Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Filling in for the sick Benjamin Albright. It's Zach Seegers
(00:05):
joining me. As always, We've got Nick Ferguson. Nick, how
are you doing on this football Friday.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I'm doing well.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
I'm doing a hell better than I was last night
when I went Mia. But I tell you what with
Benjamin Albright, I mean, having a wet blanket can weigh
you down sometimes.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Hey, these months, you gotta be careful with that wet
blanket you are. You are going to catch a cold
if you rocked it too much.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
That's right these winter months man, and his was crazy.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
I was telling the buddy of mine who lives in Atlanta,
and I told him the weather here today was seventy
degrees and he was.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Like, oh hell no. I was like, why, what's the
weather like where you are? He said forty eight.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
So this weather has been impressive as of late. It's
not your traditional holiday seasonal weather, but I'll take it.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I know it must be like a Christmas back in
Florida for you.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
This is wait wait, wait, wait wait, if you want
to done, not that far, that's right. Not balmy enough, well,
Clammy would be, especially with the humidity. Right, But I'll
take this any day, every day over New York weather,
or even Chicago weather.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
How about that?
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Yeah that sounds nasty right now, maybe soon to be Gary,
Indiana weather. We are also best in the business behind
the glass. We got Grant Smith running the show tonight
at six thirty. We're gonna have the great Pete Prisco
of CBS Sports joining us to help break down the
Broncos Jazz game and the rest of the landscape around
the NFL.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
We've got J. P.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Shadrick, the jaguars very own senior reporter on the team.
He'll be joining us at the top of next hour,
and then a friend of the show, Nick Cosmider, will
be joining us at the top of the third hour.
Just an all star lineup tonight, getting ready to break
down this Broncos Jags game, which you know, it might
not be quite as as heavy hitting as that Broncos
(02:04):
Packers game last.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Week, but it is pretty darn close to it. Nick, Yeah,
it is.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
And I guess the reason why is because when the
Packers were coming in, they were tops in the NFC,
and when you look at where the Jags are right now,
they're not looked at as where the Broncos are or
where the Patriots currently are from a record standpoint. But
I'll tell you watching this team on tape, them Cohn
(02:31):
has done a great job in a short period of
time to kind of get this team up to speed
and make them a potential threat. Now is when we
look at the Jags, are they I guess super Bowl
caliber team. I'm gonna say no. But are they the
type of team that can come in beat up the
(02:53):
Denver Broncos physically, especially after the physical game that the
Broncos had against the cow Now, I mean gets the
Packers absolutely known. As though the Broncos are on a
short week, they played Kansas City, they have to go
to Kansas City on Christmas, so you don't want.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
To have any more guys beat up.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
But once again, this is something that the Jacksonville Jaguars
bring a certain physicality type of game, but also the
offense knows how to move the ball down the field.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Are you worried about this being a potential trap game?
Speaker 1 (03:25):
One thing I was talking about with Rob Dawson on
the newsroom earlier. The Broncos haven't really been the favorites
in any of these games against Marque opponents, you know, underdogs,
last week against the Packers, underdogs against the Chiefs, underdogs,
against the Texans on the road, underdogs against the Eagles
on the road. I think the only game against Marquee
(03:48):
opponent where they were favored was the Colts game Week two,
and we all know how that one went. Now, they
probably should have won it, but it is one of
their only two losses of the season. Are you worried
about this team losing some of the wind in their
sales or that edge they have now that they're not
the team that everyone's doubting anymore, now that they're one
(04:10):
of the favorites. Maybe after last night's result. In the
conversation for best team in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
They tell me, honest, Zach, yeah you worry about that.
That is a concern, But I don't worry about that
with the Broncos as a whole. Now, you may get
a couple of guys here and there, because there's always
the eighty twenty rule when we look at football, So
you may get twenty percent of the guys, you know,
thinking of that that way in of the eighty percent,
(04:37):
not so much.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
But I think when you get to this particular point.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
You have to look at how you got here right,
and to do that you have to do a little
self reflection. And you mentioned the fact of okay, well,
the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Being the underdog.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I think it's safe to say the Broncos are okay
being the underdog.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
I mean they were the.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Underdog last week, like you mentioned against the Green Bay Packers.
I think wolf was the margin? Was it two points
or was it like a minus three?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
What was it? Right?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
So the Broncos did a great job of allowing that
to motivate them to go out there and play better football.
So I'm sure that is kind of the narrative walking
around the Broncos facility no one respects us. That's exactly
where the team is saying they want to be because
now the pressure they would feel with that being said
(05:33):
is on everyone else, even though the Broncos should have
that pressure based on what the record is. But now
walking into a game being an underdogs like no, everything
is trending up for the team. Now it's up for
them to go out on Sunday in every game from
this point on until they are playing in the Super
Bowl in Levi Stadium, that they need to go out
there and handle their business and I'm.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Pretty confident that they will do that.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
I want to be clear, I'm not trying to be
a wet blanket, my.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
But I do think you are in this. I know
it's a little damp, Yes, it might be a little saturated.
I know it's soaking into my sweater here.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
But I am pretty confident they can take care of
business against the Jaguars. But one thing that does keep
coming into my mind, building up a little anxiety for
me with this matchup is when have we seen the
Broncos disappoint maybe relative to our expectations, because it hasn't
been when they played the good teams. They outperformed our
expectations against the Chiefs, against the Packers, this was an
(06:31):
awesome performance. Even the defense was lights out in the
second half. Like when they're going against some of the
best teams in the league, they show up and they
play at a high level.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
The Texans even showed up, played at a high level.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
They frustrated us and maybe disappointed us when they are
supposed to just walk in and take care of business
like against the Jets, like against the Raiders. And obviously
this Jags team isn't the Jets or the Raiders.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
But now the Broncos are expected to come in here
and take care of business.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
This Jaguars defense is run by Anthony Campanile. I believe
I'm saying that right who's off the Packers tree. He
was the Packers linebackers coach last year. They run a
lot of the same stuff. They're also a very zone
heavy defense. Does Sean Payton and bow knicks or do
they walk into this game feeling maybe a little overconfident,
feeling themselves a little too much like, Hey, we know
(07:18):
what we're doing. Maybe looking ahead to a short week
potential hat and T shirt game on Thursday night, Christmas
Day against the Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
You said a hat and T shirt game. Hey, if
they win this one, are.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
You classifying the game on Christmas as a hatt and
T shirt game because Mahome is not playing the game
and it's all Gardner minshew?
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Is Is that why you're looking at it that way?
Speaker 1 (07:41):
I'm saying, if the Broncos win their next two games,
they win the AFC West, they clinched the number one seed,
They're gonna be celebrating with hats and T shirts in
the Arrowhead locker room.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
If they can take care of business.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Season there is what I would say, there is a
temptation whether being as though whether Broncos are for certain individuals.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Like I told you before, so.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Maybe take an approach where you're looking forward to the
next game.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
And it's hard not to do that.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
You are human and you're looking at where you are
as a team, the things that you have done, the
fact that you bolstered one of the top defenses in
the league. I think it's a little commonplace to look
at the remainder of the schedule and say, well, okay,
well this is a dub.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
This is a dub because what that's the same thing
that happens when the schedule comes out at the beginning
of the season.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Everyone looks at the schedule and they started to look
and say, okay, well where's the w's coming from? And
right now the Broncos are, like I said, the eighty
twenty eighty percent or not, there's twenty percent who probably
are and looking past this Jacks team gets you in
trouble and go to take you back just for a second.
(08:48):
Remember the Broncos loss to the Buffalo Bills, and I
do recall Coach Payden being asked a question about the
game and he so suddenly mentioned like he was like
almost looking forward pass the bills to the next opponent,
which would have been the Kansas City Chiefs, right, And
(09:09):
I would dare say that that got the Broncos in
troubled in But all you have to do is stick
a fork and the life socket wants to know that
some bad things can happen.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Right, I'll say that.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
And I'm not speaking for a personal experience, but I've
seen it happen, so I'm sure Sean Payton is trying
to make sure mentally his team stayed locked in. And
it's an old cliche saying Zach, but it's true. One
game at a time, one possession at a time. And
Ben and I had this conversation and he asked me, well,
(09:42):
would you like to know going into certain games that
the opponent that you are looking to leap frog.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
They're playing a game.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
And I'm like, no, I don't care about what they're
doing on the field.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
You need to go out there and him do your business.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
And that's pretty much where the Broncos find themselves.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Handle your business.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Go out there, every single man, special teams, defense, offense,
do your job. I don't need you work the right tackle,
were the left tackle right, do your job, we will
be fine. If they don't do that, that's where the
hurdles and hiccus and the stumbles happen.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Yeah, don't need to do hero ball. Just take care
of business.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Keeper, you job, keep taking it one step at a time,
just like you have all along this twelve or sorry,
eleven game win streak that could become twelve this week,
which if it does, if they do win this week,
it will break the tie they're currently in for second
longest win streaking franchise history with the twenty twelve Broncos
at eleven consecutive games, and move them into just loan
(10:42):
second place behind of course that legendary nineteen ninety eight run.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
I want to loop Grant in on.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
This because he's unfortunately familiar with the Jaguars, his Bengals.
I kind of saw their season go down the tubes
when they ran into the Jaguars early in the season
and Joe Burrow had.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
His turf toe variant injury. Grant, how are you.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Feeling about the Broncos up against the Jags in this one?
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Do you think this is a potential trap game?
Speaker 4 (11:07):
I wouldn't call it a trap game, because I think
the Jaguars are legit. They beat the Chiefs earlier in
the season. They coming off their best offensive performance of
the year, especially best Trevor Lawrence game of his career. Probably,
I don't think the Broncos are overlooking this team at all.
They know what's at stake. They want to get to
twelve wins in a row, and I think this game
is going to be tight. I think that Broncos are
(11:27):
going to win this game, but I wouldn't be surprised
if it's a field goal game at the end. I
think the Jaguars are a very good team. I think
they're a playoff team, and I think the Broncos know that.
I think they know how it feels to be disrespected nationally,
and I think the Jaguars also have that feeling.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
I'm glad you brought that up, because on Sunday we
will see or two of the more disrespected teams in
an NFL and I think I don't know if you
were trying to get to this particular point, Zach or not.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Just let me know, but I heard.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
A lot meeting up to this particular game on Sunday.
When we look back at the Broncos season and say, Okay,
some of the teams that they played against, they didn't
play their best ball, so they played down to those teams.
And I tend to look at it a little differently
in the situation, saying as though, no, no, no, those
teams just play up to the Broncos where.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
They made it a game.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
And right now, I'm sure Niam Cohn has been telling
his team in his own little way that he was
doing it. We've been disrespected all season long, right, no
one expects us to really go in and play well
against Denver on the road. So they're walking in with
a huge ship on their shoulder because they're going to
(12:45):
elevate their love of play to master.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
That of the Denver Broncos.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
And it's gonna be up to the Broncos to now
turn up the dial. What I mean by that, I'm
talking about preheat the oven at four hundred degrees.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
So if the Broncos can do.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
That, now, any idea, any momentum that the Jags felt
as though they had coming in on Sunday you melted away?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
What worries you about this matchup? Where?
Speaker 1 (13:11):
What do you think are the pitfalls the Broncos need
to avoid in this one, because I have to be honest,
I'm looking at it on paper, and.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
I do agree with you guys.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
I think the Jags are the top four team in
the AFC pretty comfortably. In the top five, it's pretty open,
but a team in the AFC pretty comfortably. They look
like they're playing their best ball of the season right now.
That offense is cooking, the defense is very opportunistic and
creates a lot of takeaways. But I look at some
elements of this matchup and some of the similarities they
have with the Packers, I feel like they're a bit
(13:41):
of a water down version of the Packers and see
how much success the Broncos just had in that game.
But I'm curious, what are you worried about in this one?
What the elements of the Broncos do you think the
Jaguars will be able to exploit?
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Well?
Speaker 2 (13:54):
I understand what the Jags are right now.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
They're one of, if not the best team in the
league defensively against the run. What is the thing that
the Broncos have not been able to sort out?
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Running the damn ball? And JK.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Dobbins has the revision issues right and if he doesn't play.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Now you push all your trucks. Oh he's going to.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
Play, okay, so but he's still probably hurting, right, So
the fact that he's playing now that means he has
to wear some kind of flat jacket protection and then
also maybe maybe takes a shot, a numbing shot.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
But the one thing that scares me about that, because
I've been there before. You take a number of shots
in that area. You don't feel it during the game,
but as the game starts to wear on and that
starts to wear off, then you start to feel the plane.
So now the ability to hold the ball high and
tight with eight points of pressure close to your body.
(14:55):
And now guess what the Jacksonville Jacks were defense.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
They know they've been told on the injury report. I
don't think there's no scandal here.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
So what you do You attack that particular area, and
what happens if he plays in the game that medication
wears off, He now starts to feel that pain and
now breathing, just just breathing, expanding of your lungs that
now hurts. Now, where does the Broncos move from there?
(15:25):
If he gets injured in this particular game. Knowing as
though you have two more games remaining, and you're on
a short week.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
And their options I don't think are overly appealing.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
You know, their alternatives.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Maybe Cody Schrader ends up being a diamond in the rough,
but I think Julia McLoughlin has been fairly underwhelming this year.
I think Tyler Biday is fine in his role, but
if you want him to be a workhorse back, I
think you're gonna be disappointed with the outcome or you know,
the production from him there. I know you're an old
school football guy. You're not about the air raids, slinging
(15:57):
the ball over the yard. You like defense, you like
running the ball, especially this time of year. We know
the Broncos defense, well, they've been maybe cool in a
little bit. The Broncos defense looks absolutely championship caliber. Do
you think this rushing attack without JK. Dobbins is good
enough to win a championship?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
No? How can how more blunt? Can that be? No?
Because I'll tell you why.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I looked at two game the game last night between
Seattle Seahawks and the Rams. Both of those teams did
a great job of running the ball. And I know
this for sure. It's you need to lean on your
run game, and I'm talking about you need at least
eighty six yards that you can count on in the
run game, not counting your quarterback. No no, no no,
(16:44):
not counting trick plays. No no, no. You need that
from your backs. If you tell me you got two
Broncos backs that can give you a total of eighty
six yards, maybe I'll say.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Okay, but in that case, you should use them two.
I need one to twenty. Right.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Is when you do that, you're taking the pressure off
Bowl to run the ball. Like what did we see
last week against the Green Bay Packers. We saw Michael
Parson constantly hunting bow knicks and Bowl having to move
and leave the pocket to make plays. But if you
have a decent run game, guess what. They can't do
that anymore. Now they have to play both the pass
(17:23):
and the run. But since Jeff Hafley, the defensive coordinator
for the Green Bay Packers, knew the Broncos were not
going to be effective running.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
The ball, go get them. So the Broncos are going
to need to do that.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
And that's why it's going to be a little test
for them going against the Jags who are number one.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Like I said against the.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Run, It's going to be an incredible test for them especially,
and I think to your point, the run game is
going to be at a premium in the AFC playoff picture.
You know, the Jags are an excellent run defense, but
you look at the other teams the Broncos might get
matched up with, like the Buffalo Bills or the New
England Patriots, some of those other teams at the top
of the conference.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
What's their achilles u on defense? It's the run game.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
You've seen a team's all season run over the Bills
ever since Milton Williams went out of the Patriots lineup,
their thirtieth against the rush in terms of EPA per carry,
their thirty first in terms of rushing success rate allowed.
They are one of the worst run defenses in football.
And the Broncos right now, I'm a little optimistic after
these last two weeks what we've seen from Harvey, but
(18:23):
the Broncos right now don't look like an offense capable
of exploiting that weakness.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Well, for me, way, I don't want anyone to take
what I'm saying and saying, well I'm down on a team.
No I'm not, But I look at football in this way,
you have to play complementary football because as you advance
in the playoffs, we've seen a year after year, Zach,
your defense is gonna have to stand tall. Your running
(18:51):
game is gonna have to stand tall because as you
move forward, you're playing better teams. The defense of units
are going to be better. They're gonna take something away
from you. So right now, the best thing that the
Broncos have is a passing game with the shallow routes,
the deep overs, trying to layer routes right and flood zone.
And what I mean by that, you're getting three to
(19:12):
four players in a particular area of the field to
give the quarterback in his line of sight the right
to throw the ball from a progressive standpoint one, two, three, four.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
That's what they do well.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
If you throw the run game into it, it's.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Gonna be much better.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
And this is why I go back to the Thursday
night game last night, watching the Seattle Seahawks, watching the Rams.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Being able to have balance very very important.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
It's gotta be critical for this big Broncos Jaguars matchup
this weekend. Joining us in the next segment, we're gonna
have Pete Prisco of CBS Sports to help us break
it down more. That's all coming up next right here
on Broncos Country tonight on KOA eight fifty am ninety
four one FM.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
We're joined by.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Pete Prisco from CBS Sports. You can find him on
x at Prisco CBS Pete. Earlier this week, you were
talking about a potential mix up on the Jaguars offensive
line with Walker Little and Cole Van Lanen.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
How do you think they're.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Going to hold up against this fierce Broncos pass rush.
Speaker 6 (20:15):
Well, Cole Van Landon has actually been their best offensive
lineman in the last two weeks. When you look at him,
he's started at left guard, he started at right guard,
he started at right tackle, then he started at left tackle,
all in a period of four weeks. And I don't
know if that's ever been done before. But now that
he's settled in at left tackle, I think that's the matchup.
To watch him against Nick Benito and how he handles them,
(20:36):
And look, Nick, the needle's a handful, there's no question
about that. But this kid's played to a level that
surprised a lot of people and is going to probably
get him paid at some point. In the coming weeks.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Well, Pete, these two teams coming in on Sunday are
probably more of the disrespected teams in NFL, the jackson
And Jaguars and the Denver Broncos. From a jag standpoint,
Are they looking at this game on Sundays being the
potential for a Markie win for them from a franchise standpoint?
Speaker 6 (21:07):
Well, I mean recent wins. Yeah, I mean they people
on Denver might not remember, might not forget this, but
they have a pretty good marquee win against Denver back.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Yeah, we want to forget that one, Pete.
Speaker 6 (21:18):
Yeah, I mean they were seventeen point sixteen and a
half point underdogs in that game and went in there
and it was twelve to three and Michael Dean Perry
didn't get off the field in case anybody doesn't remember that,
and then they scored and they didn't punt the rest
of the game, by the way Jacksonville. So I mean
they've and then they've got back there before and lost
some games, but they've had some big wins in their history.
But this is a big win for This would be
(21:39):
a big win for this regime. This regime, I mean,
you know, it's all new Tony Viselli, who was on
that ninety sixteen is now the president vice president of
football Operations, and you got James Gladstone a new general manager,
and Liam Code has done a great job with the
as the coach. I mean, yeah, this would be an
enormous victory for this regime to go out there and
(22:00):
prove the people that they're legitimate, and right now most
people don't think they are, and I think this is
the kind of game that can show that they are
indeed legitimate. They can win the game.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Pete, the AFC feels so wide open this year, where
so many of the different teams you could imagine playing
on Super Bowl Sunday. Talking with Pete Prisco from CBS Sports,
do you think the Jaguars could be one of those
teams playing on Super Bowl Sunday? Can you picture them
holding that AFC championship trophy and the confetti following on them.
Speaker 6 (22:30):
I think any one of the teams in the AFC
can win it. I really do. I think it's wide open.
Anytime you go into the playoffs and we know Burrow
is not going to be there, we know Mahomes isn't
going to be there, and there's a chance that Lamar
Jackson's not going to be there. So of all the
big four quarterbacks in the league, not just in the
in the conference, but in the league, you're not going
to have brought might not have three of them there,
(22:51):
and the only one left will be Josh Allen. So
I think when you look at it from that standpoint,
it's just wide open as its ever been. It would
surprise me to see Denver win it all. Win surpric Jacksonville, Houston,
any of New England, any of them win it all.
And so no, it would not shock me to see
them go on a run. This is the year where
you want to be able to go on a run.
Are they a little ahead of schedule? Probably, but again
(23:14):
this is the year if you want to get hot
and make a little run.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Well, Pete.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
All season long, there has been some I guess national
talk about Trevor Lawrence where he was initially thought of
it being somewhat of a buzz. But talk to us
about how things have changed offensively for him and his
approach to the game with Liam Coleman now being a
signal caller for the team.
Speaker 6 (23:36):
Yeah, and look, was he a bus No? Was he
a guy that was living up to his contract. Absolutely
not were the reasons for it, sure, but he was
a big part of it too. And early in the
season he wasn't playing very well. He was rushed, he
had a lot of drops by the way, he was
not allowing places to develop, and he didn't trust his
(23:57):
offensive line. They go out and get Jakobe Myers, and
I think kind of change the way he felt about
his receivers. It made Brian Thomas Jr. Who was on
the look like he was on the verge of stardom
last year, came into this season, was dropping passes, wouldn't
go over the middle, and then got hurt. And now
he's back, and it gives you know, with Jacoby Myers
being the pro that he is, he's better and now
(24:17):
he trusts them all and so I think the trust
factors there. But he's also been coached very well. As
mechanics are better. He's getting to the second throw, he's
getting to the third throw, he's not taking the check down,
he's throwing the ball down the field, and I think
all that has added up to a much better Trevor Lawrence.
But again, this is a prove it game for him.
You go out there against that good defense. If you
(24:37):
do well, you've proven something. If you don't, then everybody's
going to start to talk again. Then maybe you're not
worth the contract.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
All right, So the Jags win the game on Sunday,
if they do.
Speaker 6 (24:47):
What if they run the ball to set up their pass,
if they become one dimensional, I think it's going to
be a problem. I'm not to say that he can't
do it, but I just think that to you know,
if you want to minimize that pass rush, you've got
to be able to run the football, and in recent
weeks they haven't run it as well. They've gotten you know,
EPN involved in the passing game, and that's big part
(25:10):
of what they've done, which is, you know, kind of
an extension of the run game. But they have to
be able to run the football better than they've they've
done it in recent weeks. And if they don't, those
pass rushes ten their ears back, that's going to be
a problem for Tarol Lawrence.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Pete, thank you so much for joining us talking with
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports for breaking down this big
Broncos Jags game.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Hey Pete, make sure you tell my guy Ryan cart On.
Speaker 6 (25:36):
I say Hello, I will for sure, and I will
see him on Sunday. We sit in that green room
and I teach him everything he needs to know about
football every sunder.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
Thanks you Pete for joining us, appreciate it. Enjoying the
game on Sunday.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
Take care, guys, Thanks for the time Pete.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
That was Pete Prisco.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Great stuff from I make sure you're following him over
at Prisco CBS and checking out his work. Great national
coverage and he's got that Jacksonville break or background excuse me,
so he'll be a great source for breaking down this game.
I think we're going to get or what did you finel?
How are you feeling about this game?
Speaker 2 (26:12):
New? You know, I have the Broncos winning this game.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
I'll save my actual forecast score for Sunday to Broncos
Game Day with Jojo, But yeah, I feel real confident
about this game. For me, it's the Broncos just need
to stay on schedule, just need to do what they've
been doing this entire time. But more importantly, allow Boe
to just go out there, cut the loose and play
(26:36):
natural and whatever that looks like for him. Allow him
to do that, not what this looks like for coach Payton.
I know coach Payton wants to play in structure. Sometimes
you can do that, but sometimes you got to play
out of structure. Look at some of the quarterbacks who
are now sitting in the playoffs. Most of those quarterbacks
like to play or can play outside of structure.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
I just hope we see them go back to that
well that was so successful screen Bay. They had the
run game. Even if it wasn't ultimately that Gadi in
the stat sheet, the run game was rolling fairly well.
Bo Nicks had his best game of his career in
this Jaguars defense has a lot of connective tissue with
that Packers when I hope we see them attack it
a similar way. We'll get more into this great Broncos
(27:18):
Jaguars matchup at the top of the hour, where we've
got JP Shadrick joining us to break it down in detail.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
He's the senior reporter for the Jaguars.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
But first I wanted to get into this historic nugget
situation where last night we have Jamal Murray passed or
not Jamal Murray, excuse me, Nikola Jokic passing Kareem Abdul
Jabbar for most assists in NBA history by a center.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
He now ranks fiftieth overall.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
He's on pace to finish around the top forty in
terms of the all time assists tally by season's end.
And here's what Jamal Murray had to say about that
last night.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
It's really cool.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
It's you know, this is the time that I've done
to look back and appreciate all the years that I'm
trying to play this game.
Speaker 6 (28:07):
With him being special.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
You know that's the passing cream and anything. This is
pretty cool. So I think just speaks to his greenness
and how she is. Just love to hear that from Murray.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Love to see how good this Nuggets team is playing
right now. Nick how are you feeling about the Nuggets
as they start to take a commanding control of second
place in the West.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
For me, it's all about staying as healthy as you
can and just watching Nikola Jokis kind of get accolade
after accolade after accolade. That solidifies him not just here
in the Denver area, but just.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Overall from an NBA standpoint.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
The part that that really bites for me is the
fact that even after what Nicola Jokis has accomplished thus far,
in his career, there's some recognition, but it's not like that,
that nationwide recognition.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
Almost like when you.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
Look at the Four Letter Network, they're talking about the
same teams over and over, the Dallas Cowboys, the LA Lakers.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
It's just like why they're not winning.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
And it's just almost like and I'm not saying that
this is happening intentionally wearing my ten to four hat,
but there's a part of me that thinks that because
the Nuggets have been playing basketball great basketball for a
while with Nicola Jokics, but you don't see that type
of national presence.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
And when I think of think about the NBA or just.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Any sport when you have the top guy in those sports,
you see those guys doing a lot of commercials. And
I know Nicola Jokis is a chill dude and he's like,
it's not about me, it's about the team. And I
love that about him, but just seeing him and several
members of the team get that type of national recognition
and just being, you know, one of the better big
(29:57):
men as far as passing, I mean, that's a phenomenal
feat to accomplish, and I know he's a big guy.
So the idea is that he should be able to
see the floor. But there's a lot of big guys
who can't run the floor. They can't bring the ball up.
Even though with Nicola Jokic it looks a little slow
and methodical, but at least you got a big man
(30:18):
who possessed a lot of talent from a big man's
standpoint that you typically see may be a small forward
or a power forward, and that's the thing that works
well between him and Jamal Murray. Now, sad day or
sad days are coming right at some point, Nikola Jokis
(30:38):
is gonna call it in a career. So if you're
a Nuggets fan, soak it up, enjoy every moment of
it now because just like time it goes by, and
this time is gonna it is right now, he's dominating.
It's gonna come where it's gonna be gone. And then
after that, did you see it? Did you bad or eye?
But it's great to see him continue to add to
(31:01):
his closet of trophies and accolades.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
It's absolutely amazing.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
If you're any sort of Denver sports fan right now,
maybe not a baseball fan, but any other sports word, Denver.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Sports fan right now. You want to be why did
you have to do that? What did you want to
comment up?
Speaker 1 (31:16):
You got to say in this moment because Denver might
be the best sports city in the nation. You got
the ABS competing at a high level, the Nuggets competing
out at a high level, the Broncos competing at a
high level.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
Well, you know what.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Who knows what twenty twenty six could actually mean for
the Colorado Rockets. They made some changes in the front office,
which could be for on the verge of a massive surprise.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Hey, maybe we'll have four great teams in the myle
city before long, fingers crossed. We'll get into the Broncos
side of that coming up next with JP Shadwick as
we break down that Broncos Jaguars game that might determine
the one seed in the AFC. That's coming up next
on KOAM ninety four one f
Filling in for the sick Benjamin Albright. It's Zach Seegers
(00:05):
joining me. As always, We've got Nick Ferguson. Nick, how
are you doing on this football Friday.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I'm doing well.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
I'm doing a hell better than I was last night
when I went Mia. But I tell you what with
Benjamin Albright, I mean, having a wet blanket can weigh
you down sometimes.
Speaker 1 (00:24):
Hey, these months, you gotta be careful with that wet
blanket you are. You are going to catch a cold
if you rocked it too much.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
That's right these winter months man, and his was crazy.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
I was telling the buddy of mine who lives in Atlanta,
and I told him the weather here today was seventy
degrees and he was.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Like, oh hell no. I was like, why, what's the
weather like where you are? He said forty eight.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
So this weather has been impressive as of late. It's
not your traditional holiday seasonal weather, but I'll take it.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I know it must be like a Christmas back in
Florida for you.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
This is wait wait, wait, wait wait, if you want
to done, not that far, that's right. Not balmy enough, well,
Clammy would be, especially with the humidity. Right, But I'll
take this any day, every day over New York weather,
or even Chicago weather.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
How about that?
Speaker 1 (01:19):
Yeah that sounds nasty right now, maybe soon to be Gary,
Indiana weather. We are also best in the business behind
the glass. We got Grant Smith running the show tonight
at six thirty. We're gonna have the great Pete Prisco
of CBS Sports joining us to help break down the
Broncos Jazz game and the rest of the landscape around
the NFL.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
We've got J. P.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Shadrick, the jaguars very own senior reporter on the team.
He'll be joining us at the top of next hour,
and then a friend of the show, Nick Cosmider, will
be joining us at the top of the third hour.
Just an all star lineup tonight, getting ready to break
down this Broncos Jags game, which you know, it might
not be quite as as heavy hitting as that Broncos
(02:04):
Packers game last.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Week, but it is pretty darn close to it. Nick, Yeah,
it is.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
And I guess the reason why is because when the
Packers were coming in, they were tops in the NFC,
and when you look at where the Jags are right now,
they're not looked at as where the Broncos are or
where the Patriots currently are from a record standpoint. But
I'll tell you watching this team on tape, them Cohn
(02:31):
has done a great job in a short period of
time to kind of get this team up to speed
and make them a potential threat. Now is when we
look at the Jags, are they I guess super Bowl
caliber team. I'm gonna say no. But are they the
type of team that can come in beat up the
(02:53):
Denver Broncos physically, especially after the physical game that the
Broncos had against the cow Now, I mean gets the
Packers absolutely known. As though the Broncos are on a
short week, they played Kansas City, they have to go
to Kansas City on Christmas, so you don't want.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
To have any more guys beat up.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
But once again, this is something that the Jacksonville Jaguars
bring a certain physicality type of game, but also the
offense knows how to move the ball down the field.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Are you worried about this being a potential trap game?
Speaker 1 (03:25):
One thing I was talking about with Rob Dawson on
the newsroom earlier. The Broncos haven't really been the favorites
in any of these games against Marque opponents, you know, underdogs,
last week against the Packers, underdogs against the Chiefs, underdogs,
against the Texans on the road, underdogs against the Eagles
on the road. I think the only game against Marquee
(03:48):
opponent where they were favored was the Colts game Week two,
and we all know how that one went. Now, they
probably should have won it, but it is one of
their only two losses of the season. Are you worried
about this team losing some of the wind in their
sales or that edge they have now that they're not
the team that everyone's doubting anymore, now that they're one
(04:10):
of the favorites. Maybe after last night's result. In the
conversation for best team in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (04:15):
They tell me, honest, Zach, yeah you worry about that.
That is a concern, But I don't worry about that
with the Broncos as a whole. Now, you may get
a couple of guys here and there, because there's always
the eighty twenty rule when we look at football, So
you may get twenty percent of the guys, you know,
thinking of that that way in of the eighty percent,
(04:37):
not so much.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
But I think when you get to this particular point.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
You have to look at how you got here right,
and to do that you have to do a little
self reflection. And you mentioned the fact of okay, well,
the Broncos.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Being the underdog.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
I think it's safe to say the Broncos are okay
being the underdog.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
I mean they were the.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
Underdog last week, like you mentioned against the Green Bay Packers.
I think wolf was the margin? Was it two points
or was it like a minus three?
Speaker 2 (05:08):
What was it? Right?
Speaker 3 (05:11):
So the Broncos did a great job of allowing that
to motivate them to go out there and play better football.
So I'm sure that is kind of the narrative walking
around the Broncos facility no one respects us. That's exactly
where the team is saying they want to be because
now the pressure they would feel with that being said
(05:33):
is on everyone else, even though the Broncos should have
that pressure based on what the record is. But now
walking into a game being an underdogs like no, everything
is trending up for the team. Now it's up for
them to go out on Sunday in every game from
this point on until they are playing in the Super
Bowl in Levi Stadium, that they need to go out
there and handle their business and I'm.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
Pretty confident that they will do that.
Speaker 1 (05:57):
I want to be clear, I'm not trying to be
a wet blanket, my.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
But I do think you are in this. I know
it's a little damp, Yes, it might be a little saturated.
I know it's soaking into my sweater here.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
But I am pretty confident they can take care of
business against the Jaguars. But one thing that does keep
coming into my mind, building up a little anxiety for
me with this matchup is when have we seen the
Broncos disappoint maybe relative to our expectations, because it hasn't
been when they played the good teams. They outperformed our
expectations against the Chiefs, against the Packers, this was an
(06:31):
awesome performance. Even the defense was lights out in the
second half. Like when they're going against some of the
best teams in the league, they show up and they
play at a high level.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
The Texans even showed up, played at a high level.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
They frustrated us and maybe disappointed us when they are
supposed to just walk in and take care of business
like against the Jets, like against the Raiders. And obviously
this Jags team isn't the Jets or the Raiders.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
But now the Broncos are expected to come in here
and take care of business.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
This Jaguars defense is run by Anthony Campanile. I believe
I'm saying that right who's off the Packers tree. He
was the Packers linebackers coach last year. They run a
lot of the same stuff. They're also a very zone
heavy defense. Does Sean Payton and bow knicks or do
they walk into this game feeling maybe a little overconfident,
feeling themselves a little too much like, Hey, we know
(07:18):
what we're doing. Maybe looking ahead to a short week
potential hat and T shirt game on Thursday night, Christmas
Day against the Chiefs.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
You said a hat and T shirt game. Hey, if
they win this one, are.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
You classifying the game on Christmas as a hatt and
T shirt game because Mahome is not playing the game
and it's all Gardner minshew?
Speaker 2 (07:39):
Is Is that why you're looking at it that way?
Speaker 1 (07:41):
I'm saying, if the Broncos win their next two games,
they win the AFC West, they clinched the number one seed,
They're gonna be celebrating with hats and T shirts in
the Arrowhead locker room.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
If they can take care of business.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
Season there is what I would say, there is a
temptation whether being as though whether Broncos are for certain individuals.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Like I told you before, so.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Maybe take an approach where you're looking forward to the
next game.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
And it's hard not to do that.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
You are human and you're looking at where you are
as a team, the things that you have done, the
fact that you bolstered one of the top defenses in
the league. I think it's a little commonplace to look
at the remainder of the schedule and say, well, okay,
well this is a dub.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
This is a dub because what that's the same thing
that happens when the schedule comes out at the beginning
of the season.
Speaker 3 (08:28):
Everyone looks at the schedule and they started to look
and say, okay, well where's the w's coming from? And
right now the Broncos are, like I said, the eighty
twenty eighty percent or not, there's twenty percent who probably
are and looking past this Jacks team gets you in
trouble and go to take you back just for a second.
(08:48):
Remember the Broncos loss to the Buffalo Bills, and I
do recall Coach Payden being asked a question about the
game and he so suddenly mentioned like he was like
almost looking forward pass the bills to the next opponent,
which would have been the Kansas City Chiefs, right, And
(09:09):
I would dare say that that got the Broncos in
troubled in But all you have to do is stick
a fork and the life socket wants to know that
some bad things can happen.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Right, I'll say that.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
And I'm not speaking for a personal experience, but I've
seen it happen, so I'm sure Sean Payton is trying
to make sure mentally his team stayed locked in. And
it's an old cliche saying Zach, but it's true. One
game at a time, one possession at a time. And
Ben and I had this conversation and he asked me, well,
(09:42):
would you like to know going into certain games that
the opponent that you are looking to leap frog.
Speaker 2 (09:49):
They're playing a game.
Speaker 3 (09:50):
And I'm like, no, I don't care about what they're
doing on the field.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
You need to go out there and him do your business.
Speaker 3 (09:56):
And that's pretty much where the Broncos find themselves.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Handle your business.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Go out there, every single man, special teams, defense, offense,
do your job. I don't need you work the right tackle,
were the left tackle right, do your job, we will
be fine. If they don't do that, that's where the
hurdles and hiccus and the stumbles happen.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Yeah, don't need to do hero ball. Just take care
of business.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Keeper, you job, keep taking it one step at a time,
just like you have all along this twelve or sorry,
eleven game win streak that could become twelve this week,
which if it does, if they do win this week,
it will break the tie they're currently in for second
longest win streaking franchise history with the twenty twelve Broncos
at eleven consecutive games, and move them into just loan
(10:42):
second place behind of course that legendary nineteen ninety eight run.
Speaker 2 (10:46):
I want to loop Grant in on.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
This because he's unfortunately familiar with the Jaguars, his Bengals.
I kind of saw their season go down the tubes
when they ran into the Jaguars early in the season
and Joe Burrow had.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
His turf toe variant injury. Grant, how are you.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
Feeling about the Broncos up against the Jags in this one?
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Do you think this is a potential trap game?
Speaker 4 (11:07):
I wouldn't call it a trap game, because I think
the Jaguars are legit. They beat the Chiefs earlier in
the season. They coming off their best offensive performance of
the year, especially best Trevor Lawrence game of his career. Probably,
I don't think the Broncos are overlooking this team at all.
They know what's at stake. They want to get to
twelve wins in a row, and I think this game
is going to be tight. I think that Broncos are
(11:27):
going to win this game, but I wouldn't be surprised
if it's a field goal game at the end. I
think the Jaguars are a very good team. I think
they're a playoff team, and I think the Broncos know that.
I think they know how it feels to be disrespected nationally,
and I think the Jaguars also have that feeling.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
I'm glad you brought that up, because on Sunday we
will see or two of the more disrespected teams in
an NFL and I think I don't know if you
were trying to get to this particular point, Zach or not.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
Just let me know, but I heard.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
A lot meeting up to this particular game on Sunday.
When we look back at the Broncos season and say, Okay,
some of the teams that they played against, they didn't
play their best ball, so they played down to those teams.
And I tend to look at it a little differently
in the situation, saying as though, no, no, no, those
teams just play up to the Broncos where.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
They made it a game.
Speaker 3 (12:23):
And right now, I'm sure Niam Cohn has been telling
his team in his own little way that he was
doing it. We've been disrespected all season long, right, no
one expects us to really go in and play well
against Denver on the road. So they're walking in with
a huge ship on their shoulder because they're going to
(12:45):
elevate their love of play to master.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
That of the Denver Broncos.
Speaker 3 (12:49):
And it's gonna be up to the Broncos to now
turn up the dial. What I mean by that, I'm
talking about preheat the oven at four hundred degrees.
Speaker 2 (12:58):
So if the Broncos can do.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
That, now, any idea, any momentum that the Jags felt
as though they had coming in on Sunday you melted away?
Speaker 2 (13:08):
What worries you about this matchup? Where?
Speaker 1 (13:11):
What do you think are the pitfalls the Broncos need
to avoid in this one, because I have to be honest,
I'm looking at it on paper, and.
Speaker 2 (13:18):
I do agree with you guys.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
I think the Jags are the top four team in
the AFC pretty comfortably. In the top five, it's pretty open,
but a team in the AFC pretty comfortably. They look
like they're playing their best ball of the season right now.
That offense is cooking, the defense is very opportunistic and
creates a lot of takeaways. But I look at some
elements of this matchup and some of the similarities they
have with the Packers, I feel like they're a bit
(13:41):
of a water down version of the Packers and see
how much success the Broncos just had in that game.
But I'm curious, what are you worried about in this one?
What the elements of the Broncos do you think the
Jaguars will be able to exploit?
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Well?
Speaker 2 (13:54):
I understand what the Jags are right now.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
They're one of, if not the best team in the
league defensively against the run. What is the thing that
the Broncos have not been able to sort out?
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Running the damn ball? And JK.
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Dobbins has the revision issues right and if he doesn't play.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
Now you push all your trucks. Oh he's going to.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
Play, okay, so but he's still probably hurting, right, So
the fact that he's playing now that means he has
to wear some kind of flat jacket protection and then
also maybe maybe takes a shot, a numbing shot.
Speaker 3 (14:33):
But the one thing that scares me about that, because
I've been there before. You take a number of shots
in that area. You don't feel it during the game,
but as the game starts to wear on and that
starts to wear off, then you start to feel the plane.
So now the ability to hold the ball high and
tight with eight points of pressure close to your body.
(14:55):
And now guess what the Jacksonville Jacks were defense.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
They know they've been told on the injury report. I
don't think there's no scandal here.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
So what you do You attack that particular area, and
what happens if he plays in the game that medication
wears off, He now starts to feel that pain and
now breathing, just just breathing, expanding of your lungs that
now hurts. Now, where does the Broncos move from there?
(15:25):
If he gets injured in this particular game. Knowing as
though you have two more games remaining, and you're on
a short week.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
And their options I don't think are overly appealing.
Speaker 2 (15:35):
You know, their alternatives.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Maybe Cody Schrader ends up being a diamond in the rough,
but I think Julia McLoughlin has been fairly underwhelming this year.
I think Tyler Biday is fine in his role, but
if you want him to be a workhorse back, I
think you're gonna be disappointed with the outcome or you know,
the production from him there. I know you're an old
school football guy. You're not about the air raids, slinging
(15:57):
the ball over the yard. You like defense, you like
running the ball, especially this time of year. We know
the Broncos defense, well, they've been maybe cool in a
little bit. The Broncos defense looks absolutely championship caliber. Do
you think this rushing attack without JK. Dobbins is good
enough to win a championship?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
No? How can how more blunt? Can that be? No?
Because I'll tell you why.
Speaker 3 (16:22):
I looked at two game the game last night between
Seattle Seahawks and the Rams. Both of those teams did
a great job of running the ball. And I know
this for sure. It's you need to lean on your
run game, and I'm talking about you need at least
eighty six yards that you can count on in the
run game, not counting your quarterback. No no, no no,
(16:44):
not counting trick plays. No no, no. You need that
from your backs. If you tell me you got two
Broncos backs that can give you a total of eighty
six yards, maybe I'll say.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Okay, but in that case, you should use them two.
I need one to twenty. Right.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Is when you do that, you're taking the pressure off
Bowl to run the ball. Like what did we see
last week against the Green Bay Packers. We saw Michael
Parson constantly hunting bow knicks and Bowl having to move
and leave the pocket to make plays. But if you
have a decent run game, guess what. They can't do
that anymore. Now they have to play both the pass
(17:23):
and the run. But since Jeff Hafley, the defensive coordinator
for the Green Bay Packers, knew the Broncos were not
going to be effective running.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
The ball, go get them. So the Broncos are going
to need to do that.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
And that's why it's going to be a little test
for them going against the Jags who are number one.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Like I said against the.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
Run, It's going to be an incredible test for them especially,
and I think to your point, the run game is
going to be at a premium in the AFC playoff picture.
You know, the Jags are an excellent run defense, but
you look at the other teams the Broncos might get
matched up with, like the Buffalo Bills or the New
England Patriots, some of those other teams at the top
of the conference.
Speaker 2 (18:00):
What's their achilles u on defense? It's the run game.
Speaker 1 (18:03):
You've seen a team's all season run over the Bills
ever since Milton Williams went out of the Patriots lineup,
their thirtieth against the rush in terms of EPA per carry,
their thirty first in terms of rushing success rate allowed.
They are one of the worst run defenses in football.
And the Broncos right now, I'm a little optimistic after
these last two weeks what we've seen from Harvey, but
(18:23):
the Broncos right now don't look like an offense capable
of exploiting that weakness.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Well, for me, way, I don't want anyone to take
what I'm saying and saying, well I'm down on a team.
No I'm not, But I look at football in this way,
you have to play complementary football because as you advance
in the playoffs, we've seen a year after year, Zach,
your defense is gonna have to stand tall. Your running
(18:51):
game is gonna have to stand tall because as you
move forward, you're playing better teams. The defense of units
are going to be better. They're gonna take something away
from you. So right now, the best thing that the
Broncos have is a passing game with the shallow routes,
the deep overs, trying to layer routes right and flood zone.
And what I mean by that, you're getting three to
(19:12):
four players in a particular area of the field to
give the quarterback in his line of sight the right
to throw the ball from a progressive standpoint one, two, three, four.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
That's what they do well.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
If you throw the run game into it, it's.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
Gonna be much better.
Speaker 3 (19:28):
And this is why I go back to the Thursday
night game last night, watching the Seattle Seahawks, watching the Rams.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Being able to have balance very very important.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
It's gotta be critical for this big Broncos Jaguars matchup
this weekend. Joining us in the next segment, we're gonna
have Pete Prisco of CBS Sports to help us break
it down more. That's all coming up next right here
on Broncos Country tonight on KOA eight fifty am ninety
four one FM.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
We're joined by.
Speaker 1 (19:56):
Pete Prisco from CBS Sports. You can find him on
x at Prisco CBS Pete. Earlier this week, you were
talking about a potential mix up on the Jaguars offensive
line with Walker Little and Cole Van Lanen.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
How do you think they're.
Speaker 1 (20:11):
Going to hold up against this fierce Broncos pass rush.
Speaker 6 (20:15):
Well, Cole Van Landon has actually been their best offensive
lineman in the last two weeks. When you look at him,
he's started at left guard, he started at right guard,
he started at right tackle, then he started at left tackle,
all in a period of four weeks. And I don't
know if that's ever been done before. But now that
he's settled in at left tackle, I think that's the matchup.
To watch him against Nick Benito and how he handles them,
(20:36):
And look, Nick, the needle's a handful, there's no question
about that. But this kid's played to a level that
surprised a lot of people and is going to probably
get him paid at some point. In the coming weeks.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Well, Pete, these two teams coming in on Sunday are
probably more of the disrespected teams in NFL, the jackson
And Jaguars and the Denver Broncos. From a jag standpoint,
Are they looking at this game on Sundays being the
potential for a Markie win for them from a franchise standpoint?
Speaker 6 (21:07):
Well, I mean recent wins. Yeah, I mean they people
on Denver might not remember, might not forget this, but
they have a pretty good marquee win against Denver back.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
Yeah, we want to forget that one, Pete.
Speaker 6 (21:18):
Yeah, I mean they were seventeen point sixteen and a
half point underdogs in that game and went in there
and it was twelve to three and Michael Dean Perry
didn't get off the field in case anybody doesn't remember that,
and then they scored and they didn't punt the rest
of the game, by the way Jacksonville. So I mean
they've and then they've got back there before and lost
some games, but they've had some big wins in their history.
But this is a big win for This would be
(21:39):
a big win for this regime. This regime, I mean,
you know, it's all new Tony Viselli, who was on
that ninety sixteen is now the president vice president of
football Operations, and you got James Gladstone a new general manager,
and Liam Code has done a great job with the
as the coach. I mean, yeah, this would be an
enormous victory for this regime to go out there and
(22:00):
prove the people that they're legitimate, and right now most
people don't think they are, and I think this is
the kind of game that can show that they are
indeed legitimate. They can win the game.
Speaker 1 (22:10):
Pete, the AFC feels so wide open this year, where
so many of the different teams you could imagine playing
on Super Bowl Sunday. Talking with Pete Prisco from CBS Sports,
do you think the Jaguars could be one of those
teams playing on Super Bowl Sunday? Can you picture them
holding that AFC championship trophy and the confetti following on them.
Speaker 6 (22:30):
I think any one of the teams in the AFC
can win it. I really do. I think it's wide open.
Anytime you go into the playoffs and we know Burrow
is not going to be there, we know Mahomes isn't
going to be there, and there's a chance that Lamar
Jackson's not going to be there. So of all the
big four quarterbacks in the league, not just in the
in the conference, but in the league, you're not going
to have brought might not have three of them there,
(22:51):
and the only one left will be Josh Allen. So
I think when you look at it from that standpoint,
it's just wide open as its ever been. It would
surprise me to see Denver win it all. Win surpric Jacksonville, Houston,
any of New England, any of them win it all.
And so no, it would not shock me to see
them go on a run. This is the year where
you want to be able to go on a run.
Are they a little ahead of schedule? Probably, but again
(23:14):
this is the year if you want to get hot
and make a little run.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Well, Pete.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
All season long, there has been some I guess national
talk about Trevor Lawrence where he was initially thought of
it being somewhat of a buzz. But talk to us
about how things have changed offensively for him and his
approach to the game with Liam Coleman now being a
signal caller for the team.
Speaker 6 (23:36):
Yeah, and look, was he a bus No? Was he
a guy that was living up to his contract. Absolutely
not were the reasons for it, sure, but he was
a big part of it too. And early in the
season he wasn't playing very well. He was rushed, he
had a lot of drops by the way, he was
not allowing places to develop, and he didn't trust his
(23:57):
offensive line. They go out and get Jakobe Myers, and
I think kind of change the way he felt about
his receivers. It made Brian Thomas Jr. Who was on
the look like he was on the verge of stardom
last year, came into this season, was dropping passes, wouldn't
go over the middle, and then got hurt. And now
he's back, and it gives you know, with Jacoby Myers
being the pro that he is, he's better and now
(24:17):
he trusts them all and so I think the trust
factors there. But he's also been coached very well. As
mechanics are better. He's getting to the second throw, he's
getting to the third throw, he's not taking the check down,
he's throwing the ball down the field, and I think
all that has added up to a much better Trevor Lawrence.
But again, this is a prove it game for him.
You go out there against that good defense. If you
(24:37):
do well, you've proven something. If you don't, then everybody's
going to start to talk again. Then maybe you're not
worth the contract.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
All right, So the Jags win the game on Sunday,
if they do.
Speaker 6 (24:47):
What if they run the ball to set up their pass,
if they become one dimensional, I think it's going to
be a problem. I'm not to say that he can't
do it, but I just think that to you know,
if you want to minimize that pass rush, you've got
to be able to run the football, and in recent
weeks they haven't run it as well. They've gotten you know,
EPN involved in the passing game, and that's big part
(25:10):
of what they've done, which is, you know, kind of
an extension of the run game. But they have to
be able to run the football better than they've they've
done it in recent weeks. And if they don't, those
pass rushes ten their ears back, that's going to be
a problem for Tarol Lawrence.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Pete, thank you so much for joining us talking with
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports for breaking down this big
Broncos Jags game.
Speaker 3 (25:33):
Hey Pete, make sure you tell my guy Ryan cart On.
Speaker 6 (25:36):
I say Hello, I will for sure, and I will
see him on Sunday. We sit in that green room
and I teach him everything he needs to know about
football every sunder.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
Thanks you Pete for joining us, appreciate it. Enjoying the
game on Sunday.
Speaker 6 (25:49):
Take care, guys, Thanks for the time Pete.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
That was Pete Prisco.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
Great stuff from I make sure you're following him over
at Prisco CBS and checking out his work. Great national
coverage and he's got that Jacksonville break or background excuse me,
so he'll be a great source for breaking down this game.
I think we're going to get or what did you finel?
How are you feeling about this game?
Speaker 2 (26:12):
New? You know, I have the Broncos winning this game.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
I'll save my actual forecast score for Sunday to Broncos
Game Day with Jojo, But yeah, I feel real confident
about this game. For me, it's the Broncos just need
to stay on schedule, just need to do what they've
been doing this entire time. But more importantly, allow Boe
to just go out there, cut the loose and play
(26:36):
natural and whatever that looks like for him. Allow him
to do that, not what this looks like for coach Payton.
I know coach Payton wants to play in structure. Sometimes
you can do that, but sometimes you got to play
out of structure. Look at some of the quarterbacks who
are now sitting in the playoffs. Most of those quarterbacks
like to play or can play outside of structure.
Speaker 1 (26:56):
I just hope we see them go back to that
well that was so successful screen Bay. They had the
run game. Even if it wasn't ultimately that Gadi in
the stat sheet, the run game was rolling fairly well.
Bo Nicks had his best game of his career in
this Jaguars defense has a lot of connective tissue with
that Packers when I hope we see them attack it
a similar way. We'll get more into this great Broncos
(27:18):
Jaguars matchup at the top of the hour, where we've
got JP Shadrick joining us to break it down in detail.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
He's the senior reporter for the Jaguars.
Speaker 1 (27:29):
But first I wanted to get into this historic nugget
situation where last night we have Jamal Murray passed or
not Jamal Murray, excuse me, Nikola Jokic passing Kareem Abdul
Jabbar for most assists in NBA history by a center.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
He now ranks fiftieth overall.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
He's on pace to finish around the top forty in
terms of the all time assists tally by season's end.
And here's what Jamal Murray had to say about that
last night.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
It's really cool.
Speaker 4 (28:00):
It's you know, this is the time that I've done
to look back and appreciate all the years that I'm
trying to play this game.
Speaker 6 (28:07):
With him being special.
Speaker 2 (28:10):
You know that's the passing cream and anything. This is
pretty cool. So I think just speaks to his greenness
and how she is. Just love to hear that from Murray.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Love to see how good this Nuggets team is playing
right now. Nick how are you feeling about the Nuggets
as they start to take a commanding control of second
place in the West.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
For me, it's all about staying as healthy as you
can and just watching Nikola Jokis kind of get accolade
after accolade after accolade. That solidifies him not just here
in the Denver area, but just.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Overall from an NBA standpoint.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
The part that that really bites for me is the
fact that even after what Nicola Jokis has accomplished thus far,
in his career, there's some recognition, but it's not like that,
that nationwide recognition.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
Almost like when you.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
Look at the Four Letter Network, they're talking about the
same teams over and over, the Dallas Cowboys, the LA Lakers.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
It's just like why they're not winning.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
And it's just almost like and I'm not saying that
this is happening intentionally wearing my ten to four hat,
but there's a part of me that thinks that because
the Nuggets have been playing basketball great basketball for a
while with Nicola Jokics, but you don't see that type
of national presence.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
And when I think of think about the NBA or just.
Speaker 3 (29:36):
Any sport when you have the top guy in those sports,
you see those guys doing a lot of commercials. And
I know Nicola Jokis is a chill dude and he's like,
it's not about me, it's about the team. And I
love that about him, but just seeing him and several
members of the team get that type of national recognition
and just being, you know, one of the better big
(29:57):
men as far as passing, I mean, that's a phenomenal
feat to accomplish, and I know he's a big guy.
So the idea is that he should be able to
see the floor. But there's a lot of big guys
who can't run the floor. They can't bring the ball up.
Even though with Nicola Jokic it looks a little slow
and methodical, but at least you got a big man
(30:18):
who possessed a lot of talent from a big man's
standpoint that you typically see may be a small forward
or a power forward, and that's the thing that works
well between him and Jamal Murray. Now, sad day or
sad days are coming right at some point, Nikola Jokis
(30:38):
is gonna call it in a career. So if you're
a Nuggets fan, soak it up, enjoy every moment of
it now because just like time it goes by, and
this time is gonna it is right now, he's dominating.
It's gonna come where it's gonna be gone. And then
after that, did you see it? Did you bad or eye?
But it's great to see him continue to add to
(31:01):
his closet of trophies and accolades.
Speaker 2 (31:05):
It's absolutely amazing.
Speaker 1 (31:06):
If you're any sort of Denver sports fan right now,
maybe not a baseball fan, but any other sports word, Denver.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Sports fan right now. You want to be why did
you have to do that? What did you want to
comment up?
Speaker 1 (31:16):
You got to say in this moment because Denver might
be the best sports city in the nation. You got
the ABS competing at a high level, the Nuggets competing
out at a high level, the Broncos competing at a
high level.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
Well, you know what.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Who knows what twenty twenty six could actually mean for
the Colorado Rockets. They made some changes in the front office,
which could be for on the verge of a massive surprise.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Hey, maybe we'll have four great teams in the myle
city before long, fingers crossed. We'll get into the Broncos
side of that coming up next with JP Shadwick as
we break down that Broncos Jaguars game that might determine
the one seed in the AFC. That's coming up next
on KOAM ninety four one f
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