Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well them do it Broncos Country Tonight, Budge with all, Brian,
Nick Ferguson, Grant Smith down here at the Sporty Pickle
Bar and Girl live as we do it on Monday,
nice half mile north before seventy on Peoria. Come on
down Mention big Al, get a free beer, obviously get
registered for tickets as well. Excuse me, we love having
you down here for this. They got great food. Just
(00:20):
polished off a pizza myself. Nick Ferguson, you got to
take your micro phone on how you doing this evening?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I was just waiting for the right time. I know
what button the hit.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Sure, I was trying to allow you to get through
your opening after eating your what is that.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Kalapinos lapino pepperoni pizza?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
I would ask who put jalapinos on a pizza? But
I mean, I guess I knew no. Now you know
I need a little spice and you a little kick.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
I'm just saying, Broncos get the win twenty eight to fourteen.
My twenty one point bet was killed in the waiting
seconds of the game, and you could bet that I
was highly upset about that. Bett Alfred Williams even called
me called me as they scored the touchdown to laugh
at my at my bet not cashing, as he is
(01:04):
not paying attention to it right now, but he yeah,
he called to commisserate, probably my bet not cashing. The
Broncos got accused of running it up in this when J. C. Horn,
who ran up on coach Sean Baton, accused him of
running it up. I mean, I don't really get that.
The Broncos only scored twenty eight points. That's the fewest
amount of points Carolina has given up since Week two
(01:26):
in a loss. They did give a few in that
a win, but it's the fewest that they give it
up in a loss since Week two. I mean, the
Broncos scored twelve points less than they normally give up
in games, which is roughly forty. I'm not really buying
that one.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Well, players get upset when they feel as though you're
trying to take advantage of the situation, and usually when
the team is up like the Broncos were yesterday, usually
the opposing offense the side where we're gonna kill the
clock and we're gonna run the ball. Now, we've seen
that same strategy employed high school Pop Warner, even college
(02:04):
now it's still at the discretion of the coach to decide,
you know what, We're just gonna stay in our offense. Now,
it's not our fault that your defense can't really stop us.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Right, and keep this in mind, the Broncos.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
After being able to run the ball well against the
Saints on Thursday Night Football last week, they didn't run
the ball that well against ljior Everro and his defense.
So give them credit for that. But when you take
away the right hand, I got to switch to southball.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Yeah, they got to.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Beat your face up with that, with that opposite end,
and that's what the Broncos did.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Carolina was calling timeouts on the final drive, Like I
do not understand the accusation of running it up. The
final score was twenty eight fourteen running it The definition
of a blowout has changed defensive blowouts.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Well, I guess from that standpoint, since I played defense,
I understand what Horne was trying to say, the idea
of typically the sportsmanship calls and said in the handbooks,
you call it, I'm gonna well what those timeouts were
called on that final drive, I guess afterwards, as the
Broncos decided to continue to.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Pass the ball. But for me, these are the things
that you do.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
You don't change your offense. And once again, the Carolina
Panthers did a great job against the Broncos rushing attack
where the Broncos needed to throw the ball and they
were quite efficient at throwing the ball. And the whole idea,
if you're a Carolina fan or someone working in an organization,
you have to stop the other team. I mean, you
can't wave the batter, and if you did, that doesn't
(03:34):
necessarily mean that it's gonna stop the other team from
doing what they do best. And then, look, I'm gonna
put it this way to quote one of my favorite wrestlers.
To be the best, you gotta beat the best who
Rick Flayers. So that's the whole concept. That's the whole idea.
You have to put your best foot forward. And apparently
the Carolina Panthers didn't do it.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
When they needed the most.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yeah, I mean, there were things to like in this game.
They didn't run particularly effectively all Log mcloughin ran fairly
well in the game, although they only game made carries.
Javonte not running as well. They only gave estimate one carry.
I didn't really care for that the passing game in
and of itself looked pretty good. A matter of fact,
even even the tight ends look good. The tight end,
much maligned tight end rooms. Adam Troutman caught four balls
(04:18):
for eighty five yards and a touchdown. You had Kroll
two catches eighteen yards, and the Adkins caught a three
yard touchdown. You know, it was fascinating to sort of
see on National tight Ends Day as the tight ends
got a little bit of a productivity as they've been
kind of a much maligned group for the Denver Broncos.
But overall, I mean it was it was okay, they
(04:38):
checked the Broncos checked the box. I'm not sitting here
taking much away from this other than you checked the box.
You beat a team you should have beat. I think
the real test, as I've been talking about, is the
next three games. You've got Baltimore coming up in Baltimore,
you're at Kansas City, and you got Atlanta come at
to the town. That's a rough three game stretch for anybody,
and you've got that's the real litmus test of where
this defense is, where this quarterback is, and where this
team is.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
All Right, Ben, You're absolutely right. Those two games are
head of the Broncos. Today is Monday, it is victory Monday,
So we're gonna reserve any talk about Kansas City of Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
We're gonna leave that for tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Today we're going to embrace and celebrate with the Broncos
getting the win and down there five and three, and
there's so much to talk about as it pertains to that.
Weekend and week out, we've seen more plays from bow
Knicks as he continues to grow. And what I continue
to see is something that you and I constantly, constantly
(05:33):
since week one of the regular season talked about as
far as the expansion of this offense. We have seen
more movement in this offense to give both Knicks some
opportunities to throw some passes down the field. But also
we've seen bow Knicks be a little creative in the
pocket himself when the pocket breaks down, avoiding pass Russias,
(05:53):
still trying to get on the edge, still trying to
throw the ball downfield. There was one play that he
throwed one on the right soilid line towards where the
Broncos where Davon Vley made a great play where he
caught the ball and he just he let his legs die, right, and.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
That's kind of the idea, you just kind of let
your legs.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Go went and just kind of drag in inside the
field of play.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
He did a great job with that. And there was
another one not on.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
That same drive, but later on where Bowl was trying
to get the ball into Javonte and they looked for
a second like Javonte, you know, try to channel his
inner wide receiver and keep his feet in.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
These are the.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Type of plays I like to see because it's the
evolution of Bowl, allowing him to be himself, not trying
to put him in somewhat of a box. To me,
as he continues to progress as Broncos offense would get.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Better, yeah, you know, I love the maturation from Baw.
I love seeing him continue to grow and all that
kind of stuff. I'm just like I said, I guess
I'm one of those people. As look, this three game
stretches coming up is what I've been looking forward to
for weeks. You know, we kind of knew the Saints
were busted up, and you know, a team that wasn't
really going to be able to compete. We know Carolina
is a bad football team. They were a bad football team.
(07:03):
Before they came in with all the injuries, we knew that. Like, so,
I'm glad that the team handled business. I'm glad that
they're getting the wins they're supposed to win, you know.
You know, I'm glad that we're not overlooking something and
letting things slip through. That that speaks to a team
that is better prepared than have been in recent years.
Because we've let some games slip away. We shouldn't have that.
That that speaks to a team that can, that knows
(07:24):
to handle its business, to stay focused in the in
the moment. So I'm I'm here for that.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Luck that they got the passing game going a little
bitiness and and kind of tried some things out. I
was fine with the trick plays in the in the
second half. I thought that that's put something on tape
for the coming opponents that they're gonna have to prepare for.
If it's me, I'm putting those things in their own purpose,
and then I'm coming out and I'm lining up like
that and run something different.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
You know.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Well, Yeah, that's the unique thing about yesterday's game. We
saw Carolina do something that I fell from a coaching standpoint,
highly uncharacteristics and very risky. I mean, you attempt the
fake punt backed up in your own territory, and I'm thinking, okay, well,
if you're gonna attempt that, get your punter outside of
(08:07):
the framework of the offense to make that throw easier
and have the guy who's running the route, who's the gunner,
have him run like he's going downfield and run a
comeback or run towards the middle of the field because
at that point the only person in the middle of
the field is the return them. So I thought that
was a poor decision and poor execution. And then we
also saw the Broncos attempt and fake field goal on
(08:28):
their own, which it didn't succeed, but you know, you
gotta test the waters, you gotta be willing to do
things sort.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Of what out of the box.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
And at that particular point, it didn't really make a
difference because the Broncos had the game in hand, and
like you said, these are the moments where you should
try to do things that you ordinarily wouldn't do and
a regular game type situation just to put them on
film and if you are successful, take advantage of it.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Yeah, And I think that's I think it's a good thing.
I think that being able to put those kinds of
things down and gets opponents to think, gets them to
think when you show up in those scenarios and anything
you get your opponent to practice, anything you get them
to spend reps on, is reps that they're not spending
on what your base offense is.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
But this is why utilizing the skill set and the
mobility of bo Nicks as another offensive threat, this is
why it works for the Broncos because every team will
start to look or say, well, the Broncos are getting better.
They have gotten better as the season has progressed from
an offensive play call and an execution standpoint, and being
(09:33):
able to find ways to keep both within the framework
of the offense and attack the offense as it is.
To me, that is something that you need to do.
Because once again, not to get too far ahead because
I said it wouldn't do it, but just for this
purpose and this purpose only. When you look about the
quarterbacks you're gonna face, Mahomes is very mobile, knows how
to use his feet to extend place, and Lamar Jackson
(09:57):
is a quintessential guy that can break your defense down
and the shore based on his mobility, and that's going
to give Vance Joseph something that he has to figure out.
But if you have a quarterback that can give you
somewhat of a similar threat from the QB position, you
utilize that the best that you can.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah, I love the fact that the Broncos went up
tempo in that game a couple of different times. You know,
I've been talking about that for quite a while. Finally
saw it, and of course A worked to perfection while
it was out there, So maybe we'll see some more
of that. That's something that as they evolve the playbook
and they grow the playbook for bo Nicks, that maybe
they'll they'll start start doing stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
But honestly, why they shouldn't do more of that?
Speaker 3 (10:36):
I still don't understand why that was a basic building
block of the Broncos offense coming into the season, and
understand who you have at the quarterback position. Even though saying, okay, well,
at that particular point, we don't know how much of
the offensive scheme that Bow had down pat but you know,
he has a very unique skill set, and you do
(10:56):
things like that to develop not just creativity, but to
kind they get Bo comfortable in the offense. So hopefully
we see more of that creativity expand. And I wouldn't
be mad if the expansion of those types of plays
Ben kind of dip their toe into the essence of
(11:16):
college football, right because we've seen a lot of the
NFL game kind of somewhat mimic what we've seen in
college football.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
And I agree with that. I'd love to see some
more concepts that he worked with at Oregon that worked
for him there, you know, implemented into the offense. I
definitely would you wanted to make it a victory Monday.
Let's celebrate some of the things that they did well.
I thought Julia looked pretty good out there. I thought
the tight end group looked pretty well out there. I
thought some of the receivers looked pretty good out there,
although we had some some dropsy slash fumble issues. Troy
(11:46):
Franklin dropped another touchdown. We saw little Jordan Humphrey and
Courtland Sutton and both fumble the ball. And you're getting
a lot of and I think rightfully so critiquing of
a receiving corps that's maybe letting the quarterback down a
litt little bit.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Okay, see I feel a little indifferent about those plays. Obviously,
as a coach, you don't want your players to put
the ball on the turf. But let's break these down
and we just say, okay, well, from this standpoint, which
one of those fambles do you think had a larger impact?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Right the le Jordan Humphrey fomble that led to the.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Carolina Panthers first touchdown or the Broncos being up by
twenty eight and Courtland fumbling having the ball punched out.
Both guys had the ball punched out, not one of
these guys. For disclosure, we're not trying to put the
ball on the turf, but the ball.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Was punched out.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Great defensive plays by the Carolina Panthers, so it's not
taken anything away from them. But which one of those
two plays would you say had the biggest impact?
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Which one?
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Well, I mean, I think they both had equal impact.
I don't know. I mean, the game was that I
was the game was over at the point that Courtland didn't.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
That's Courtland so saying, And.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Then I'm guessing at the beginning because that takes the
momentum it takes, the more it gives a team that's
coming into this thing. Knowing that they were an underdog
gives them some life. They punched something out, they stole
a possession from you. To me, I would say that
little Jordan Humphrey one would be the bigger deal.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Right now when looking at the overall outcome.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Of the game, not that one of those players really
impacted the game, but looking from a momentum standpoint, you
have to say, well that the Jordan Humphrey was unexpected
because you put the Carolina Panthers in blike young on
a short field and then you had an offense that
was already missing two of their wide receivers and Adam
Thielen and Dante Johnson was probably going to be traded
by next week, and you gave Carolina Panthers momentum at home.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Right, That's something that you didn't want to do.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
So when I hit the comments about having receivers being
able to catch the ball, well, for me, it's like,
let's put that in context. I mean, either guy fumbling
the ball overall income did not affect the game at all.
But if you're talking about sheer momentum to start the game,
that Jordan Humphrey bomble that or it had the ability
(14:03):
to but the Broncos were able to overcome.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
We've got some world serious action. Tonight's your Yankees down
two take it on the Dodgers and uh, I've got
the Yankees winning tonight, getting back into this thing. Do you,
Nick Ferguson, have the faith?
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Of course? I mean the faith is always there. I
was talking to uh Ryan Edwards uh and he wanted
more of a more enthusiastic you know, yeah right, But
I said, when you're used to winning, you don't need
to do all that ro ro That's fair.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
That's fair. I mean, when you're used to winning, you
know it's a oh five six six nine zeros a
text a lone. You guys want to get involved in
the conversation, you get lined out here at the Sporty.
You pick about a half mile north of E four
seventy on Peorius to got some time to enter to
win a couple of couple of tickets to the Falcons game.
It'll be in a couple of weeks, but you got
a chance to do that. Come on out here and
(14:51):
do that mention, big Al. You get a free twenty
outs beer kippie that deal with a stick when we
come back we're gonna get into a little bit more
of this game. I want to talk a little bit
more about the JC Horn situation. If you, as a
player ever ran up on a coach and felt disrespected
and that can talk about running it up, if your
your interactions with that. So I want to get into
(15:13):
that stuff.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
We come back.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
It's the broucous country night right here on kiawah Nick
because we were going to break. I wanted to talk
a little bit about j C. Horn rolling up on
Sean Payton there at the end, because we were talking
about the running it up and whether we believe they
were running it up or not. Have you ever approached
an opposing coach post game to voice your displeasure.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
No, I've never done that before because for me, even
in the loss, I think there is an unwritten way
that we deal with things in our normal lives, but
especially in life as as an athlete. Unless there was
a situation where I knew a coach was intentionally trying
(15:57):
to put his players in position to physically injure another player, No,
I won't go across and say anything.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
And if free lose for me, I'm not talking to
the coach anyway.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
I'm going to the other players on the team that
I know and probably you know, chop it up with
them and have a conversation with those guys.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
But no, I've.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Never been in a situation where I was that angry.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Was Jason Horne hat of line?
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Well, I mean for Jacy's Horn's standpoint, No, I don't
feel as though he was out of line because in
his position and that of his teammates, he felt as
though some of those rules of sportsmanship were being bold.
He felt and his teammates felt as though, hey, listen, usually, yeah,
we know you guys are you know we're not a
good team at this particular point, we have some injuries.
(16:47):
Why don't you go ahead and just run the ball
and just run out of the clock so we can
just kind of get out of here. But I mean,
once again, that's not how Sean Payton. This team definitely
saw it. So there's two sides of the coin. It
doesn't make Sean Payton wrong for doing what he needed
to do to make sure that his offense was operating efficiently.
And there's nothing wrong with Jason Horn having his opinion
(17:09):
as far as what he saw, because we know there's
always the flip side of a coin, and it all
depends on what lends are you're looking through.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
But I can.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Easily see if I was on that team and just
put yourself in Horn's position.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Your team is not performing that well.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Your team coming into the game Sunday against the Broncos,
your defense, they were giving up at least thirty thirty
plus points and you're watching a team that moved the
ball down the field on you from a passing standpoint.
For me, look if Jacy Horn wanted to get mad,
he said, of started yelling at his defensive teammates, especially
(17:45):
those in the secondary, because watching the game, I saw
the Broncos line up and cut splits. I'm screaming and
no one can really hear me, but I'm like, talk
to one another, talk from one side to the other,
talk to the guy next to you.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Didn't see that.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
So while Horan wanted to come across the field and
say something, Sean Payton, listen, he has is right. You
know why this is a free country. This is America,
and we had to write a free speech. But at
the same time, talk that that noise to your teammates
as well, because they let you down too.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Yeah, I mean, I don't know it was. It was
something that just kind of surprised me in and of itself.
I'm like he was wrong. No, I didn't think it
was wrong. I just was like, I why do it? Like,
why why go over there and say that? You could
have done that from from one side? Blind type situation
where you know, you're at the press, you're at the
postgame presser or you know, interview, you could have you
could have done that from anywhere. Going over and talking
to coach that seems weird, especially because his dad was
(18:39):
coached by Sean bag. Joe Horn was a Saints wide
receiver for a while. In fact, remember when he pulled the
cell phone out of the you know, the goal post.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
I remember that.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
But you know, people said, well, the apple doesn't fall
far from the tree, but in this.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Case it does.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Because Horan is not his father, he has his own
opinion as far as what he thought was going on.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
And and once again the situations like this happened.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Now, I've never done this before, but I've been on teams.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Where I've seen you know, guys do it.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
I mean, I take you back really quickly with my
days with the New York Jets and I was on
a team full of veteran guys, who guys who no
holds bar. They've been around Bill Parcels for a while,
so they gonna talk that smack. And I've seen them
go over to opposing teams and talk smatt to other
(19:29):
players and other coaches. Now, luckily things and escalate to
a point of fisticuffs.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Now they could have easily.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Especially with these particular guys, but it never got to
that particular point. But everyone has their right to I
guess protest that I'm giving you air quotes right now
in the way that they see fit.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Yeah, I don't know. It just took me ay surprised.
Did you want you to think of Sean Payton Kenna
throw the defense under the bus?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
See, I didn't like that.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
And the reason I didn't like it because looking at
where the team is at this particular point, let's get
credit where credit is do A lot of that is
doing part to how well the defense they have played,
and looking at Carolina and what they were able to
do in the fourth quarter, I understand how that actually happened.
(20:18):
Cortland's fomos the ball, Bryce you Young's backed up in
his end zone, there's a I think it was a
Malcolm Roach penalty that helped, you know, extend the play
to set things up. And none of those guys on
the defensive side of the ball, they didn't decide, you
know what, you got the game in hand, we're gonna
stop playing. Neither the advanced Joseph decide you know what,
(20:40):
I'm gonna stop coaching.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
It's just one of those things.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
And just think about what Day Canelis did and Bryce
Young did at that moment. They went more up tempo, right,
just think about it. They went up tempo, tried that
for an idea, and what they did when you go
back and watch it, they went empty and they ran
slant wrongs. They went empty. They were in screen passes
and they found matchups and exploited it. They threw the
(21:04):
ball between the scenes, right between the hashings and they
had success.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
And then there was a great throw, great catch.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
I think the receiver Cocher, I think that was his name,
thought his first touchdown of the season for them. So
they made some good plays and I know the idea
is that well, when you look at Carolina Panther on
tape or at their roster with them being as beat
up as they were that this should be a kick
wealk for the Broncos, which it was. But still, at
(21:32):
the same time, did you think that all of a
sudden they were going to give up after trying a
fake punt in their own era.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
As soon as they did that thing, you knew?
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yes, I mean, I mean what Dave Canalonson, this team
is trying to do at this point, They're just trying
to see which players still want to play, and right
now they're playing for pride, so that team is desperate
and they willing to try anything.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Yeah, I mean I loved it. Carolina still had some
fight in them at the end, even though it cost
me a little money on that bet. But I you know,
I didn't really I didn't really get the idea of
throwing the defense, you know, blaming the defensive. You were
the one dialing up plays at that point. You were
the one that was on offense that, you know, dialing
up pass plays. Lend to fumble to begin with.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Look, man, the way I look at it, and people
could take it for what is worth. I think there
was a little frustration and the fact of having those
two fombles and seeing Courtland fumble right before he got
across the finish line. And just look at it from
this standpoint, it's like college football, right when you face
an opponent that everyone's saying that you can beat.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Now it comes about, well, how does it.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Look overall style points?
Speaker 3 (22:41):
Style points and knowing as okay, well, when you go
twenty eight fourteen, then that looks oh well, Carolina Panthers
were in the game opposed to twenty eight nothing or
twenty eight seven, right, So at that point it was
about style points, especially knowing who.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
You have to face in the next two weeks.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
I get all that, but to kind of turn it
to the fact that, well, you hope that the defense
would have played better. Yeah, but give them credit because
the Panthers were had that short field. They scored and
you expected either maybe three points, but they were able
to get seven points out of that.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
But look at the entire game.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
The entire game, ben they didn't do anything move the ball.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
They did not move the ball. And here it is again,
their touchdown came.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Off of a turnover, right, And I think more or
less that was the reason that maybe coach Payton was
a little upset that here's another touchdown that came over
came off.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Of an offensive touchdown.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
I'll be turnover right. There were some people that felt
like he'd maybe you know, thrown the defense under the
bus there, But I certain understand it's frustration. But at
the same time, I mean, to me, it's team game.
You gotta keep it.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
With that being said, do you think he threw the
defense under the bus with his comments?
Speaker 1 (23:59):
I think he unnecessy really singled him out.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Well, I mean that's another way of rephrasing the idea
that yes he did.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Nick.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
One of the positive I want to pull out of
that game, Nick Benil, get the sack, keep the streak alive,
highs the von Miller consecutive games with a sack streak.
Nick Bandinello's really really kind of turned into something for
the dever Broncos here. And as the trade deadline approaches,
we've kind of heard rumors about Darren Browning potentially being
on the market that would give more reps to Jonah Ellison,
Nick Benito, and I think they've earned him.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Yeah, both of those guys have done a great job
this season, and Jonah being a young guy, me is
fun watching him play and play with such energy and exuberant,
and when you're a young players, sometimes you don't know
what you're not supposed to know, and that, in my opinion,
has helped Jonah out a lot. And the biggest thing
(24:54):
for me is Jonah has definitely excelled in doing something
that most pass rushers can't do because those guys are
just used to just getting up fear running up field.
But he has done an excellent job when it comes
to dropping in coverage, which allow bands Joseph the defensive coordinator,
to do a mostitude of different things. But Nick Benito,
(25:15):
he has been that guy and it was great to
see him get the sack and start counting with his fingers.
And you can tell that the inner competition between teammates.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Is definitely there.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
To talk about it because usually players would offin say, well,
they don't know what certain statistics are and what those
goals are, they don't know what certain incentives are, but best.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Believe they know.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
You reminded by the guys in the locker room, the
guys in your room, because they're gonna talk trash because
they're trying to hit their numbers quicker than you hit
your numbers. And it's great to see you know Nick
round into form and for me, we talked about this
when the season started.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
We knew who were on firing deals and we knew.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
What guys were going to need to kind of step
it up. And the one thing you want to make
sure if you don't expiring deal, we usually see players
play well, you don't want to start over teaching. If
you don't want you want to, don't start over things.
So I don't know if that's where Baron Brownie is,
but what we do know is Nick Benito is a
force to be recognized. He is.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
We've seen Baron sort of struggle with injuries a little
bit over his time here in Denver thus far, and
then this season just this hasn't the production hasn't been
there where it's been there for the guys. You look
at what Coop's been able to do, and you know,
Cooper made his chops as a guy who was able
to set the edge of the run game and then
developed into a pass rusher, where with some of these
other guys was the other way around. Baron Browning excuse me.
Nick Benito is a guy who was a pass rush
(26:41):
specialist that has started to become better at setting the
edge of the run game. And I'm sure that Ellis
will get there as well, because usually when you're an
edge guy, that's the tougher thing to learn is he's
the discipline and being able to set the edge of
the run game because in college you probably were a
pass rush specialist.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Yeah, and that was kind of the thing when Nick Benito,
when he first came here, he just wanted to get
up feeling.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
And I thought at that point.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
That obviously he was gonna get on the field because
having that guy who has that ability to bend and
get around the corner, use his hands and the speed, well, yeah,
you utilize him initially when he comes in on third down,
but you trying to work himself into being then every
down guy. In order to do that, you have to
be able to prove that you are a running chase guy.
You just can't get up feel on third down, but
(27:25):
if the ball is running away, you can put your
foot in the ground and go make a play. And
on the sack where she was able to get the
sixth sack, the one thing I loved about what I
saw He worked up field and then he worked back
down to hoop right and you hear Andre Patterson who
worked here when I played with the Denver Broncos and
he taught past rush and I used to listen all
(27:45):
the time. He used to constantly tell his guys, you
run that hoop because you see guys and training camp
running that circle, and he like, run the ark. What
the hell are they running at that circle for? But
that's the whole ideed. You get up field, you get
to the depth of the quarterback, once the quarterback steps
up in the pocket idea and the terminology, you retrace
your steps and you hope that once you get there,
the quarterback is going to be in that window. And
(28:07):
that was something he did on Sunday, which I'm glad
he was able to get that six set.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Yeah. The other thing that Jonathan Cooper, I mean, you know,
he's gone from a guy who was drafted here had
to have that surgery. Uh. You know in early in
his rookie season. He was a seventh round draft pick
and a guy that if people, even myself have overlooked
a little bit and said, you know, he's kind of
just a guy. He's just a rotational guy. He's just
the guy. He's just the guy. But he keeps producing
(28:31):
Coop's a guy that just keeps producing and and then
the production is undeniable. At the end of the day,
the production is undeniable. You are you know, we we
atly talk about your are, what your record says you are.
You are with your your stats, you are too. And
you know, Cooper finds a way to continue to get sacks.
He does do the unsexy things well too, setting the edge,
the run game, that kind of stuff, and I think
it's gonna wind up getting paid here in Denver.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Well, the one thing about Cooper is that when you
think about how he came into the league, and you know,
everyone found out about the heart issue, and I'm sure
sure that that kind of affected his draft status. But
at this point, it's not about how you got in.
It's the fact that you're in and what you're doing.
And the great thing about Jonathan Cooper is that his motive,
or we always hear this during the draft evaluation and
(29:14):
when breaking guys down, this guy has a high motor.
That high motor mixed with athleticism gives him an opportunity.
And when you look at some of the past rushes
around the league, you said, well, John Day, Cooper is
probably not the most talented player when it comes to
that position, but that's a guy that is going to
give you everything that he has. And I know it
(29:35):
sounds what I just said like it's a this No
people said that about me when I was a player.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Well, he may may.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Not be the most physically gifted guy, but he's going
to give you everything and he's going to exhaust himself.
I love those types of players, not just because I
was that type of player, but I just love seeing
guys kind of break through that wall and just prove
people wrong based on their production on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
Well, you gotta have guys like that to keep the
guys that do ahead, that are supremely talented that gets
sort of lazy at times. You know that you keep
them on their toke.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
He's pushing them too.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Hey, hustle guy over here. You gotta have hustle guys, right.
I mean, he might not be the most athletically gifted,
perfect size, whatever, but if you make it up for
for heart study and smarts, I mean you know that. Hey,
there you go.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
And it seems bad when you say some of a
guy is a hustle guy. That term is thrown around
during the draft evaluation process.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Is not meant to be and it comes across that way,
but it's not meant to be right.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
But for me, it's like, I love that guy who
is that hustle guy because I know what I'm gonna
get from him week in and week out.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Some of the other guys you really don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
I mean, think about David Clowney, who the Broncos played against.
Holly talented coming out of South South Carolina, but the
knock on him was that he's not going to give
you everything he has on every single play. Talented is
all all get out, but he's not gonna give it
to you. A guy who knows what his limitations are,
he knows where his strengths are as well, and he's.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
Gonna lean more into those. We know where our strengths are.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
We gotta hit a break when we come back. We're
gonnaet a little bit more into this. I also want
to get into the collapse the final play Bears Commanders
and everything they went wrong there. We'll get a chance
for you to sound off on somebody show voting for
the crowd instead of doing their job. In so Baracos
Country Night, Kawe
Well them do it Broncos Country Tonight, Budge with all, Brian,
Nick Ferguson, Grant Smith down here at the Sporty Pickle
Bar and Girl live as we do it on Monday,
nice half mile north before seventy on Peoria. Come on
down Mention big Al, get a free beer, obviously get
registered for tickets as well. Excuse me, we love having
you down here for this. They got great food. Just
(00:20):
polished off a pizza myself. Nick Ferguson, you got to
take your micro phone on how you doing this evening?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
I was just waiting for the right time. I know
what button the hit.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Sure, I was trying to allow you to get through
your opening after eating your what is that.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Kalapinos lapino pepperoni pizza?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
I would ask who put jalapinos on a pizza? But
I mean, I guess I knew no. Now you know
I need a little spice and you a little kick.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
I'm just saying, Broncos get the win twenty eight to fourteen.
My twenty one point bet was killed in the waiting
seconds of the game, and you could bet that I
was highly upset about that. Bett Alfred Williams even called
me called me as they scored the touchdown to laugh
at my at my bet not cashing, as he is
(01:04):
not paying attention to it right now, but he yeah,
he called to commisserate, probably my bet not cashing. The
Broncos got accused of running it up in this when J. C. Horn,
who ran up on coach Sean Baton, accused him of
running it up. I mean, I don't really get that.
The Broncos only scored twenty eight points. That's the fewest
amount of points Carolina has given up since Week two
(01:26):
in a loss. They did give a few in that
a win, but it's the fewest that they give it
up in a loss since Week two. I mean, the
Broncos scored twelve points less than they normally give up
in games, which is roughly forty. I'm not really buying
that one.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Well, players get upset when they feel as though you're
trying to take advantage of the situation, and usually when
the team is up like the Broncos were yesterday, usually
the opposing offense the side where we're gonna kill the
clock and we're gonna run the ball. Now, we've seen
that same strategy employed high school Pop Warner, even college
(02:04):
now it's still at the discretion of the coach to decide,
you know what, We're just gonna stay in our offense. Now,
it's not our fault that your defense can't really stop us.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Right, and keep this in mind, the Broncos.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
After being able to run the ball well against the
Saints on Thursday Night Football last week, they didn't run
the ball that well against ljior Everro and his defense.
So give them credit for that. But when you take
away the right hand, I got to switch to southball.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Yeah, they got to.
Speaker 3 (02:34):
Beat your face up with that, with that opposite end,
and that's what the Broncos did.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Carolina was calling timeouts on the final drive, Like I
do not understand the accusation of running it up. The
final score was twenty eight fourteen running it The definition
of a blowout has changed defensive blowouts.
Speaker 3 (02:49):
Well, I guess from that standpoint, since I played defense,
I understand what Horne was trying to say, the idea
of typically the sportsmanship calls and said in the handbooks,
you call it, I'm gonna well what those timeouts were
called on that final drive, I guess afterwards, as the
Broncos decided to continue to.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Pass the ball. But for me, these are the things
that you do.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
You don't change your offense. And once again, the Carolina
Panthers did a great job against the Broncos rushing attack
where the Broncos needed to throw the ball and they
were quite efficient at throwing the ball. And the whole idea,
if you're a Carolina fan or someone working in an organization,
you have to stop the other team. I mean, you
can't wave the batter, and if you did, that doesn't
(03:34):
necessarily mean that it's gonna stop the other team from
doing what they do best. And then, look, I'm gonna
put it this way to quote one of my favorite wrestlers.
To be the best, you gotta beat the best who
Rick Flayers. So that's the whole concept. That's the whole idea.
You have to put your best foot forward. And apparently
the Carolina Panthers didn't do it.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
When they needed the most.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
Yeah, I mean, there were things to like in this game.
They didn't run particularly effectively all Log mcloughin ran fairly
well in the game, although they only game made carries.
Javonte not running as well. They only gave estimate one carry.
I didn't really care for that the passing game in
and of itself looked pretty good. A matter of fact,
even even the tight ends look good. The tight end,
much maligned tight end rooms. Adam Troutman caught four balls
(04:18):
for eighty five yards and a touchdown. You had Kroll
two catches eighteen yards, and the Adkins caught a three
yard touchdown. You know, it was fascinating to sort of
see on National tight Ends Day as the tight ends
got a little bit of a productivity as they've been
kind of a much maligned group for the Denver Broncos.
But overall, I mean it was it was okay, they
(04:38):
checked the Broncos checked the box. I'm not sitting here
taking much away from this other than you checked the box.
You beat a team you should have beat. I think
the real test, as I've been talking about, is the
next three games. You've got Baltimore coming up in Baltimore,
you're at Kansas City, and you got Atlanta come at
to the town. That's a rough three game stretch for anybody,
and you've got that's the real litmus test of where
this defense is, where this quarterback is, and where this
team is.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
All Right, Ben, You're absolutely right. Those two games are
head of the Broncos. Today is Monday, it is victory Monday,
So we're gonna reserve any talk about Kansas City of Baltimore.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
We're gonna leave that for tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Today we're going to embrace and celebrate with the Broncos
getting the win and down there five and three, and
there's so much to talk about as it pertains to that.
Weekend and week out, we've seen more plays from bow
Knicks as he continues to grow. And what I continue
to see is something that you and I constantly, constantly
(05:33):
since week one of the regular season talked about as
far as the expansion of this offense. We have seen
more movement in this offense to give both Knicks some
opportunities to throw some passes down the field. But also
we've seen bow Knicks be a little creative in the
pocket himself when the pocket breaks down, avoiding pass Russias,
(05:53):
still trying to get on the edge, still trying to
throw the ball downfield. There was one play that he
throwed one on the right soilid line towards where the
Broncos where Davon Vley made a great play where he
caught the ball and he just he let his legs die, right, and.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
That's kind of the idea, you just kind of let
your legs.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Go went and just kind of drag in inside the
field of play.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
He did a great job with that. And there was
another one not on.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
That same drive, but later on where Bowl was trying
to get the ball into Javonte and they looked for
a second like Javonte, you know, try to channel his
inner wide receiver and keep his feet in.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
These are the.
Speaker 3 (06:29):
Type of plays I like to see because it's the
evolution of Bowl, allowing him to be himself, not trying
to put him in somewhat of a box. To me,
as he continues to progress as Broncos offense would get.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
Better, yeah, you know, I love the maturation from Baw.
I love seeing him continue to grow and all that
kind of stuff. I'm just like I said, I guess
I'm one of those people. As look, this three game
stretches coming up is what I've been looking forward to
for weeks. You know, we kind of knew the Saints
were busted up, and you know, a team that wasn't
really going to be able to compete. We know Carolina
is a bad football team. They were a bad football team.
(07:03):
Before they came in with all the injuries, we knew that. Like, so,
I'm glad that the team handled business. I'm glad that
they're getting the wins they're supposed to win, you know.
You know, I'm glad that we're not overlooking something and
letting things slip through. That that speaks to a team
that is better prepared than have been in recent years.
Because we've let some games slip away. We shouldn't have that.
That that speaks to a team that can, that knows
(07:24):
to handle its business, to stay focused in the in
the moment. So I'm I'm here for that.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:28):
Luck that they got the passing game going a little
bitiness and and kind of tried some things out. I
was fine with the trick plays in the in the
second half. I thought that that's put something on tape
for the coming opponents that they're gonna have to prepare for.
If it's me, I'm putting those things in their own purpose,
and then I'm coming out and I'm lining up like
that and run something different.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
You know.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
Well, Yeah, that's the unique thing about yesterday's game. We
saw Carolina do something that I fell from a coaching standpoint,
highly uncharacteristics and very risky. I mean, you attempt the
fake punt backed up in your own territory, and I'm thinking, okay, well,
if you're gonna attempt that, get your punter outside of
(08:07):
the framework of the offense to make that throw easier
and have the guy who's running the route, who's the gunner,
have him run like he's going downfield and run a
comeback or run towards the middle of the field because
at that point the only person in the middle of
the field is the return them. So I thought that
was a poor decision and poor execution. And then we
also saw the Broncos attempt and fake field goal on
(08:28):
their own, which it didn't succeed, but you know, you
gotta test the waters, you gotta be willing to do
things sort.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Of what out of the box.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
And at that particular point, it didn't really make a
difference because the Broncos had the game in hand, and
like you said, these are the moments where you should
try to do things that you ordinarily wouldn't do and
a regular game type situation just to put them on
film and if you are successful, take advantage of it.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Yeah, And I think that's I think it's a good thing.
I think that being able to put those kinds of
things down and gets opponents to think, gets them to
think when you show up in those scenarios and anything
you get your opponent to practice, anything you get them
to spend reps on, is reps that they're not spending
on what your base offense is.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
But this is why utilizing the skill set and the
mobility of bo Nicks as another offensive threat, this is
why it works for the Broncos because every team will
start to look or say, well, the Broncos are getting better.
They have gotten better as the season has progressed from
an offensive play call and an execution standpoint, and being
(09:33):
able to find ways to keep both within the framework
of the offense and attack the offense as it is.
To me, that is something that you need to do.
Because once again, not to get too far ahead because
I said it wouldn't do it, but just for this
purpose and this purpose only. When you look about the
quarterbacks you're gonna face, Mahomes is very mobile, knows how
to use his feet to extend place, and Lamar Jackson
(09:57):
is a quintessential guy that can break your defense down
and the shore based on his mobility, and that's going
to give Vance Joseph something that he has to figure out.
But if you have a quarterback that can give you
somewhat of a similar threat from the QB position, you
utilize that the best that you can.
Speaker 1 (10:14):
Yeah, I love the fact that the Broncos went up
tempo in that game a couple of different times. You know,
I've been talking about that for quite a while. Finally
saw it, and of course A worked to perfection while
it was out there, So maybe we'll see some more
of that. That's something that as they evolve the playbook
and they grow the playbook for bo Nicks, that maybe
they'll they'll start start doing stuff like that.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
But honestly, why they shouldn't do more of that?
Speaker 3 (10:36):
I still don't understand why that was a basic building
block of the Broncos offense coming into the season, and
understand who you have at the quarterback position. Even though saying, okay, well,
at that particular point, we don't know how much of
the offensive scheme that Bow had down pat but you know,
he has a very unique skill set, and you do
(10:56):
things like that to develop not just creativity, but to
kind they get Bo comfortable in the offense. So hopefully
we see more of that creativity expand. And I wouldn't
be mad if the expansion of those types of plays
Ben kind of dip their toe into the essence of
(11:16):
college football, right because we've seen a lot of the
NFL game kind of somewhat mimic what we've seen in
college football.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
And I agree with that. I'd love to see some
more concepts that he worked with at Oregon that worked
for him there, you know, implemented into the offense. I
definitely would you wanted to make it a victory Monday.
Let's celebrate some of the things that they did well.
I thought Julia looked pretty good out there. I thought
the tight end group looked pretty well out there. I
thought some of the receivers looked pretty good out there,
although we had some some dropsy slash fumble issues. Troy
(11:46):
Franklin dropped another touchdown. We saw little Jordan Humphrey and
Courtland Sutton and both fumble the ball. And you're getting
a lot of and I think rightfully so critiquing of
a receiving corps that's maybe letting the quarterback down a
litt little bit.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Okay, see I feel a little indifferent about those plays. Obviously,
as a coach, you don't want your players to put
the ball on the turf. But let's break these down
and we just say, okay, well, from this standpoint, which
one of those fambles do you think had a larger impact?
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Right the le Jordan Humphrey fomble that led to the.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Carolina Panthers first touchdown or the Broncos being up by
twenty eight and Courtland fumbling having the ball punched out.
Both guys had the ball punched out, not one of
these guys. For disclosure, we're not trying to put the
ball on the turf, but the ball.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Was punched out.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
Great defensive plays by the Carolina Panthers, so it's not
taken anything away from them. But which one of those
two plays would you say had the biggest impact?
Speaker 2 (12:49):
Which one?
Speaker 1 (12:51):
Well, I mean, I think they both had equal impact.
I don't know. I mean, the game was that I
was the game was over at the point that Courtland didn't.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
That's Courtland so saying, And.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Then I'm guessing at the beginning because that takes the
momentum it takes, the more it gives a team that's
coming into this thing. Knowing that they were an underdog
gives them some life. They punched something out, they stole
a possession from you. To me, I would say that
little Jordan Humphrey one would be the bigger deal.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Right now when looking at the overall outcome.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
Of the game, not that one of those players really
impacted the game, but looking from a momentum standpoint, you
have to say, well that the Jordan Humphrey was unexpected
because you put the Carolina Panthers in blike young on
a short field and then you had an offense that
was already missing two of their wide receivers and Adam
Thielen and Dante Johnson was probably going to be traded
by next week, and you gave Carolina Panthers momentum at home.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Right, That's something that you didn't want to do.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
So when I hit the comments about having receivers being
able to catch the ball, well, for me, it's like,
let's put that in context. I mean, either guy fumbling
the ball overall income did not affect the game at all.
But if you're talking about sheer momentum to start the game,
that Jordan Humphrey bomble that or it had the ability
(14:03):
to but the Broncos were able to overcome.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
We've got some world serious action. Tonight's your Yankees down
two take it on the Dodgers and uh, I've got
the Yankees winning tonight, getting back into this thing. Do you,
Nick Ferguson, have the faith?
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Of course? I mean the faith is always there. I
was talking to uh Ryan Edwards uh and he wanted
more of a more enthusiastic you know, yeah right, But
I said, when you're used to winning, you don't need
to do all that ro ro That's fair.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
That's fair. I mean, when you're used to winning, you
know it's a oh five six six nine zeros a
text a lone. You guys want to get involved in
the conversation, you get lined out here at the Sporty.
You pick about a half mile north of E four
seventy on Peorius to got some time to enter to
win a couple of couple of tickets to the Falcons game.
It'll be in a couple of weeks, but you got
a chance to do that. Come on out here and
(14:51):
do that mention, big Al. You get a free twenty
outs beer kippie that deal with a stick when we
come back we're gonna get into a little bit more
of this game. I want to talk a little bit
more about the JC Horn situation. If you, as a
player ever ran up on a coach and felt disrespected
and that can talk about running it up, if your
your interactions with that. So I want to get into
(15:13):
that stuff.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
We come back.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
It's the broucous country night right here on kiawah Nick
because we were going to break. I wanted to talk
a little bit about j C. Horn rolling up on
Sean Payton there at the end, because we were talking
about the running it up and whether we believe they
were running it up or not. Have you ever approached
an opposing coach post game to voice your displeasure.
Speaker 3 (15:33):
No, I've never done that before because for me, even
in the loss, I think there is an unwritten way
that we deal with things in our normal lives, but
especially in life as as an athlete. Unless there was
a situation where I knew a coach was intentionally trying
(15:57):
to put his players in position to physically injure another player, No,
I won't go across and say anything.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
And if free lose for me, I'm not talking to
the coach anyway.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
I'm going to the other players on the team that
I know and probably you know, chop it up with
them and have a conversation with those guys.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
But no, I've.
Speaker 3 (16:18):
Never been in a situation where I was that angry.
Speaker 1 (16:23):
Was Jason Horne hat of line?
Speaker 3 (16:26):
Well, I mean for Jacy's Horn's standpoint, No, I don't
feel as though he was out of line because in
his position and that of his teammates, he felt as
though some of those rules of sportsmanship were being bold.
He felt and his teammates felt as though, hey, listen, usually, yeah,
we know you guys are you know we're not a
good team at this particular point, we have some injuries.
(16:47):
Why don't you go ahead and just run the ball
and just run out of the clock so we can
just kind of get out of here. But I mean,
once again, that's not how Sean Payton. This team definitely
saw it. So there's two sides of the coin. It
doesn't make Sean Payton wrong for doing what he needed
to do to make sure that his offense was operating efficiently.
And there's nothing wrong with Jason Horn having his opinion
(17:09):
as far as what he saw, because we know there's
always the flip side of a coin, and it all
depends on what lends are you're looking through.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
But I can.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Easily see if I was on that team and just
put yourself in Horn's position.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Your team is not performing that well.
Speaker 3 (17:25):
Your team coming into the game Sunday against the Broncos,
your defense, they were giving up at least thirty thirty
plus points and you're watching a team that moved the
ball down the field on you from a passing standpoint.
For me, look if Jacy Horn wanted to get mad,
he said, of started yelling at his defensive teammates, especially
(17:45):
those in the secondary, because watching the game, I saw
the Broncos line up and cut splits. I'm screaming and
no one can really hear me, but I'm like, talk
to one another, talk from one side to the other,
talk to the guy next to you.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
Didn't see that.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
So while Horan wanted to come across the field and
say something, Sean Payton, listen, he has is right. You
know why this is a free country. This is America,
and we had to write a free speech. But at
the same time, talk that that noise to your teammates
as well, because they let you down too.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Yeah, I mean, I don't know it was. It was
something that just kind of surprised me in and of itself.
I'm like he was wrong. No, I didn't think it
was wrong. I just was like, I why do it? Like,
why why go over there and say that? You could
have done that from from one side? Blind type situation
where you know, you're at the press, you're at the
postgame presser or you know, interview, you could have you
could have done that from anywhere. Going over and talking
to coach that seems weird, especially because his dad was
(18:39):
coached by Sean bag. Joe Horn was a Saints wide
receiver for a while. In fact, remember when he pulled the
cell phone out of the you know, the goal post.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
I remember that.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
But you know, people said, well, the apple doesn't fall
far from the tree, but in this.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
Case it does.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
Because Horan is not his father, he has his own
opinion as far as what he thought was going on.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
And and once again the situations like this happened.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Now, I've never done this before, but I've been on teams.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Where I've seen you know, guys do it.
Speaker 3 (19:09):
I mean, I take you back really quickly with my
days with the New York Jets and I was on
a team full of veteran guys, who guys who no
holds bar. They've been around Bill Parcels for a while,
so they gonna talk that smack. And I've seen them
go over to opposing teams and talk smatt to other
(19:29):
players and other coaches. Now, luckily things and escalate to
a point of fisticuffs.
Speaker 2 (19:35):
Now they could have easily.
Speaker 3 (19:37):
Especially with these particular guys, but it never got to
that particular point. But everyone has their right to I
guess protest that I'm giving you air quotes right now
in the way that they see fit.
Speaker 1 (19:48):
Yeah, I don't know. It just took me ay surprised.
Did you want you to think of Sean Payton Kenna
throw the defense under the bus?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
See, I didn't like that.
Speaker 3 (19:57):
And the reason I didn't like it because looking at
where the team is at this particular point, let's get
credit where credit is do A lot of that is
doing part to how well the defense they have played,
and looking at Carolina and what they were able to
do in the fourth quarter, I understand how that actually happened.
(20:18):
Cortland's fomos the ball, Bryce you Young's backed up in
his end zone, there's a I think it was a
Malcolm Roach penalty that helped, you know, extend the play
to set things up. And none of those guys on
the defensive side of the ball, they didn't decide, you
know what, you got the game in hand, we're gonna
stop playing. Neither the advanced Joseph decide you know what,
(20:40):
I'm gonna stop coaching.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
It's just one of those things.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
And just think about what Day Canelis did and Bryce
Young did at that moment. They went more up tempo, right,
just think about it. They went up tempo, tried that
for an idea, and what they did when you go
back and watch it, they went empty and they ran
slant wrongs. They went empty. They were in screen passes
and they found matchups and exploited it. They threw the
(21:04):
ball between the scenes, right between the hashings and they
had success.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
And then there was a great throw, great catch.
Speaker 3 (21:11):
I think the receiver Cocher, I think that was his name,
thought his first touchdown of the season for them. So
they made some good plays and I know the idea
is that well, when you look at Carolina Panther on
tape or at their roster with them being as beat
up as they were that this should be a kick
wealk for the Broncos, which it was. But still, at
(21:32):
the same time, did you think that all of a
sudden they were going to give up after trying a
fake punt in their own era.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
As soon as they did that thing, you knew?
Speaker 3 (21:41):
Yes, I mean, I mean what Dave Canalonson, this team
is trying to do at this point, They're just trying
to see which players still want to play, and right
now they're playing for pride, so that team is desperate
and they willing to try anything.
Speaker 1 (21:53):
Yeah, I mean I loved it. Carolina still had some
fight in them at the end, even though it cost
me a little money on that bet. But I you know,
I didn't really I didn't really get the idea of
throwing the defense, you know, blaming the defensive. You were
the one dialing up plays at that point. You were
the one that was on offense that, you know, dialing
up pass plays. Lend to fumble to begin with.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
Look, man, the way I look at it, and people
could take it for what is worth. I think there
was a little frustration and the fact of having those
two fombles and seeing Courtland fumble right before he got
across the finish line. And just look at it from
this standpoint, it's like college football, right when you face
an opponent that everyone's saying that you can beat.
Speaker 2 (22:37):
Now it comes about, well, how does it.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Look overall style points?
Speaker 3 (22:41):
Style points and knowing as okay, well, when you go
twenty eight fourteen, then that looks oh well, Carolina Panthers
were in the game opposed to twenty eight nothing or
twenty eight seven, right, So at that point it was
about style points, especially knowing who.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
You have to face in the next two weeks.
Speaker 3 (22:59):
I get all that, but to kind of turn it
to the fact that, well, you hope that the defense
would have played better. Yeah, but give them credit because
the Panthers were had that short field. They scored and
you expected either maybe three points, but they were able
to get seven points out of that.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
But look at the entire game.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
The entire game, ben they didn't do anything move the ball.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
They did not move the ball. And here it is again,
their touchdown came.
Speaker 3 (23:28):
Off of a turnover, right, And I think more or
less that was the reason that maybe coach Payton was
a little upset that here's another touchdown that came over
came off.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Of an offensive touchdown.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
I'll be turnover right. There were some people that felt
like he'd maybe you know, thrown the defense under the
bus there, But I certain understand it's frustration. But at
the same time, I mean, to me, it's team game.
You gotta keep it.
Speaker 2 (23:53):
Okay.
Speaker 3 (23:53):
With that being said, do you think he threw the
defense under the bus with his comments?
Speaker 1 (23:59):
I think he unnecessy really singled him out.
Speaker 3 (24:01):
Well, I mean that's another way of rephrasing the idea
that yes he did.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Nick.
Speaker 1 (24:08):
One of the positive I want to pull out of
that game, Nick Benil, get the sack, keep the streak alive,
highs the von Miller consecutive games with a sack streak.
Nick Bandinello's really really kind of turned into something for
the dever Broncos here. And as the trade deadline approaches,
we've kind of heard rumors about Darren Browning potentially being
on the market that would give more reps to Jonah Ellison,
Nick Benito, and I think they've earned him.
Speaker 3 (24:30):
Yeah, both of those guys have done a great job
this season, and Jonah being a young guy, me is
fun watching him play and play with such energy and exuberant,
and when you're a young players, sometimes you don't know
what you're not supposed to know, and that, in my opinion,
has helped Jonah out a lot. And the biggest thing
(24:54):
for me is Jonah has definitely excelled in doing something
that most pass rushers can't do because those guys are
just used to just getting up fear running up field.
But he has done an excellent job when it comes
to dropping in coverage, which allow bands Joseph the defensive coordinator,
to do a mostitude of different things. But Nick Benito,
(25:15):
he has been that guy and it was great to
see him get the sack and start counting with his fingers.
And you can tell that the inner competition between teammates.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Is definitely there.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
To talk about it because usually players would offin say, well,
they don't know what certain statistics are and what those
goals are, they don't know what certain incentives are, but best.
Speaker 2 (25:39):
Believe they know.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
You reminded by the guys in the locker room, the
guys in your room, because they're gonna talk trash because
they're trying to hit their numbers quicker than you hit
your numbers. And it's great to see you know Nick
round into form and for me, we talked about this
when the season started.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
We knew who were on firing deals and we knew.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
What guys were going to need to kind of step
it up. And the one thing you want to make
sure if you don't expiring deal, we usually see players
play well, you don't want to start over teaching. If
you don't want you want to, don't start over things.
So I don't know if that's where Baron Brownie is,
but what we do know is Nick Benito is a
force to be recognized. He is.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
We've seen Baron sort of struggle with injuries a little
bit over his time here in Denver thus far, and
then this season just this hasn't the production hasn't been
there where it's been there for the guys. You look
at what Coop's been able to do, and you know,
Cooper made his chops as a guy who was able
to set the edge of the run game and then
developed into a pass rusher, where with some of these
other guys was the other way around. Baron Browning excuse me.
Nick Benito is a guy who was a pass rush
(26:41):
specialist that has started to become better at setting the
edge of the run game. And I'm sure that Ellis
will get there as well, because usually when you're an
edge guy, that's the tougher thing to learn is he's
the discipline and being able to set the edge of
the run game because in college you probably were a
pass rush specialist.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
Yeah, and that was kind of the thing when Nick Benito,
when he first came here, he just wanted to get
up feeling.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
And I thought at that point.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
That obviously he was gonna get on the field because
having that guy who has that ability to bend and
get around the corner, use his hands and the speed, well, yeah,
you utilize him initially when he comes in on third down,
but you trying to work himself into being then every
down guy. In order to do that, you have to
be able to prove that you are a running chase guy.
You just can't get up feel on third down, but
(27:25):
if the ball is running away, you can put your
foot in the ground and go make a play. And
on the sack where she was able to get the
sixth sack, the one thing I loved about what I
saw He worked up field and then he worked back
down to hoop right and you hear Andre Patterson who
worked here when I played with the Denver Broncos and
he taught past rush and I used to listen all
(27:45):
the time. He used to constantly tell his guys, you
run that hoop because you see guys and training camp
running that circle, and he like, run the ark. What
the hell are they running at that circle for? But
that's the whole ideed. You get up field, you get
to the depth of the quarterback, once the quarterback steps
up in the pocket idea and the terminology, you retrace
your steps and you hope that once you get there,
the quarterback is going to be in that window. And
(28:07):
that was something he did on Sunday, which I'm glad
he was able to get that six set.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Yeah. The other thing that Jonathan Cooper, I mean, you know,
he's gone from a guy who was drafted here had
to have that surgery. Uh. You know in early in
his rookie season. He was a seventh round draft pick
and a guy that if people, even myself have overlooked
a little bit and said, you know, he's kind of
just a guy. He's just a rotational guy. He's just
the guy. He's just the guy. But he keeps producing
(28:31):
Coop's a guy that just keeps producing and and then
the production is undeniable. At the end of the day,
the production is undeniable. You are you know, we we
atly talk about your are, what your record says you are.
You are with your your stats, you are too. And
you know, Cooper finds a way to continue to get sacks.
He does do the unsexy things well too, setting the edge,
the run game, that kind of stuff, and I think
it's gonna wind up getting paid here in Denver.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
Well, the one thing about Cooper is that when you
think about how he came into the league, and you know,
everyone found out about the heart issue, and I'm sure
sure that that kind of affected his draft status. But
at this point, it's not about how you got in.
It's the fact that you're in and what you're doing.
And the great thing about Jonathan Cooper is that his motive,
or we always hear this during the draft evaluation and
(29:14):
when breaking guys down, this guy has a high motor.
That high motor mixed with athleticism gives him an opportunity.
And when you look at some of the past rushes
around the league, you said, well, John Day, Cooper is
probably not the most talented player when it comes to
that position, but that's a guy that is going to
give you everything that he has. And I know it
(29:35):
sounds what I just said like it's a this No
people said that about me when I was a player.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Well, he may may.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Not be the most physically gifted guy, but he's going
to give you everything and he's going to exhaust himself.
I love those types of players, not just because I
was that type of player, but I just love seeing
guys kind of break through that wall and just prove
people wrong based on their production on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
Well, you gotta have guys like that to keep the
guys that do ahead, that are supremely talented that gets
sort of lazy at times. You know that you keep
them on their toke.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
He's pushing them too.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Hey, hustle guy over here. You gotta have hustle guys, right.
I mean, he might not be the most athletically gifted,
perfect size, whatever, but if you make it up for
for heart study and smarts, I mean you know that. Hey,
there you go.
Speaker 2 (30:14):
And it seems bad when you say some of a
guy is a hustle guy. That term is thrown around
during the draft evaluation process.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
Is not meant to be and it comes across that way,
but it's not meant to be right.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
But for me, it's like, I love that guy who
is that hustle guy because I know what I'm gonna
get from him week in and week out.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Some of the other guys you really don't know.
Speaker 3 (30:33):
I mean, think about David Clowney, who the Broncos played against.
Holly talented coming out of South South Carolina, but the
knock on him was that he's not going to give
you everything he has on every single play. Talented is
all all get out, but he's not gonna give it
to you. A guy who knows what his limitations are,
he knows where his strengths are as well, and he's.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
Gonna lean more into those. We know where our strengths are.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
We gotta hit a break when we come back. We're
gonnaet a little bit more into this. I also want
to get into the collapse the final play Bears Commanders
and everything they went wrong there. We'll get a chance
for you to sound off on somebody show voting for
the crowd instead of doing their job. In so Baracos
Country Night, Kawe
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