Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Then I need you to do three things here. Three things, okay,
three things today. First things, First, I need you to
get your picture taken next to Gwyneth Paltrow at a
cold Play concert wearing a gold suit made of rich
Corinthian leather and top gun v neck tshirt. Then I
need you to link up with Chris Baron spin Doctors,
(00:22):
write a song about Broncos Country Tonight call State Sponsored. Okay,
you need to pair up with Stetson Cologne. Oh God,
create your own vet blend. You get all three of
those things done, you have a seventy chance of getting
(00:44):
back on the Taking It for Granted podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Wow, you got every reference for the last five years
and there that is well done.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Certain wells a boss always when that clip gets played,
you guys know what's coming up next. Lana Sanderson, the
mile High Hule right out if the wait comments of
hot Linelands, how you doing thisce eving.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Doing good? Then you know, I was surfing through Spotify
the other day and I found that song that you
wrote with Chris Barren. I'm just surprised that you decided
to go with a Poka theme, but the accordion solo
from you absolutely tremendous man. Well done, very well done, some.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Of my best work.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
People don't know that I've an accomplished accordion and harpsichord player,
So you know, really, I'm just trying to break back
your relevant reference, irrelevant musical interests for people, as well
as promulgating German music, which is my heritage just because
of my love of the Hasselhoff.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yes, sir, Yes, sir. How are you doing it?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Man?
Speaker 1 (01:40):
I'm good to talk to you.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
I'm doing good.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Man.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
We're coming off the three game win streak.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
You know, the Broncos won three in a row, and
I think that people probably through five games, did not
see this is where the team would be.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Some of it's by.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Hook, some of us by crook, but they managed to
get it done. They've been flashes for the offense and
the Tampa and.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
The Raiders game.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Where do you feel about this team right now through
five games?
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Well, quite honestly, I have to give a big shout
out to Van Shijosef in the defense and what he's
able to do with the players that he had, because
coming into the season, you know, it was so hard
to project what this defense would look like, specifically against
the run. You know, you move on from Justin Simmons,
you bring in Malcolm Roach, bring in Jonathan Franklin Myers.
But the issues that you had last year, the depth
(02:24):
concerns that he had coming into the season, Van Joseph
has this defense playing at a probably the best defense
in the NFL level right now. Like they're third in
yards per game, second against the yards play, first in
EPA per play, Like they're getting after it in a
very special way, and like there's so many different ways
you can break this defense down, but it all starts
(02:45):
with Dan Joseph in the aggressiveness that he is chilling.
Obviously the forty one point eight percent blitz percentage right
now highest in the NFL. Utilizing that secondary which I
had super big concerns with, especially at the safety position.
Like I'd love to break this down and talk defensively
specifically for tonight's show.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Well, I yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
I look, Vance Joseph getting his flowers is personally validating
for me. I remember when Advance was hired as the
defensive coordinator here and I had everyone of their mothers
screaming that we needed to hire you know, Rex Ryan
out here. Make sure you have appropriate footwear if we do.
And I, you know, I liked the hire of Vance Joseph.
Vance doesn't get enough credit for what he has done defensively.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
When he was the head coach of the Broncos, the
defense was good.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
They gave out the blueprint for how to kind of
slow Patrick Mahomes down back when Pat Mahomes was the
hottest thing going.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
And I don't realize that Pat's numbers are down.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
He's still the best quarterback in the league.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Grant killing me, I know.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
And then you turn around and you look at what
a Dvance did People talk about that year in Miami.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
He only got one year, didn't get a chance to
turn it around. You go back to Arizona.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
He took over ostensibly the league's worst defense, and they
were good.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
By year three.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Now, the wheels came off in year four with all
the injuries, But what he did in Arizona I thought
was good. The thing about Vance Joseph that a lot
of people, I think they'll realize this is ie for talent.
Van's Joseph is the reason that Zach Allen is here.
Mass Joseph is the reason that Brandon Jones is here.
And I think Brandon Jones has been a hidden gem
for this team. Vance Joseph is coaching the defense that
has one first round pick on it in Pats Artan,
(04:23):
and six guys that were Day three or undrafted.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
To me, that's just a heck of a.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Job, dude.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
It's it's amazing.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Like quite honestly, everybody knows that Zach Allen, I mean,
he leads the league in pressures from interior defensive lineman.
He's getting after the quarterback at like a sixteen point
seven percent, right, Like, it's incredible what they're doing up front.
And I know that everyone's given passer Tannan's flowers, which
is absolutely like.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Due for him.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
And the huge game that he had against Raiders this
last week, two interceptions, obviously the one hundred yard picks
pick return for a touchdown. But the guy that I
think is really the guy that stirs the drink for
this defense is Brandon Jones. Because of his versatility, his
ability to line up at a single high safety if
you need him to do that. He can play both
halfs of the field. But his ability as a blitzer
(05:09):
and his tackling ability, the way that they can line
him and PJ Lock and utilize those guys in that
blitz scheme, utilizing the linebackers as well, and just allowing
Zach Allen and Jonathan Franklin Myers and Malcolm Roach to
be penetrators. That's a big thing for vanc Joseph's defense.
He wants these defensive linemen to get upfield, even against
(05:30):
the running game, and allow his linebackers to flow through
make plays, make plays at the second levels even though
it's still technically the first level because they're crashing so
far forward. And if Brandon Jones and PJ Lock and
the versatility that they bring to the back end of
that secondary is something that cannot be overstated. Right now.
PJ Lock, his ability as a blitz is just fantastic
(05:50):
right now. Brandon Jones again, his ability to see the ball,
chase the ball down, go and make big plays. He
has the interception, force the fumble as well, had a
fumbler recovery. This secondary, I think right now, is not
getting quite the credit that it deserves for what is
allowed with Vance Joseph and his pressure schemes up front.
I mean, you're talking the highest cover zero rate and
(06:12):
the highest blitz rate in the NFL right now, just
because your secondary is playing quality at the back end,
it's also playing quality on the boundary.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Yeah, and I think it's interesting.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
You know, you talk about that the highest covers of
your highest blitz percentage, and there are shortcomings to that,
and we saw a little bit of that early on
in the Raiders game. They popped that big run Bowers
got free on that play.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
There are the.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Opportunity for busted coverages or the opportunity for one man
missing and the whole thing. You know, the House of
cards tumbling does exist on that and we've saw a
little bit of that the Raiders game. Thankfully, Patzertan was
able to make it up with the one hundred yard
pick six by the way, fastest ball carrier on a
pick six only ball carry out of pick six over
twenty miles per hour this year. I you know, I
(06:53):
love this style of defense. It's a radical departure from
what we had previously. Vic Fangio, who basically has the
blueprint on what everybody in the league is running right
now with the tight front cover four cover two see
six stuff on the back end and very little blitzing.
Now we're seeing the antithesis of that. And I love it.
It's kind of a harken back to Vance Joseph's mentor
(07:16):
and Wade Phillips. But there does exist that is the
Achilles heel to it. There does exist the potential for
busts and big plays.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Yeah, but the one thing that's counteracting at even with
the bust and big play potential is the tackling ability
of this unit at the back end. Specifically, I mean
when you're talking about yards after catch over expected. Right now,
according to NFL plus dot com, the team is fourth
plus thirteen yards over expected in terms of yards after catch.
They were minus thirty five last week, which was forty
(07:46):
yards better than the next defense allowed. And I know
that the big brock Hours catch and run on the
first possession that sunk the hearts of Broncos country. That
definitely factors into this. But even a run run yardage
after contact over expected, they're six in the NFL minus
nine yards yards after contact over expected just period eighth
(08:08):
at two point seven seven yards. This team is rallying
to the ball, they're making clean, sound tackles, and they're
really limiting these explosive plays from offensive I understand you've
got the Kenneth Locker Junior run in Week one. That
was in the Gino Smith run where they they had
three lanes to run. Alex Ing Wilson miss that big
tackle against Kenneth Walker Junior. You got the brock Powers play.
(08:30):
But every time an offensive player touches the football, they
are hitting the ground and less than three yards after
they touched the football, which is a tremendous boost to
what this defense is and a tremendous boost to what
Vance Joseph is doing as a defensive coordinator. Oh.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Absolutely, And I don't want to take away from Vance's flowers.
I just want to say that's the difference between the
Fangio blueprint and then the Vance blueprint. The Fangio blueprint
strives to keep plays in front of you. It will,
it does work in producing lower scoring outcomes designed to
hold you the field goals, bogging down on the red zone.
The problem the Achilles field to the Vance Joseph excuse me,
(09:04):
the Vic Fangil formula is that if you need a
quick stop, it's probably not going to get you one.
We saw that too often when Vic was the head coach,
when Hackett was the head coach, and even when Vance
was running the continuity sort of last year you saw
that if you needed a late game stop, you just
weren't going to get one. It's ben don't break, and
they would be able to run the clock out.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
And we saw that.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Now we have a defense that can get those turnovers
and they're getting them.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yeah. Absolutely, man. You've got obviously the three interception game
against the Raiders, you had uh, Brandon Jones again with
the interception against Tampa Bay. You had the force fumble
that that Jones took back again here to the house. Uh,
Like they're they're they're not only getting the turnovers, they're
getting after the quarterback at one of the highest clips
in the NFL right now. They're uh they're pass rush
(09:50):
uh Apa for play is first at negative point two seven.
Like they're they're they're doing it very well with the
exotic blitz of that dance Joseph is dialing up, allowing
these linebackers to kind of play in some space, bringing
the safeties and whatnot. The and Zach Allen, Johnason, Franklin
Meyer is doing their dirty work up front, like getting
(10:10):
after the quarterback. This team is just spectacular defensively, and
quite honestly, it's a treat to watch, especially after what
we saw in the first five weeks.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Of last season.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I mean, this defensive turnaround right now, I don't know
if you if you understand this, Like last week coming
out of the Miami Dolphins last year, excuse me, coming
out of the Miami Dolphins game, the defense was on
pace to be one of the worst defenses in NFL history,
and Miami was on pace to being one of the
best offenses in NFL history. Fut that script around a
year later, Denver has the best defense in the NFL
(10:40):
and Miami has one of the worst offenses in the NFL.
This turnaround that Vance Joseph has dictated with his play
calling and with the players actually stepping up, hitting the scheme,
buying into what Dance Joseph is calling. Defensively, it's amazing
and quite honestly that the guy should be up for
Assistant Coach of the Year. As it stands right now,
he's been just tremendous and I cannot give the guy
(11:02):
enough credit.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Let me pose the question to you that I'm posing
to everybody right now, is if Vance Joseph, as expected,
gets head coaching interviews this offseason and takes a head
coaching job somewhere, the Broncos get two third round compensatory
draft picks. Back, is it worse if he leaves and
takes a head coaching job and Jim Leonard as sensibly
steps into that role, or is it you know, would
(11:25):
you rather have would rather have basically the third round
picks or would rather have vance Joseph next year? Because
that question, if you'd ask that question last year, universally
everybody would have said they would have rather had the
two third rounders.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Now I'm not so sure.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
That's a difficult question to answer, man, because like I can't,
like I said, I can't give Dance Joseph enough credit
the third round picks to help build this team around,
especially with the offensive playmakers coming out in this year's draft,
Like that would be a big boost at helping the
development of Quote Nicks. But what's one of the best
tools that you can give a young quarterback him a
(12:00):
quality running game and a quality defense and just tell
them to go not go out and make mistakes, don't like,
take care of the football and make the plays that
you need to when they're necessary, and you'll have some
success with the young quarterback losing Dance Joseph, I think
is going to be a big, a big loss for
this Broncos team, especially right now, because like I said,
these players are buying in specifically to what they want,
(12:21):
what he wants them to do. But I think that
there's an option out there that stupidly got fired from
New York. Why the New York just fired Robert Solla.
Go out and pick him up, bring him in as
a consultant as fast as you possibly can allow him
to work with Jim Letard a little bit. Maybe you
can work some kind of a co defensive coordinator impact
(12:42):
with those guys. With Robert Solon his linebacker play that
he always seems to have high quality play coming from,
and the Jim Letter continuing to work with the secondary.
I mean that that to me is as a quality
option there. But yeah, losing Dance Joseph would be to me.
And it's crazy because a year ago everyone wanted to fire,
they wanted him ran out of town, and he was
scared that he was going to lose his job. For sure,
(13:04):
I know that for a fact. But what he's doing
right now to help this team turn around everything again,
it cannot be overstated nearly enough.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Yeah, I'm with you on that. Real quick, we got
a couple of minutes left. I want to look forward
to the Chargers game coming up. You know, a lot
of people view this as a very winnable game, myself included.
But the Chargers are a little bit better than people think,
at least in terms of defense. They're one of the
top defenses in the league. Twelve point five points allowed
per game this season would rank number one. They're third
overall and takeaway differential at plus five.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
They've already had a bye week and they're coming off
a bye week.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
They have some of the similar problems to the Broncos,
and that the pass game has just not gotten going
the thirty first in passing yards per game one thirty six,
But in terms of rushing yardage, they've been good.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Their top ten team in terms of running the football.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Could this be a trap sort of game for the
Denver Broncos as you look forward to maybe going to
New Orleans on Thursday and overlook a Chargers team that's
a lot more physical than they've been in recent years.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
No, quite, Honestly, looking of this game as intently as
you did as the Raiders game this last week, I mean, yeah,
you've won a couple of games against the Chargers over
the last handful of years, but it really what does
that matter. This team right now at three and two,
needs to be approaching every single game as aggressively as
they possibly can be, and quite honestly, I want to
see what they're going to do against this charge of
(14:18):
this Chargers defense, which has a high quality pass rush,
they're doing really well against the run, they're doing really
well against the pass as well, and the Broncos offense.
As much as we want Boonnicks to be the guy,
I still need to see a lot more out of it,
not only from Bonnicks himself, but as Sean Payton is
a play caller. We need to open some stuff up
against the against the Chargers and try to manufacture some
(14:39):
more points offensively and not just rely on the defense
to make plays and pushing in quality situations. Because as
much as the Chargers have struggled on offense, they've done
a really good job running the football. They're controlling the ball,
they're not turning it over, and they're just keeping keeping
the opposing offense off the field. I mean, it's the
it's the Jim Harbaugh script to every single game that
(15:01):
he's been a coach ever since he was back at
what San Diego. I believe where he was at the
count ball control offense, run the football, play physically, grind
the clock down, shorten the game, and keep the opposing
offense off the field. When the Broncos have opportunities. I
think Sean Payton needs to open this thing up a
little bit. We saw a little bit of that in
the second half after bo Nicks got after him for
(15:22):
whatever it was when it was a play call, flipping
the play call, whether it was Bonicks not being under
center for the Luke Wattenberg snap that hit him in
the button and was the fumble, it doesn't really matter.
What happened was bo Nicks started to get a little
bit more confident, started pushing the ball down the field
a little bit more. They were playing with the lead,
and Sean Payton allowed Boonicks to kind of grow a
(15:44):
little bit, and to me, that was a really big
sign for the Broncos offense. I want to see more
of that against the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
I'm with you on that, hopefully some more. Marvin Mims
reps as well. Lands. We always appreciate.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Having you or can we talk about that for a second?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Weak football. We got to hit a break. We got
hit a break your last but we'll get to it
next time.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
We got to we gotta see more, Marvin miss We
always appreciate you having you on there. Lance Sanderson, Mile
hig Huddle, Broncos Country to Night rolls on after this
five six.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Six nine zero is the text line. Thanks to Lance
Sanderson for joining us in the last segment.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Obviously Ryan Michael for joining us in the previous hour.
We've got Steve Atwater as well in the first hour.
So if you guys go to Broncos Country dot dot
com slash podcast you can get all of that.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
If you missed any of that, and uh, that's a mouthful.
With that, it's time for an NFL six pack. It's
time for the NFL six pad.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
I'm gonna trade the last year insight and insight information
you can't find anywhere else. No.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Six the top six NFL headlines.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
What Woody Johnson said that it was his decision alone
to fire Robert Salah today, Uh, where do you think,
Ben Well?
Speaker 3 (16:53):
I mean, I think a lot of people say a
lot of things that aren't true. I mean, I guess
technically it is.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
His decision. I mean, he is the guy at the
top at you know, at the end of the day.
But I you know that's not really I mean his
decision alone. I talk to people today. I know what happened.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Robert Sala was gonna replace Nate Hackett with Todd Downing,
and the quarterback who holds all the power there decided
that was not in his best interest.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
And there you go.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
I mean we can sit there and you know, and
guess around things till the end of time. But at
the end of the day, you know, Robert Sala didn't
win enough to have the cachet and Aaron Rodgers they
pushed all in and the balance of power they're shifted.
When they brought Aaron Rodgers in, you know, they went out,
they got his guys, they got Alan Bazar, they went
to Randall Cobb, they went out. You know, they put
the band back together that Aaron Rodgers want. They got
(17:43):
the o c that Aaron Rodgers wanted. At the end
of the day, you let snakes in the building, you
shouldn't be.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Surprised to get a bit makes sense.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Whatdy Johnson not the most trustworthy owner, Uh Carr reportedly
out multiple weeks. According to Ian Rappaport and Mike Garuffalo,
Broncos play them on a short week next Thursday.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
This seems to lining up pretty well for them. Yeah,
I mean, you never wish injury on somebody, but the
you know, the situation there does make the Saints ostensibly
a little more beatable. I certainly hope Spencer Ratler doesn't
come out, pull of Jade Daniels and blow the doors off.
You know that that is an interesting one because the
Broncos are going to play with a physical opponent at
home on sidey. The Chargers, whatever you think of them,
(18:22):
are a physical football team and that's gonna be a
tough game to get beat up in a little bit
and then go on the road to New Orleans in
primetime and play. So if you've got, you know, a
quarterback making their first or second start, a rookie who
maybe doesn't have as firm a grasp on the offense
as that Derek Carr does, up against a good defense
like New Orleans, that could certainly make things.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
A lot easier for than ever Broncos are.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
Speaking of rookies making their first start the new According
to Adam Schefter. The New England Patriots are reportedly starting
Drake May this week. He'll be getting his first ever
start for the New England Patriots.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Yeah, Jacoby Brissett hasn't. I mean, he is what he is.
You know, he was there to be a stopgap guy.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Drake May did not have the offense down to the
level he needed to have it at the at the
start of the season, had some footwork issues to struggle with,
blitz diagnosis, a few different things there. From what I've
been told, that stuff is a lot cleaner than it
was over the last seven weeks, and he's gotten a
lot better with it, and they've sort of got the
(19:21):
confidence in him. I probably would have waited one more
week because I mean, why are you throwing him out
there against the Houston Texans and that defense to start?
Speaker 2 (19:29):
That feels like a mistake, but they felt it was
the appropriate time.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Girod Mayo.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
I'm not gonna say he's in battled, but the results
so far have been a bit disappointing. After they fired
Bill Belichick, obviously he's gonna have a little bit of
a leash as far as that kind of stuff goes.
But the results haven't been great so far, and so
they're hoping that putting Drake May in there provides a spark.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
We'll see if that's the case or the Las Vegas
Raiders are down one of their key pieces their big
off season. Addition, Christian Wilkins is out indefinitely following a
surgery on his or some foot surgery rather per Ian Rappaport.
The Broncos don't play the Raiders again until week twelve.
But does this still benefit them in the AFCUS trace Well.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
It benefited him in that game.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
I mean the Broncos offense took al off when question
Wilkins went out.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
You know, he is.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Anytime you get an interior gap penetrator like that, somebody
who was able to disrupt between the B.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Gaps, that it makes it life tough on any quarterback.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Ever, Bonnicks really sort of settled down once Wilkins went
out of the game and had his best performance, similar
to the other game where he had his best performance
in Tampa, they were missing Vida Veil. They couldn't get
pressure between the B gaps and you know, I thought
he looked a lot He just looks a lot better
when he has a clean pocket in front of him
versus his uncanny ability to sort of feel stuff off
the edge.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
We also saw that in the Tampa game.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I think when the edge rusher came off Harrett Bowles,
I think it was Tron Shawka and he took off
of that big run. So, you know, I think, yes,
it does benefit the Broncos. Benefits any team is playing
the Raiders. Not having that there obviously the Raiders most
known for Max Crosby, but Crosby frees up those other
guys to you know.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
To recavoc and not having a great player like.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Christian Wilkins in there, I think would benefit him if
if he's not back by then, and I don't think
he's going to be back by then based on what
I her.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
We'll see how that shakes out.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
Five.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
Talking about another big off season edition that might not
be going the way the team planned. The Philadelphia Eagles
cut Devin White today.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
He was a healthy scratch each of the past four weeks.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Could this be an option for the Broncos to consider
it inside linebacker with Alex Singleton injury.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
I'm not gonna say no, just because I think they
have their eyes other places. Right now, and especially with
the which Sternat has come in and played. They did
pick up Kawant Alexander and Zach Cunningham his practice squad editions.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
For kind of reinforcement there.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
The thing about Devin White is he really really fell
off back in Tampa. They knew that they kind of
forced him out because he wanted money and his play
had followed off. The Philadelphia Eagles overpaid him and then
in the end you can sort of see how that
how that worked out.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
I think that he's lost a step up.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
I'm not sure that he's a guy that's really starting
caliber material in the NFL anymore.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
The name is more recognizable than the play. Go back
and look at it.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
You know, if they give him a shot, you know,
bring him in as a practice squad, If he's willing
to do the practice squad thing and maybe get some
call ups and see, then maybe I think he would
fit better in what Bence Joseph does than what mcfangio does.
I think if you put him in sort of that
Todd Davis Downhill role, I think he can be effective.
I just don't think he's the same caliber of player
that he was first contract back there.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
In Tampa sick turning it local. Now, Bud black just
got another extension from the Colorado Rockies. Was it a
good decision by Monfordenco to extend once again the Rockies
winningest and losingest manager.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Well, I mean, anytime you lose one hundred games in
a season, fans are going to kind of bulk at
the idea that.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
That that guy should be retained or even extended. But
I think so.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
I think if you look at where the Rockies are
right now, transitioning and trying to try to get to
a youth movement, They've they've moved on from storied players
over the last couple of years, guys like Laura Eleronnado,
Blackman's retiring. Uh, you had Trevor Story Tulowitski over the
last you know have they've moved on from that. They
facilitated a youth movee and they've got some exciting young
players they do. The story with the Rockies is, as
(23:19):
it always has been one, the pitching. What are you
going to get out of the bullpen here? And how
can you get successful middle and lengthy relievers to come
here or grow them and not have them go somewhere else. Uh,
And so that's that's sort of been the thing. Bolten
coach Ree Cornelius uh and hitting coach PJ. Pilitaria not
returning for the coaching staff. So that's that's gonna that's
(23:41):
gonna change. I mean, there was a there was an
acknowledgment that recent results on the field didn't meet expectations.
But they do believe in the direction of the of
the team right now. And I'm gonna say, you know,
you in baseball, it's a lot different than football or basketball,
where you can make immediate differences with one or two players.
Baseball it takes forever to turn something around because you
get the farm system and guys often when.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
They're drafted are four or five years even playing in
the pros.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
There's exception schemes in Pittsburgh, whatever, But for me, I
think you've got to give this another year or two
to have a grade on it. And as much as
that sucks, after a one hundred plus lost season and
a manager who has a record of five point thirty
seven and six fifty seven over eight seasons with the Rockies,
you know, I can understand fan hesitant, certainly, you know,
(24:25):
with with extending him.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
That said, I think this is another two year project
and you got to figure it out.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
And if you feel like that, Bud Black and I
feel like Bud Black's a decent manager. He's just, you know,
a you have a situation where you just you're moving
on from great players and you don't have the right pitching.
So I'm not opposed to it. I think that I
think that's what you do in this situation. You extend
them one more year and you kind of see, you
feel you figure you know where you want this thing
(24:50):
to go. You feel like you're at your low point
and about to be on the upswing. He's gonna have
to show results next year. That's your NFL six pack.
So thank you Zach Seers for doing the NFL six
pack there. I was going to toss that up to myself,
but I thought that might sound awkward.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Yeah, I appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (25:07):
Getting my feet wet here hopefully to hope to only
get smoother the more times I run through these with you.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Yeah, it'll be all good. Everybody's for a rookie dabut
we're giving it up. We're going to solid B. Plus.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
I think I think I'm not setting records for lowest
yards per attempts in a FL NFL merger.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
I think I think I'm clear in that bar. Maybe
clearly clearly clear in that bar. We're doing good here.
We're giving you a solid better than average grade. All
you needed to do was obviously compliment me and pander
a little bit, and then we could have pumped that
right on up to right on up.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Today, guys, the k.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
WAIT Pro Pick Them Challenge it's back this football season,
presented by Verizon. Sign up today to make your weekly
picks at kwaclorado dot com. Weekly winner gets a two
hundred dollars master card gift card. Grand prize winner when's
a thousand dollars master card gift card card. See Have
Verizon presented by Verizon, the official five G network of
the Verbokles.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
We're going to get Zack in the in the Pro
Pick Them Now.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
He's going to be obviously like forty picks behind, four
weeks behind, right, but we got to get him in
the Pro Pick Them Challenge.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Yeah, show you guy, you and Nickol laughed at me.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
We'll do that segment again this Friday, where we go
around the NFL and pick the slate of games. You
guys kind of were shocks that I was picking the
Cardinals over the forty nine ers.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
I wasn't shot by that. I like, they give them
trouble every time. I just I'm went against my baser instincts.
I bet against my boy John Gannon like an idiot,
and you saw what happened.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
This is what This is what happens.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
This is what happens when I bet against you know, the.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
Best part of that was because like the I put
up my little slate or whatever so people can see it.
The best part of that is when you get a
text message after the after the game from the coade. Yeah,
you picked against me. Bleep, bleep bleep.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
He called you out.
Speaker 5 (26:36):
Yeah for motivation in the locker room, he did blanket
all bright picking against us.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
He did, And that was the thing.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
So anyway, right now, I currently sit in fourth place
in the Pro Pick Them Challenge with forty four uh
or Boss Dave Tepper and third with forty five.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Look at that he'll fall off. Uh some guy named
uh is it Brian Ryan Ryan Edwards?
Speaker 3 (26:57):
I'm not sure his second with forty seven, and Rod
continues a boat racist at forty eight.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
A Rod wins it every year after. I'm like, what
is this Because when he was.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
Even here doing the round table pick him stuff, he
wasn't as good. I'm like, who are you consulting with
on these pickham games?
Speaker 5 (27:11):
I think he has access to the picks online and
he can just go in and change, not do it
too much.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
It's got to be, but just enough to keep himself
in the league.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
I thought I felt like there was kind of a
Belichick moment there. I felt like I was being videotaped
as I was making my first Maybe maybe there's some
of that going on.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
I don't know. We'll figure that. We gotta get you
involved in the pro pick him chouse Thursday? Who got Thursday?
This Thursday? Who's playing? We got forty nine? Or Seahawks?
Who you got in the forty nine? Or see? What
do you think? I think the forty nine ers bounce back.
I just think that this is a team.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
They're struggling right now, but I just think they are
a lot more talented than Seattle. Still, ultimately, both these
teams are reeling, but I think, you know, forty nine
Ers have Super Bowl aspirations potentially. I think the Seahawks
are more of a fun playoff team potentially. I'm just
gonna give my difference.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
To Kyle Shanahan.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Also, they've lost a couple, They've blown up couple ten
point leads there in the fourth quarter, which was something
Kyle Shanahan hadn't done at all for the first several
years of his coaching tenure.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
There, I feel like that shit regrets to the meme.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Kyle's been sort of known for blowing leads, So I
think everybody's familiar with twenty eight three. Yeah, you know,
you talk about the Jimmy Garoppolo super Bowl like that's
starting to become a.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Narrative around him.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
In fact, forty nine Ers fans are getting frustrated and
upset with Kyle Shanahan, and I'm like, dude, I want
to casually remind you of what you had before, Kyle Shanahan,
between Jim Kelly and Jim tom Sula, Like what you know,
the grass is not greener and I want to scream that.
Speaker 4 (28:34):
At the Jets, But you know whatever, and we're talking
about the Jim Harbaugh franchise here, how did that go?
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Going to Jim tom Sula and Chip Kelly and that
whole mess. It was absolutely a disaster.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
I like what Seattle's doing on offense this year, but
there's one thing that sort of perplexes me, and I
think Ryan Garub will absolutely get head coaching interviews after
this season. It bugs me how much they're having Gino
Smith throw. You've got a couple of backs there at
Walker and Charbone that they should be handed off on,
and you've got a defensive head coach and Mike McDonald
and he's saying, hey, let's y know, let's sling the
ball fifty times.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Really, I'm for it. I hate to say I'm for it.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
This team should be running at some but I think
this is one of the worst lines in the league
right now, maybe the worst line in the league, and
that's making it hard for those backs, as talented as
they are.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
I think charbonays struggled some.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
He's near the bottom of the league in a rushing
yards over expectation. And then Gino Smith, Yes he's named
Gino Smith, but I think if you brought a football
knowing alien down to planet Earth and showed him some
Geno Smith tape, they think that's a dang good quarterback.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Bordering on top ten lean on Geno Smith, they should
do it more so. Yeah, I'm not. I mean I'm
doing wrong. I'm not opposed to Gino throwing the ball.
I love the comeback story there.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
I mean, but he leads the league in passing attempts
right now, all right, that's a little much. Yeah, one
hundred and ninety nine passing attempts through five games. I mean,
he's got these are the most attempts in the league.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
He didn't realize it was that extreme. Yeah, he was completing.
He was completing seventy two percent of his passes, which
is something.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
But it just feels a bit I'm like, this just
feels a bit like we're going the wrong direction here.
I mean, you're averaging forty passing attempts a game.
Speaker 4 (30:05):
Yeah, and I think some of that is well, it's
not even gamescript because you look at their opponents early on,
and it was games where they were leading, games where
they were going against offenses. You don't trust it. It
is weird that it's that high. You know, the Lions game,
you expect to inflate that some. But yeah, forty a game.
That's bizarre.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
I would like to retract my priority lean on Gino,
maybe not lean on Geno that. Yeah, maybe lean a.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Little less hard on Gino say, I mean forty passing
attempts a game.
Speaker 4 (30:32):
Is that even sustainable? It feels like air raid, which
and that's not Ryan Grubbs. I mean, they spread it
out a lot at Washington, but it wasn't quite air raid.
But this feels like an air raid college offense.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
The fewest passing attempts that they had was against the Broncos.
They had twenty five passing attempts against the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Forty four against New England.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Why thirty four against Miami a game they won, twenty
four to three, Fifty six passing attempts against.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Detroit, and then another forty against the Giants.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
Ffty six has to be one of the highest numbers
of the past decade or so. Yeah, I don't know
if I've ever seen sixty.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
So that has.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Cousins had what fifty the other night in the five
hundred passing yardage or whatever, but that was wasn't that over?
Speaker 2 (31:12):
That was an overtime game.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
Yeah, fifty six passing attempts in a regulation game feels
absurd to me. And it feels like you're gonna get
your quarterback hit too much, too even if he doesn't
get sacked, he's probably still getting hit on that on
that play quite a bit. And so I to me,
that feels like we're wearing it out just a little
bit in terms of plus you're gonna wear out that arm.
I mean, you know, like again you're averaging forty passing attempts. Again,
(31:37):
you have three games this season where you have forty
or more passing attempts and he's ripping it.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
It'll put my aluch on that arm. It will Broncos
Country tonight and pulls
Speaker 3 (31:47):
On after this right here on Kowa Take fifty AM
ninety four ONEFL Loos Sports
Then I need you to do three things here. Three things, okay,
three things today. First things, First, I need you to
get your picture taken next to Gwyneth Paltrow at a
cold Play concert wearing a gold suit made of rich
Corinthian leather and top gun v neck tshirt. Then I
need you to link up with Chris Baron spin Doctors,
(00:22):
write a song about Broncos Country Tonight call State Sponsored. Okay,
you need to pair up with Stetson Cologne. Oh God,
create your own vet blend. You get all three of
those things done, you have a seventy chance of getting
(00:44):
back on the Taking It for Granted podcast.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Wow, you got every reference for the last five years
and there that is well done.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Certain wells a boss always when that clip gets played,
you guys know what's coming up next. Lana Sanderson, the
mile High Hule right out if the wait comments of
hot Linelands, how you doing thisce eving.
Speaker 1 (01:03):
Doing good? Then you know, I was surfing through Spotify
the other day and I found that song that you
wrote with Chris Barren. I'm just surprised that you decided
to go with a Poka theme, but the accordion solo
from you absolutely tremendous man. Well done, very well done, some.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Of my best work.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
People don't know that I've an accomplished accordion and harpsichord player,
So you know, really, I'm just trying to break back
your relevant reference, irrelevant musical interests for people, as well
as promulgating German music, which is my heritage just because
of my love of the Hasselhoff.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Yes, sir, Yes, sir. How are you doing it?
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Man?
Speaker 1 (01:40):
I'm good to talk to you.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
I'm doing good.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Man.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
We're coming off the three game win streak.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
You know, the Broncos won three in a row, and
I think that people probably through five games, did not
see this is where the team would be.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Some of it's by.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
Hook, some of us by crook, but they managed to
get it done. They've been flashes for the offense and
the Tampa and.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
The Raiders game.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Where do you feel about this team right now through
five games?
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Well, quite honestly, I have to give a big shout
out to Van Shijosef in the defense and what he's
able to do with the players that he had, because
coming into the season, you know, it was so hard
to project what this defense would look like, specifically against
the run. You know, you move on from Justin Simmons,
you bring in Malcolm Roach, bring in Jonathan Franklin Myers.
But the issues that you had last year, the depth
(02:24):
concerns that he had coming into the season, Van Joseph
has this defense playing at a probably the best defense
in the NFL level right now. Like they're third in
yards per game, second against the yards play, first in
EPA per play, Like they're getting after it in a
very special way, and like there's so many different ways
you can break this defense down, but it all starts
(02:45):
with Dan Joseph in the aggressiveness that he is chilling.
Obviously the forty one point eight percent blitz percentage right
now highest in the NFL. Utilizing that secondary which I
had super big concerns with, especially at the safety position.
Like I'd love to break this down and talk defensively
specifically for tonight's show.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Well, I yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
I look, Vance Joseph getting his flowers is personally validating
for me. I remember when Advance was hired as the
defensive coordinator here and I had everyone of their mothers
screaming that we needed to hire you know, Rex Ryan
out here. Make sure you have appropriate footwear if we do.
And I, you know, I liked the hire of Vance Joseph.
Vance doesn't get enough credit for what he has done defensively.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
When he was the head coach of the Broncos, the
defense was good.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
They gave out the blueprint for how to kind of
slow Patrick Mahomes down back when Pat Mahomes was the
hottest thing going.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
And I don't realize that Pat's numbers are down.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
He's still the best quarterback in the league.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Grant killing me, I know.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
And then you turn around and you look at what
a Dvance did People talk about that year in Miami.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
He only got one year, didn't get a chance to
turn it around. You go back to Arizona.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
He took over ostensibly the league's worst defense, and they
were good.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
By year three.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Now, the wheels came off in year four with all
the injuries, But what he did in Arizona I thought
was good. The thing about Vance Joseph that a lot
of people, I think they'll realize this is ie for talent.
Van's Joseph is the reason that Zach Allen is here.
Mass Joseph is the reason that Brandon Jones is here.
And I think Brandon Jones has been a hidden gem
for this team. Vance Joseph is coaching the defense that
has one first round pick on it in Pats Artan,
(04:23):
and six guys that were Day three or undrafted.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
To me, that's just a heck of a.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Job, dude.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
It's it's amazing.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Like quite honestly, everybody knows that Zach Allen, I mean,
he leads the league in pressures from interior defensive lineman.
He's getting after the quarterback at like a sixteen point
seven percent, right, Like, it's incredible what they're doing up front.
And I know that everyone's given passer Tannan's flowers, which
is absolutely like.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Due for him.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
And the huge game that he had against Raiders this
last week, two interceptions, obviously the one hundred yard picks
pick return for a touchdown. But the guy that I
think is really the guy that stirs the drink for
this defense is Brandon Jones. Because of his versatility, his
ability to line up at a single high safety if
you need him to do that. He can play both
halfs of the field. But his ability as a blitzer
(05:09):
and his tackling ability, the way that they can line
him and PJ Lock and utilize those guys in that
blitz scheme, utilizing the linebackers as well, and just allowing
Zach Allen and Jonathan Franklin Myers and Malcolm Roach to
be penetrators. That's a big thing for vanc Joseph's defense.
He wants these defensive linemen to get upfield, even against
(05:30):
the running game, and allow his linebackers to flow through
make plays, make plays at the second levels even though
it's still technically the first level because they're crashing so
far forward. And if Brandon Jones and PJ Lock and
the versatility that they bring to the back end of
that secondary is something that cannot be overstated. Right now.
PJ Lock, his ability as a blitz is just fantastic
(05:50):
right now. Brandon Jones again, his ability to see the ball,
chase the ball down, go and make big plays. He
has the interception, force the fumble as well, had a
fumbler recovery. This secondary, I think right now, is not
getting quite the credit that it deserves for what is
allowed with Vance Joseph and his pressure schemes up front.
I mean, you're talking the highest cover zero rate and
(06:12):
the highest blitz rate in the NFL right now, just
because your secondary is playing quality at the back end,
it's also playing quality on the boundary.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Yeah, and I think it's interesting.
Speaker 3 (06:22):
You know, you talk about that the highest covers of
your highest blitz percentage, and there are shortcomings to that,
and we saw a little bit of that early on
in the Raiders game. They popped that big run Bowers
got free on that play.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
There are the.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Opportunity for busted coverages or the opportunity for one man
missing and the whole thing. You know, the House of
cards tumbling does exist on that and we've saw a
little bit of that the Raiders game. Thankfully, Patzertan was
able to make it up with the one hundred yard
pick six by the way, fastest ball carrier on a
pick six only ball carry out of pick six over
twenty miles per hour this year. I you know, I
(06:53):
love this style of defense. It's a radical departure from
what we had previously. Vic Fangio, who basically has the
blueprint on what everybody in the league is running right
now with the tight front cover four cover two see
six stuff on the back end and very little blitzing.
Now we're seeing the antithesis of that. And I love it.
It's kind of a harken back to Vance Joseph's mentor
(07:16):
and Wade Phillips. But there does exist that is the
Achilles heel to it. There does exist the potential for
busts and big plays.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Yeah, but the one thing that's counteracting at even with
the bust and big play potential is the tackling ability
of this unit at the back end. Specifically, I mean
when you're talking about yards after catch over expected. Right now,
according to NFL plus dot com, the team is fourth
plus thirteen yards over expected in terms of yards after catch.
They were minus thirty five last week, which was forty
(07:46):
yards better than the next defense allowed. And I know
that the big brock Hours catch and run on the
first possession that sunk the hearts of Broncos country. That
definitely factors into this. But even a run run yardage
after contact over expected, they're six in the NFL minus
nine yards yards after contact over expected just period eighth
(08:08):
at two point seven seven yards. This team is rallying
to the ball, they're making clean, sound tackles, and they're
really limiting these explosive plays from offensive I understand you've
got the Kenneth Locker Junior run in Week one. That
was in the Gino Smith run where they they had
three lanes to run. Alex Ing Wilson miss that big
tackle against Kenneth Walker Junior. You got the brock Powers play.
(08:30):
But every time an offensive player touches the football, they
are hitting the ground and less than three yards after
they touched the football, which is a tremendous boost to
what this defense is and a tremendous boost to what
Vance Joseph is doing as a defensive coordinator. Oh.
Speaker 3 (08:44):
Absolutely, And I don't want to take away from Vance's flowers.
I just want to say that's the difference between the
Fangio blueprint and then the Vance blueprint. The Fangio blueprint
strives to keep plays in front of you. It will,
it does work in producing lower scoring outcomes designed to
hold you the field goals, bogging down on the red zone.
The problem the Achilles field to the Vance Joseph excuse me,
(09:04):
the Vic Fangil formula is that if you need a
quick stop, it's probably not going to get you one.
We saw that too often when Vic was the head coach,
when Hackett was the head coach, and even when Vance
was running the continuity sort of last year you saw
that if you needed a late game stop, you just
weren't going to get one. It's ben don't break, and
they would be able to run the clock out.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
And we saw that.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Now we have a defense that can get those turnovers
and they're getting them.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Yeah. Absolutely, man. You've got obviously the three interception game
against the Raiders, you had uh, Brandon Jones again with
the interception against Tampa Bay. You had the force fumble
that that Jones took back again here to the house. Uh,
Like they're they're they're not only getting the turnovers, they're
getting after the quarterback at one of the highest clips
in the NFL right now. They're uh they're pass rush
(09:50):
uh Apa for play is first at negative point two seven.
Like they're they're they're doing it very well with the
exotic blitz of that dance Joseph is dialing up, allowing
these linebackers to kind of play in some space, bringing
the safeties and whatnot. The and Zach Allen, Johnason, Franklin
Meyer is doing their dirty work up front, like getting
(10:10):
after the quarterback. This team is just spectacular defensively, and
quite honestly, it's a treat to watch, especially after what
we saw in the first five weeks.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Of last season.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
I mean, this defensive turnaround right now, I don't know
if you if you understand this, Like last week coming
out of the Miami Dolphins last year, excuse me, coming
out of the Miami Dolphins game, the defense was on
pace to be one of the worst defenses in NFL history,
and Miami was on pace to being one of the
best offenses in NFL history. Fut that script around a
year later, Denver has the best defense in the NFL
(10:40):
and Miami has one of the worst offenses in the NFL.
This turnaround that Vance Joseph has dictated with his play
calling and with the players actually stepping up, hitting the scheme,
buying into what Dance Joseph is calling. Defensively, it's amazing
and quite honestly that the guy should be up for
Assistant Coach of the Year. As it stands right now,
he's been just tremendous and I cannot give the guy
(11:02):
enough credit.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Let me pose the question to you that I'm posing
to everybody right now, is if Vance Joseph, as expected,
gets head coaching interviews this offseason and takes a head
coaching job somewhere, the Broncos get two third round compensatory
draft picks. Back, is it worse if he leaves and
takes a head coaching job and Jim Leonard as sensibly
steps into that role, or is it you know, would
(11:25):
you rather have would rather have basically the third round
picks or would rather have vance Joseph next year? Because
that question, if you'd ask that question last year, universally
everybody would have said they would have rather had the
two third rounders.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Now I'm not so sure.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
That's a difficult question to answer, man, because like I can't,
like I said, I can't give Dance Joseph enough credit
the third round picks to help build this team around,
especially with the offensive playmakers coming out in this year's draft,
Like that would be a big boost at helping the
development of Quote Nicks. But what's one of the best
tools that you can give a young quarterback him a
(12:00):
quality running game and a quality defense and just tell
them to go not go out and make mistakes, don't like,
take care of the football and make the plays that
you need to when they're necessary, and you'll have some
success with the young quarterback losing Dance Joseph, I think
is going to be a big, a big loss for
this Broncos team, especially right now, because like I said,
these players are buying in specifically to what they want,
(12:21):
what he wants them to do. But I think that
there's an option out there that stupidly got fired from
New York. Why the New York just fired Robert Solla.
Go out and pick him up, bring him in as
a consultant as fast as you possibly can allow him
to work with Jim Letard a little bit. Maybe you
can work some kind of a co defensive coordinator impact
(12:42):
with those guys. With Robert Solon his linebacker play that
he always seems to have high quality play coming from,
and the Jim Letter continuing to work with the secondary.
I mean that that to me is as a quality
option there. But yeah, losing Dance Joseph would be to me.
And it's crazy because a year ago everyone wanted to fire,
they wanted him ran out of town, and he was
scared that he was going to lose his job. For sure,
(13:04):
I know that for a fact. But what he's doing
right now to help this team turn around everything again,
it cannot be overstated nearly enough.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Yeah, I'm with you on that. Real quick, we got
a couple of minutes left. I want to look forward
to the Chargers game coming up. You know, a lot
of people view this as a very winnable game, myself included.
But the Chargers are a little bit better than people think,
at least in terms of defense. They're one of the
top defenses in the league. Twelve point five points allowed
per game this season would rank number one. They're third
overall and takeaway differential at plus five.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
They've already had a bye week and they're coming off
a bye week.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
They have some of the similar problems to the Broncos,
and that the pass game has just not gotten going
the thirty first in passing yards per game one thirty six,
But in terms of rushing yardage, they've been good.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Their top ten team in terms of running the football.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Could this be a trap sort of game for the
Denver Broncos as you look forward to maybe going to
New Orleans on Thursday and overlook a Chargers team that's
a lot more physical than they've been in recent years.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
No, quite, Honestly, looking of this game as intently as
you did as the Raiders game this last week, I mean, yeah,
you've won a couple of games against the Chargers over
the last handful of years, but it really what does
that matter. This team right now at three and two,
needs to be approaching every single game as aggressively as
they possibly can be, and quite honestly, I want to
see what they're going to do against this charge of
(14:18):
this Chargers defense, which has a high quality pass rush,
they're doing really well against the run, they're doing really
well against the pass as well, and the Broncos offense.
As much as we want Boonnicks to be the guy,
I still need to see a lot more out of it,
not only from Bonnicks himself, but as Sean Payton is
a play caller. We need to open some stuff up
against the against the Chargers and try to manufacture some
(14:39):
more points offensively and not just rely on the defense
to make plays and pushing in quality situations. Because as
much as the Chargers have struggled on offense, they've done
a really good job running the football. They're controlling the ball,
they're not turning it over, and they're just keeping keeping
the opposing offense off the field. I mean, it's the
it's the Jim Harbaugh script to every single game that
(15:01):
he's been a coach ever since he was back at
what San Diego. I believe where he was at the
count ball control offense, run the football, play physically, grind
the clock down, shorten the game, and keep the opposing
offense off the field. When the Broncos have opportunities. I
think Sean Payton needs to open this thing up a
little bit. We saw a little bit of that in
the second half after bo Nicks got after him for
(15:22):
whatever it was when it was a play call, flipping
the play call, whether it was Bonicks not being under
center for the Luke Wattenberg snap that hit him in
the button and was the fumble, it doesn't really matter.
What happened was bo Nicks started to get a little
bit more confident, started pushing the ball down the field
a little bit more. They were playing with the lead,
and Sean Payton allowed Boonicks to kind of grow a
(15:44):
little bit, and to me, that was a really big
sign for the Broncos offense. I want to see more
of that against the Chargers.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
I'm with you on that, hopefully some more. Marvin Mims
reps as well. Lands. We always appreciate.
Speaker 1 (15:53):
Having you or can we talk about that for a second?
Speaker 2 (15:55):
Weak football. We got to hit a break. We got
hit a break your last but we'll get to it
next time.
Speaker 3 (16:01):
We got to we gotta see more, Marvin miss We
always appreciate you having you on there. Lance Sanderson, Mile
hig Huddle, Broncos Country to Night rolls on after this
five six.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Six nine zero is the text line. Thanks to Lance
Sanderson for joining us in the last segment.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Obviously Ryan Michael for joining us in the previous hour.
We've got Steve Atwater as well in the first hour.
So if you guys go to Broncos Country dot dot
com slash podcast you can get all of that.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
If you missed any of that, and uh, that's a mouthful.
With that, it's time for an NFL six pack. It's
time for the NFL six pad.
Speaker 1 (16:30):
I'm gonna trade the last year insight and insight information
you can't find anywhere else. No.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Six the top six NFL headlines.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
What Woody Johnson said that it was his decision alone
to fire Robert Salah today, Uh, where do you think,
Ben Well?
Speaker 3 (16:53):
I mean, I think a lot of people say a
lot of things that aren't true. I mean, I guess
technically it is.
Speaker 2 (17:02):
His decision. I mean, he is the guy at the
top at you know, at the end of the day.
But I you know that's not really I mean his
decision alone. I talk to people today. I know what happened.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
Robert Sala was gonna replace Nate Hackett with Todd Downing,
and the quarterback who holds all the power there decided
that was not in his best interest.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
And there you go.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
I mean we can sit there and you know, and
guess around things till the end of time. But at
the end of the day, you know, Robert Sala didn't
win enough to have the cachet and Aaron Rodgers they
pushed all in and the balance of power they're shifted.
When they brought Aaron Rodgers in, you know, they went out,
they got his guys, they got Alan Bazar, they went
to Randall Cobb, they went out. You know, they put
the band back together that Aaron Rodgers want. They got
(17:43):
the o c that Aaron Rodgers wanted. At the end
of the day, you let snakes in the building, you
shouldn't be.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
Surprised to get a bit makes sense.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Whatdy Johnson not the most trustworthy owner, Uh Carr reportedly
out multiple weeks. According to Ian Rappaport and Mike Garuffalo,
Broncos play them on a short week next Thursday.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
This seems to lining up pretty well for them. Yeah,
I mean, you never wish injury on somebody, but the
you know, the situation there does make the Saints ostensibly
a little more beatable. I certainly hope Spencer Ratler doesn't
come out, pull of Jade Daniels and blow the doors off.
You know that that is an interesting one because the
Broncos are going to play with a physical opponent at
home on sidey. The Chargers, whatever you think of them,
(18:22):
are a physical football team and that's gonna be a
tough game to get beat up in a little bit
and then go on the road to New Orleans in
primetime and play. So if you've got, you know, a
quarterback making their first or second start, a rookie who
maybe doesn't have as firm a grasp on the offense
as that Derek Carr does, up against a good defense
like New Orleans, that could certainly make things.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
A lot easier for than ever Broncos are.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
Speaking of rookies making their first start the new According
to Adam Schefter. The New England Patriots are reportedly starting
Drake May this week. He'll be getting his first ever
start for the New England Patriots.
Speaker 2 (18:56):
Yeah, Jacoby Brissett hasn't. I mean, he is what he is.
You know, he was there to be a stopgap guy.
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Drake May did not have the offense down to the
level he needed to have it at the at the
start of the season, had some footwork issues to struggle with,
blitz diagnosis, a few different things there. From what I've
been told, that stuff is a lot cleaner than it
was over the last seven weeks, and he's gotten a
lot better with it, and they've sort of got the
(19:21):
confidence in him. I probably would have waited one more
week because I mean, why are you throwing him out
there against the Houston Texans and that defense to start?
Speaker 2 (19:29):
That feels like a mistake, but they felt it was
the appropriate time.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Girod Mayo.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
I'm not gonna say he's in battled, but the results
so far have been a bit disappointing. After they fired
Bill Belichick, obviously he's gonna have a little bit of
a leash as far as that kind of stuff goes.
But the results haven't been great so far, and so
they're hoping that putting Drake May in there provides a spark.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
We'll see if that's the case or the Las Vegas
Raiders are down one of their key pieces their big
off season. Addition, Christian Wilkins is out indefinitely following a
surgery on his or some foot surgery rather per Ian Rappaport.
The Broncos don't play the Raiders again until week twelve.
But does this still benefit them in the AFCUS trace Well.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
It benefited him in that game.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
I mean the Broncos offense took al off when question
Wilkins went out.
Speaker 1 (20:15):
You know, he is.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Anytime you get an interior gap penetrator like that, somebody
who was able to disrupt between the B.
Speaker 2 (20:21):
Gaps, that it makes it life tough on any quarterback.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Ever, Bonnicks really sort of settled down once Wilkins went
out of the game and had his best performance, similar
to the other game where he had his best performance
in Tampa, they were missing Vida Veil. They couldn't get
pressure between the B gaps and you know, I thought
he looked a lot He just looks a lot better
when he has a clean pocket in front of him
versus his uncanny ability to sort of feel stuff off
the edge.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
We also saw that in the Tampa game.
Speaker 3 (20:44):
I think when the edge rusher came off Harrett Bowles,
I think it was Tron Shawka and he took off
of that big run. So, you know, I think, yes,
it does benefit the Broncos. Benefits any team is playing
the Raiders. Not having that there obviously the Raiders most
known for Max Crosby, but Crosby frees up those other
guys to you know.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
To recavoc and not having a great player like.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
Christian Wilkins in there, I think would benefit him if
if he's not back by then, and I don't think
he's going to be back by then based on what
I her.
Speaker 2 (21:09):
We'll see how that shakes out.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
Five.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
Talking about another big off season edition that might not
be going the way the team planned. The Philadelphia Eagles
cut Devin White today.
Speaker 2 (21:23):
He was a healthy scratch each of the past four weeks.
Speaker 4 (21:25):
Could this be an option for the Broncos to consider
it inside linebacker with Alex Singleton injury.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
I don't think so.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
I'm not gonna say no, just because I think they
have their eyes other places. Right now, and especially with
the which Sternat has come in and played. They did
pick up Kawant Alexander and Zach Cunningham his practice squad editions.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
For kind of reinforcement there.
Speaker 3 (21:44):
The thing about Devin White is he really really fell
off back in Tampa. They knew that they kind of
forced him out because he wanted money and his play
had followed off. The Philadelphia Eagles overpaid him and then
in the end you can sort of see how that
how that worked out.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
I think that he's lost a step up.
Speaker 3 (22:03):
I'm not sure that he's a guy that's really starting
caliber material in the NFL anymore.
Speaker 2 (22:07):
The name is more recognizable than the play. Go back
and look at it.
Speaker 3 (22:10):
You know, if they give him a shot, you know,
bring him in as a practice squad, If he's willing
to do the practice squad thing and maybe get some
call ups and see, then maybe I think he would
fit better in what Bence Joseph does than what mcfangio does.
I think if you put him in sort of that
Todd Davis Downhill role, I think he can be effective.
I just don't think he's the same caliber of player
that he was first contract back there.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
In Tampa sick turning it local. Now, Bud black just
got another extension from the Colorado Rockies. Was it a
good decision by Monfordenco to extend once again the Rockies
winningest and losingest manager.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
Well, I mean, anytime you lose one hundred games in
a season, fans are going to kind of bulk at
the idea that.
Speaker 2 (22:54):
That that guy should be retained or even extended. But
I think so.
Speaker 3 (22:58):
I think if you look at where the Rockies are
right now, transitioning and trying to try to get to
a youth movement, They've they've moved on from storied players
over the last couple of years, guys like Laura Eleronnado,
Blackman's retiring. Uh, you had Trevor Story Tulowitski over the
last you know have they've moved on from that. They
facilitated a youth movee and they've got some exciting young
players they do. The story with the Rockies is, as
(23:19):
it always has been one, the pitching. What are you
going to get out of the bullpen here? And how
can you get successful middle and lengthy relievers to come
here or grow them and not have them go somewhere else. Uh,
And so that's that's sort of been the thing. Bolten
coach Ree Cornelius uh and hitting coach PJ. Pilitaria not
returning for the coaching staff. So that's that's gonna that's
(23:41):
gonna change. I mean, there was a there was an
acknowledgment that recent results on the field didn't meet expectations.
But they do believe in the direction of the of
the team right now. And I'm gonna say, you know,
you in baseball, it's a lot different than football or basketball,
where you can make immediate differences with one or two players.
Baseball it takes forever to turn something around because you
get the farm system and guys often when.
Speaker 2 (24:01):
They're drafted are four or five years even playing in
the pros.
Speaker 3 (24:04):
There's exception schemes in Pittsburgh, whatever, But for me, I
think you've got to give this another year or two
to have a grade on it. And as much as
that sucks, after a one hundred plus lost season and
a manager who has a record of five point thirty
seven and six fifty seven over eight seasons with the Rockies,
you know, I can understand fan hesitant, certainly, you know,
(24:25):
with with extending him.
Speaker 2 (24:26):
That said, I think this is another two year project
and you got to figure it out.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
And if you feel like that, Bud Black and I
feel like Bud Black's a decent manager. He's just, you know,
a you have a situation where you just you're moving
on from great players and you don't have the right pitching.
So I'm not opposed to it. I think that I
think that's what you do in this situation. You extend
them one more year and you kind of see, you
feel you figure you know where you want this thing
(24:50):
to go. You feel like you're at your low point
and about to be on the upswing. He's gonna have
to show results next year. That's your NFL six pack.
So thank you Zach Seers for doing the NFL six
pack there. I was going to toss that up to myself,
but I thought that might sound awkward.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
Yeah, I appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (25:07):
Getting my feet wet here hopefully to hope to only
get smoother the more times I run through these with you.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Yeah, it'll be all good. Everybody's for a rookie dabut
we're giving it up. We're going to solid B. Plus.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
I think I think I'm not setting records for lowest
yards per attempts in a FL NFL merger.
Speaker 3 (25:24):
I think I think I'm clear in that bar. Maybe
clearly clearly clear in that bar. We're doing good here.
We're giving you a solid better than average grade. All
you needed to do was obviously compliment me and pander
a little bit, and then we could have pumped that
right on up to right on up.
Speaker 2 (25:35):
Today, guys, the k.
Speaker 3 (25:36):
WAIT Pro Pick Them Challenge it's back this football season,
presented by Verizon. Sign up today to make your weekly
picks at kwaclorado dot com. Weekly winner gets a two
hundred dollars master card gift card. Grand prize winner when's
a thousand dollars master card gift card card. See Have
Verizon presented by Verizon, the official five G network of
the Verbokles.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
We're going to get Zack in the in the Pro
Pick Them Now.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
He's going to be obviously like forty picks behind, four
weeks behind, right, but we got to get him in
the Pro Pick Them Challenge.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Yeah, show you guy, you and Nickol laughed at me.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
We'll do that segment again this Friday, where we go
around the NFL and pick the slate of games. You
guys kind of were shocks that I was picking the
Cardinals over the forty nine ers.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
I wasn't shot by that. I like, they give them
trouble every time. I just I'm went against my baser instincts.
I bet against my boy John Gannon like an idiot,
and you saw what happened.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
This is what This is what happens.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
This is what happens when I bet against you know, the.
Speaker 3 (26:23):
Best part of that was because like the I put
up my little slate or whatever so people can see it.
The best part of that is when you get a
text message after the after the game from the coade. Yeah,
you picked against me. Bleep, bleep bleep.
Speaker 2 (26:35):
He called you out.
Speaker 5 (26:36):
Yeah for motivation in the locker room, he did blanket
all bright picking against us.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
He did, And that was the thing.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
So anyway, right now, I currently sit in fourth place
in the Pro Pick Them Challenge with forty four uh
or Boss Dave Tepper and third with forty five.
Speaker 2 (26:51):
Look at that he'll fall off. Uh some guy named
uh is it Brian Ryan Ryan Edwards?
Speaker 3 (26:57):
I'm not sure his second with forty seven, and Rod
continues a boat racist at forty eight.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
A Rod wins it every year after. I'm like, what
is this Because when he was.
Speaker 3 (27:06):
Even here doing the round table pick him stuff, he
wasn't as good. I'm like, who are you consulting with
on these pickham games?
Speaker 5 (27:11):
I think he has access to the picks online and
he can just go in and change, not do it
too much.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
It's got to be, but just enough to keep himself
in the league.
Speaker 3 (27:19):
I thought I felt like there was kind of a
Belichick moment there. I felt like I was being videotaped
as I was making my first Maybe maybe there's some
of that going on.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
I don't know. We'll figure that. We gotta get you
involved in the pro pick him chouse Thursday? Who got Thursday?
This Thursday? Who's playing? We got forty nine? Or Seahawks?
Who you got in the forty nine? Or see? What
do you think? I think the forty nine ers bounce back.
I just think that this is a team.
Speaker 4 (27:40):
They're struggling right now, but I just think they are
a lot more talented than Seattle. Still, ultimately, both these
teams are reeling, but I think, you know, forty nine
Ers have Super Bowl aspirations potentially. I think the Seahawks
are more of a fun playoff team potentially. I'm just
gonna give my difference.
Speaker 2 (27:55):
To Kyle Shanahan.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Also, they've lost a couple, They've blown up couple ten
point leads there in the fourth quarter, which was something
Kyle Shanahan hadn't done at all for the first several
years of his coaching tenure.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
There, I feel like that shit regrets to the meme.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
Kyle's been sort of known for blowing leads, So I
think everybody's familiar with twenty eight three. Yeah, you know,
you talk about the Jimmy Garoppolo super Bowl like that's
starting to become a.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
Narrative around him.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
In fact, forty nine Ers fans are getting frustrated and
upset with Kyle Shanahan, and I'm like, dude, I want
to casually remind you of what you had before, Kyle Shanahan,
between Jim Kelly and Jim tom Sula, Like what you know,
the grass is not greener and I want to scream that.
Speaker 4 (28:34):
At the Jets, But you know whatever, and we're talking
about the Jim Harbaugh franchise here, how did that go?
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Going to Jim tom Sula and Chip Kelly and that
whole mess. It was absolutely a disaster.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
I like what Seattle's doing on offense this year, but
there's one thing that sort of perplexes me, and I
think Ryan Garub will absolutely get head coaching interviews after
this season. It bugs me how much they're having Gino
Smith throw. You've got a couple of backs there at
Walker and Charbone that they should be handed off on,
and you've got a defensive head coach and Mike McDonald
and he's saying, hey, let's y know, let's sling the
ball fifty times.
Speaker 2 (29:06):
Really, I'm for it. I hate to say I'm for it.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
This team should be running at some but I think
this is one of the worst lines in the league
right now, maybe the worst line in the league, and
that's making it hard for those backs, as talented as
they are.
Speaker 2 (29:19):
I think charbonays struggled some.
Speaker 4 (29:20):
He's near the bottom of the league in a rushing
yards over expectation. And then Gino Smith, Yes he's named
Gino Smith, but I think if you brought a football
knowing alien down to planet Earth and showed him some
Geno Smith tape, they think that's a dang good quarterback.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Bordering on top ten lean on Geno Smith, they should
do it more so. Yeah, I'm not. I mean I'm
doing wrong. I'm not opposed to Gino throwing the ball.
I love the comeback story there.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
I mean, but he leads the league in passing attempts
right now, all right, that's a little much. Yeah, one
hundred and ninety nine passing attempts through five games. I mean,
he's got these are the most attempts in the league.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
He didn't realize it was that extreme. Yeah, he was completing.
He was completing seventy two percent of his passes, which
is something.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
But it just feels a bit I'm like, this just
feels a bit like we're going the wrong direction here.
I mean, you're averaging forty passing attempts a game.
Speaker 4 (30:05):
Yeah, and I think some of that is well, it's
not even gamescript because you look at their opponents early on,
and it was games where they were leading, games where
they were going against offenses. You don't trust it. It
is weird that it's that high. You know, the Lions game,
you expect to inflate that some. But yeah, forty a game.
That's bizarre.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
I would like to retract my priority lean on Gino,
maybe not lean on Geno that. Yeah, maybe lean a.
Speaker 3 (30:28):
Little less hard on Gino say, I mean forty passing
attempts a game.
Speaker 4 (30:32):
Is that even sustainable? It feels like air raid, which
and that's not Ryan Grubbs. I mean, they spread it
out a lot at Washington, but it wasn't quite air raid.
But this feels like an air raid college offense.
Speaker 3 (30:42):
The fewest passing attempts that they had was against the Broncos.
They had twenty five passing attempts against the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Forty four against New England.
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Why thirty four against Miami a game they won, twenty
four to three, Fifty six passing attempts against.
Speaker 2 (30:56):
Detroit, and then another forty against the Giants.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
Ffty six has to be one of the highest numbers
of the past decade or so. Yeah, I don't know
if I've ever seen sixty.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
So that has.
Speaker 3 (31:06):
Cousins had what fifty the other night in the five
hundred passing yardage or whatever, but that was wasn't that over?
Speaker 2 (31:12):
That was an overtime game.
Speaker 3 (31:14):
Yeah, fifty six passing attempts in a regulation game feels
absurd to me. And it feels like you're gonna get
your quarterback hit too much, too even if he doesn't
get sacked, he's probably still getting hit on that on
that play quite a bit. And so I to me,
that feels like we're wearing it out just a little
bit in terms of plus you're gonna wear out that arm.
I mean, you know, like again you're averaging forty passing attempts. Again,
(31:37):
you have three games this season where you have forty
or more passing attempts and he's ripping it.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
It'll put my aluch on that arm. It will Broncos
Country tonight and pulls
Speaker 3 (31:47):
On after this right here on Kowa Take fifty AM
ninety four ONEFL Loos Sports
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