Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Come back to it Broncos Country tonight. I've been to
(00:02):
it Albright here with you. Grant Smith back there as well.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Guys, Thursday six to eight, come watch the Broncos Chargers
game with myself, Nick Ferguson at Mile Post zero and
McGregor's Square. You got food and drink specials. You guys
can win in an autograph football giveaway.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
It's gonna be presented by Don Julio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
You guys want to come out there Thursday night and
watch the watch the game of the Broncos take on
the Chargers. You'll have your your ample opportunity to sit
there and de wet blanket me as it were.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
That's what we're that's what we're looking for. So five
six sixty nine zero is the text line. Thanks to
Steve at Water for joining us in the last segment.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
You can say part of that you go to Broncos
Country Night dot com podcast We're a Bitch podcast, Apple
it Tunes, Spotify, Totally Free It Awesome, my Heart radio app.
Knowing you get say you're right out of podcast as well.
Whatever he decides to put it out, he takes his
audience for granted. These days, it's uh I'm trying to
shame you into this.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
January thirteenth, There we go, January thirty. We have an
episode release date.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
It's too long, though, I thought, like, Okay, I guess
Christmas came here one hundred.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
And seventy episodes to catch up on. If you missed any,
I haven't missed any. You're a great listener. I am
a loyal listener.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Scott the Kamai Commas Barrel Hotline though, and we're gonna
check in with our guy Ryan Michael at the Ryan
Michael on Twitter, Ryan, how's.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
The going evening?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Doing well? Ben Grant, how are you? Guys?
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Went pretty well?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Broncos Coming off the thirty one thirteen win over the Colts,
it did not feel like that that game was as
close as the final score. Rocco's now nine to five,
one win away from locking up a playoff spot that
is near Locke Regardless Nick, Benido, Pats or Tambo's headlights
out games against the Colts. Where does this twenty twenty
(01:42):
four unit rank among the best in franchise history?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Well, from a statistical standpoint, they're They're right amongst the
very top. There's only been one other Broncos team in
franchise history sixty four years of Broncos football. To ever
lead the NFL all in points per game surrender, that
would be see Atwater's rookie season nineteen eighty nine. We
went on to win the conference championship that year. If
(02:08):
you include this year, we've only had eight top three
finishes in franchise history, and right now there is a
three way tie for first place as far as points
surrendered between us, the Chargers who we face on Thursday
in the Philadelphia Eagles. All three of those teams have
given up two hundred and forty seven points. The fourth
place Vikings aren't too far behind at two point fifty two,
(02:30):
the Chiefs that at two fifty nine, So it's going
to be a competitive rundown the stretch. To end the
season ranked number one, something I'm definitely pulling for.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah, I mean, I think that they are probably the
best defense in the league this year as a whole.
I guess my longer question is where do they rank
in terms of Broncos historical defenses? Are they better than
the twenty fifteen Super Bowl defense?
Speaker 1 (02:57):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
If they're statistical measurements, I don't know they stack up there,
but they are certainly an impressive defense and they've helped
bail them out the last well, last.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Couple of games.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
I said during the AUFS the preseason, well, we put
this premise force to yourself, Nick ferguson myself, who was
going to be the Broncos player to lead the team
and adjusted value this year.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
You guys may may have had a chuckle.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
At my expense when I suggested Nick Casabanito. But as
we look at it right now, what do I get
if he walks away with the Defensive Player of the
Year award, besides a huge payday since I hit it
up at plus ten thousand over there on draft days.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I think he should loan you the Associated Press Trophy
if that ends up coming to fruition, because I remember
that conversation well, and I don't know if I spoffed
at the suggestion, but of course I deferred to pats
er Tan the Benivy choice, right, and I believe Bonito
is third in Vegas odds right now. It's a very
(03:58):
real possibility. And as far as where he finishes in Avy,
we'll see at the end of the season. But you're
looking at a guy who's third in the NFL in fact,
eleven and a half out then in TfL fourteen of
those and a fumble return and a pick six. A
little bit more of a diverse skill set than what
we're seeing out of say TJ. Watt, who is, in
my opinion, the most skilled defensive player in the league,
(04:19):
and he's going to obviously be part of that conversation
as a NIXT teammate patzer cam But what most impresses
me about Nick Denido is the progress he's made since
stepping into the franchise after being drafted. And I just
gave you a resuite a few minutes ago about you
could pick that before he was taken sixty fourth overall. Right,
(04:39):
same thing with Bo Nicks when he came in at
twelfth overall. So Nick Benito is my favorite defensive player
to watch this season. Will he come away with the award?
I don't know. I think he has a shot at
leaving the team in av but all around, I'd be
pretty upset if he's won a first team All Pro selection.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Yeah, I think I would as well. You know, a
couple of weeks ago, I took the flyer.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
On the bet just because of plus ten thousand, he
was in the top three in sacks.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
I was like, yeah, I'm going to take a flyer
on this. Who knows, maybe he has a multi sack game.
And then he comes away with a couple of pick sixes.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
I know one's a fumble six, but you know, still
he comes away with those, and all of a sudden,
you know, now he's third in the in the odds,
behind his teammate. By the way, Patzertan is currently second.
So as much as I'm sitting here crowing and taking credit,
the guy you picked is actually sitting in front of
him in the odds, So I can't sit there and
do that too too much.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
As it were, well.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
And in fairness, that would be like picking Peyton Manning
for MVP in twenty thirteen. That's what ended up happening.
But it was not a difficult prediction to make. And
you know what I would say to make a case
for Nick is there's been no hotter defensive player in
the NFL since Week three, and since Week three he's
recorded sacks and eleven out of twelve games. He had
that six team stretch where he had a sack every
(05:51):
single week. I didn't get any against Lamar Jackson, but
then he went on one sack two sack sacked him
back to back games, technically half of the sack last week.
So in eleven out of twelve games he's been producing
on the defensive side of the football, whether it's taking
the quarterback down or scoring points. So you can't really
f for anything more from a player in his position.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Well, that's shift from defensive player of the year to
maybe offensive rookie of the year. And you know something
I've been harping on a little bit, this is back
to back multi interception games for Bo Nicks. What are
your thoughts on the impact of bose five interceptions over
the last two games, and might that sway you know,
any offensive rookie of the year type stuff. I've kind
of thought this was a four man raise, really a
(06:32):
two man race between him and Jade Daniels, but you
could include Rock Bowers and Bucky Irving in there as well.
Where does bo stack up in this after two multi
interception games back to back.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Well, I think if we treated all of the positions
as equal, it's tough to take bow Nicks ahead of ours.
It's a quarterback award whenever a quarterback dominates at the position,
and Jadan Daniels certainly isn't showing the same momentum he
quite had at the beginning of the year. At the
beginning of the year is very RG three light, but
(07:03):
he still ranks fourth in the NFL and completion percentage
seventy and a half percent those twenty four sixty three
point six. He's he's a top ten rated passer at
one to one point two those all the way down
there at twenty fourth eighty six one. You look at
some of the advanced metrics total QBR, Jayden Daniels very
high by that metric sixty seven point nine has in fifth.
Bonix is twenty third. So the efficiency numbers are also
(07:27):
been a product of having three really really rough outings.
I share the stat after the win, and I was
I was called out for being a wet blanket. Boonix
ended up tying an NFL rookie record, isn't a good
one with his third performance of a yard per attempt
average below four point zero minimum twenty five attempts. Joining
(07:47):
the elite company of Bryce Young and Steve de Bergh
not exactly the group that you want to be a
part of. I do think that some of those rough
outings skew the efficiency numbers so much that we overlook
just how hot Bo has been for the majorit already
of the season. So while I don't expect for him
to get the award over Jade and Daniels, if they
had an AFC Rookie of the Year Award through the
(08:07):
Associated PRISS, he would certainly be my pick and certainly
the second best rookie quarterback we've seen this year.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Talking with Ryan Michael at the Ryan Michael on Twitter,
I think you and I are perhaps on opposite sides
of the MVP awards, so I'd love for you to
make the case as to who is most deserving of
MVP honors fourteen games in the season.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
I think it's probably a two man race.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
There's some dark horses out there, but I think it's
really a two man race. If both those guys falter them,
we're looking at something else, and that would obviously be
Josh Allen my guy, and Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
What say you, sir?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
You know it's going to be a tough battle down
the stretch. Lamar Jackson is my pick. Josh Allen is
more than worthy, so saving the obvious. He's produced thirty
seven total touchdowns right one of them technically a reception,
eleven on the ground, so perhaps that's a little bit
death year than just the peer numbers through the air
(09:05):
that Lamar is producing his first touchdowns, it also has
thirty seven total touchdowns, thirty four of them, I believe
through the air. From an efficiency perspective, though, Lamar's path
rating of one hundred and twenty point seven, if the
season ended today, would be the fourth highest mark in
the history of the National Football League, underneath Aaron Rodgers
twenty twenty, Aaron Rodgers twenty eleven, and Peyton Manning two
(09:27):
thousand and four. It's an impossible number to keep up
at that space, but Allen is all the way down
there at one oh three point five. What I'm afraid
of them is people are going to look towards the
win loss record, and they're going to look to the
fact that Lamar's already a two times NFL MVP, and
I think there's a little bit of an incentive to
(09:47):
give a guy like Josh Allen who's been playing at
an MVP level that award For the first time. I
made the argument last year Josh Allen would have been like,
takeover Lamar Jackson. I think Lamar Jackson is going to
be p Award. Last year he was picked acular, but
it was one of the weaker MVP Award winning seasons
in recent memory. I would have gone Josh Allen last year.
This year, flip it around at go Lamar.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Do you think the fact that so many Josh Allen
has eleven rushing touchdowns this year Lamar has three? Do
you think that so many of Allen's touchdowns coming with
his legs?
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Do you think that hurts him in any way?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
I think it's actually going to help him because the
efficiency metrics are so far in Lamar Jackson's favor that
I think people are going to look for something that
Josh is doing a little bit different to make him
more of an appealing candidate. In terms of total yardage,
Josh has eighty six yard Lamar four three hundred and
twenty three. That's significant, and he's only throwing three picks
(10:43):
all year. I think the fact that eleven of Allen's
thirty seven touchdowns have come on the ground is going
to be something that people actually use as a point
in his favor as if it's a grittier way to
achieve those points. But the reality is, however you feel
on that front, if a touchdown is worth six points
no matter how you put it in end zone. So
for me, it's not necessarily a tough call between the two.
(11:05):
I would say that it's Lamar not by miles, but
a little bit more than inchest. But both quarterbacks certainly
are more than MVP worthy to steal.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Do you think that there's anything to the supporting cast
argument in the sense that that Lamar has Derek Henry
in the backfield and Mark Andrew's ITTs tight ends where
you know Josh Allen's dealing with James Cook and whichever
Bill's Tighten is not hurt that.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Week, Absolutely absolutely, and that closes the gap to an extent.
It's just not enough to make up for the gap
in efficiency. Lamar leaves the NFL and justin net yards
for attend by a mile at nine point three eighties,
averaging almost nine yards per attempt. His touchdown past percentage
is eight point four percent for a touchdown on nearly
one out of every ten passes. The efficiency marks are
(11:50):
through the roof and what he's able to do on
the ground. He see he has a shot at putting
up another one thousand yard rushing season. I just don't
think it's fair for the fact that he won two
MVP awards previously to be held against them, and they
don't think the fact that Josh Allen had yet to
win an MVP award should be the thing that pushes
him over the threshold.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
I agree with you there. I mean, I think Denver
fans know what happened to NICOLEA.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Jokic with Joel Embiid and all that kind of stuff
where Yokicic was arguably robbed of an MVP simply through
voter fatigue. One thing I will say it's it's interesting
because you know, in the quarterback rating, which is really
you know, a passer rating, which is really more of
an offensive efficiency rating. You know, when El said and
done adjusted net yards per temp, lamarris is clearly leading
those But the QBR stats, Josh Allen has the lead
(12:35):
on on Lamar Jackson. Do you can you explain the
difference in the in in that rating and why that
Josh Allen would be leading in that with while not
leading in the other numbers.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Total PBR is going to incorporate performance on the ground,
So when you produce eleven touchdowns as a rusher, it's
certainly going to help bump you in that metric. And
it's not as though Josh isn't knocking it out of
the from an efficiency standpoint. Through the air, you could
make the argument, due to the production at all different angles,
that Josh is having the more all encompassing season. From
(13:11):
a dominance perspective, I'm still the belief that a touchdown's
work six points no matter how you get it into
the end zone. I'm a big fan of passing efficiency.
Both of them have been very difficult to sack. O
Niven too far behind them in that regard, and so listen,
I don't want to knock one to prop the other
one up. I think the performance of both two quarterbacks
(13:32):
speaks for itself. There's still three games of football left
to be played, but I think at the end of
the day, it should be Lamar Jackson's award to lose.
It'll be interesting to see what the voter's saying.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Like that, will any thoughts on the Comeback Player of
the Year awards that Sam Darnold's to lose.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I mean, it has to be right. You could make
the argument for some people make the argument for Jared Goff,
and I don't think they understand what comeback player of
the year as opposed to me in an In fairness,
the criteria isn't very well fleshed out. Jared Goff's been
a solid quarterback ever since he came to Detroit, and
he was an underrated quarterback in LA. Certainly, what Sam
(14:11):
Donald has done arguably a top five quarterback this year,
and nobody in the world saw that coming. So he
would easily get my pick, and I'd make the argument
it's one of the most impressive comeback of the year
performances in NFL history, given their reality of how highly
counted he was as a quarterback prospect coming out in
twenty eighteen, just how much he fell short of expectations,
(14:34):
maybe not to a Josh Rosen level, but certainly didn't
live up to the billing as a guy who was
once considered to be the best quarterback in that draft class.
Sam Donald's been knocking it out of the park this year.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Ryan.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
We appreciate the time as always, buddy, and look forward
to talking to you next week, hopefully after a Charger's
loss to the Broncos on Thursday.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Son's good to hear for it.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Absolutely take care, Ryan Michael let the Ryan Michael on Twitter.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Patree said, I've been to with Oli Brian Grant Smith's
act seeker, stepping in here for a second five six
six nine zero.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Is the text line. Thanks to Ryan Michael for joining
us in the last segments. Well, Steve atwater in the
first hour.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
You missing any part of that, You go to Broncos
Country Night dot Com slash podcast and get caught up.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Thursday six to eight watch Broncos Chargers with myself. They
focused it a mile post zero at McGregor Square. They
got food Drake Specials. We got an Agra football to giveaway.
It's presented by Don Julio. Coming out and hang out
with us. Zachary, how are you doing this evening?
Speaker 1 (15:35):
I'm doing great? Great? But what are you doing in
the building this late?
Speaker 4 (15:38):
We just doing some production help with Grant do a
podcasting the show high casting this show, yeah, and other
shows you know on k how doing being helpful wherever
I can be this this.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Show we have a podcast. Not that you would know.
I really wouldn't I could.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
There's no way I could ever listen to the sound
of my own voice like that. The thing like even
when the commercials come up, Like when I'm listening to
KOA and the commercial comes on in.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
The car my voice, I immediately hammered the button to
go to one of our sister stations at iHeart and
not any other station, probably ninety seven point three KBCO.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Right right, I'm listening to for Grant Smith, trying to
see if I can just imagine what Zach and I
have to go through listening to Utah for three hours
every day.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
They couldn't pay me enough, just saying, well, they wouldn't.
I go it right, I couldn't do it at you guys,
How is.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Zach Broncos coming off thirty one to thirteen win over
the Colts in a game that didn't feel like it
was a thirty one to thirteen game. Were you nervous
at all in that game, especially when Taylor took off
with that run?
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
I think the difference in this one was how concerning
Bo was playing. You know, the Browns game had some hiccups.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Yeah, you know, I don't even the Raiders game wasn't
necessarily his best showing, But.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
In those the offense was moving the ball well enough.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
Even with the running game struggles that I felt, yeah,
they'll get it shorted, They'll be able to come back,
the defense will get it together. Against the Colts, it
seemed hopeless at a point with offense, I mean, bo
was throwing turnover worthy passes left and right. Just looked
really uncomfortable. You saw the footwork and indecision. Look frankly,
(17:16):
it looked like the Bonus from the first two weeks,
and that was shocking and also a little terrifying in
such a big spot. So I was definitely nervous until
they got some really nice breaks in the second half I.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Did, and of course another touchdown for for Nick Benito.
Not really a pick six, I guess it's a fumble
six now, but you know, still semantics, I guess at
this point.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
I did take some confidence.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
In a way away in the last two games in
watching this team, the defense.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Bailing it out when they had to. And we've seen
that before.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
We saw the Raiders game, you know, when Sir Tannhouse
at ball from Gardner Minshew the first Raiders game.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
You know, we've we've seen it.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
We've seen these games turn around and an opportunistic team.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Take advantage of that.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
So there's confidence in that, but a conference is also
a little shaken as back to back multi interception games
from bo Nicks, we still can't get the run game
going this deep into the season coming off of bye.
There are some some things that appear problematic. So it
was showing a little cracks in the secondary. With Roley
Moss out against the Chargers and patzertan on it, sprang
Angle still listed as a go but you know who
(18:20):
knows exactly how limited he could be in that scenario.
Are you concerned about a short week on the road
game against a physical Chargers team, Yes.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
But I also think this is an opponent, especially of
the opponents down the stretch, where you might be able
to afford those losses at cornerback, and I don't know
if you can ever right with Moss and Patrick Stanner
so incredibly important, but of any week, I think it
would be this one. The Chargers pass game is you know,
a bottom ten, you maybe even bottom five pass game
in the league. Lad McConkie, I think is really the
(18:51):
only wide receiver that that worries you out there. And
granted he's a very good receiver. But you know, Quentin
Johnson I don't think scares you off. Palmer's fine, but
I don't think he's scares you.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Even their tight ends, I don't think like Stone Smart
isn't especially terrifying. And their past game has struggled as
a result, and since JK. Dobbins has gone down, their
run game has really struggled. They are a poor offensive team.
What I worry about, honestly, is more so the offensive end.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
And you know this Jesse Mencher defense is predatory, and
you know can bow Nick's clean up the takeaways. But
you know, I always worry about being down Patrick's artan.
He's probably the best player on this team. Reason he's
second in the NFL in terms of defensive Player of
the Year odds, but Nick Benito third right now, by
the way exactly, and he still have that pass rush
(19:37):
and I don't know. Chris Abrams Strain also showed enough
that I'm not as terrified as I was coming off
the Levi Wallace performance.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Okay, well that's fair.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
I am a little more concerned, I think, especially if
Moss and certain or are are tinged up all of
a sudden. Quentin Johnson does become scary to me because
he does have wheels, and when he hangs on to
the ball, you know then he's.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
A legitimate threat. I have Stone Smart looked right in
that game. He's no Will Disley. You don't imagine saying
that at some point, but you know, I mean, I
think you're right.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
The run game of the Chargers is something that's you
kind of least you scratching your head. They haven't really
gotten the Gus buss going there with Gus Edwards. Kamani
Madal looks good, but they just don't use him enough,
and so that's sort of been a thing there. The
offensive line is a very good offensive line, and Ladd
McConkie's a heck of a player.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
But after that, there's just.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Really not a whole lot there that that makes you
too too nervous. In the defense, well, they gave up
the goods against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, especially in the
second half, and a lot of it was on the ground.
You saw Bucky Irvin going off, you had Rashaan White
was getting Baker Mayfield got in on the party.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
They were running the ball.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
That will on a Chargers defense that had up till
that point been pretty stout. Yeah, and I think that
would give you some optimism if you saw anything with
this Broncos run game. You know, they just played the
second worst run game in the league and were almost
completely bottled up. So as porous as the Chargers looked, again,
Bucky Irving, I don't have confidence that the Broncos are.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Going to be able to exploit that quite like Tampa
Bay did.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
I mean that's and that's the thing the Broncos, you
would have thought coming off the by going up against
the thirty first ranked run defense in the NFL and
the Colts would have, you know, kind of had it.
It was. It was a prime explosion opportunity there, and
it didn't. Bon Nicks led the team both in carries
and yardage, and at this point it kind of makes
you wonder if they shouldn't start doing some red option
(21:26):
stuff at the beginning of games to try to open
those lanes up.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
For the running backs. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
I think bo Nix's ability as a runner has been
a little underutilized all season long.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
I think those design run and I get it, you
want to keep the guy safe. You don't want him
to get dinged up. But he's great with his legs.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
You know, we've seen it as a scrambler, but I
think the designed runs is something they definitely need to
lean further into.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Like you said, it can.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
Open up some things, you know, for estimate for Javante Angelil.
I would also like to see maybe even more Marvin
Nims at running back.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
They did it in that one game. It was effective.
Speaker 4 (22:01):
I know it's something you can't do too much of,
but i'd be putt an estimate in there more. I
don't know what the big hold up and concern is there,
but I I just think they have to start looking
for it in different places. And to your point, bo
Nick's Designed Runs is definitely one of them.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Yeah, five six, six, nine zeros In text line talking
was x geers here, I want to shift gears a
little bit. Travis Hunter, there's some stuff coming out there,
both positive and negative. Since since the Heisman Trophy, I
think a lot of people didn't know that Travis doesn't
take any money from the Anio collective. He does take
Anile money, but just not from the collective.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
UH.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
He actually donates back to the Nile Collective so that
other players can can.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Have the opportunity. UH and that's that's one of the
positive things.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I mean, I think people don't know that about Travis
Hunter and didn't know his you know that he was
doing all that, and then there's this saga with his
fiance and I man, she keeps.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Making it worse. It was.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
It was weird at the Heisman ceremony where she had
to be hold a stand up but it looked like
she was grousing about having to stand up when he
won the award.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
It seemed weird.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
And this thing has just snowballed from there, and now
you've got her jumping on social media talking about I
got permission to talk about all this. Actually he had
a girlfriend when he first reached out.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Why are you throwing him under the bus. That's your fiance.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
What are you doing publicly putting business out here like that?
Just just ignore it and move on, like I trust
me as somebody who has had embarrassing things that posted
embarrassing things about themselves online.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Don't just stop. Just let it go otherwise it just
gets worse.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
Yeah, yeah, it's I don't know, it just seems here
to what you just said, it just keeps snowballing. I
don't know why she won't stop making the situation worse.
She just keeps adding to the news cycle. You know,
eventually people get bored and move on to whatever the
next thing is. But that's not happening here because every
day it seems there's something new. There was a social
(23:59):
media video all the Heisman stuff, and then even the
last game of the season, there was the thing against
Oklahoma State where it looked like she was upset on
the sidelines, And it just seems like it's a more
and more of a thing. And now you've got people
meming on it and whatnot, and that's just going to
perpetuate it because it keeps the whole social media conversation
going and everyone's firing off their jokes and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
So I don't know, it's messy.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
It's and Travis Hunter's going off about it on his
stream and trying to defend her, but again, that's only
perpetuating it. It's a yeah, it's messy. I hope this
doesn't follow into the league.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
On the one hand, I'm like, dude, people don't need
to be involved in other people's relationships. Even if they
make it public, it's still not in your business. Like,
just let it go like, who are you to sit
there as your life perfect? Because if not, who are
you to tell other people? And then at the same time,
I'm like, man, this looks like a toxic situation, and
you think, like, and if you think we're obsessing about it,
think about the teams that have got to pay millions
of dollars to this guy.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Oh great, this guy's coming with baggage.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
He's come with a you know, with a helicopter girlfriend
or whatever, you know, in this particular situation, and you know,
she needs the spotlight two you know, that kind of thing.
And that's sort of what it looks like here at
this point. Is it feels like she needs a part
of the spotlight or something. And I don't know, if
I was Travis Hunter, we would just cut it off
and not talk about it anymore in public. The people
(25:14):
who need to know know and nobody else needs to know. Yeah,
And I think.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
There's also just like, definitely some insecurity involved, I think,
with incidents that are popping up and then they need
to talk about it and defend themselves everything. I feel
like it just it reads like, you know, young people
in a relationship. I don't know in nice such was
weird though, No, it's.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Extreme, but I think, like, I mean, I didn't know
anyone in high school going through this, but you know,
you see people in high school with like just bad
relationships and you're like, I don't.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Know, you can't convince them of it. It's just like, oh,
you need to learn eventually, and you will probably in
the next few years.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Yeah, it was certainly weird when because Travis doesn't drink,
it doesn't party and all that, but then she was
talking about she does, so he would drive her to
parties and then sit and wait while she was at
the party and then drive her home. That's a little weird, weird,
don't you think? Or is his red flags? If you're
if your friend was to tell you that, you know,
in college, and you would be like, I don't know
(26:09):
about that.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
You know what you all got going on here.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
If it works for you, works for you, But I
don't know anyway, Travis Hutter has won the Heisman was it?
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Was it closer than you thought between him and Janty?
Definitely I get it.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
I think the social media conversation was more surprising to
me than even the votes because Shenty had a great case.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
I think he had an amazing season.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
You know, I think ninety percent of college football seasons
he probably wins the Heisman. It was a tremendous performance
by him. Travis Hunter just did something we had literally
never seen before.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
But it was just weird to me.
Speaker 4 (26:42):
I think it's got to be the Dion hatred or whatever,
but it just piling on against Travis Hunter and trying
to I don't want to say tear him down because
I don't think it was like personal attack so much,
but just minimizing what he did this season and whatnot
was ridiculous to me.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Yeah, for me, And this is part of the reason
I kept talking about Bryson Daily, who laid an egg
in that Navy game and hurt my feelings.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
But I'll get out of here.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
The Bryson Daily had as many rushing touchdowns as Ashton Chancey, did,
you know.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
I mean like they're trying to tell Chancey's done something
nobody else is doing.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
No, a quarterback in Army is doing it with no
nil money around him, like you know, sorry, And oh,
by the way, he also threw for you know what,
eight or nine touchdowns and whatnot on.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
The top, So I like that was the thing I
was like, you know, and Daily.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
To his credit, end up getting sixth I think in
the voting for the for the Heisman, I still thought
he should have been above scat a Bow and you know,
Dylan Gabriel's Lifetime Achievement Award. But you know, if you
want to put cam Ward over Daily, I don't really
have an issue with Daddy had more total touchdowns, you know,
on you know whatever.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
But I mean, if you're sitting there, I didn't think
it was gonna be that close.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
I thought what Travis Hunter done, being a top three
player at each position that he was at wide receiver
in corner eye, I thought that was pretty obvious. And
then the fact that he was double dip and doing both.
And it wasn't like a gadget deal. This wasn't like
way we got a package for Travis Hunter. The dude
was playing like one hundred and fifteen one hundred and
twenty snaps, a game that is insane.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
We probably will never see it again. It would be
very surprising if we do. The fact we even saw
it this time, it's surprising. You have to go to
like Bronco Nigirsky and Paul Horning to find people that
we're doing this.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Yeah, it's incredible.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
He won the bennerk for Defensive Player of the Year
and then the Belindikoff for best wide receiver in the
league or college football. That's unprecedented. It's crazy to think about.
Shed Or also got a vote.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
I thought they might split votes, but they didn't, And yeah,
I think it's good.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
You know, I didn't feel like she do.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
I mean, if you're looking at just the quarterbacks, I'm
not sure he would have been even the top quarterback
for me. So I sort of am glad that that
didn't peel away the votes. As we look at the
NFL draft currently, the Raiders are a top and we'd
have the number one overall pick the Giants, Patriots, Jags,
and Panthers around that out.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
Is there anywhere we don't want to see either of
those players go? Is isn't the Raider?
Speaker 2 (29:02):
I mean, the Raiders are at number one and they're
probably going to get one of the two CU players.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Is that? Is that a big thing?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Like? Is that going to be a thing if shed
Or goes to the Raiders? Is that gonna be a
problem for CU fans?
Speaker 4 (29:13):
I would feel bad for CU fans, but not I
think because there's gonna be some really hard rooting allegiances.
I'm excited about Shodor Sanders, but I don't think he's
the guy you throw into a tire or fire like
the Raiders and he's just going to elevate that whole situation.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
I think there's very few.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
Rookie quarterbacks that can pull that off. But he's not
a Joe Burrow and Caleb Williams. I don't know Trevor
Lawrence level prospect that you feel optimistic doing that too.
I think he needs like a solid offensive line, of
solid cast of weapons around it, Like if he goes
to the Giants, where I think they've got maybe some
pieces of that in place with Tyrone Tracy and the
(29:50):
league neighbors some pieces on that offensive line that are
at least respectable.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
You know, I could see that panning out.
Speaker 4 (29:58):
If I'm a CU fan, that's where I want him
to go, not only because I don't have to worry
about rooting against him, but I think it's way more
likely he pans out there. If he goes to the Raiders.
As a Broncos fan, I'd be pretty excited. I don't
think that's gonna pan out well, and I think it's
gonna prolong their their rebuild interesting.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Even with brock Powers there and everything else. I mean,
brock Towers is great.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I just.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
They're so far away. I gonna be coaching there next year.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
So that's that's the next question is could they hire
Vance Joseph as their next head coach?
Speaker 4 (30:30):
Maybe, but they're just that organization is so dysfunctional, and
the Giants are getting to that point. You know, they've
they've been bad for ten years or whatever, but the
Raiders have been bad for twenty and I just don't
trust Mark Davis to figure it out, even if Tom
Brady's Tom Brady might make it a little more convoluted
and even more messy, because now you've got multiple voices
in the room, and one of them's.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Got the new England tree, you know, tangentially, as far
as that kind of stuff goes, that they just got
rid of when they got rid of McDaniels and Ziegler.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Now it's Tom.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Telesco and and of course Antonio Piers still there right
now as.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Far as the rest of this stuff goes, what's your
confidence level?
Speaker 2 (31:02):
I mean, Broncos got a physical on the road game
against the Chargers, you got a tough now Saturday afternoon
game against the high flying Cincinnati Bengals, and you close
the season against Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Yet I never thought that I.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Would say this, but of those three, I'm most confident
in beating Kansas City at the end of the year.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
Yeah, I think those last two games are definitely the easiest.
You got the Bengals and the Chiefs. Bengals might be
a great get right game for this offense. You know,
you get a long week, especially if you don't get
everything sorted against the Chargers defense this week. But I'm
also not overly worried about this Chargers game. Well I
would right now. It feels like a coin flip to me.
(31:41):
But yeah, that Chargers offense is just so limited that
and then both defenses are so elite. I think it's
just going to come down to which offense plays a
little more respectably, and I think there's a good chance
that is bo.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Nix and the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Well, zachtly appreciate you Popping in, Man, we got to run,
hit a break, we come back. Daniel Popper is going
to join US Rocos Country Night Calway
Come back to it Broncos Country tonight. I've been to
(00:02):
it Albright here with you. Grant Smith back there as well.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Guys, Thursday six to eight, come watch the Broncos Chargers
game with myself, Nick Ferguson at Mile Post zero and
McGregor's Square. You got food and drink specials. You guys
can win in an autograph football giveaway.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
It's gonna be presented by Don Julio.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
You guys want to come out there Thursday night and
watch the watch the game of the Broncos take on
the Chargers. You'll have your your ample opportunity to sit
there and de wet blanket me as it were.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
That's what we're that's what we're looking for. So five
six sixty nine zero is the text line. Thanks to
Steve at Water for joining us in the last segment.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
You can say part of that you go to Broncos
Country Night dot com podcast We're a Bitch podcast, Apple
it Tunes, Spotify, Totally Free It Awesome, my Heart radio app.
Knowing you get say you're right out of podcast as well.
Whatever he decides to put it out, he takes his
audience for granted. These days, it's uh I'm trying to
shame you into this.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
January thirteenth, There we go, January thirty. We have an
episode release date.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
It's too long, though, I thought, like, Okay, I guess
Christmas came here one hundred.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
And seventy episodes to catch up on. If you missed any,
I haven't missed any. You're a great listener. I am
a loyal listener.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Scott the Kamai Commas Barrel Hotline though, and we're gonna
check in with our guy Ryan Michael at the Ryan
Michael on Twitter, Ryan, how's.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
The going evening?
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Doing well? Ben Grant, how are you? Guys?
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Went pretty well?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Broncos Coming off the thirty one thirteen win over the Colts,
it did not feel like that that game was as
close as the final score. Rocco's now nine to five,
one win away from locking up a playoff spot that
is near Locke Regardless Nick, Benido, Pats or Tambo's headlights
out games against the Colts. Where does this twenty twenty
(01:42):
four unit rank among the best in franchise history?
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Well, from a statistical standpoint, they're They're right amongst the
very top. There's only been one other Broncos team in
franchise history sixty four years of Broncos football. To ever
lead the NFL all in points per game surrender, that
would be see Atwater's rookie season nineteen eighty nine. We
went on to win the conference championship that year. If
(02:08):
you include this year, we've only had eight top three
finishes in franchise history, and right now there is a
three way tie for first place as far as points
surrendered between us, the Chargers who we face on Thursday
in the Philadelphia Eagles. All three of those teams have
given up two hundred and forty seven points. The fourth
place Vikings aren't too far behind at two point fifty two,
(02:30):
the Chiefs that at two fifty nine, So it's going
to be a competitive rundown the stretch. To end the
season ranked number one, something I'm definitely pulling for.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah, I mean, I think that they are probably the
best defense in the league this year as a whole.
I guess my longer question is where do they rank
in terms of Broncos historical defenses? Are they better than
the twenty fifteen Super Bowl defense?
Speaker 1 (02:57):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
If they're statistical measurements, I don't know they stack up there,
but they are certainly an impressive defense and they've helped
bail them out the last well, last.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Couple of games.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
I said during the AUFS the preseason, well, we put
this premise force to yourself, Nick ferguson myself, who was
going to be the Broncos player to lead the team
and adjusted value this year.
Speaker 1 (03:19):
You guys may may have had a chuckle.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
At my expense when I suggested Nick Casabanito. But as
we look at it right now, what do I get
if he walks away with the Defensive Player of the
Year award, besides a huge payday since I hit it
up at plus ten thousand over there on draft days.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I think he should loan you the Associated Press Trophy
if that ends up coming to fruition, because I remember
that conversation well, and I don't know if I spoffed
at the suggestion, but of course I deferred to pats
er Tan the Benivy choice, right, and I believe Bonito
is third in Vegas odds right now. It's a very
(03:58):
real possibility. And as far as where he finishes in Avy,
we'll see at the end of the season. But you're
looking at a guy who's third in the NFL in fact,
eleven and a half out then in TfL fourteen of
those and a fumble return and a pick six. A
little bit more of a diverse skill set than what
we're seeing out of say TJ. Watt, who is, in
my opinion, the most skilled defensive player in the league,
(04:19):
and he's going to obviously be part of that conversation
as a NIXT teammate patzer cam But what most impresses
me about Nick Denido is the progress he's made since
stepping into the franchise after being drafted. And I just
gave you a resuite a few minutes ago about you
could pick that before he was taken sixty fourth overall. Right,
(04:39):
same thing with Bo Nicks when he came in at
twelfth overall. So Nick Benito is my favorite defensive player
to watch this season. Will he come away with the award?
I don't know. I think he has a shot at
leaving the team in av but all around, I'd be
pretty upset if he's won a first team All Pro selection.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
Yeah, I think I would as well. You know, a
couple of weeks ago, I took the flyer.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
On the bet just because of plus ten thousand, he
was in the top three in sacks.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
I was like, yeah, I'm going to take a flyer
on this. Who knows, maybe he has a multi sack game.
And then he comes away with a couple of pick sixes.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
I know one's a fumble six, but you know, still
he comes away with those, and all of a sudden,
you know, now he's third in the in the odds,
behind his teammate. By the way, Patzertan is currently second.
So as much as I'm sitting here crowing and taking credit,
the guy you picked is actually sitting in front of
him in the odds, So I can't sit there and
do that too too much.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
As it were, well.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
And in fairness, that would be like picking Peyton Manning
for MVP in twenty thirteen. That's what ended up happening.
But it was not a difficult prediction to make. And
you know what I would say to make a case
for Nick is there's been no hotter defensive player in
the NFL since Week three, and since Week three he's
recorded sacks and eleven out of twelve games. He had
that six team stretch where he had a sack every
(05:51):
single week. I didn't get any against Lamar Jackson, but
then he went on one sack two sack sacked him
back to back games, technically half of the sack last week.
So in eleven out of twelve games he's been producing
on the defensive side of the football, whether it's taking
the quarterback down or scoring points. So you can't really
f for anything more from a player in his position.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Well, that's shift from defensive player of the year to
maybe offensive rookie of the year. And you know something
I've been harping on a little bit, this is back
to back multi interception games for Bo Nicks. What are
your thoughts on the impact of bose five interceptions over
the last two games, and might that sway you know,
any offensive rookie of the year type stuff. I've kind
of thought this was a four man raise, really a
(06:32):
two man race between him and Jade Daniels, but you
could include Rock Bowers and Bucky Irving in there as well.
Where does bo stack up in this after two multi
interception games back to back.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Well, I think if we treated all of the positions
as equal, it's tough to take bow Nicks ahead of ours.
It's a quarterback award whenever a quarterback dominates at the position,
and Jadan Daniels certainly isn't showing the same momentum he
quite had at the beginning of the year. At the
beginning of the year is very RG three light, but
(07:03):
he still ranks fourth in the NFL and completion percentage
seventy and a half percent those twenty four sixty three
point six. He's he's a top ten rated passer at
one to one point two those all the way down
there at twenty fourth eighty six one. You look at
some of the advanced metrics total QBR, Jayden Daniels very
high by that metric sixty seven point nine has in fifth.
Bonix is twenty third. So the efficiency numbers are also
(07:27):
been a product of having three really really rough outings.
I share the stat after the win, and I was
I was called out for being a wet blanket. Boonix
ended up tying an NFL rookie record, isn't a good
one with his third performance of a yard per attempt
average below four point zero minimum twenty five attempts. Joining
(07:47):
the elite company of Bryce Young and Steve de Bergh
not exactly the group that you want to be a
part of. I do think that some of those rough
outings skew the efficiency numbers so much that we overlook
just how hot Bo has been for the majorit already
of the season. So while I don't expect for him
to get the award over Jade and Daniels, if they
had an AFC Rookie of the Year Award through the
(08:07):
Associated PRISS, he would certainly be my pick and certainly
the second best rookie quarterback we've seen this year.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
Talking with Ryan Michael at the Ryan Michael on Twitter,
I think you and I are perhaps on opposite sides
of the MVP awards, so I'd love for you to
make the case as to who is most deserving of
MVP honors fourteen games in the season.
Speaker 1 (08:28):
I think it's probably a two man race.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
There's some dark horses out there, but I think it's
really a two man race. If both those guys falter them,
we're looking at something else, and that would obviously be
Josh Allen my guy, and Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
What say you, sir?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
You know it's going to be a tough battle down
the stretch. Lamar Jackson is my pick. Josh Allen is
more than worthy, so saving the obvious. He's produced thirty
seven total touchdowns right one of them technically a reception,
eleven on the ground, so perhaps that's a little bit
death year than just the peer numbers through the air
(09:05):
that Lamar is producing his first touchdowns, it also has
thirty seven total touchdowns, thirty four of them, I believe
through the air. From an efficiency perspective, though, Lamar's path
rating of one hundred and twenty point seven, if the
season ended today, would be the fourth highest mark in
the history of the National Football League, underneath Aaron Rodgers
twenty twenty, Aaron Rodgers twenty eleven, and Peyton Manning two
(09:27):
thousand and four. It's an impossible number to keep up
at that space, but Allen is all the way down
there at one oh three point five. What I'm afraid
of them is people are going to look towards the
win loss record, and they're going to look to the
fact that Lamar's already a two times NFL MVP, and
I think there's a little bit of an incentive to
(09:47):
give a guy like Josh Allen who's been playing at
an MVP level that award For the first time. I
made the argument last year Josh Allen would have been like,
takeover Lamar Jackson. I think Lamar Jackson is going to
be p Award. Last year he was picked acular, but
it was one of the weaker MVP Award winning seasons
in recent memory. I would have gone Josh Allen last year.
This year, flip it around at go Lamar.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
Do you think the fact that so many Josh Allen
has eleven rushing touchdowns this year Lamar has three? Do
you think that so many of Allen's touchdowns coming with
his legs?
Speaker 1 (10:19):
Do you think that hurts him in any way?
Speaker 3 (10:22):
I think it's actually going to help him because the
efficiency metrics are so far in Lamar Jackson's favor that
I think people are going to look for something that
Josh is doing a little bit different to make him
more of an appealing candidate. In terms of total yardage,
Josh has eighty six yard Lamar four three hundred and
twenty three. That's significant, and he's only throwing three picks
(10:43):
all year. I think the fact that eleven of Allen's
thirty seven touchdowns have come on the ground is going
to be something that people actually use as a point
in his favor as if it's a grittier way to
achieve those points. But the reality is, however you feel
on that front, if a touchdown is worth six points
no matter how you put it in end zone. So
for me, it's not necessarily a tough call between the two.
(11:05):
I would say that it's Lamar not by miles, but
a little bit more than inchest. But both quarterbacks certainly
are more than MVP worthy to steal.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Do you think that there's anything to the supporting cast
argument in the sense that that Lamar has Derek Henry
in the backfield and Mark Andrew's ITTs tight ends where
you know Josh Allen's dealing with James Cook and whichever
Bill's Tighten is not hurt that.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
Week, Absolutely absolutely, and that closes the gap to an extent.
It's just not enough to make up for the gap
in efficiency. Lamar leaves the NFL and justin net yards
for attend by a mile at nine point three eighties,
averaging almost nine yards per attempt. His touchdown past percentage
is eight point four percent for a touchdown on nearly
one out of every ten passes. The efficiency marks are
(11:50):
through the roof and what he's able to do on
the ground. He see he has a shot at putting
up another one thousand yard rushing season. I just don't
think it's fair for the fact that he won two
MVP awards previously to be held against them, and they
don't think the fact that Josh Allen had yet to
win an MVP award should be the thing that pushes
him over the threshold.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
I agree with you there. I mean, I think Denver
fans know what happened to NICOLEA.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Jokic with Joel Embiid and all that kind of stuff
where Yokicic was arguably robbed of an MVP simply through
voter fatigue. One thing I will say it's it's interesting
because you know, in the quarterback rating, which is really
you know, a passer rating, which is really more of
an offensive efficiency rating. You know, when El said and
done adjusted net yards per temp, lamarris is clearly leading
those But the QBR stats, Josh Allen has the lead
(12:35):
on on Lamar Jackson. Do you can you explain the
difference in the in in that rating and why that
Josh Allen would be leading in that with while not
leading in the other numbers.
Speaker 3 (12:48):
Total PBR is going to incorporate performance on the ground,
So when you produce eleven touchdowns as a rusher, it's
certainly going to help bump you in that metric. And
it's not as though Josh isn't knocking it out of
the from an efficiency standpoint. Through the air, you could
make the argument, due to the production at all different angles,
that Josh is having the more all encompassing season. From
(13:11):
a dominance perspective, I'm still the belief that a touchdown's
work six points no matter how you get it into
the end zone. I'm a big fan of passing efficiency.
Both of them have been very difficult to sack. O
Niven too far behind them in that regard, and so listen,
I don't want to knock one to prop the other
one up. I think the performance of both two quarterbacks
(13:32):
speaks for itself. There's still three games of football left
to be played, but I think at the end of
the day, it should be Lamar Jackson's award to lose.
It'll be interesting to see what the voter's saying.
Speaker 2 (13:43):
Like that, will any thoughts on the Comeback Player of
the Year awards that Sam Darnold's to lose.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
I mean, it has to be right. You could make
the argument for some people make the argument for Jared Goff,
and I don't think they understand what comeback player of
the year as opposed to me in an In fairness,
the criteria isn't very well fleshed out. Jared Goff's been
a solid quarterback ever since he came to Detroit, and
he was an underrated quarterback in LA. Certainly, what Sam
(14:11):
Donald has done arguably a top five quarterback this year,
and nobody in the world saw that coming. So he
would easily get my pick, and I'd make the argument
it's one of the most impressive comeback of the year
performances in NFL history, given their reality of how highly
counted he was as a quarterback prospect coming out in
twenty eighteen, just how much he fell short of expectations,
(14:34):
maybe not to a Josh Rosen level, but certainly didn't
live up to the billing as a guy who was
once considered to be the best quarterback in that draft class.
Sam Donald's been knocking it out of the park this year.
Speaker 1 (14:46):
Ryan.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
We appreciate the time as always, buddy, and look forward
to talking to you next week, hopefully after a Charger's
loss to the Broncos on Thursday.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Son's good to hear for it.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Absolutely take care, Ryan Michael let the Ryan Michael on Twitter.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Patree said, I've been to with Oli Brian Grant Smith's
act seeker, stepping in here for a second five six
six nine zero.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Is the text line. Thanks to Ryan Michael for joining
us in the last segments. Well, Steve atwater in the
first hour.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
You missing any part of that, You go to Broncos
Country Night dot Com slash podcast and get caught up.
Speaker 1 (15:21):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Thursday six to eight watch Broncos Chargers with myself. They
focused it a mile post zero at McGregor Square. They
got food Drake Specials. We got an Agra football to giveaway.
It's presented by Don Julio. Coming out and hang out
with us. Zachary, how are you doing this evening?
Speaker 1 (15:35):
I'm doing great? Great? But what are you doing in
the building this late?
Speaker 4 (15:38):
We just doing some production help with Grant do a
podcasting the show high casting this show, yeah, and other
shows you know on k how doing being helpful wherever
I can be this this.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Show we have a podcast. Not that you would know.
I really wouldn't I could.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
There's no way I could ever listen to the sound
of my own voice like that. The thing like even
when the commercials come up, Like when I'm listening to
KOA and the commercial comes on in.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
The car my voice, I immediately hammered the button to
go to one of our sister stations at iHeart and
not any other station, probably ninety seven point three KBCO.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Right right, I'm listening to for Grant Smith, trying to
see if I can just imagine what Zach and I
have to go through listening to Utah for three hours
every day.
Speaker 1 (16:18):
They couldn't pay me enough, just saying, well, they wouldn't.
I go it right, I couldn't do it at you guys,
How is.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
Zach Broncos coming off thirty one to thirteen win over
the Colts in a game that didn't feel like it
was a thirty one to thirteen game. Were you nervous
at all in that game, especially when Taylor took off
with that run?
Speaker 1 (16:38):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (16:39):
I think the difference in this one was how concerning
Bo was playing. You know, the Browns game had some hiccups.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Yeah, you know, I don't even the Raiders game wasn't
necessarily his best showing, But.
Speaker 1 (16:51):
In those the offense was moving the ball well enough.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
Even with the running game struggles that I felt, yeah,
they'll get it shorted, They'll be able to come back,
the defense will get it together. Against the Colts, it
seemed hopeless at a point with offense, I mean, bo
was throwing turnover worthy passes left and right. Just looked
really uncomfortable. You saw the footwork and indecision. Look frankly,
(17:16):
it looked like the Bonus from the first two weeks,
and that was shocking and also a little terrifying in
such a big spot. So I was definitely nervous until
they got some really nice breaks in the second half I.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Did, and of course another touchdown for for Nick Benito.
Not really a pick six, I guess it's a fumble
six now, but you know, still semantics, I guess at
this point.
Speaker 1 (17:35):
I did take some confidence.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
In a way away in the last two games in
watching this team, the defense.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Bailing it out when they had to. And we've seen
that before.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
We saw the Raiders game, you know, when Sir Tannhouse
at ball from Gardner Minshew the first Raiders game.
Speaker 1 (17:54):
You know, we've we've seen it.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
We've seen these games turn around and an opportunistic team.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
Take advantage of that.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
So there's confidence in that, but a conference is also
a little shaken as back to back multi interception games
from bo Nicks, we still can't get the run game
going this deep into the season coming off of bye.
There are some some things that appear problematic. So it
was showing a little cracks in the secondary. With Roley
Moss out against the Chargers and patzertan on it, sprang
Angle still listed as a go but you know who
(18:20):
knows exactly how limited he could be in that scenario.
Are you concerned about a short week on the road
game against a physical Chargers team, Yes.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
But I also think this is an opponent, especially of
the opponents down the stretch, where you might be able
to afford those losses at cornerback, and I don't know
if you can ever right with Moss and Patrick Stanner
so incredibly important, but of any week, I think it
would be this one. The Chargers pass game is you know,
a bottom ten, you maybe even bottom five pass game
in the league. Lad McConkie, I think is really the
(18:51):
only wide receiver that that worries you out there. And
granted he's a very good receiver. But you know, Quentin
Johnson I don't think scares you off. Palmer's fine, but
I don't think he's scares you.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Even their tight ends, I don't think like Stone Smart
isn't especially terrifying. And their past game has struggled as
a result, and since JK. Dobbins has gone down, their
run game has really struggled. They are a poor offensive team.
What I worry about, honestly, is more so the offensive end.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
And you know this Jesse Mencher defense is predatory, and
you know can bow Nick's clean up the takeaways. But
you know, I always worry about being down Patrick's artan.
He's probably the best player on this team. Reason he's
second in the NFL in terms of defensive Player of
the Year odds, but Nick Benito third right now, by
the way exactly, and he still have that pass rush
(19:37):
and I don't know. Chris Abrams Strain also showed enough
that I'm not as terrified as I was coming off
the Levi Wallace performance.
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Okay, well that's fair.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
I am a little more concerned, I think, especially if
Moss and certain or are are tinged up all of
a sudden. Quentin Johnson does become scary to me because
he does have wheels, and when he hangs on to
the ball, you know then he's.
Speaker 1 (19:58):
A legitimate threat. I have Stone Smart looked right in
that game. He's no Will Disley. You don't imagine saying
that at some point, but you know, I mean, I
think you're right.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
The run game of the Chargers is something that's you
kind of least you scratching your head. They haven't really
gotten the Gus buss going there with Gus Edwards. Kamani
Madal looks good, but they just don't use him enough,
and so that's sort of been a thing there. The
offensive line is a very good offensive line, and Ladd
McConkie's a heck of a player.
Speaker 1 (20:24):
But after that, there's just.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Really not a whole lot there that that makes you
too too nervous. In the defense, well, they gave up
the goods against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, especially in the
second half, and a lot of it was on the ground.
You saw Bucky Irvin going off, you had Rashaan White
was getting Baker Mayfield got in on the party.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
They were running the ball.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
That will on a Chargers defense that had up till
that point been pretty stout. Yeah, and I think that
would give you some optimism if you saw anything with
this Broncos run game. You know, they just played the
second worst run game in the league and were almost
completely bottled up. So as porous as the Chargers looked, again,
Bucky Irving, I don't have confidence that the Broncos are.
Speaker 1 (21:02):
Going to be able to exploit that quite like Tampa
Bay did.
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
I mean that's and that's the thing the Broncos, you
would have thought coming off the by going up against
the thirty first ranked run defense in the NFL and
the Colts would have, you know, kind of had it.
It was. It was a prime explosion opportunity there, and
it didn't. Bon Nicks led the team both in carries
and yardage, and at this point it kind of makes
you wonder if they shouldn't start doing some red option
(21:26):
stuff at the beginning of games to try to open
those lanes up.
Speaker 1 (21:30):
For the running backs. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
I think bo Nix's ability as a runner has been
a little underutilized all season long.
Speaker 4 (21:37):
I think those design run and I get it, you
want to keep the guy safe. You don't want him
to get dinged up. But he's great with his legs.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
You know, we've seen it as a scrambler, but I
think the designed runs is something they definitely need to
lean further into.
Speaker 1 (21:49):
Like you said, it can.
Speaker 4 (21:50):
Open up some things, you know, for estimate for Javante Angelil.
I would also like to see maybe even more Marvin
Nims at running back.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
They did it in that one game. It was effective.
Speaker 4 (22:01):
I know it's something you can't do too much of,
but i'd be putt an estimate in there more. I
don't know what the big hold up and concern is there,
but I I just think they have to start looking
for it in different places. And to your point, bo
Nick's Designed Runs is definitely one of them.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Yeah, five six, six, nine zeros In text line talking
was x geers here, I want to shift gears a
little bit. Travis Hunter, there's some stuff coming out there,
both positive and negative. Since since the Heisman Trophy, I
think a lot of people didn't know that Travis doesn't
take any money from the Anio collective. He does take
Anile money, but just not from the collective.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
UH.
Speaker 2 (22:36):
He actually donates back to the Nile Collective so that
other players can can.
Speaker 1 (22:40):
Have the opportunity. UH and that's that's one of the
positive things.
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I mean, I think people don't know that about Travis
Hunter and didn't know his you know that he was
doing all that, and then there's this saga with his
fiance and I man, she keeps.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
Making it worse. It was.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
It was weird at the Heisman ceremony where she had
to be hold a stand up but it looked like
she was grousing about having to stand up when he
won the award.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
It seemed weird.
Speaker 2 (23:06):
And this thing has just snowballed from there, and now
you've got her jumping on social media talking about I
got permission to talk about all this. Actually he had
a girlfriend when he first reached out.
Speaker 1 (23:15):
Why are you throwing him under the bus. That's your fiance.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
What are you doing publicly putting business out here like that?
Just just ignore it and move on, like I trust
me as somebody who has had embarrassing things that posted
embarrassing things about themselves online.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Don't just stop. Just let it go otherwise it just
gets worse.
Speaker 4 (23:36):
Yeah, yeah, it's I don't know, it just seems here
to what you just said, it just keeps snowballing. I
don't know why she won't stop making the situation worse.
She just keeps adding to the news cycle. You know,
eventually people get bored and move on to whatever the
next thing is. But that's not happening here because every
day it seems there's something new. There was a social
(23:59):
media video all the Heisman stuff, and then even the
last game of the season, there was the thing against
Oklahoma State where it looked like she was upset on
the sidelines, And it just seems like it's a more
and more of a thing. And now you've got people
meming on it and whatnot, and that's just going to
perpetuate it because it keeps the whole social media conversation
going and everyone's firing off their jokes and whatnot.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
So I don't know, it's messy.
Speaker 4 (24:20):
It's and Travis Hunter's going off about it on his
stream and trying to defend her, but again, that's only
perpetuating it. It's a yeah, it's messy. I hope this
doesn't follow into the league.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
On the one hand, I'm like, dude, people don't need
to be involved in other people's relationships. Even if they
make it public, it's still not in your business. Like,
just let it go like, who are you to sit
there as your life perfect? Because if not, who are
you to tell other people? And then at the same time,
I'm like, man, this looks like a toxic situation, and
you think, like, and if you think we're obsessing about it,
think about the teams that have got to pay millions
of dollars to this guy.
Speaker 1 (24:52):
Oh great, this guy's coming with baggage.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
He's come with a you know, with a helicopter girlfriend
or whatever, you know, in this particular situation, and you know,
she needs the spotlight two you know, that kind of thing.
And that's sort of what it looks like here at
this point. Is it feels like she needs a part
of the spotlight or something. And I don't know, if
I was Travis Hunter, we would just cut it off
and not talk about it anymore in public. The people
(25:14):
who need to know know and nobody else needs to know. Yeah,
And I think.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
There's also just like, definitely some insecurity involved, I think,
with incidents that are popping up and then they need
to talk about it and defend themselves everything. I feel
like it just it reads like, you know, young people
in a relationship. I don't know in nice such was
weird though, No, it's.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Extreme, but I think, like, I mean, I didn't know
anyone in high school going through this, but you know,
you see people in high school with like just bad
relationships and you're like, I don't.
Speaker 4 (25:42):
Know, you can't convince them of it. It's just like, oh,
you need to learn eventually, and you will probably in
the next few years.
Speaker 2 (25:48):
Yeah, it was certainly weird when because Travis doesn't drink,
it doesn't party and all that, but then she was
talking about she does, so he would drive her to
parties and then sit and wait while she was at
the party and then drive her home. That's a little weird, weird,
don't you think? Or is his red flags? If you're
if your friend was to tell you that, you know,
in college, and you would be like, I don't know
(26:09):
about that.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
You know what you all got going on here.
Speaker 2 (26:11):
If it works for you, works for you, But I
don't know anyway, Travis Hutter has won the Heisman was it?
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Was it closer than you thought between him and Janty?
Definitely I get it.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
I think the social media conversation was more surprising to
me than even the votes because Shenty had a great case.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
I think he had an amazing season.
Speaker 4 (26:30):
You know, I think ninety percent of college football seasons
he probably wins the Heisman. It was a tremendous performance
by him. Travis Hunter just did something we had literally
never seen before.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
But it was just weird to me.
Speaker 4 (26:42):
I think it's got to be the Dion hatred or whatever,
but it just piling on against Travis Hunter and trying
to I don't want to say tear him down because
I don't think it was like personal attack so much,
but just minimizing what he did this season and whatnot
was ridiculous to me.
Speaker 2 (26:59):
Yeah, for me, And this is part of the reason
I kept talking about Bryson Daily, who laid an egg
in that Navy game and hurt my feelings.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
But I'll get out of here.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
The Bryson Daily had as many rushing touchdowns as Ashton Chancey, did,
you know.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
I mean like they're trying to tell Chancey's done something
nobody else is doing.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
No, a quarterback in Army is doing it with no
nil money around him, like you know, sorry, And oh,
by the way, he also threw for you know what,
eight or nine touchdowns and whatnot on.
Speaker 1 (27:27):
The top, So I like that was the thing I
was like, you know, and Daily.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
To his credit, end up getting sixth I think in
the voting for the for the Heisman, I still thought
he should have been above scat a Bow and you know,
Dylan Gabriel's Lifetime Achievement Award. But you know, if you
want to put cam Ward over Daily, I don't really
have an issue with Daddy had more total touchdowns, you know,
on you know whatever.
Speaker 1 (27:45):
But I mean, if you're sitting there, I didn't think
it was gonna be that close.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
I thought what Travis Hunter done, being a top three
player at each position that he was at wide receiver
in corner eye, I thought that was pretty obvious. And
then the fact that he was double dip and doing both.
And it wasn't like a gadget deal. This wasn't like
way we got a package for Travis Hunter. The dude
was playing like one hundred and fifteen one hundred and
twenty snaps, a game that is insane.
Speaker 4 (28:11):
We probably will never see it again. It would be
very surprising if we do. The fact we even saw
it this time, it's surprising. You have to go to
like Bronco Nigirsky and Paul Horning to find people that
we're doing this.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Yeah, it's incredible.
Speaker 4 (28:23):
He won the bennerk for Defensive Player of the Year
and then the Belindikoff for best wide receiver in the
league or college football. That's unprecedented. It's crazy to think about.
Shed Or also got a vote.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
I thought they might split votes, but they didn't, And yeah,
I think it's good.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
You know, I didn't feel like she do.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
I mean, if you're looking at just the quarterbacks, I'm
not sure he would have been even the top quarterback
for me. So I sort of am glad that that
didn't peel away the votes. As we look at the
NFL draft currently, the Raiders are a top and we'd
have the number one overall pick the Giants, Patriots, Jags,
and Panthers around that out.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
Is there anywhere we don't want to see either of
those players go? Is isn't the Raider?
Speaker 2 (29:02):
I mean, the Raiders are at number one and they're
probably going to get one of the two CU players.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
Is that? Is that a big thing?
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Like? Is that going to be a thing if shed
Or goes to the Raiders? Is that gonna be a
problem for CU fans?
Speaker 4 (29:13):
I would feel bad for CU fans, but not I
think because there's gonna be some really hard rooting allegiances.
I'm excited about Shodor Sanders, but I don't think he's
the guy you throw into a tire or fire like
the Raiders and he's just going to elevate that whole situation.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
I think there's very few.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
Rookie quarterbacks that can pull that off. But he's not
a Joe Burrow and Caleb Williams. I don't know Trevor
Lawrence level prospect that you feel optimistic doing that too.
I think he needs like a solid offensive line, of
solid cast of weapons around it, Like if he goes
to the Giants, where I think they've got maybe some
pieces of that in place with Tyrone Tracy and the
(29:50):
league neighbors some pieces on that offensive line that are
at least respectable.
Speaker 1 (29:56):
You know, I could see that panning out.
Speaker 4 (29:58):
If I'm a CU fan, that's where I want him
to go, not only because I don't have to worry
about rooting against him, but I think it's way more
likely he pans out there. If he goes to the Raiders.
As a Broncos fan, I'd be pretty excited. I don't
think that's gonna pan out well, and I think it's
gonna prolong their their rebuild interesting.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Even with brock Powers there and everything else. I mean,
brock Towers is great.
Speaker 2 (30:18):
I just.
Speaker 1 (30:20):
They're so far away. I gonna be coaching there next year.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
So that's that's the next question is could they hire
Vance Joseph as their next head coach?
Speaker 4 (30:30):
Maybe, but they're just that organization is so dysfunctional, and
the Giants are getting to that point. You know, they've
they've been bad for ten years or whatever, but the
Raiders have been bad for twenty and I just don't
trust Mark Davis to figure it out, even if Tom
Brady's Tom Brady might make it a little more convoluted
and even more messy, because now you've got multiple voices
in the room, and one of them's.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
Got the new England tree, you know, tangentially, as far
as that kind of stuff goes, that they just got
rid of when they got rid of McDaniels and Ziegler.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Now it's Tom.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Telesco and and of course Antonio Piers still there right
now as.
Speaker 1 (31:00):
Far as the rest of this stuff goes, what's your
confidence level?
Speaker 2 (31:02):
I mean, Broncos got a physical on the road game
against the Chargers, you got a tough now Saturday afternoon
game against the high flying Cincinnati Bengals, and you close
the season against Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Yet I never thought that I.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
Would say this, but of those three, I'm most confident
in beating Kansas City at the end of the year.
Speaker 4 (31:17):
Yeah, I think those last two games are definitely the easiest.
You got the Bengals and the Chiefs. Bengals might be
a great get right game for this offense. You know,
you get a long week, especially if you don't get
everything sorted against the Chargers defense this week. But I'm
also not overly worried about this Chargers game. Well I
would right now. It feels like a coin flip to me.
(31:41):
But yeah, that Chargers offense is just so limited that
and then both defenses are so elite. I think it's
just going to come down to which offense plays a
little more respectably, and I think there's a good chance
that is bo.
Speaker 1 (31:53):
Nix and the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Well, zachtly appreciate you Popping in, Man, we got to run,
hit a break, we come back. Daniel Popper is going
to join US Rocos Country Night Calway
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