would receive two third round compensatory picks. Advance Joseph
(17:43):
is hired as a head coach somewhere, So shouldn't people
be rooting for Vance Joseph to get hired as a
head coach somewhere.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Absolutely, because Advance is being hired by someone else.
Speaker 3 (17:55):
That means that the.
Speaker 4 (17:56):
Defense this year continue to exceeds. And the one thing
that makes it when we look at this defense as
a whole, they don't get the recognition that they deserve
because everyone's constantly talking about the offensive side of the ball,
what they did, what they didn't do, what they should do.
(18:17):
But it's time to just talk about what they are
doing well and that is on the defensive side of
the ball. And when you look at how and where
you're getting contributions. When you look at this defense, it's
not a lot of guys who were former first round
draft choices. There were not a lot of guys who
were second to third round draft choices. But they're able
(18:38):
to squeeze the juice out of the players and get
the most out of them. So for me, I'm gonna
give first and foremost advanced Joseph a lot of credit
for pushing all the negative things that have been said
about him as a play caller, but as a former
coach by certain people in the media. In this particular, Mone,
(19:00):
the second thing I want to do is give validation
to the players for going out there and executing and
making sure that they know what they're doing on a
weekend and week out. Basis the other guy that I
definitely want to make sure that I give validations too,
and he desperately needs his flowers too, because this guy's
been criticized as well. It is George Payton the GM,
(19:24):
because the GM helped go out and get the collection
of players that we are now able to see here
with the Denver Broncos, and those guys are playing well.
And what we've seen from George Baden thus far, there's
a lot of guys that he has drafted that over
his tenure have had a lot of productive time and
(19:46):
that's not talked about as often, but this defense is
definitely playing at a high level and watching these guys
not only challenge all the teams that they're playing, but
it's still now when you know you have a good defense,
guys are challenging other guys along the defense. It was
the same thing when I played here, Jay Bly, Al Wilson,
(20:10):
Champ Bailey, Darren Williams, John Lynch. The whole thing was
that you didn't want them to make all the plays.
You want to make some plays yourself, right, But that
makes a better defense. And watching bothe Vance and Jim
Leonard kind of coach these guys that has been a
thing of beautity.
Speaker 1 (20:26):
Watch certainly has.
Speaker 2 (20:27):
And as we look at this, it's not just been
though the coaching, it's you look at this defense. They're
doing it with one first round draft pick on the
defense and Pats are Tan. The rest of these guys,
there are six guys on there that are Day three
or undrafted guys that are starting right now on this defense.
Speaker 1 (20:43):
If you include stre Not as well, who's now started.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
You're talking about a great scouting job to put this
thing together. Vance bringing along Zach Allen, George Payton, going
out and drafting guys like John Cooper in the seventh rout,
getting undrafted guys like Jay Kwan McMillan.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Having this Stones to sit there and take Patzer tan when.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
Everybody and their mother was telling you you needed to
draft Justin Fields right, and and and just saying no,
we're getting the you know, we're getting a generational football
player and passing on the chance at the quarterback. You
look at around at this defense, making the trade for
a guy like John Franklin Myers, moving DJ Jones from
who's probably at his best somewhere between a three and
a one tech moving him to a zero basically in
(21:23):
this defense, and him being willing to do that, the
inside backers going out and get Cody Barton on the
free agent market. You look at the excuse me, You
look at the corner position, drafting Riley Moss, who, by
the way, I think has been a bit of a
revelation of there taking a few penalties some of the
which I think we're a bit tickie tag, but he's
been a revelation when there's nowhere else to go with
the ball because Jaquan and Pats are ten are so good,
(21:44):
teams are avoiding them. You look at the safety position, Uh,
you let Justin Simmons go, which you know the entire
fan base is a popleptic, myself included. You bring in
Brandon Jones, and Jones has been another guy who's been
a revelation. I mean, the guy's contributed a turnover in
three out of four games.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
Yeah, it's kind of and it's kind of one of
those things where you look at it and you look
at turnovers. Turnovers become a part of who you are,
and it's kind of a natural course of things. And
this defense is getting to a point where, just like
the no flies on, no matter what's happening during games,
(22:19):
they feel as though there is a play out there,
someone's gonna make that play. And I put a little
video up of the past interference call on Raleigh Moss
and immediately Chris Harris jumped all on it and we
had a conversation about it because it's like there's something
that we both see in Raleigh Moss. Raleigh was drafted
(22:42):
by the Broncos, maybe in the third round.
Speaker 3 (22:45):
But I told Chris, I said, look, if I didn't know.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
Any better, I would think that Raleigh Mass was an
undrafted player like both Chris and I. And the reason
I say that because when you are undrafted, you know
the world and the league is stacked against you. Every
time you go out there, you feel as though you
have something to prove and with Riley knowing as though
you are playing opposite PS two, you're going to get
(23:08):
every team's challenge every single game.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
That's why I'm okay with the PIS.
Speaker 4 (23:14):
I'm okay with that because it's the subtle coaching point
that I would tell Riley, and it's just trying to
get your head back. But don't let that take your
aggressiveness away from you.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Keep playing. Players are gonna turn around. But once you start.
Speaker 4 (23:26):
To get in on yourself from a mental standpoint and
you get upset about the calls, things start going down.
Speaker 3 (23:32):
But I'm liking what I'm saying from the defense thus far.
Speaker 2 (23:34):
Oh grit, no quick, gotta play, You gotta play.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
You gotta play your game.
Speaker 2 (23:38):
And I think Riley Moss, you know, does that there
are things to iron out, certainly, but I think he's
acquitted himself well as being the other starter opposite a
slot and a and a generational other corner in you know,
in Pats or ten. Stepping into the the Broncos secondary
has got to be daunting in and of itself. What
a legacy, you know, you look back at the players
that they've had over the years. You go back to
the Atwater Dinnis Smith's stuff. So you go back further
(24:00):
than that. You can bring that all the way up
to the Kenoi Kennedy's, to the John Lynch's and Champ Bailey's,
the Nick Ferguson's right there at the top of that pyramid.
But I think that there's and then no flies home,
you know, even after they like, there's so much legacy
there with with with the Broncos secondary that's stepping into that.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
It's gotta be daunting in and of itself.
Speaker 2 (24:18):
And listen, Nicks s A for one play white white
guy corner, white guy corner. I know how you can
get embarrassed out there. Yes, okay, I know from experience
how you can get embarrassed out there. As for my one,
my lengthy career as a white guy corner where I
was steamrolled on the way to do an.
Speaker 1 (24:38):
Absolutely effort free eighty yard touchdown.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
I look, I think there's gotta be You mentioned that
he plays like an undrafted guy, that he's got that chip.
I wonder if some of that contributes to because there
are doubters to that, whether there shouldn't be as a
matter of a green, purple, white, black, whatever you can
throw the ball. If you can catch the ball, you
defend the ball, you can play get out there.
Speaker 3 (24:56):
We're seeing it.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
With the quarterback now the VIC documentary coming out, you know,
but the black cornerback and all that kind of stuff.
If you got to spain the talent to play corners,
a white guy could get out there and play corners
a white But the idea.
Speaker 4 (25:05):
Is that it seems to be very when when you
look at football as a whole, especial on the professional level,
you don't.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
See that many guys like a Rileigh Moss out there.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
Because when I was growing up, there was Scott Case
who was playing for the Atlanta Falcons and Jerry Glanville,
and he was moved to safety when Dion Sanders was
drafted out of Florida State.
Speaker 3 (25:26):
Right and then.
Speaker 2 (25:27):
But I think in that one case, you're definitely moving
if gets drafted.
Speaker 1 (25:30):
I don't Carroll, You're probably moving to safety.
Speaker 4 (25:32):
Come on, you know what, there's a there's a story
about it, and I'll tell you really quickly. When I
was coaching in the CFL, Jerry Glanville came as a
kind of a volunteer coach, and he man he told
a lot of stories about Nick Saban or whatever. I
get into that with you off air. That was very interesting.
But he did tell the story about before Dion was drafted.
(25:54):
He said he went to Skoty Case and he told him, look,
I know you've been playing corner, but there's this corner
of this kid out Florida State. He is awesome, and
what we're looking to draft him now. He was saying
that he didn't have to tell Scott Kase, He wasn't
obligated to tell him, but he did it out of
pure respect and just let him know, if Dion's available,
(26:15):
we're taking him. You're moving to safety. And Scott Case
was so against it. I mean he protested, he protests it.
Dion came in and I'll tell you this, that was
the first time Scott Case made the Pro Bowl moving
the safety. He made the pro Bo moving the safety.
So the rest, as they say, it's history. And then
you know when I came when I was a young player,
(26:35):
Keimen in the league, Jason sew Seahorn was coming out
of USC He was another one of those guys and
just to look at the guy and say, well, he
can't play this particular position because it's a highly skilled
position that Dion Dalrel Green and so many others have played,
and Riley doesn't look the part.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
That doesn't necessarily mean that he can't play.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
Being there watching him every day in practice, being a
part during the Sky internship with the Broncos, I saw
certain levels to his game and he was one of
those players. If you beat him one time, you're not
gonna beat him on the same thing. He's gonna go back,
he's gonna watch and he's gonna remember it, and he's
gonna be in a better position. That's the one thing
I love about every player, but I love what I'm
(27:15):
seeing from ronniey Moss from that particular standpoint.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Yeah, I think he's, like I said, I think he's
a quitted himself.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
Well.
Speaker 2 (27:21):
I got somebody on Twitter the other day said he's
you know, he didn't care for him, and I'm like,
I don't know what's not to like. I mean, I
thought he's played himself really well. He's got a couple
of you know, a couple of p I calls that
you're like, okay, but but you're gonna but you're gonna
get flag for those because your opposite certain they're gonna
flag you because you're the other guy, and that's that's
sort of what happens there. So I yeah, I think
the other thing that the one that surprised me Cody
Barton stepping into the green dot.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (27:42):
You know, Cody is a guy you go back and
watch the tape he was miscast and a fourth three
they had him playing the mic at a forty three
and he's just not athletic enough to.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
Be doing that.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
But you watch him on the inside there at a
thirty four, like what he's doing now, it's perfect for him.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
It's one of those situations where.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
You get a guy like Josie Jewel and if you
put him in a forty three at a mic, you're you
got a liability out there. Put him inside on the
three four and the instincts are gonna take over. He's
he's got the ability to do most of the stuff
that you need to do. He's not gonna able to
take on the most athletic tight ends, but beyond that
he can do he can do most of what you do.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
But this's the thing that makes you know what the
broncos on on the Vans Rose so impressive because when
you look at a guy you bring a guy in
no matter what you draft him or is a free
agent guy, you have a list of what he can
and can't do from an evaluates the standpoint, right, So
you say, okay, well let's not put him in this
situation where he's trying to run down the middle to feel.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
The third But that's you know, and yeah, but you
know he's instinctive.
Speaker 3 (28:35):
Play.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
Dan Hill played with it himself, showcased us some stuff
and it made it look even better. When you get
a guy like Justin sternat out there who comes in
and sacks Aaron Rodgers on the first play, love it?
Speaker 3 (28:47):
Well, you know what?
Speaker 4 (28:47):
Okay, So if you go back and watch that particular play,
have you seen the angle looking at it?
Speaker 1 (28:52):
At Stronaut's face coming in.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
No, I haven't seen that.
Speaker 1 (28:55):
His eyes light up.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
You could see the moment he was like, I'm about
to sack Aaron Rodgers, Like you could say, eyes start
to get big. You can see it if you watch it.
There's an angle, and I promise you watch. You can
see when he starts coming.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Through and he's all of a sudden, he's like cutting
through the hole and you can see his eyes.
Speaker 2 (29:10):
He's like, I'm gonna get a sack, like it justis.
You can see it register on his face.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
And the great thing about that particular play is that
neither Cody or Justin gave the blitz up because you
get a little antsy, right, and like you said, play
nerves you ready to Yeah, yeah, I mean if you're not,
hasn't really play while and this is a big moment
for him, and you want to make sure that you
get your get a sack, right, You actually get a
sack on the play. But they did a great job
(29:36):
staying at depth allowing the play to develop because it's
like the Broncos pitched down on the A gaps and
then the B gaps open up because the outside andrew rushers.
Speaker 3 (29:47):
Rushed wide to create that lane.
Speaker 4 (29:49):
And I'm sure both Cody Bard and Justice Schernard was like,
there's no way we're both gonna get there. At the
same time. He came a contest of who's gonna get
there first.
Speaker 2 (29:58):
Yeah, it's it's a meat at the quarterback part and
uh and and Sternad got.
Speaker 1 (30:02):
Uh yeah, you know got the early invite.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
Yes, he shut up early. Uh.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
It was it was fun watching straight up because Stnat's
a guy who's just languished on the Broncos that labored
and tried to get this scratch and claw to get
that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
And uh, they bring in other guys.
Speaker 2 (30:15):
They've had guys, Pat Jonas Griffin, you know, whatever it was,
he just has not gotten there.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
He was injury, other people, whatever.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
And he finally gets his chance and dude bawled out
in that game.
Speaker 4 (30:25):
And once again, this is how things come to fruition
in the NFL. It doesn't matter how you get there.
It's about what you do when you get there. You
don't know when your moment is going to come. Just
like for Alex Singleton, I mean, he was viewed as
just being a special team ace, a reserve linebacker, a
guy that teams didn't really think that he could start.
(30:47):
But he came here, he played well with a tackle
of machine and look what happened to him.
Speaker 3 (30:51):
Yeah, Stranaud has an opportunity. He has an opportunity.
Speaker 4 (30:55):
If it's not with the Denver Broncos, he has an
opportunity to elevate his value somewhere else. But out tell
you what, it was a good thing that those two
linebackers actually got to Aaron Rodgers when he did. The
reason I say that, you go there was three double
moves on the outside on the right side of Lassault
at the top of the field with Garrett Wilson, but
(31:16):
also at the tight end position because there was a
little confusion if you go back and look with the
defenders figuring out who's going to cover who. There was
no one in the middle of the field right and
the tight end ran someone out and up on PJ.
Lock and it was open. But the problem was Aaron
could find it. He did have time to find it.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
Yeah, I thought, you know, I thought again, the defact
could go on and on.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
John Franklin Myers had a great day.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Zach Allen, It's so funny to me Pro football focuses
got him rated so low when he's playing so well.
You look at the the Pro football focused grades on
Zach Allen or low.
Speaker 4 (31:46):
And I'm looking at this and I'm like, well, well,
the reason why here's probably their justification because he's not
getting a lot of sacks, but they need to start
counting the pressure.
Speaker 1 (31:55):
Yeah, he's creating for the other kings.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
Creating that that that's kind of a hidden stat that
I would love to see in the stat books. But
I'm sure when teams look through signed players, they're not
gonna look at the pressure that you created.
Speaker 3 (32:09):
They're gonna look at the sacks that you were able
to actually make.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
Well, we're gonna find out what Tim Jenkins thinks about
Bodex on the quarterback side of things when we come back.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
It is Roccos Country Dyck right here on kaawe
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