05-14-25 KOA's NFL Schedule Release Special

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Finally, we've been talking about this for the last guys.
She feels like the last forever. I mean, it's finally,
it's finally here. So fellas, let's get right to it,
starting with the home opener. The opener this year is
at home September seventh against the Tennessee.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Titans, and I guess the question will.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
Be Ryan, where we see cam Ward as the starting
quarterback of the Titans or not?

Speaker 3 (00:26):
Well, I guess they could always go to Will Levis theoretically,
but yeah, you draft the guy first number one overall,
and you sort of think that he's going to be
the guy. They're not the Cleveland Browns who are benching
Baker Mayfield, so yeah, you think cam Ward is going
to be in there, and I don't know, it feels
like it lines up pretty nice for the Broncos. I mean,
you get too far ahead on this thing, but you

(00:46):
think about it in terms of facing a rookie quarterback
in his first start ever on the road and thinking
about how great this defense was last year getting after
the quarterback. I really like this as a setup for
the Broncos in Game one.

Speaker 4 (00:58):
Without getting too disrespect full to an NFL franchise, is
about as good as an opener as you could hope for.

Speaker 5 (01:03):
It's a it's a as.

Speaker 4 (01:04):
Good a warm up game, I think, as you possibly
could could want. Whether it's Cam Ord or whether it's
it's Will Levis. The Tennessee Titans are not a great
football team. They're trying to get better, but they still
got holes to fill. And honestly, the first two weeks
in the season open up about as nice as you'd
like for the Broncos before it really starts to get
kind of weird.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
Yeah, it gets kind of weirdt the next couple of weeks.
You know, last year the Broncos had their first two
regular season games.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
On the road.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
That was tough enough, and then two games excuse a
game on the road, then coming home against the Steelers,
and then two more games on the road, so three
the first four. Even though the home opener this year
is going to be at Empower Field at Male High,
the next two games are both on the road. They'll
be in Indianapolis to face the Colts on September fourteenth,

(01:53):
and then the first Divisional game pops up in week
number three, September twenty first, with a road game in
Los Angeles, to face the Chargers.

Speaker 5 (02:02):
That's gonna be a challenge.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
I mean, the Chargers last year were much they were
I a would say much improved, but they were improved
with Jim Harbaugh. And you sort of think because of
the expectations of that team, who again, we're a playoff team.
They got absolutely hammered in the postseason against Houston, they're
gonna have a bit of a chip on their shoulder
as well, and so that that's gonna be Again you're

(02:23):
talking about sort of a clash of two teams that
feel like they should be vying for the AFC West.
This is a weird division now, especially now that you've
added Pete Carroll with the Raiders. I don't see any walkovers.
There's no teams in this division. I think the Broncos
just added automatically are that much better. So they're gonna
have to earn it every single week. But I do
think that in the long run that's gonna be valuable
to them as they do make a put postseason push.

Speaker 4 (02:46):
Yeah, you first home game against the Titans and you
first Rode game against the Colts, those feel like games
that are eminently winnable for the Denver Broncos.

Speaker 5 (02:52):
Based on what we see right now as we.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
Sit here today, who's the starting quarterback for the Colts
Daniel Jones that second second game.

Speaker 4 (02:58):
Daniel Jones. I think he's gonna be out a rich
In camp and I think he'll be the starter. He's
more consistent. You know, at the end of the day,
Richardson has better tools, but at the end of the day,
Jones is more consistent. And then you you know, you
on the road and what has been for many years
at a fact, a home game for the Broncos out
there against the Chargers, So he's certainly been a lot
more orange in the stands and there's been the powder blue,
although under horrible that may change. They're a physical football team,

(03:20):
and that kicks off a stretch of games there that
I think might kind of be brutally tough for the
Broncos because you're basically going to have a primetime game
against the the Bengals, a short week game on the
road at Philly, then you're on into London.

Speaker 5 (03:34):
Like it's that's going to be a rough stretch of games.

Speaker 1 (03:37):
Yeah, well, we'll talk about that next three game stretch
coming up. We invite you to watch and interact with
us on kiowa's Facebook page. Kowa Cast live Stream. We're
gonna be here for the next hour or so. And
by the way, we're gonna give you a chance to
win a pair of tickets to a Broncos home game
twenty twenty five Broncos home game that's coming up here
in the next few minutes as well.

Speaker 2 (03:58):
Okay, bent Ben kind of teased it.

Speaker 1 (04:00):
The first prime time matchup of the twenty twenty five
regular season that comes on September twenty ninth. That is
the second home game of the season. So the first
four games, two at home, two on the road. The
home game on a Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 5 (04:17):
Once again one of the best offenses in the league.

Speaker 3 (04:20):
Whatever you think about Cincinnati's upcoming year, and of course
we'll have discussions about whether they improved it enough on defense,
they're gonna be good offense.

Speaker 5 (04:27):
Joe Burrow. They brought back both their star wide receivers.

Speaker 3 (04:30):
That brought back Mike Asiki, and that game was so
recent for Broncos fans, you're not gonna forget about it,
and I imagine the team won't forget about it as well.

Speaker 5 (04:38):
This is a little bit of revenge opportunity.

Speaker 3 (04:40):
Here at thing for the Broncos to take down the
Cincinnati Bengals in a game that they probably thought they
should have won last year when they went to overtime.
So that's gonna be a really interesting game. Obviously not division,
but in conference, and those games do matter when things
kind of get down the stretch. And for Cincinnati, you're thinking,
we got to get off to a faster start that
we did last year because that was part the reason
why they found themselves out of the postseason is they

(05:02):
got off to such a slow start.

Speaker 1 (05:04):
So been more speculation. Obviously we don't know. But by
week four this fall is the Bengals roll into the town.
Do you think Trey Hendrickson will be part of the
Bengals team?

Speaker 5 (05:13):
I don't. I don't think there's any way they can
pay him what.

Speaker 4 (05:16):
He wants to pay on what he's demanding to be
and frankly rightfully so, but what he's demanding to be paid.
He's not going to play on a new contract. And
I don't know where the money's coming from here. I mean,
they have just powed so much money in that offense.
You made Jamar Chase the highest paid non quarterback in football,
a wide receiver making forty plus million dollars.

Speaker 2 (05:37):
Then let's not for your t Higgins too, right, And
then you t Aggains.

Speaker 5 (05:40):
You already got to Joe Burrow money.

Speaker 4 (05:42):
And the Cowboys are going to get this Parsons thing
done fairly soon before the season. That's gonna put Hendrickson
in line for a forty five plus million dollars per
year pay day. I have no idea where Cincinnati would
even come up with that. They don't have the cash,
let alone the cap to make that happen, and so.

Speaker 5 (05:57):
I don't believe it. I believe they'll trade him.

Speaker 4 (05:59):
I know Washington had inquired previously about Hendrickson. I think
they'll try to Builo this summer and see if they
can't get Trey Hendrickson off the Bengals.

Speaker 1 (06:06):
So the first four weeks they open do the Broncos
at home against the Tennessee Titans that game on September seventh,
and then two road games at Indianapolis, facing the Colts
on September fourteenth, then traveling to Los Angeles to play
it so far against the Los Angeles Chargers that game
on September twenty. First, we just mentioned. The first primetime

(06:27):
game is a Monday night home game September twenty ninth
against the Cincinnati Bengals. The next week before we get
to the London game. The next week, October fifth, the
Broncos travel to the city of Brotherly Love to face
the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and a rematch with
defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.

Speaker 5 (06:49):
Yeah, that's going to be a tough game.

Speaker 3 (06:51):
I mean, I think that we sometimes look at these games,
especially on paper, and say, I feel like that could
be a win, like we talked about with the Titans
and the Colts, and then you look at this game,
you're like, that's at Philadelphia against a team that, again
is pretty complete.

Speaker 5 (07:05):
I know they lost some guys.

Speaker 3 (07:06):
In free agency and there's expectations and maybe a bit
of a step back, but at this point they're not.
As we sitting here had this conversation today, That's not
how I'm feeling about this game. This feels like one
of those you go in, you compee, you do the
best you can, Hopefully you come out of that thing relatively.

Speaker 5 (07:20):
Unscathed, and you get ready for the New York Jets.

Speaker 4 (07:22):
Yeah, you don't ever want to dismiss a game as
far as like, you know, putting it in your head that
it'd be a loss, but on paper, you're talking about
playing prior to this, you got to beat them up
game against the Chargers.

Speaker 5 (07:31):
You know that's going to be physical. You've got to a.

Speaker 4 (07:33):
Shootout on a Monday night, probably against the Cincinnati Bengals,
a short week, early East Coast game against the reigning
Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, and looks like a pretty
tough ask for anybody.

Speaker 1 (07:43):
Yeah, I would agree. And the game is at eleven
am Denver time, right.

Speaker 2 (07:47):
Which early morning is always tough.

Speaker 1 (07:49):
I think for the teams that are traveling back East.
I would suspect based on where the next game is,
that the Broncos will stay in Philadelphia, more than likely
leave from Philadelphia flying to London because the next game
the following Sunday, October twelfth, the Broncos and the New
York Jets from Toddingham Stadium. That is a seven point

(08:10):
thirty am Denver time on Sunday, and the Jets, a
team that nobody fellows really knows too much about except
justin fields, more than likely will be the starting quarterback
and they have a new head coach.

Speaker 3 (08:24):
Yeah, Aaron Glynn's now the head coach, and we've always
liked Aaron Glynn. I think that we have a lot
of respect for Aeron Glynn, but it's tough to know
what when he's a rookie head coach, what they're going
to look like. And that is Week six, so we'll
have a little more information about that team by then.
They've got some offensive talent, for sure. They've always had
a really good defense.

Speaker 5 (08:41):
I mean, the last several years are really good defense.

Speaker 3 (08:44):
It's not going to be I think that you oftentimes
look at this game and you say, well, the Jets
have historically just been a bad team of the last
decade plus. This is a game that the Broncos should
absolutely win, and they should, but there's the unknown factor,
especially with Justin Fields and no, Ben, you're not a
big Justin Fields guy, but he offers a lot as
athleticism with his legs that that's not going to be

(09:04):
a walk in the park in my opinion.

Speaker 4 (09:06):
Yeah, I mean anytime, I mean, looking at the schedule,
you're just coming off of already, you're coming off of again.
You get that physical game against the Chargers, you got
the Monday night game against the Bengals, a short week
game against the Eagles, and you're flying overseas to London
to take on the Jets. That's a brutal stretch of
football right there. I don't think the Jets are going
to be particularly good on offense. Justin fields is hashtag
not good. So you know, I don't know. I don't

(09:29):
think they're going to be particularly effective on offense. I'm
not a big fan of the offensive coordator and is
a first time offensive coordinator they got too, But beyond that,
that defense is plug and play. Aaron Glenn's a great motivator.
You know, you never know overseas what you're going to
get as far as that stuff goes. I think on paper,
on a neutral field, you say probably a Broncos win here,
but in London, you know who knows?

Speaker 2 (09:49):
Yeah, I agree with you.

Speaker 1 (09:50):
All right, let's recap the first six games. I'm gonna
ask you, guys, what you think the record will be
at that point. The Broncos open at home against the
Tennessee Titans, followed by two can say becutive road games
in Indianapolis to face the Colts, and also the next
weekend on the road against the LA Chargers in La.
Monday Night football comes to the Mile High City the

(10:13):
fourth game of the regular season, as the Cincinnati Bengals
rolled to town. The next weekend, the Broncos on the
road against the world champion Philadelphia Eagles, followed by a
trip across the Pond to face the New York Jets
that game at Tottenham Stadium on October twelfth.

Speaker 2 (10:30):
So after six games with three being.

Speaker 1 (10:35):
On the road, actually four if you count the road
game in London, so two home games and four road
games of the first six, Ryan, what do you have
the Broncos record?

Speaker 5 (10:48):
I feel like you would accept three and three. You'd
probably like to be four and two, I think ideally.
I mean, you obviously want to win all of them.

Speaker 3 (10:57):
That goes without saying, but you'd be looking at that
as an opportunity to go for into knowing that maybe
the Eagles and Chargers games is gonna be the toughest
ones in that group. But you feel like the home
games you definitely should have. You should have that Indianapolis,
you imagine again taking on Daniel Jones, Jones or Anthony Richardson.
You feel like you're a better team than that. And
then once again. The Jets game. It's a little bit

(11:18):
of a wild card because it's out there in London,
but that's a game on paper today, I feel like
you're gonna want to have so four and two three
and three is acceptable, knowing that you're to probably have
to get a game later on the season and win
that bat.

Speaker 5 (11:30):
I'm pretty much with you on that.

Speaker 4 (11:31):
I think that anything less than three and three you're
you're very disappointed. I think three and three and four
and two are realistic numbers. I think that Chargers game, man,
you're gonna have a physical football team. They struggled with
that last year. They struggled with it, so hopefully they
got some of that shorn up. That Eagles game looks tough.
I just you know, on paper right now, not seeing
that as a win. So I think four and two

(11:51):
is probably what you come out of this.

Speaker 2 (11:52):
I don't disagree with any of that.

Speaker 1 (11:54):
I think back to last year's Chargers game, and the
Broncos had every chance to win that game last year
in Los Angeles and early the second half, well at
the end of the first half, and then the second
half kind of got away from them, and there were
some things that were exposed on the Broncos defense for sure,

(12:16):
but I'm not ready to say that that will be
a game that the Broncos. I mean to me, that
game doesn't feel like the game in Philadelphia when you're
playing the Eagles run. As you said, we're not saying
it's not a winnable game, but I would say four
and two, and maybe the optimistic side of me says

(12:36):
five to one.

Speaker 2 (12:37):
We'll see either way.

Speaker 1 (12:40):
I think the Broncos would probably take that record.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
Again.

Speaker 1 (12:43):
We invite you to watch and interact on Ko's Facebook page,
koa cast live stream and we're going to be given
a lucky caller. We'll give you the number here. We'll
do that coming up here in the next few minutes.
But do you have a chance to win a pair
of tickets to a twenty twenty five Broncos home game
of your choice. So there are some really good games

(13:05):
in terms of home games this year for the Broncos.
Dave Logan, Ryan Edwards and Benjamin Albright with you. All right,
we're through six games. So after the game in London
and the game and the team more than likely flies
back immediately following that game, the Broncos, you would think
would have a.

Speaker 2 (13:25):
Bye week, but they do not. They come back home.

Speaker 1 (13:29):
They'll have a home game the following Sunday, which is
October nineteenth, against the New York Football Giants and possibly
Russell Wilson.

Speaker 3 (13:40):
Yeah, that's the question, right, Is it gonna be Russ
this time? Didn't get a chance to see him last
year and he's with the Steelers. He was hurt at
that time. I say hurt air quotes maybe, but he
was hurt last year. Now it's going to be Russell Wilson,
Jameis Winston who's also there, and of course they traded
up for a rookie quarterback in Jackson Dart.

Speaker 5 (13:58):
So it could be one of those three. I don't know.

Speaker 3 (14:02):
I don't know if I freak out about any of
the quarterback matchups in that I think more than anything,
I'm excited to see Milik Neighbors versus Patzer Tan. That
for me is gonna be one of the like the
matchups in the game that I'm most excited about.

Speaker 5 (14:13):
Yeah, this is.

Speaker 4 (14:14):
Interesting because the Giants are coming off into fact oh buy,
they'll have Thursday Night football, so they have ten days
stretch there where they're off to get rested up. While
the Broncos are coming off that whole that brutal series
back to back where you had the short week against Philly,
you went to London, and then you come back home.
Thankfully a home game for Denver. But again you're catching
a Giants team that you may not think is that good.
But they'll be plenty of rested up and have the
extra days to prepare, So this game might be a

(14:37):
trap game for the Denver Broncos.

Speaker 5 (14:38):
You want to keep your eye on that.

Speaker 4 (14:40):
I'm not too scared about the you know, the Russ
or Jamis, whatever little we do see Jameis throw for
a million miles on that game than when he was
at the Browns last year. I'm not too concerned about it.
I do think the Broncos pull out a win here.
It's the next game.

Speaker 5 (14:51):
I'm worried about.

Speaker 2 (14:52):
Next game.

Speaker 1 (14:52):
That bit is referring to following Sunday, another home game
October twenty sixth, as the Dallas.

Speaker 2 (14:58):
Cowboys roll to town. You're worried about the Dallas game.

Speaker 5 (15:02):
Dallas is going to catch people naping this year. They're
going to be a good football team.

Speaker 4 (15:05):
You're really high on Brian Schottenheimer, not just that They've
made some personnel moves that you know in that offensive line,
the run game. I mean, I think they're going to
be a much better team that The coordinator they hired
as an offensive line coach, he used to be with
the Arizona Cardinals. The stuff he did over there I
thought was pretty good as well. I think Dallas is.

Speaker 5 (15:20):
Going to catch people napping this year.

Speaker 2 (15:21):
Who's going to carry the ball for him?

Speaker 5 (15:23):
Well, it'll be a platoon.

Speaker 4 (15:24):
I mean, Javonte will be involved in that, although he's
probably going to be more of the pass catching back
for him.

Speaker 5 (15:28):
They'll use a platoon in a rotation there.

Speaker 4 (15:31):
You know, it's not going to be if you've ever
seen a Brian Schottenheimer offense, it's a three.

Speaker 5 (15:34):
Headed rushing attack. I don't share your concern.

Speaker 3 (15:38):
At least done on paper, and we get closer to
the game, maybe you feel a little bit different.

Speaker 5 (15:42):
But for the Dallas Cowboys, they've got a lot to
prove this year.

Speaker 3 (15:45):
Right now, I think a lot of people are thinking
about them as a team that really hasn't done a
lot this offseason. They didn't spend a lot in free agency.
Once again, some mixed reviews on how they felt about
the draft. That took a really good interior offensive line
in the first round that we all like. But you know,
more than anything for the Dallas Cowboys, this is an
interesting year for Dak Prescott.

Speaker 5 (16:05):
Ceede Lam's always going to be Cee Lamb.

Speaker 3 (16:07):
He's a really good player, but interesting kind of prove
it year on the defensive side of the ball too.

Speaker 5 (16:11):
I don't know there's such a don't forget George Pickens.

Speaker 3 (16:13):
Yeah, they had they added George Pickens, So if he doesn't,
that wide receiver room, by the way, he's just on
his face, just the personality of that wide receiver room
is very vintage Dallas Cowboys. Dave, I imagine you would agree
with that.

Speaker 2 (16:28):
Yeah, I think it's going to be interesting to see really.

Speaker 1 (16:32):
Because you know, Ceedee Lamb's going to get the ball
and rightfully so, so how do they fit George Pickens
in that offense? You we all know that Brian Schottenheimer
is a guy that wants to run the ball and
then develop the play action passing game. So I you know,
I don't think it's going to be chuck the ball
forty five times and when Pickens has gotten in the

(16:56):
first two or three weeks twelve to fifteen targets total.

Speaker 2 (16:59):
I just want how that room will be and how
he'll act.

Speaker 4 (17:02):
Well, I'll say this, Brian shot Imer was the offensive
coordinator of the Seahawks during the let Russ Cook year,
the near MVP year he had, and they did throw
the ball a little bit there. They built off the run,
but they did throw it quite a bit. You'll see
Pickens take most of the vertical routes and then you
go see Ceedee Lamb take the between the numbers in
the mid game, and that's that's kind of how they'll
they'll work that thing. But Jayden Blue and Javonte Williams

(17:22):
will be two running the one two punch in the
run game.

Speaker 2 (17:24):
So we are through eight games with one interesting note.

Speaker 1 (17:29):
After the Broncos go to London and face the Jets
on October twelfth, four of the next five games are
at home. So I don't know if the if the
league schedulers felt like they were doing the Broncos a
great favor in that regard.

Speaker 2 (17:44):
I think it would have been better had they had.

Speaker 1 (17:46):
A bye week following the Jets game in London, but
that's not the case we've had. We've talked about the
Giants and the Cowboys. Cowboys in town to face the
Broncos on October twenty six, now November two, on another
eleven AM game. That's this will be the second eleven
AM Denver time start of a game the upcoming season.

(18:07):
November second, the Broncos travel to Houston to face the
Houston Texans. They the Texans took a step back last year,
and I think CJ. Stroud may have taken a step back.
The protection was not nearly as good. What kind of
club as we sit here and play with everybody else's chips,
what kind of club do we envision Houston at this

(18:28):
time of the year having when the fall rolls around.

Speaker 5 (18:32):
Well, we like CJ.

Speaker 3 (18:33):
Stroud and they certainly you know Nico Collins health.

Speaker 5 (18:37):
I don't think they're gonna have Tank Dell available to them.

Speaker 3 (18:40):
He's not expected expected to be available for much of
the season this year.

Speaker 5 (18:43):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (18:44):
I I they fired their offensive coordinators, so I'm gonna
kind of see if that.

Speaker 5 (18:48):
Change ended up helping them.

Speaker 3 (18:49):
They didn't really do a great job, I thought this
offseason and the offensive line, they kind of made some
interesting choices, sort of shipping off some some key players there.
So you know, on a face value conversation, a paper
value conversation, it's gonna be a good game, especially when
you think about how they do have a commitment to
the defensive side of the ball with their head coach

(19:10):
and his background.

Speaker 5 (19:11):
But I say, right now, I think it's a game
that they should win.

Speaker 3 (19:14):
Honestly, as we see here today, the Texans are probably
gonna beat up on some inferior opponents in their division,
but the Broncos should be the better team.

Speaker 5 (19:19):
They should win this game. Yeah, I mean, they got
a new offensive corner, Nick Kayley.

Speaker 4 (19:24):
You know, I respect him as a football mind, but
it's yet to be seeing what he is as an
offensive coordinator and a play caller. And that offensive line
might be worse than it was last year in terms
of talent. I mean, they they've shuffled some things around,
but I don't know that it's necessarily better.

Speaker 5 (19:38):
We'll have to see.

Speaker 4 (19:38):
They're gonna have a great defense to Miko Ryan's gonna
have a great defense, and you can.

Speaker 5 (19:42):
You can bank on that. But it should be a winnable.

Speaker 2 (19:45):
Road game for the Denver Broncos.

Speaker 1 (19:46):
So we're through the November second matchup on the road
against the Houston Texans. When we come back, we'll talk
about the Broncos second opportunity to play in prime time.
That'll come up on November six, and we'll tell you
who they play. Following these messages, you're listening to the
schedule release special on the Broncos Radio Network Broncos and

(20:12):
the schedule that they will have this year. We are
through with the schedule and let me just bring everybody
up to speed. But we're through November two as the
Broncos travelers Houston, Denver.

Speaker 2 (20:24):
In case you're just joining us.

Speaker 1 (20:25):
They will open up September seventh, the home game against
the Tennessee Titans, then two road games the fourteenth of
September at Indianapolis against the Colts. The twenty first of September,
they traveled to Los Angeles to face the Chargers. All
three of those games are two h five start Denver time.
First Monday night game, first primetime action for the Broncos
at home September.

Speaker 2 (20:46):
Twenty ninth against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 1 (20:49):
Then they travel the Philadelphia to play the Super Bowl
champion Philadelphia Eagles. That is an eleven am start on
October fifth, then across the pond they go to play
at Tottenham Stadium in London on October twelfth against the
New York Jets.

Speaker 2 (21:04):
That, by the.

Speaker 1 (21:04):
Way, you can set your alarm and get up a
little bit early, as that game will start at seven
thirty am Denver time.

Speaker 2 (21:12):
The next two games are at home. In fact four
the next five are at home.

Speaker 1 (21:15):
October nineteenth, they host the Giants at Empower Field at
Mile High that's a two well five start. The next
weekend the Cowboys rolling the town. That's a two to
twenty five start. On October twenty sixth, the road game
sandwiched in between those two home games on each side.
November tewod Denver travels to Houston to face the Texans.

(21:36):
That is the second eleven am start of the season.
That game will be shown on Fox, and then two
home games Thursday night game November sixth against the Las
Vegas Raiders and Ryan we haven't talked about that. I
think all of us here expect the Raiders to be better.
I think that's the respect level for Pete Carroll on

(21:58):
what he's been able to accomplish. But that an interesting game.
The second primetime game of the season for the Broncos.

Speaker 3 (22:05):
Yeah, Geno Smith coming to town. Ashton Chancey, who they
selected with the sixth overall pick, we'll get our first
opportunity to see him. It's a Thursday night home game.
You gotta win those. I mean, that's just that's just
sort of what it is. Absolutely, the Raiders are not
going to be a pushover. I don't think this year.
But that doesn't mean you approach this to anything other
than you are the home team.

Speaker 5 (22:26):
You need to represent. This has to be a win
for you.

Speaker 3 (22:28):
Whatever expectations you have the season, these are the games
you have to have.

Speaker 5 (22:33):
So you'll play the Raiders.

Speaker 3 (22:34):
A month from then, and I know we'll get into
that here in a little bit on the road, but
that game in division, you gotta have it.

Speaker 5 (22:42):
Yeah. I tend to agree.

Speaker 4 (22:43):
You're you're coming off a road game at Houston and
you get the you know, you get.

Speaker 5 (22:46):
The Raiders a division. It's gonna be interesting. Man.

Speaker 4 (22:48):
Pete Carroll squaring off against Sean Payton again, I feel
like we're back in the uh you know, back in
the NFC playoffs here about a decade ago.

Speaker 5 (22:55):
But I don't think that. Uh.

Speaker 4 (22:58):
I like what Pete Carroll does. I like what Hekro
does and turning things around. I don't think the Raiders
are going to quite be there in year one, so
I'm hoping that this Thursday night game won't go as
as rough as it potentially could, because that game right
after that is one you definitely got circled.

Speaker 2 (23:12):
And the game right after that.

Speaker 1 (23:14):
Ben is referring to the first time the Broncos in
this upcoming twenty twenty five season we'll see the Kansas
City Chiefs. That will be a home game November sixteenth,
so ten days after the Thursday night matchup against the Raiders,
the Broncos will be at home facing the Chiefs a
two to twenty.

Speaker 2 (23:33):
Five start from Empower Field at Mile High.

Speaker 3 (23:35):
It'll definitely be a different matchup than the last time
they saw the Chiefs, which was against the backups and
ended up being a route and the Broncos win into
the postseason result of it, you got the buy on
the other side of it. But I mean, this is
the thing with the Kansas City Chiefs. So many people
are predicting a bit of a step back season. I
think it's more about the other team sort of catching up,
I think is what I'm looking at. This AFC West

(23:57):
is going to be so how much have the Broncos
Raid and Chargers closed the gap with the Chiefs. That's
going to be sort of the fascinating discussion because I
don't think the Chiefs are going to suddenly forget how
to play football. It's gonna be a good game, but
once again, you're getting them at home in that first one.
It's another guy to have it.

Speaker 4 (24:13):
First of first two to twenty five kick of the season.
They only only get two this year. That's going to
be It's gonna be interesting. The Broncos played the Chiefs
tough at Arrowhead last year. We all remember the field
goal at the end of you know the so we
all remember that, and then of course he beat.

Speaker 5 (24:27):
Up on the backups to end the season.

Speaker 4 (24:29):
So I think that this team feels like that they're
already caught up, that they feel like that they can
compete with Kansas City.

Speaker 5 (24:34):
I think they think they showed it at Arrowhead.

Speaker 4 (24:36):
I think they're looking for revenge on that, and certainly
they're beating up on the backups.

Speaker 5 (24:39):
Wasn't that revenge whether or not they got to the
playoffs because of it.

Speaker 4 (24:42):
So I expect the Broncos to have this game circled starred, gold,
starred and ready to roll in this in this matchup.

Speaker 1 (24:48):
Yeah, I agree. Denver will have a buye the next week,
So the weekend of November twenty third, the Broncos.

Speaker 2 (24:55):
Will have a buye. So let's stop right there.

Speaker 1 (24:57):
The Kansas City Chiefs game at Empower Field at Mile
Hig represents the eleventh game of the season. Fellows, what
record do we give to the Broncos? And again, we're
having some fun with us. It's may lots of things
can happen. But if you had to pick after eleven games,
what the record of the Broncos would be, what say you?

Speaker 3 (25:18):
I feel like you're pretty happy with a seven and
four start at that point. I mean, maybe a couple
of mistakes.

Speaker 5 (25:25):
End up happening.

Speaker 3 (25:26):
I mean, again, it's the NFL, right, there's surprises every weekend.
So if you end up being six and five, I
don't think you're too angry about that, but knowing you're
gonna have to make up some ground on the other
side of the bye week. But I think seven and
four would be ideal for me, knowing that there might
be a stumble in there. Like I said, the Houston
Texas game is like the one you'd like to have. Well, Houston,
Texas might be a little bit better this year.

Speaker 5 (25:46):
Who knows. So seven and four would be ideal.

Speaker 4 (25:48):
That was the exact number I had projected for that
far into the season.

Speaker 5 (25:51):
I think if you get there, you're happy with that.

Speaker 4 (25:53):
I think if you're six and five, you're probably not
as happy with that, even if it is a winning record.

Speaker 5 (25:58):
I think you kind of need to be seven and four.

Speaker 4 (26:00):
Looking at the back part of the sketch, yeah, I agree,
I agree.

Speaker 1 (26:04):
In fact, I actually have the Broncos eight and three.
You'll go after eleven. But listen, I like it's optimistic.
I'm optimistic to a fault. No, seven and four wouldn't
be a wet blanket. But let's see what we have
in the last six games of the season. November thirtieth,
after the bye week. In fact, the next two weeks
following that bye week, the Broncos will be on the road.

(26:26):
November thirtieth, another primetime matchup. This will be a nighttime
game in Washington against the Commanders.

Speaker 5 (26:34):
I can't wait for this game.

Speaker 3 (26:36):
Like you just circle certain games that I mean, you're
talking about Jayden Daniels Ben's favorite Dan Quinn, his favorite coach.

Speaker 5 (26:42):
He has a tattoo and everything. I won't tell.

Speaker 3 (26:44):
You you trying to be trying to be transparently, Okay,
why does.

Speaker 5 (26:49):
He make it that face?

Speaker 2 (26:50):
You know?

Speaker 5 (26:50):
Never mind?

Speaker 3 (26:51):
Anyways, that game right there in prime time is going
to be one of the talk of.

Speaker 5 (26:56):
The league kind of games.

Speaker 3 (26:58):
When we get to that week, Week thirteen, everybody's gonna
be sitting there waiting for that game to start because
it's gonna be two young, ascending quarterbacks and two really
good deep teams. Washington, of course, went to the NFC
Championship game last year. The Broncos made it's the postseason
they expect to be going further. I can't wait for
that game. I think that's gonna be a lot of
fun on the road. Gonna be tough, but you're coming

(27:18):
off of bye, so some optimism should be there.

Speaker 4 (27:21):
Well, they're both coming off of by Washington's buye is
also the same week as Denver, so both teams will
be coming off of bye for that game. I'm looking
forward to getting out there, seeing some friends that coach
Pagano is on that staff, get a chance to say
hi to him. Uh and it'd be a fun, exciting game.
I had a chance to chop it up with him
via text a little bit earlier today. I will tell
you this is a game that the whole league is
looking forward to watching as these two young quarterbacks, these
two football teams take each other, uh, take each other

(27:43):
on NBC.

Speaker 5 (27:44):
Is excited already about having it on Sunday Night Football.

Speaker 2 (27:47):
Uh it is.

Speaker 4 (27:48):
It is gonna be h It's gonna be a fun
game and you get to see Bownick square off against
Jaydon Daniels. I think that's the kind of matchup fans
on paper at the beginning of the season, when these
schedule release things come out, I think they love seeing that.

Speaker 1 (27:57):
I mean as excited as Denver fans are for this
upcoming season, and I think rightfully so. Given the fact
that the team went to the playoffs last year they
found their quarterback in bow Knicks, you can multiply that
with respect to how the fans in Washington feel about
the Commanders. That team hard to believe, but that team
got to the NFC Championship game.

Speaker 2 (28:18):
Last year, losing to the Eagles on the road.

Speaker 5 (28:20):
They're getting rewarded for that this year.

Speaker 4 (28:21):
By the way, Washington will have eight primetime or standalone
games this year.

Speaker 2 (28:26):
Eight.

Speaker 1 (28:29):
I'm gonna say right now, I think Washington will take
a step back. As great as Jaydon Daniels was last year, undeniable,
he was spectacular. I think they'll come back to the
pack a little bit. We will see, all right. After
that road game on November thirtieth against the Commanders, they

(28:50):
then are back on the road December seventh, as they
will travel to Las Vegas to play the Raiders, a
two zero five start that will be shown on CBS.

Speaker 3 (29:00):
Yeah, so you're playing the Raiders twice within the month, right,
so one month apart and this is the road one.
So you think eventually the Broncos probably stub their toe.
This feels like a bit of a stub their toe
kind of game. But hey, the Raiders, as Ben said,
this might be the beginning of the next era more
so than established team at this point. But it's a

(29:21):
late enough of the season. We're gonna know a lot
about the Raiders at that point. So once again, are
you the team that thinks that you can get beyond
ten wins this season, maybe even push for.

Speaker 5 (29:30):
The AFC West.

Speaker 3 (29:31):
It's probably a game you have to have and that
includes sweeping the Raiders because the other one's a Thursday
night game.

Speaker 5 (29:37):
I think they're going to win this game. I mean,
it's the Raiders. It's late in the season.

Speaker 4 (29:40):
The Raiders are already a team that doesn't really have
a ton of depth on top of all that, so
unless they get really lucky with health issues at this
point in the season, they're probably scrape in the barrel
for defensive players.

Speaker 5 (29:49):
And I suspect the Broncos will win this with that.

Speaker 1 (29:53):
I know it's late in the season, but that could
easily be a game with two outstanding rookie running backs
and Ashton gent and r J.

Speaker 3 (30:01):
Harvey, Oh yeah no, and then that's gonna be one
of these storylines, right, I mean more so than Gino Smith.
And I mean no, no offense to Gino, due respect,
all due respect to Gino. Yeah, I think you're more
considered about the running game. I think that's that's where
you start with that team, and you you know, you
talked about it for a while, but I mean the defense,
they really still haven't done a lot there. Max Crosby
is certainly a guy you're gonna pay attention to, but

(30:22):
they spent most of their efforts this offseason working on
the offensive side of the ball, and of course they
still have a star tight end out there in Rock
Bowers that you're gonna definitely have to worry about because
he almost single handedly out beat you until Patzertan had
to pick six.

Speaker 4 (30:36):
Yeah, it's uh, you know, I just think I think
the Raiders are have the beginnings of something there, and
I think if with Pete Carroll that in two three
years they're going to be.

Speaker 5 (30:44):
A very competitive football team.

Speaker 4 (30:45):
But I think right now you're you're probably a few
players on defense short of being where you really need
to be too seriously compete.

Speaker 1 (30:51):
The last four regular season games for the Broncos will
have the team at home for three, which I think
is really pretty pretty key for the Broncos as they
wrap up that regular season, starting with the game at
home and in Power Field at Mile High December fourteenth.
You never know how the weather will be, but the
team that comes in is used to playing in bad weather.

(31:13):
Should it be that way in Denver, that is the
Green Bay Packers a two to twenty five start on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (31:18):
It's so hard to separate what we just saw from
them in the postseason. Like for me, when I think
back to Jordan Love in that postseason game against the Eagles.

Speaker 5 (31:26):
And how bad he looked and how bad they looked.
But they're a very good regular season tip and that
was the Eagles, and that was the Eagles, right, So
it was.

Speaker 1 (31:33):
The team to play the Eagles the last game of
the season, the last game of the postseason. That didn't
look very good on offense either.

Speaker 3 (31:40):
So it's hard to separate that out. I think Green
Bay's going to show up here. They're going to be
ready to go for this game. But that being said,
it's at home and you got to win that game.
So I like the Broncos winning this one. I still
worry about the Eagles. Excuse me, the Packers pass catchers.
I know they had it Matt Golden through the draft,
but you know, typically those rookies take a little while
to make an impact.

Speaker 5 (31:59):
And then defensively, they didn't amost nothing.

Speaker 4 (32:00):
They had a Nat Hobbs at the nickel who was
a very good nickel corner, but they had they didn't
do anything else on that defense.

Speaker 5 (32:06):
It has not been particularly good.

Speaker 4 (32:07):
I think Lafleur is a great coach on the offensive
side of the ball will be coached very well, but
I think it's an eminently winnable game for the Denver
Broncos last three games after the Packers game on December
twenty first, the Broncos will remain at home and face
the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Speaker 2 (32:21):
Now, I know a lot of people, and I was
one of them.

Speaker 1 (32:25):
They thought Jacksonville would be pretty good last year and
that didn't work out. How do we think Jacksonville just
buy and large? What kind of season are the Jaguars
looking at?

Speaker 5 (32:34):
Duvall?

Speaker 3 (32:37):
I have no bearing whatsoever on who they're going to be,
but I'd say I'm a big Brian Thomas junior fan.

Speaker 5 (32:46):
Like that wide receiver. He's legit, he's a good player. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (32:50):
So they've got the makings of a good offense. They've
they've They've definitely got some talent. It's just it's really
about Trevor Lawrence, right, I mean, what do you see
from him? How can the new coaching staff really impact him?
And will he be the quarterback that they always thought
he would be? Or at this point in the season,
we're talking about December twenty first, At that point, are
we saying that era is on its way out and.

Speaker 5 (33:13):
They're gonna be looking. Liam Cohen's gonna be looking for
a new quarterback. Well, we'll see.

Speaker 4 (33:18):
I will say this, Denver has been Trevor Lawrence's kryptonite.

Speaker 5 (33:21):
He's played him twice.

Speaker 4 (33:22):
They've been the two worst games of his career in
terms of yards per attempt thrown back in twenty twenty
one and twenty twenty two three point six yards perttempt
in twenty one four point three and twenty twenty two.
That was, of course, the London game where some intrepid
reporter famously nearly broke his ankle on the cobblestone streets.

Speaker 2 (33:37):
I won't mention him.

Speaker 4 (33:38):
My name trepid, huh and trepid I but no, I
believe it's a very wittable game again for the Broncos.

Speaker 5 (33:44):
The Jacksonville may have the right coach. Now they might.

Speaker 4 (33:47):
I don't know what Liam Cohen is as a head coach,
but I will say that again, they've got a few
pieces on offense, you don't know if the quarterback is
the guy. And then on defense there's still lacking talent,
Like they just don't have enough defensive talent to keep it.

Speaker 2 (33:59):
Ooh, I love that that will live forever.

Speaker 1 (34:03):
We want to congratulate a couple of folks that have
won tickets. First, on our Instagram account, Danny Rodriguez has
a pair of tickets to a game of your choice,
a home game of your choice. Congratulations Danny. And on
X it was Jesse van Meter who wins a pair
of tickets to a Broncos home game coming up this year. Now,

(34:25):
by the way, if you're the fifth caller right now
at three three seven one three eighty two fifty five,
you will win a pair of tickets to a twenty
twenty five Broncos home game of your choice. Fifth caller
right now three o three seven to one three eight
two five five. We have two more games to hit here,

(34:46):
So the Broncos are through fifteen games December twenty fifth man,
is this a big one? Merry Christmas? The Broncos and
others will be spending Christmas Eve and Christmas and then
a big game coming up six fifteen start on Christmas
Night at Kansas City against the Chiefs.

Speaker 5 (35:09):
Gonna be such a bear.

Speaker 3 (35:10):
I mean, and that goes without saying, right arrowhead in December.
We talk about this every single year. You just don't
could be a tad big colds could be.

Speaker 5 (35:16):
A bit of a cold.

Speaker 3 (35:18):
It's Christmas night. What's the crowd going to be like
for this game? And what's a stake like? That's the thing, Like,
if the Broncos are doing what they hope to be
doing at this point, if they're around ten wins going
into this game, it's gonna be really fascinating because you
have a chance to win this game and maybe win
the division.

Speaker 1 (35:36):
I have I have them at eleven wins, okay, going
into that game.

Speaker 4 (35:41):
I have been ten short week on the road in
Kansas City on Christmas.

Speaker 5 (35:46):
That's a tough ask. That's a tough ask for anybody.

Speaker 4 (35:49):
I would not be counting on that being even though
they may have that game circle because of what happened
to Arrowhead last year. That's just that a tough ask
to go on the road on a short weaight arrow
ahead and win.

Speaker 2 (35:59):
Yeah. I agree.

Speaker 1 (36:00):
So the last game of the season, Ryan, you were
mentioning the game in Kansas City could be a game
that ultimately would decide who wins the AFC West, possibly
who solidifies playoff position.

Speaker 2 (36:14):
And I look at that as being true.

Speaker 1 (36:16):
And then the next week exactly the same possibilities. The
Broncos will wrap up their regular season schedule. It's a
home game now. They haven't decided yet as to what
day they will play this game on, but the Broncos'
final regular season game will be played at home against

(36:36):
Jim Harbaugh the LA Chargers.

Speaker 3 (36:38):
They swatch your last year. You've got to find a
way to get this one. We talked about. The other
one is obviously Week three. Who knows kind of with
that game early in the season, where these two teams
are at at the end of the season, whatever your
expectations are, you can't let the Chargers sweep you again.

Speaker 5 (36:57):
It just can't happen. So this is this is going
to be a win.

Speaker 4 (37:00):
Uh yeah, It's gonna be a tough, physical football game
to end the season. It will probably be on that Saturday,
just kind of last year. You know, you saw how
that was just to probably get moved to that Saturday
and be more of a prime time even though it's
not officially. If there's if there's something, if there's something
to play for it, and then that's that's most likely
what will happen.

Speaker 5 (37:16):
At this point.

Speaker 4 (37:17):
It's still it's least to his TVD on the schedule,
but it'll lined up probably being that type of game again.
Tough game, tough team, tough physical football team. It's funny
every year when you when you tabulate these out, the
running joke is everybody picks their team to finish ten
and seven, right, because it's a safe number.

Speaker 5 (37:32):
And you know, all of analyst don want to look stupid.

Speaker 4 (37:34):
When I when I tallied this out, I ended up
finishing out the Broncos the regular season at ten and seven,
losing both those last.

Speaker 2 (37:40):
Two games ten and seven. I have them at eleven
and six, Ryan, what you have.

Speaker 5 (37:44):
Man eleven and six as well?

Speaker 3 (37:46):
Honestly, I think that that's the game gets you to
eleven and six is that Chargers game at the.

Speaker 4 (37:50):
End, and ten and seven, I should say, in a wildcard.

Speaker 2 (37:53):
So I wanted to so let me who do you
have one in the division? Kansas City?

Speaker 5 (37:56):
Kansas City?

Speaker 2 (37:57):
Okay? Uh it.

Speaker 1 (37:59):
It is a little interesting that with the Raiders obviously
played twice and the Chiefs played the Broncos twice, all
four of those games come after come November sixth or later.
So the last couple of games key and I'm not
sure because they don't have the rest of the NFL

(38:20):
team schedules. But the Broncos wind up their last two
games in Kansas City and home against the Chargers. So
a lot of things in terms of as AFC West
supremacy could be decided in those last two weeks.

Speaker 5 (38:32):
No question.

Speaker 3 (38:33):
And again, you're gonna have a week and a half
after the Thursday night game against the Chiefs at Arrowhead.
Hopefully you're feeling okay after that, depending on the outcome.

Speaker 5 (38:40):
Now you come home and you got a week and
a half off.

Speaker 2 (38:42):
Before the Chargers.

Speaker 3 (38:43):
I mean again, even if it's Saturday, it's still pretty
close to a mini buy.

Speaker 4 (38:46):
That's the one saving grace I think at that Thursday
night game, that Arrowhead game is the fact that you
do get the de facto by that extra time.

Speaker 5 (38:52):
For the for the Chargers, I think that'll be good, and.

Speaker 3 (38:54):
Especially if it ends up being a very consequential game,
which you got to imagine because it's in the AFC
West and the Chargers are probably not going to be
a bad team this year.

Speaker 5 (39:01):
It is going to be I think they could be
the other wildcard team.

Speaker 4 (39:03):
I honestly think that the Broncos, I mean, depending on
how this plays out, especially with that Chargers game could
finish second or third in the division and still get
the wildcard, depending on how the Chargers play this year.

Speaker 1 (39:12):
So you think there might be three teams again, just
like last year from the AFC West to make the playoff.

Speaker 2 (39:17):
I do.

Speaker 5 (39:18):
I think the ANFC South is going to have one.

Speaker 4 (39:19):
That's going to be whoever wins that mediocre division and
then you look at you'll see the city. Yeah, the
East you got one out of there.

Speaker 5 (39:27):
I don't.

Speaker 4 (39:27):
I'm not buying the Dolphins, Patriots, or Jets at this point.
So really that comes down to the NFC, the AFC North,
and that division cannibalizes itself a little bit. But you
know who's gonna come out of there, and it'll be
Baltimore and whoever else that comes out of there. So
the Steelers probably probably, if we're being honest here, probably
the Bengals and Browns probably missed out.

Speaker 5 (39:45):
And so that's probably that would be my AFC prediction.

Speaker 1 (39:49):
Last three minutes or so, as we wrap up our
schedule release show with the Broncos, are you guys have
the not that the games will count because they don't,
but important in terms of evaluating talent, you guys have
the preseason schedule.

Speaker 5 (40:03):
Too, correct.

Speaker 3 (40:04):
Yeah, So they're going to be at San Francisco for
the first one, and that's going to be joint practices
for the forty nine ers. They come home for Arizona,
which is usually one of the games they play.

Speaker 5 (40:13):
They usually the.

Speaker 3 (40:14):
Final game they do in the preseason, but they're doing
it in week two, and then the final one will
be at New Orleans.

Speaker 5 (40:19):
Wow, final final preseason game.

Speaker 1 (40:22):
I mean, normally speaking, teams don't like to get out
of plane and fly that far. But interesting, So at
San Francisco, what's the weekend there?

Speaker 5 (40:32):
They haven't determined the weekend, first weekend in August.

Speaker 4 (40:37):
If I'm not mistaken, I'd have to go back and
don't check that.

Speaker 1 (40:39):
Yeah, three preseason games and again a lot of evaluation.

Speaker 2 (40:44):
Oh yeah.

Speaker 1 (40:46):
And the interesting thing now, and it's been that way
for a while, you know. It used to be when
they had four preseason games. Teams will play their starters
in preseason game number three for maybe three quarters, and
then in preseason game number four, hardly any of the
starters played. Now with three some some teams subscribe to

(41:08):
the theory of not playing the starters in the last
which would be the third preseason game, but but quite
a few still play their guys.

Speaker 4 (41:16):
Yeah, and I think if you, especially if you got
positional competition there as you're trying to whittle down to
fifty three, you kind of want to get another in game.

Speaker 5 (41:22):
Set of eyeballs on it.

Speaker 4 (41:23):
The new formula seems to be one quarter for the
starters and in the first game, a half for the
starters in the second game, and the rest most of
your your prime players in the third one. That seems
to be kind of the new formula most people follow.
What I'm interested in this, are we going to have
joint practices with San Francisco out there in San Francisco
or with Arizona here.

Speaker 2 (41:39):
I don't think we will with New Orleans.

Speaker 4 (41:41):
Out there in New Orleans, but any of the other
team I'm wondering if we're gonna have joint practice scrimmage
type stuff, you know, in addition to those games.

Speaker 2 (41:47):
They are going to do that in San Francisco, Yeah,
for sure. I don't I don't know whether they'll do it.

Speaker 3 (41:53):
Or not.

Speaker 5 (41:54):
That's all I mean.

Speaker 3 (41:55):
It's tough to know, but I mean, you're right, it's
going to be good evaluation time. And as you mentioned
how much Bone's gonna play. I mean, house does he
need to play to get tuned up for the season.
And this is a team that is bringing back a
lot of their core. So maybe the expectation with the
Broncos is whatever tune up can be very small and
then you get a chance to hit the ground running
in the regular season.

Speaker 2 (42:14):
All right, So again.

Speaker 1 (42:17):
We have the Broncos with this schedule, and we will
have the schedule up on our website. We have the
Broncos or I had them eleven. I'm eleven and six
or twelve six? Eleven and six? You had them eleven
and six?

Speaker 2 (42:31):
Correct?

Speaker 5 (42:31):
Then you had him ten and seven because you have
them losing the last two games, yes.

Speaker 2 (42:38):
You have. You have the Chargers beating them at home.
I do. I want you to rethink that position.

Speaker 1 (42:43):
That is going to do it for our special schedule
release on the Broncos Radio Network, and we hope you've
enjoyed it and getting ready for some great football coming
up this fall. It won't be long until it is here.
We will say so long for Ryan Edwards and Benjamin
al Right, I'm Dave Logan, thanks for being with us.
You've listened to the Schedule release special on the Broncos

(43:06):
Radio Network