The Broncos are headed to the AFC Championship Game after taking care of business against Buffalo — but the biggest headline comes after: Bo Nix is out with a season-ending ankle injury, and Jarrett Stidham is up next. Big Al and CJ are joined by Brandon Krisztal and Chad Brown to break down how Sean Payton may adjust, what the locker room mentality looks like when a QB goes down, and why this game could come down to Denver’s defense vs. New England’s offense and Drake Maye. The show also pivots to the coaching carousel fallout around the league, then closes with Chad drawing a powerful parallel between Indiana’s perfect season national championship and CU’s title run — right down to a game-sealing interception finish.
The Denver Broncos are one win from the Super Bowl after beating the Bills, but the mood shifts fast when news breaks that Bo Nix has a season-ending ankle injury and will miss the AFC Championship Game. Big Al, CJ, Brandon Krisztal, and Chad Brown dig into what that changes — and what it doesn’t — for a Broncos team built on defense, resilience, and situational football. They unpack who Jarrett Stidham is inside the building, how Sean Payton might tailor the plan to avoid putting the whole game on an “unknown,” and what the rest of the roster has to do to elevate with the starter sidelined.
From there, the focus shifts to Denver’s defensive identity and what it means against New England and Drake Maye, plus how Josh McDaniels game-plans and where explosive plays can come from even when a QB is getting hit. The conversation then turns to the league-wide coaching carousel — including Buffalo moving on from Sean McDermott — and how thin the margin is between “good enough” and “time to start over.”
The episode closes with Chad reflecting on Indiana completing a perfect season and winning the national championship, pointing out the parallels to Colorado’s first title — including the way both games ended on a sealing interception and the on-field pile-on aftermath. CJ and the guys wrap by previewing upcoming coverage and teasing the next episode featuring Phillip Lindsay.
00:00:01:04 - 00:00:02:11
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah, yeah.
00:00:02:13 - 00:00:21:02
CJ
The Broncos take care of business. Won the go before the Super Bowl. And, man, I got some special for you. Once we come back on the other side, you just wait. Is you gonna like it?
00:00:21:04 - 00:00:52:19
CJ
Well, then there was one. Welcome to the Big Island show, my man, Chad Brown coming up, coming to us from his palatial estate down in the south western region of the United States. And, of course, my man BK here in studio, two books this week, too, before we get into it, BK. Hey, man, I want you to show everybody what you did here in studio about 30s ago when I was asking, is there any more light that we could have on you?
00:00:52:23 - 00:00:58:03
CJ
You know, I came in my Johnny Cash. You get a day chat and check out what your boy did, man.
00:00:58:09 - 00:01:03:18
Brandon Krisztal
Right. He said he wanted more light, and he's on a single shot. So I put my phone light on him. All right.
00:01:03:26 - 00:01:04:07
CJ
Hey, man.
00:01:04:07 - 00:01:14:13
Brandon Krisztal
Brighten up the shot. Because, like we have, we have big time studio lights. It's obviously a big time production, but he was on that asked for more light. I was trying to be a good teammate and, and help him out.
00:01:14:15 - 00:01:16:18
CJ
Hey, would you expect any less from BK?
00:01:16:21 - 00:01:22:15
Chad Brown
I would not, but my question is, can BK get you some lotion for them ashy ankles? Oh, now.
00:01:22:17 - 00:01:29:03
CJ
Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa. Now wait a minute, man. Now, you, Miss, you are miss seeing what's happening here. There are.
00:01:29:07 - 00:01:43:13
Brandon Krisztal
There are some ankle socks there. So I thought I'm like, I said some about him not wearing socks, like, oh, you are wearing socks, which I have a million ankle socks when I wear shorts, but when I wear pants, I feel obligated to have socks that go kind of past my my ankle.
00:01:43:14 - 00:02:08:29
CJ
Who the hell cares what you feel obligated to do when you watch shorts? Here's the deal, man. First of all, Chad, because you're not one to give fashion information tips to anyone. No one's picking my my my ankles are adequately, sufficiently abundantly lubricated. Man. There's no this isn't big out. It's the CJ's sitting here, bro. Okay, let's be clear.
00:02:09:01 - 00:02:18:18
Chad Brown
Maybe it's my camera. Maybe it's my computer where I. I don't know, you know, a bit of ass, but, you know, let's just roll with the show. There's lots of ball to talk about, lots.
00:02:18:18 - 00:02:19:12
Brandon Krisztal
Of ball to talk about.
00:02:19:13 - 00:02:29:21
CJ
This. And let's get right to it, man. The Denver Broncos take care of business 30 3330 victory over the Buffalo Bills here at Invesco Field at Mile High.
00:02:29:21 - 00:02:30:28
Brandon Krisztal
This is power field.
00:02:30:28 - 00:03:01:02
CJ
At Mile power field at Mile High this past weekend. And my goodness it was it was interesting weekend two of the game's divisional playoff games. Outstanding games. The other two kind of sleepers a little bit. But great football to be sure. I'm looking at this Broncos team. And I got to tell you guys in the last in fact, I'll put it this way once when the game was over, I'm thinking this team is going to the Super Bowl.
00:03:01:05 - 00:03:09:26
CJ
They have the good fortune of hosting the New England Patriots here at Empower Field at Mile High this upcoming Sunday. By the way, it's 1:00 or.
00:03:09:26 - 00:03:22:23
Brandon Krisztal
131 1:00 1:00 tip, which is unique. And Chad, you probably remember this because Jenna were on the field, I think for the 2013 AFC title game, we took pictures with Jon Bon Jovi.
00:03:22:25 - 00:03:24:24
CJ
Just took pictures with you guys with.
00:03:24:24 - 00:03:25:07
Brandon Krisztal
Jon Bon.
00:03:25:07 - 00:03:25:25
CJ
Jovi.
00:03:25:27 - 00:03:45:04
Brandon Krisztal
You guys with fans, Jon Bon Jovi. So we thought it was cool. But the 1:00 kick, what makes it unique is that one. That's not a time that's normally kicked off anywhere in the league like that is three eastern games. You get one eastern for 430, but in Denver specifically, games never kick that early because sometimes, like the game in Indy this year just kicked in the late window.
00:03:45:04 - 00:04:09:18
Brandon Krisztal
It was 225 instead of or 425 eastern instead of instead of one eastern. But 1:00 is only for when they host the AFC title game here and there. The early window CBS and Fox and NFC, AFC flip flop every year. So in odd years 2013, 2015, 2025, the AFC is the early game and the NFC is the late game.
00:04:09:18 - 00:04:32:00
Brandon Krisztal
And it's happened to work out that the Broncos were the host. So 1:00 is not earlier than their bodies are necessarily used to because obviously play sure they don't this year they play do in that early window all year out of 15 games of the 17 only two early. But 1:00 means it's going to be kind of sunny, we think, or if it is sunny like it was on Sunday, there's more sun on the field.
00:04:32:01 - 00:04:40:19
Brandon Krisztal
It's just a warmer day from 1 to 4, four, 15 when the game ends, as opposed to 230 to 5 30 to 530 like it was the other the other night.
00:04:40:22 - 00:05:11:12
CJ
That's a good point, Chad. I got to tell you, man, I was I was feeling like this is, this is set up extremely well for the Denver Broncos. Until we got the news postgame that, of course, starting quarterback Bo Nix, season ending ankle injury, had already had surgery, I believe. And, the Broncos now will turn to Jarrett Stidham, their backup quarterback, to lead them in the AFC Championship game.
00:05:11:14 - 00:05:37:23
CJ
Now if I had just fallen into Denver and turned on sports talk radio, I would think that hell, maybe Jarrett Stidham should have been the starting quarterback. Oh you give him all the praise that's been heaped upon him Chad what am I missing here, man? I mean, am I to believe what what my ears are hearing? Or do I go with the fact that he's the backup quarterback?
00:05:37:25 - 00:05:59:22
Chad Brown
Can two things be true at once? Yes they can. He certainly is the backup quarterback. But he was drafted in New England to be Tom Brady's eventual replacement. That's why he was brought there. In his two starts, latest two starts in late 2023 and early 2024. He put together some pretty good numbers. He was hand-selected by Sean Payton to be the backup quarterback here.
00:05:59:28 - 00:06:27:11
Chad Brown
Sean Payton values that position a lot more than a lot of other coaches. And organizationally, they're willing to pay more for that backup quarterback slot than a lot of other teams are willing to do. So there's something to be said for that confidence that people have in him. There's something to be said for what he's actually done on the football field, but for me, it's just been such, such a long time since he's actually done it in a regular season game, much less a championship game, that I've got some doubts.
00:06:27:18 - 00:06:50:14
Chad Brown
Do I believe the team will rally behind city? Do I believe Sean Payton will put together a great game plan? Do I believe that Jefferson will put together a good showing for himself? I think all those will be true. Still, there's a reason why he was the backup quarterback and so advantage not just conversationally, but even odds wise, as evidenced by the folks in Vegas, goes to the Patriots.
00:06:50:19 - 00:06:54:19
Chad Brown
Based off the move from Bo Nix to Jed Stidham.
00:06:54:21 - 00:07:15:03
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah, the the game plan is going to be fascinating to see because J.K. Dobbins practice windows open and we can kind of get into what him returning might mean if he can get on the field talking to some people in the know, he may have been able to go last week. It's my understanding they want to extend Jake Dobbins on a multi-year, two, three year deal.
00:07:15:03 - 00:07:33:29
Brandon Krisztal
Kind of typical for a veteran running back. He's obviously been injured, including this year. He's never played more than 12 games in a season, including last year. And, maybe played 13 for the Chargers. It was good in those 13. But how much do they really want to run the ball just to keep the defense honest? The Patriots run these really good.
00:07:34:01 - 00:07:51:04
Brandon Krisztal
One of the best in the league. We saw it on Sunday against the Texans. And then because he isn't the athlete Bo Nix is he can move okay. Like a 4840 though. Bo is is probably sub for six when he's healthy. And I think that's what Sean Payton said that surprised him is a little faster than we even realized.
00:07:51:07 - 00:08:09:08
Brandon Krisztal
But it's still him. Can get outside at third and four. Does he just take the four because it does feel like Bo a lot of times is trying to to force, you know, force it downfield a little bit because he sees something. Instead he might just want to move the chains. But I don't think the game plan becomes a wholesale different approach.
00:08:09:08 - 00:08:10:29
Brandon Krisztal
It's going to be on Sean Payton earns 20 million, though.
00:08:11:01 - 00:08:29:17
CJ
Well, I would say I think to the point that Chad made look. And and I speak about this with a great deal of sensitivity. Right. I, I was once a backup quarterback. I was once thrust into play because of a major injury to our starting All-American.
00:08:29:17 - 00:08:32:12
Brandon Krisztal
Quarterback that go well. I see a ring on your finger.
00:08:32:12 - 00:08:37:11
CJ
Yeah, you do, you do. And, And when? Well, Chad has one to the other way.
00:08:37:16 - 00:08:39:18
Brandon Krisztal
Where are you wearing yours today? And you know.
00:08:39:20 - 00:08:47:06
Chad Brown
No, I am not. But I will have some Q lore coming up as we talk about, other football show goes along.
00:08:47:08 - 00:09:06:27
CJ
I can't wait, but but but I understand what what what that's like. And here's the bottom line. I understood as well as at that point, the 80,000 fans that were in the stadium and the I think it was like 20 million who were watching it was, you know, one of the highest rated, Orange Bowls or bowl games at the.
00:09:06:27 - 00:09:07:24
Brandon Krisztal
Time I missed it.
00:09:07:24 - 00:09:10:05
CJ
What what in the history of it? Well, see, you won the game.
00:09:10:05 - 00:09:11:10
Brandon Krisztal
Oh, cool. I you say.
00:09:11:10 - 00:09:27:24
CJ
You won the game I played, okay? I mean, they gave me a little award. I think it was, not just one notch above a participation award, but, it was a board that I, you know, they grant me. Chad thought that he probably earned it, and he won't get an argument.
00:09:27:24 - 00:09:35:11
Brandon Krisztal
You just give it to him. We're handing out Nobel prizes. We can just give it to him. Here it is. When you're in town this week, when you come back.
00:09:35:17 - 00:09:36:21
CJ
Would you accept what you accept?
00:09:36:21 - 00:09:38:25
Brandon Krisztal
This Orange Bowl MVP trophy?
00:09:38:28 - 00:09:47:10
Chad Brown
No. If he gives, it needs to be. There has to be a ceremony. I need the confetti. I need all those things. But it's tarnished Award. It's not going to do it.
00:09:47:12 - 00:09:48:04
Brandon Krisztal
The tarnish.
00:09:48:04 - 00:09:53:05
CJ
It's you know, it's tarnished. In fact, I have to find it in order to give it to you.
00:09:53:05 - 00:09:54:02
Brandon Krisztal
That's how important it was.
00:09:54:06 - 00:10:21:27
CJ
But that's it. Listen, you know, I get it right. And his job is to go in and to create as little disruption as possible. Right. Make this thing feel like it's business as usual. That's it's. And I want to ask you, because you've been in these locker rooms, what about the rest of the guys who've been riding with Bo Nix all year long and, and in most cases for 2 to 4 years now?
00:10:22:05 - 00:10:46:12
CJ
What what does that do to them and their confidence, in that position, which bottom line is the most position on most important position on the field. What's what's it like for Nick Bonito and, Cooper and, you know, all the guys to what what what are they feeling right now in terms of the confidence that they have to win this football game?
00:10:46:15 - 00:11:15:14
Chad Brown
Well, these things go 1 or 2 ways within a locker room. Either guys are literally beginning to throw in the towel and looking at flights to Cabo in between meetings, when they get back into the locker room because they know their season's over. Or if I'm looking at this Broncos locker room correctly, considering how resilient they've been all year and how they're looking to find ways to win no matter what the circumstances, they're going to be a team that's like, well, I got to find a way to step up.
00:11:15:17 - 00:11:32:15
Chad Brown
I've got to play bigger. So Nick Benito and Jonathan Cooper, hey, a second, good enough. We need to get a sack stripped of ball. Give Jarrett Stidham a short field. Think of some points on the board. If I'm if I'm back in there in that secondary I get an interception. Let me find a way to take this thing back.
00:11:32:18 - 00:11:52:18
Chad Brown
Put some points on the board defensively if it's Courtland Sutton or Alvin Ingram we're probably be without Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant. So we got to find a way to step up doubly because we're missing some of those guys in our room. Plus we're missing our starting quarterback I got to get great separation. So he's a little earlier a little behind with the throw I can still make the catch.
00:11:52:25 - 00:12:02:24
Chad Brown
You've got to find a way to pull more out of yourself, not just because it's the AFC Championship, but because you were without the guy who's got it you to this incredible record in this incredible season this year.
00:12:02:27 - 00:12:16:06
CJ
Who is who is Jarrett Stidham? Who is Stinney. Look you you you're you're probably around this team more than anyone who's not a member of the team. I would even call you a member of the team.
00:12:16:06 - 00:12:17:11
Brandon Krisztal
And you I appreciate that.
00:12:17:13 - 00:12:18:22
CJ
I love Bronco.
00:12:18:25 - 00:12:23:27
Brandon Krisztal
Well, that's that's so nice. Like like, Myles and and some something that many miles.
00:12:23:29 - 00:12:27:09
CJ
I didn't say. I didn't say Miles. I said, man, you know, you're like.
00:12:27:16 - 00:12:29:21
Brandon Krisztal
The 54th guy. You're the 54th guy. That's like.
00:12:29:28 - 00:12:41:27
CJ
Who is Jarrett Stidham? And why might Broncos fans or NFL fans who are looking at this game, trying to figure out what the Denver Broncos are now without their starting quarterback? What would you tell them about Jarrett Stidham?
00:12:42:01 - 00:12:49:06
Brandon Krisztal
So a couple things, but steady as everybody calls him, including his head coach describes himself as a vibes guy and so when we go.
00:12:49:06 - 00:12:53:25
CJ
Into those backup quarterbacks by the way don't they didn't earn nicknames. But that's maybe that says.
00:12:53:25 - 00:13:12:13
Brandon Krisztal
That says a lot. That says something. You go into the locker room on typically a Wednesday, Thursday and especially on Friday because what happens is on Wednesdays and Thursdays are stuff going on outside at the podium, it's coach, it's Bo Nix, it's Cortland, it's two Thursdays, it's the coordinators. But there's stuff going on in locker room too.
00:13:12:18 - 00:13:23:13
Brandon Krisztal
But then on Friday it's just coach and then you're in the locker room. But all of those days, oftentimes city is literally playing music in the middle of the locker room. He's he's got a big speaker thing and he mixes it up. It's like he's just playing one team.
00:13:23:13 - 00:13:23:25
CJ
Deejay.
00:13:24:01 - 00:13:28:14
Brandon Krisztal
Music. Yeah, I don't know if he's officially team DJ, just kind of setting the vibe. Okay.
00:13:28:16 - 00:13:30:07
CJ
What what's on the playlist like, what would you hear?
00:13:30:08 - 00:13:43:16
Brandon Krisztal
I think it's all across the board. Country, hip hop, you know, you name it. Pop music. He's he's a equal opportunity. Listen to do. That was a really good high school quarterback in Stephenville, which is a, a powerhouse program. Every quarterback in Texas.
00:13:43:18 - 00:13:44:20
CJ
Sure 3D.
00:13:44:21 - 00:14:07:04
Brandon Krisztal
You go there, goes to Bay High School. He goes to Baylor, where he got caught up in all the Art Briles to browse the Stephenville legend. So it was kind of a pipeline. He then goes to Auburn, helps recruit Bo Nix. And as Chad mentioned, the the Patriots drafted him to potentially be Tom Brady's backup. So he spends two years there, then goes with Josh McDaniels to, to Vegas.
00:14:07:04 - 00:14:25:01
Brandon Krisztal
I think actually they're three years. But the third year didn't count because he was not on the active roster. Maybe he's practice squad, but then he goes to the Raiders. And then Josh wanted him back with the Raiders. But the Broncos offered him 12 million bucks to come here for 10 million bucks. And now he's making six years, making five year to maybe be the bridge quarterback if they want to move on from Russ, which they did.
00:14:25:01 - 00:14:44:06
Brandon Krisztal
And he was. And then if they drafted a rookie that wasn't ready yet to be the starter. And a lot of people, you know, and Sean does a good job of letting the national folks know what he thinks. But when we were at the combine a year ago, before they drafted Bo Nix a two combines ago, there were lots of national people going, hey, they really like city.
00:14:44:12 - 00:15:01:10
Brandon Krisztal
They like, because I think Sean would let them know they really like him. And and his teammates like him. Mike McGlinchey talked about it. Zach Allen and even Max Crosby, who played with him in Vegas, said he came in one of the few starts and lit up the Niners, which is a good defense every year for 300 plus yards and three touchdowns a couple of years ago.
00:15:01:13 - 00:15:20:04
CJ
Is is this wishful thinking, are we? Listen, there's nothing wrong with a glass half full sort of a mind set in situations like this. Nothing wrong with it at all. But is that what it is? Are we just looking at this saying, hey, listen, these are the these are the cards that we've been dealt. And so this is the hand we have to play.
00:15:20:06 - 00:15:39:29
CJ
And I want, I want to give you the best case scenario on how this thing can, can turn out, because beyond the praise, the fact of the matter is not. I want to sound like a downer here. I just want to be. I want the people out there to get an accurate picture. You guys are painting something that's perhaps a little fuzzy.
00:15:40:01 - 00:16:00:08
CJ
I just want an accurate picture as as much as there are, you know, good testimony on on what this guy has done from individuals. There is a record right there is evidence of something you mentioned, bc that Sean brought him in to be the bridge quarterback, shortest bridge in the history of the world, right? Not a lot of bridge there.
00:16:00:10 - 00:16:03:21
CJ
In fact, started a rookie quarterback. If my memory.
00:16:03:23 - 00:16:04:28
Brandon Krisztal
Of competition that Bo.
00:16:04:28 - 00:16:37:01
CJ
Won. That's exactly right. Doesn't mean that he's not an adequate backup quarterback. But yeah, and I don't want to belabor the the city. Excuse me, topic here, but I do think it is the the topic that's on everyone's mind who are the Denver Broncos with Jarrett Stidham as the quarterback. And so Chad I want you I want you to give us definitive word on Jarrett Stidham for the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game.
00:16:37:05 - 00:16:48:25
CJ
This is the definitive word Chad I'm leaning I'm counting on you because I know what BK is going to say I want to hear from you though. What what is what's it Broncos fans expect. What's that they hope for?
00:16:48:27 - 00:17:09:15
Chad Brown
Okay. Just to go back to the conversation about you stepping in for Garrett Hague in the national championship game that season. Hagan was banged up a number of times. You played in a number of games that year. So when you went into the game, we had tremendous confidence the rest of our teammates, but also you had confidence because you had played so much that year and won close game sports.
00:17:09:18 - 00:17:27:19
Chad Brown
So that's a little bit of a different situation. Same with the Nick Foles comparison. Same with the Jeff Hostetler Hostetler comparison. So it's not quite apples to apples there. But if I'm going to talk about this Jarrett Stidham start and this Bronco team this coming weekend. Someone is going to have to lean upon his defense and his run game.
00:17:27:26 - 00:17:46:08
Chad Brown
So we saw Sean Payton get away from the run game again last week. Bo Nix was a leading rusher last week. That obviously can't be the case where Jarrett Stidham is the leading rusher in the Broncos. Find a way to come out on top. Also, you can't ask Jared Stidham to throw 46 passes as Bo Nix was asked to throw last week.
00:17:46:10 - 00:18:04:27
Chad Brown
So it's going to have to be a lot more run sprinkled inconsistently. Maybe some play action, some jump, some shots down the field. But other than that, keep the chains moving. Short passes take what that Patriots defense gives you. Keep them honest. Throw an occasional deep ball to keep the safeties back so you can continue to run the football.
00:18:05:00 - 00:18:22:18
Chad Brown
But you've got one of the best defenses in the league. Advanced. Joseph can dial up a great game plan. So lean on that defense. Get some some of this run game going, which was starting to look pretty good before he got banged up. But now that he's back, let's lean upon it again here. And this particular game.
00:18:22:24 - 00:18:45:05
Chad Brown
And let's not ask Jared to do too much in his first game action since early like January of 2024 was last time he got any significant game action. So let's not ask too much of this guy. Let's ask so much of everyone else who's actually up to speed for my AFC Championship play level and intensity.
00:18:45:08 - 00:19:05:22
Brandon Krisztal
So a couple things about Stidham in the backup quarterback for Sean Payton specifically. And I'm going to lean on other people and borrow some of their info. But James Palmer Palmer's covered League Forever said that people that have played for Sean Payton. And this could be because James does a show with James Dean. I'm going to bring up Jason a second, but then it takes three years to really fully grasp Sean Payton's offense.
00:19:05:25 - 00:19:21:10
Brandon Krisztal
It's not that Bo is not ahead of the curve and in really good shape for just a second year pro, let alone second year guy in this offense, but that Stidham has been in it for three years. So he hasn't even bigger command. And so that is working in his favor. Sean Payton has lost Drew Brees a few times over the years.
00:19:21:14 - 00:19:42:02
Brandon Krisztal
Had lost Drew Brees. And whether it was Jameis Winston who I think went five and 2 or 7 and two. Teddy Bridgewater five and zero. There's Taysom Hill obviously you know they won some games there including here against against no quarterbacks. The one game that Kendall Hinton and Philip that's really the starting QB. That's right. But that in year three he's going to have a handle on it.
00:19:42:02 - 00:20:05:07
Brandon Krisztal
And that Sean is not uncomfortable with this. And then I mentioned Chase Daniel who was a backup for Sean a lot. And I heard Chase said that he thinks Sean will not just keep it conservative, that he will let Stidham use his arm talent. Some people think he has a stronger arm. The Bo Nix, who certainly has made some big time throws, but that he will try to stress the defense and be aggressive, not just let's be conservative.
00:20:05:07 - 00:20:24:19
Brandon Krisztal
We can get a first down here and there getting the field goal range, but no go try to score points and catch the Patriots off guard. Who might think that that city is is limited. Also, it's worth noting because Mike Vrabel brought it up. But Josh McDaniels has been twisted them a lot. So he knows who stadium is and who he isn't and what he's capable of.
00:20:24:24 - 00:20:31:09
Brandon Krisztal
So I don't know if it's going to totally catch him off guard. But the game plan calls for them to be aggressive. That might catch him off guard a little bit.
00:20:31:09 - 00:20:53:08
CJ
You know, that's interesting because that that I think what you just said and that mindset going into this game would worry me. It certainly worries me more. As a fan, I'm thinking Chad's analysis, being a bit more conservative and quite frankly, most people will say you should have been a little more conservative when Bo was healthy.
00:20:53:08 - 00:21:19:26
CJ
Right. And I think the games, a number of games we've seen this year, sometimes in the balance because of that lack of complementary football where you say, okay, we'll get it back, okay. We don't have to, we don't have to be a throw caution to the wind or get any sort of ruts where, you look at the game this past weekend, Saturday, 46 pass attempts, 22 rushing attempts, I think.
00:21:20:03 - 00:21:22:27
CJ
But 12 of the 22 were where Bo Nix.
00:21:22:28 - 00:21:42:16
Brandon Krisztal
Well, but so let me ask you, Chad, because Sean always talks about it's matchup dependent or who are we playing against. That's why we might go for it on fourth down. Or you look at the very vanilla game plan against the Chiefs and against the Chargers. Now those are backup quarterbacks. But against the Patriots whom we know can score, they've got two capable running backs.
00:21:42:18 - 00:21:58:01
Brandon Krisztal
An okay receiving corps not a great receiving corps. Stefon Diggs and still make plays. The booty kid looked awesome. Hunter Henry in the in you know in Hooper as the tight ends. But do they go back to that game plan that they had against the Chiefs and charged with a letter defense. Keep us in it. And then what.
00:21:58:03 - 00:22:10:18
Brandon Krisztal
Now part of that is Bo's got fourth quarter clutch magic if you will. Or that we've seen that clutch gene there. We know he has or not because he hasn't really been put in that situation. Bo has over and over and has passed that test.
00:22:10:20 - 00:22:28:20
Chad Brown
If you go to look at this game plan, this football team, I think you've got to recognize that going into this game. Jarrett Stidham is the biggest unknown. So to hitch your wagon fully to the biggest unknown on your roster and say we're going to do the same things we've always done, I'm not going to ask anything different.
00:22:28:24 - 00:22:50:06
Chad Brown
Anybody else. We're going to ask this guy who hasn't started the game, in two seasons, essentially to suddenly be just like Bo Nix. That's coaching dereliction of duty. And in my mind, yeah. Does he have some arm talent? Can he sling the ball a bit around the yard? Yes. Is he better than most backup quarterbacks? Could he start for some teams in the league?
00:22:50:06 - 00:23:12:12
Chad Brown
All that can be true. But you suddenly say, you know what? This train's going one direction and you got to hop on it and be like the other guy. That's not how it's supposed to work as a coach. If you're going to look at the opponent, who they are, what they are, situational, all those kind of things. You've also got to look at your players, your quarterback and go, okay, this is not the same guy as Bo Nix.
00:23:12:19 - 00:23:32:09
Chad Brown
What can I do from a game? Paul Lane calling standpoint, from a playcalling standpoint, to make this guy as successful as possible. And you can't. To my mind, it's going to be around the football that's going to be play action pass. That's going to be lean on the defense, that's going to be to shorten the game. So we don't end up with 46 pass attempts, so we end up with 25 and 27.
00:23:32:09 - 00:23:34:17
Chad Brown
Is the ideal window for me.
00:23:34:19 - 00:23:46:08
CJ
In the postgame press conference, I think it was the postgame press conference. You know, two things sort of obviously stuck out, stuck out. The big one is, was the announcement of Bo Nix injury.
00:23:46:08 - 00:23:49:00
Brandon Krisztal
So the second press conference because he had double shot.
00:23:49:03 - 00:24:11:21
CJ
Yeah. The press conference. At the press conference. But the the injury itself. Right. I'm thinking, oh, that's obviously not good. The second thing that sort of got my attention is when Sean Payton said the basically I look at this is we have two quarterbacks that could, you know, in essence, he drew no distinction I get it.
00:24:11:27 - 00:24:44:26
CJ
You don't want to alarm your team or your fan base by saying, hey, this is going to be a negative for us moving forward. And this is a hurdle we have to overcome. You don't want to, you know, put that in the public. But my concern was and Chad just alluded to it a little bit. Oh. He doesn't see a distinction or any adjustment that might be made in the game plan to protect the guy who hadn't played for, almost two years.
00:24:44:29 - 00:25:11:20
CJ
And so I'm thinking, and we won't see it unfold. Perhaps he's been a little coy little cat mouse with with, with New England here. But if if in fact, he believes that and move forward as if there is no distinction between a guy who's been your starter for a few years now and a guy who hasn't played in a couple, that is an alarm.
00:25:11:20 - 00:25:15:12
CJ
That's an alarm bell for me. I hope he's playing cat mouse with this.
00:25:15:15 - 00:25:32:02
Brandon Krisztal
Well, and the other thing too, looking at the backup quarterbacks that I brought up, obviously Taysom Hill played plenty of gadget plays, but Teddy Bridgewater had been a first round pick and a starter in the league. Jameis Winston clearly a first round pick and a starter. So Sean gave them quarterback rehab just like we think he gave Zach Wilson last year.
00:25:32:09 - 00:25:53:03
Brandon Krisztal
But when Miami abandon ship with two of this year they play. I understand Ewers was a rookie. And so like let's see what he got this rookie. But Zach Wilson was there and they paid him a few million bucks. And the Broncos wanted them back. And they're happy to have Sam Ellinger who the Colts wanted to sign. And Sam wanted to stay here, maybe because he thought the Broncos could go farther, having no idea if he would ever be needed.
00:25:53:03 - 00:26:10:29
Brandon Krisztal
And certainly Sam Ellinger has to be ready to go to that's guys. Really started a few games in league more recently than than he has. But when you look at the value of a backup quarterback. So whether it was Chase Daniel who had other options but then jumping ahead to and it was Mark Brunell, I had to chase Daniel actually back in Brees up when they won the Super Bowl.
00:26:11:02 - 00:26:28:13
Brandon Krisztal
But paying Teddy Bridgewater paying Jameis paying I think Andy Dalton was there for a little bit. You're paying these guys more than you're normally often paying a backup QB because they're a cut above. And like Chad said they could start like if you're the Cardinals well we'll see it unfold a little bit in it is in AFC title game.
00:26:28:15 - 00:26:50:20
Brandon Krisztal
Jacoby Brissett was as good if not better than Kyler. But if Stidham plays really well even in the loss, you say hey let's trade for him. If you're not drafting a quarterback or if you're the Dolphins who don't know what they're doing, even though you have Zach Wilson, Stidham has a chance to I think maybe backup his own statement which when people took it wrong I think Chad you I was doing daily radio when this happened a year ago.
00:26:50:22 - 00:27:06:20
Brandon Krisztal
City after finding out he lost the the battle said I think I'm a starter in this league. And everybody took it as, oh, I think I'm better than Bo, which isn't what he was saying. He's saying, I think I'm one of the 32 best Cubs, 380 million people in America. We still can't find 32. We can't even really find 10 or 12 good quarterbacks.
00:27:06:22 - 00:27:19:28
Brandon Krisztal
But is he? If he's 27 or 32, he may not be wrong. He's just lower than Bo, and he happens to be just like if he were in Kansas City, he would be behind Mahomes. But that doesn't mean he's not good enough to start 4 or 5 other places.
00:27:19:28 - 00:27:46:18
CJ
Well, I think he said it best there. Probably 16 like quality quarterbacks in the league. And obviously there's a lot of room for, for improvement at the quarterback position. It's just that difficult a position to play. And so sure, steady along with probably every other backup quarterback in the league, is saying I'm one of the top 36.
00:27:46:18 - 00:27:48:24
Brandon Krisztal
Million bucks a year. All I'm saying.
00:27:48:27 - 00:28:02:22
CJ
Well, I mean, let me ask you this. And perhaps the the money will be earned this weekend, right? Like, because there's nothing that I've, there's nothing that any of the fans have seen as a Bronco that says he's earned that in preseason.
00:28:02:22 - 00:28:16:11
Brandon Krisztal
He he he looked good in preseason. But we we could run the list down and people have looked great in preseason. He look better than Bo in the preseason games. But again he was playing two versus 2 or 2 and a half against three at time, you know. Well I think that was a grain of salt.
00:28:16:12 - 00:28:21:03
CJ
I'm gonna switch real quick because at some point I do. Chad, did you have anything left? Anything else on steady.
00:28:21:05 - 00:28:45:12
Chad Brown
Yeah. My thoughts are the Broncos are not going to win or lose this game based off of steady. He will be good. Not great. Not awful. He'll be good. As a you would expect your backup quarterback who you value and you're paying all this money to form a backup standpoint, and you're hand-selected by the one of the coaches most dialed into the quarterback position in all the league and Sean Payton.
00:28:45:14 - 00:29:05:23
Chad Brown
So all that's going to fit this game is going to be won or lost by other parts of the game. So all this conversation about Jarrett Stidham as if he was going to somehow rise above Drake Maye, who's a candidate for league MVP, who could be the best quarterback in the league going into next season? It just doesn't it doesn't add up.
00:29:05:25 - 00:29:15:24
Chad Brown
Jarrett Stidham is not going to beat Drake May. It's going to be the Denver Broncos and Jarrett Stidham doing his job. That could have the possibility of beating Drake Maye in the Patriots.
00:29:15:27 - 00:29:27:00
CJ
Well that actually bodes well if if Jets Denham is good not great good not bad. Check positive for the Denver Broncos.
00:29:27:00 - 00:29:48:01
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. And our friend here Sherry Carter has thrown a bunch comments up. But one of them is that talk about the Broncos hitting the Patriots QB and how much Drake Maye takes shots. And he's leading the league in fumbles for quarterback. After the other days up to 14. I think 14 lost. He put four on the carpet and grabbed two and the Texans grabbed two.
00:29:48:01 - 00:30:07:01
Brandon Krisztal
He threw an interception. A lot to be made about their schedule, but he hasn't played defenses like the Broncos other than the other day against the Texans. And I understand Will Anderson Daniel Hunter are different. They get home with for a lot. But the Broncos get home with four as much as anyone. And then obviously DJ can can dial it up from anywhere.
00:30:07:04 - 00:30:22:29
Brandon Krisztal
I think that it's going to be a longer day for mostly, I guess, Will Campbell, the rookie left tackle who we think is going to be okay. First rounder, but he had a rough one the other day. It's not getting easier this week, so that should allow you to hopefully if you can be aggressive. The Broncos were maybe at times overly aggressive.
00:30:22:29 - 00:30:42:09
Brandon Krisztal
And we know that's kind of Hufanga is calling card, maybe Alex Singleton. And that's why I think they're vulnerable at times. And Chad, you can speak to this better on the edges. But they were violent. We saw that. And if they're violent again on Sunday, and I understand whether may have played a little bit of part in what happened Sunday in, in Foxborough with the snow and moisture.
00:30:42:09 - 00:30:47:12
Brandon Krisztal
But if they're not violent that bodes well for the Broncos as well.
00:30:47:14 - 00:31:10:18
CJ
Look, I will say this and you're absolutely right I think the Broncos dodged the bullet this past week. Not because Buffalo was a better team than New England, but because that quarterback threatens the strength of your team and a very, very unique. When we saw it, there were times where he got the better of the Broncos defense because that's just what he's capable of.
00:31:10:25 - 00:31:31:20
CJ
And then there were times where the Broncos forced him into some, some bad plays. And you look, I know there's a lot of controversy about the, the, the, the interception that, you know, could go either way. I've been arguing ever since it happened that I think it was the right call. But that aside, I do think you're absolutely right.
00:31:31:24 - 00:32:07:24
CJ
The good news for the Broncos is Drake Maye, in a lot of ways, is a more traditional target for a very aggressive defense. He's likely to be where he's supposed to be. When the Broncos pin their ears back and do what they're best in league at. And that's sacking the quarterback. Causing turnovers, perhaps is an opportunity for this team as well, much like they did against Josh Allen but said from a defensive perspective, a team that fashions itself as sort of leans on the ability to wreak havoc and caused distractions for the opposition's quarterback.
00:32:07:26 - 00:32:29:12
CJ
How do you compare these to looking at what Josh Allen presented to this defense and the challenge that Drake made this weekend? Because I think with all the quarterback talk, rightfully so. And again, this the third time I said, you've kind of made the point, which that has never happened on the show that we've been on. But that said, you're right.
00:32:29:12 - 00:32:42:15
CJ
Like this game should if it's a Denver Bronco type game, the storyline is the Denver Broncos defense against this, New England Patriots offense and Drake may.
00:32:42:18 - 00:32:47:24
Chad Brown
Well, I think you're asking me for a comparison between Josh Allen and Drake Maye.
00:32:47:26 - 00:32:52:09
CJ
As a as a relates to what the Denver Broncos defense do in terms of its strength.
00:32:52:10 - 00:32:56:16
Brandon Krisztal
And we're also gonna acknowledge that Drake may might be the MVP this year Chad.
00:32:56:19 - 00:33:15:18
Chad Brown
Right. So he might be the MVP. Josh Allen was a former MVP. Drake Maye can make plays with his legs. Not as powerfully, not as, as a short yardage or goal line runner like Josh Allen can, but he can certainly make plays with his legs, escape the pocket kids got a pretty good feel for all of that.
00:33:15:20 - 00:33:37:01
Chad Brown
I think the surrounding cast for Drake Maye is better than what Josh Allen had out there. Josh Allen lost three receivers in the two weeks before this Bronco game. So, a healthier group for New England. And so that makes me think that, although Josh Allen felt the need to go Superman mode at some point, he did.
00:33:37:04 - 00:33:58:10
Chad Brown
And also led to him trying to do too much. I don't think Drake Maye is going to feel that same pressure to try to do too much. And again, we don't have to go back very far to look at the Jacksonville game with Trevor Lawrence and see what they did against this Broncos defense. Jacksonville was fine for Trevor Lawrence to get sacked.
00:33:58:13 - 00:34:17:04
Chad Brown
He got sacked four times in that game. They weren't like the same here. Sacked Trevor Lawrence. But they weren't going with Max protection. They weren't keeping both backs and the tight end. Then they weren't doing all these crazy protection schemes to deal with Vance Joseph and the pass rush from the Denver Broncos. They recognize those dudes are going to get theirs.
00:34:17:06 - 00:34:33:24
Chad Brown
But we got to find a way to get ours and they end up with six pass plays down the field of 20 plus yards or more. So if you look at a sack of maybe 7 or 8 yards versus six plays of 20 plus yards or more, I mean, we all can do math. The math is on the explosive plays.
00:34:33:27 - 00:35:01:21
Chad Brown
And so I think, Mike, that's not going to be lost. On Josh McDaniels and Mike Vrabel. Yeah, Nick Benito and Jonathan Cooper are going to be impossible to contain all game long. But so is Stephon Gilmore and so is Hunter Henry. They're going to be impossible to contain all game long. We'll take our chances going down the field to get some explosive plays against this Broncos defense, which gave up a ton of explosive plays to the Buffalo Bills last week.
00:35:01:24 - 00:35:22:23
Brandon Krisztal
Well, and maybe you're even less worried about Diggs like you saw it with the other JaMarcus Diggs stuff. Diggs. But the point being, if he's are number one and he stays number one, you know if he's outside pats on him probably a fair amount. But it was Parker Washington who was the leading receiver for as well as Jacoby Myers played.
00:35:22:23 - 00:35:41:24
Brandon Krisztal
And I guess he got the in the middle of the year. And Brian Thomas has talent in year two, although there's clear drop off Travis Hunter early. Although we never saw the buff after he got hurt. Parker Washington destroyed the Broncos that day. He was the key to that passing game. So that almost makes me worry more about the booty kid, who had a couple scores the other day and played well.
00:35:41:26 - 00:35:57:12
Brandon Krisztal
And so then that becomes Riley on him. Some Jay Mack on him some. And so Diggs not that Diggs won't get a catch or two, but if Pat's on him that's about all he's going to get. We just know we do know what time it is there when Pat's on you. But I want to ask about Josh because Chad, you were there when Josh was still the play caller, right, in New England.
00:35:57:15 - 00:36:00:08
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. And so.
00:36:00:11 - 00:36:06:03
CJ
A Chad played for every coach in the nationals.
00:36:06:06 - 00:36:23:19
Brandon Krisztal
Well, not anymore. All these dudes are 30 years old. He can play for Liam Cunningham, play for. But we spent so much time talking about Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan and their Tre and that offensive creativity. And Sean even though he comes from Gruden and Andy Reid and Andy Reid you know but and but Sean Payton is in a different world.
00:36:23:23 - 00:36:40:23
Brandon Krisztal
Josh is kind of on his own island because he's not from anybody's tree other than he's with Belichick forever. But I remember hearing like Chris Simms talk about the best play callers in the league. And this is maybe before he got the the Raiders job. But it's it's Sean Payton Sean McVay Kyle Shanahan Andy Reid and Josh McDaniels in that group in Denver.
00:36:40:23 - 00:36:56:03
Brandon Krisztal
It's so easy for us to remember Josh McDaniels a failed head coach. And then you fast forward to leaving the Colts at the altar. But the time in Saint Louis after getting fired here wasn't great. They didn't have a lot to work with. But he wasn't great. You might had Sam Bradford I guess at the end of his knees.
00:36:56:05 - 00:37:19:18
Brandon Krisztal
And then in Vegas it didn't go great. But as far as an offensive coordinator and play call, I get a Tom Brady for a lot of it. Where it where do you value? Because I'm gonna ask I'm gonna ask Sean about this tomorrow. But where do you value Josh McDaniels, the play caller and the game plan, approach that he takes as the offensive coordinator there for so many great, great offenses there in in New England Chad.
00:37:19:20 - 00:37:38:06
Chad Brown
Top seven at least maybe top five play caller in the league. And part of that is because and one of the reasons people don't mention a system with him is because he's off the Bill Belichick tree. You know Belichick trees there's no system there. It's we take a look at what we have. We take a look at what you have.
00:37:38:09 - 00:37:54:26
Chad Brown
And we take a look at what you've got difficulty defending what you do well. And we try to do the opposite. So again an example I often give is when I was with the Patriots and we played the Pittsburgh Steelers on a on a Monday night game. And the Steelers had the number one ranked run defense in the league.
00:37:54:28 - 00:38:12:17
Chad Brown
So what does Tom Brady and, Josh McDaniels do? They throw the ball for the first 30 plays of the game. As Bill said all week, we're not going to slam our head to a brick wall. That's just silly. And so we were we were able to take advantage of that Steelers defense by throwing the ball 30 times in one game.
00:38:12:19 - 00:38:31:08
Chad Brown
Is it outside of conventional football wisdom to do that? Yeah. But when you got the number one ranked run defense, do you try to run the ball against them? You do something else. So Josh is going to look at this Broncos defense. He's going to look particularly at what the success the Buffalo Bills that they had a number of explosive runs.
00:38:31:10 - 00:38:49:20
Chad Brown
They had a number of explosive plays where those plays come from. Why was the Broncos defense given that up. That part of that you alluded to earlier because the aggressive nature of guys like a fungo who could miss a tackle in the hole because he's being so aggressive, maybe overaggressive on a pass coverage opportunity. So they're going to look at those kind of things.
00:38:49:20 - 00:39:05:10
Chad Brown
So the game plan is not based off a style. It's based off of what we got. Who do you have and what's going to give us best chances for success. And I think that's what makes Josh so great is because you can't just say, if we take away these three things, they're not going to be very good.
00:39:05:15 - 00:39:12:22
Chad Brown
Great. Take away those things. We assume you're going to try to take away those things. Therefore we're going to hit you with this counterpunch over here.
00:39:12:25 - 00:39:33:09
CJ
You know, Chad, I like how you broke that down. You know, arguably the greatest coach to ever coach. Certainly football certainly in the National Football League. His system is common sense that teams really good at stopping the run. We're going to throw it. That team is really good at getting after my pass. You know my passer. And we can't you know get the ball downfield.
00:39:33:14 - 00:39:50:21
CJ
We're going to run it. And in in a lot of ways I think football really is at the end of the day kind of just that simple. If there are seven guys on that side of the ball and four over here, I think my chances are better to go to where the four are and not to where the seven are from if I'm on the offensive side.
00:39:50:21 - 00:40:15:21
CJ
And so, there is a lot of common sense that I think we, we miss a don't apply. We talk about football. Now, I will say this about the Denver Broncos. They out here getting coaches fired and carrying on dealing with, you know, messing with people's livelihoods. But before we get to that, before we get to that, I do want to give a shout out to my folks out at Golf Dan Golf Das dan.com is where you want to go right now.
00:40:15:21 - 00:40:35:28
CJ
The eight concourse at the Denver airport is where you will find golf. Dan. It is the coolest simulation golf environment you're going to find. And when you get the airport flight delayed or whatever the case may be, get there early and get you some swings in BK, I, I, I absolutely recommend that you spend a little bit more time at golf.
00:40:35:28 - 00:40:53:11
CJ
Dan here's another cool deal. When I was last at golf there and what I noticed, families in their kids get a little bit bored. They get a little bit antsy, take them over the golf stand again, the A concourse at Denver Airport, golf bass den.com. You can find all the specials there, but that's where you want to be.
00:40:53:18 - 00:41:16:12
CJ
Take the family. Get there about an hour early before your flight. 90 minutes, and go get yourself a few swings and work on that game before the weather breaks here in the beautiful Mile High City. So I wanted to give a shout out to my folks, have it golfed in, but, McDermott, the former football coach for the Buffalo Bills, real quick, guys, did that make sense?
00:41:16:12 - 00:41:22:06
CJ
Was that something that you got you all thought was the right move for the Buffalo Bills to.
00:41:22:08 - 00:41:49:06
Chad Brown
I think it was. And last Buffalo won the Super Bowl or at least went to the Super Bowl year this year. That was going to happen. I think they recognized that they were reaching the limits with him as the head coach. So while we certainly can say the Broncos cause this this has been building for a while, when you've got a franchise quarterback who then his franchise quarterback window and you're paying them franchise quarterback money, you got to go more than eight and eight in the playoffs with this guy.
00:41:49:12 - 00:42:08:06
Chad Brown
So the bills made the right choice. They've got to move on. And I've got to think because of Josh Allen because of a steady ownership group, because of a new stadium and all those things that are happening with this franchise, they will be at towards the top of the coaching hiring cycle. As far as picking the best coach for them.
00:42:08:09 - 00:42:25:19
Brandon Krisztal
Well, you have to wonder if John Harbaugh, though it sounds like he really just wanted to be a giant as much as anything, and that certainly the folks in New York are spinning it. But he's a football historian, and that's why he was quoted as talking about the New York Football Giants. I think he had his opening presser today, but this is even leading up to that.
00:42:25:22 - 00:42:44:15
Brandon Krisztal
But over and over he kept saying the New York football Giants. But both he and Stefanski, who are certainly high on the list of available coaches, took their jobs New York and Atlanta. And then Sean McDermott gets fired, especially Stefanski, who's like, God dang, I've already been living in Cleveland. Buffalo and Cleveland are similar. Cleveland has an NBA team and a baseball team and a casino.
00:42:44:15 - 00:43:05:28
Brandon Krisztal
I guess they both have casinos right? Downtown. And on on a great lake. Cold in the winter. But I got Josh Allen. Okay. Give it give me that. Nonetheless. Those are two off the off the table. But you hear Brian de Boer's name because of how well he got along with with Josh Joe Brady's there. Maybe Josh comes in and pushes forms like just let Joe run the show.
00:43:06:00 - 00:43:24:09
Brandon Krisztal
Go find the defensive coach that you want or keep whoever. Or maybe it's Davis Webb who's one of Josh's best friends. And they go, we're gonna get a 30 year old who's going to be our coach here for 15 years. But I think with McDermott, it's, you know, somebody pointed out John Fox went to the Super Bowl, won the division three times with Peyton Manning but loses to the Colts.
00:43:24:11 - 00:43:39:27
Brandon Krisztal
They move on from Harbaugh gets let go because in 18 years. But in eight with Lamar you don't even get to a Super Bowl let alone have a chance to win one. And so this is where they're like, it's not good enough when we've got these guys. Would the Cardinals the Dolphins haven't won a playoff game since 2000.
00:43:40:02 - 00:43:43:08
Brandon Krisztal
Would they take multiple trips to the playoffs the way Buffalo has?
00:43:43:08 - 00:43:44:07
CJ
Sure, absolutely.
00:43:44:09 - 00:43:54:15
Brandon Krisztal
But it's different in different places. And when you've got maybe the best quarterback in the league, you cannot sit around and wait for it to get figured out or hope that, oh, next year's are year. Yeah.
00:43:54:19 - 00:44:19:15
CJ
You know, I will say this. It's so entry. So interesting how sort of fate plays out. You look at this guy and two games come to mind that quite frankly, you know, I think contributed to his circumstance being fired. After this Broncos loss, one his team having a lead. And it was the AFC Championship.
00:44:19:21 - 00:44:21:14
Brandon Krisztal
Championship game in Kansas City. And with.
00:44:21:14 - 00:44:22:17
CJ
13 seconds, 13.
00:44:22:17 - 00:44:24:09
Brandon Krisztal
Seconds, 2019 season.
00:44:24:14 - 00:44:25:12
CJ
That's just bad.
00:44:25:12 - 00:44:26:13
Brandon Krisztal
In the 20 Super Bowl.
00:44:26:13 - 00:44:50:20
CJ
Yeah, that's just bad luck. And you fast forward to this past weekend. There is a very controversial call that if it goes his way, he wins that game. And so we're talking about you know people say it's a game of inches. It is absolutely that. And if those two circumstances both beyond his control end up differently, we're probably not having this.
00:44:50:25 - 00:45:16:15
CJ
In fact, I would harken to say we're absolutely not having this conversation that said, we know what the outcomes were. And, you know, so it's kind of like on one hand, I hear what you all are saying, but if we actually replayed how this whole thing went down, it's it's less about competence and more about luck. He was just not lucky.
00:45:16:15 - 00:45:40:04
CJ
I mean, he he got the the raw end of the stick on this one man. And so as a result, he's a former head coach at this point. Another name that you mentioned that I can understand, by the way, just to set up the coaching carousel, I think at one point or at no point where there are ten jobs open at one time, but there are a total of ten jobs that have opened up in terms the most ever.
00:45:40:04 - 00:45:54:19
Brandon Krisztal
It's tied for the most ever a couple times. 78 right after the Broncos loss to the Cowboys and Super Bowl. That cycle had ten. But they're only 28 teams maybe at the time. Right. And then it's happened maybe once or twice ever, I think maybe 2012 or something. Right.
00:45:54:19 - 00:45:55:18
CJ
So it.
00:45:55:18 - 00:45:56:02
Brandon Krisztal
Doesn't happen a.
00:45:56:02 - 00:46:13:13
CJ
Lot. That's right. So we got ten openings now. You mentioned the name that I'm still shake I'm scratching my head on one hand. And it also it's also sort of proof positive of how how these coaching hires work. Right. Like Kevin Stefanski.
00:46:13:15 - 00:46:15:11
Brandon Krisztal
Two time coach of the year.
00:46:15:13 - 00:46:17:24
CJ
And a lot of time failure of the year.
00:46:18:00 - 00:46:34:00
Brandon Krisztal
Right. Well I mean he was there after the Deshaun thing. Where do you come down on Kevin Stefanski as a coach. What was it. Look Shelby Harris who obviously is a big part of what we do loves Kevin raves about him and a lot of his players do the Deshaun thing. He doesn't have his fingerprints on on the trade.
00:46:34:03 - 00:46:37:29
Brandon Krisztal
Not getting more out of him before he got hurt I don't know. But where do you come down on Stefanski?
00:46:37:29 - 00:47:00:18
Chad Brown
Chad I think he's a good head coach as I think Salima Dermott is a good head coach. I got a more positive feeling about Kevin Stefanski than I do about Sean McDermott. So many things were lined up with the Josh Allen thing for Sean McDermott. Kevin Stefanski has yet to really have that opportunity. But I love some of the things that he does, particularly from the offensive perspective.
00:47:00:18 - 00:47:13:18
Chad Brown
So, I think his hire was a good one. And I think he'll bring success with them. Where Sean McDermott ends up, I he may have to go back down to the coordinator slot before he gets another head coach opportunity.
00:47:13:21 - 00:47:33:12
CJ
You know, it's interesting I think Kevin Stefanski as as I think just echoed on this show gets the benefit of gets the benefit of perception. Right. There's a benefit there in my opinion. Listen the bloom has come off the rose of the the coach of the year thing. That was what, six years ago?
00:47:33:18 - 00:47:36:19
Brandon Krisztal
Well, you want it twice now. One of them was just a few years ago when they were in Vegas. You wanted that your.
00:47:36:19 - 00:47:39:01
CJ
Texas overall record?
00:47:39:03 - 00:47:53:23
Brandon Krisztal
It's got to be under 500 just because it is that they go to the playoffs. And with Baker beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh. But maybe that's one of the more interesting things that you couldn't figure it out with the number one pick, who clearly hasn't had plenty more good football left in. I'm sure you've seen from Baker.
00:47:53:23 - 00:48:11:07
Brandon Krisztal
I understand that it didn't work out this year for the bucks, but they've gone to the playoffs. He obviously nobody ever seemed to play well in Carolina until now. Bryce Young a little bit in cam but that he couldn't figure it out with Baker the number one overall pick that you couldn't extend that and never even have to make the Watson trade because he had Myles Garrett.
00:48:11:10 - 00:48:29:26
Brandon Krisztal
So you have Baker and Myles Garrett. You can't have too much better building blocks I wouldn't think if you're a franchise right you'd feel good about right now most teams would. And so I'm kind of with you on Stefanski. To me, I think he's a good coach. I don't know if he's a great coach, but Jeff Haslett getting the job right away was interesting to me.
00:48:29:29 - 00:48:43:12
Brandon Krisztal
Pat Packer's, he's been good and been great, but the hiring assistant GM and and he goes to Miami and immediately Jeff happily gets the job. The one thing I was gonna say was, with all these jobs available still six available, Pittsburgh is one we're not really talking about. That's right.
00:48:43:12 - 00:48:44:06
CJ
Half to the.
00:48:44:06 - 00:49:09:10
Brandon Krisztal
Dolphins. And then Robert Saleh yesterday to the Titans is where does Vance Joseph shake out in this? It feels like Arizona again is is at the bottom of the list. But they in Cleveland don't get to pick first unless they just run another guy throw a bunch of money. And that coach is excited to be there. But the Raiders were in Miami taking some meetings, I think, with some of these, assistants on either the first or a second meeting and watching Fernando Mendoza.
00:49:09:10 - 00:49:29:07
Brandon Krisztal
But are the Raiders willing to wait for Vance Joseph for Clint Kubiak because they can't talk to him again until next week, just by league rules. After they were able to talk that first week, they got to go two four weeks without being able to talk to him. If you're a team still in the playoffs or if they wanted to talk to had they talk to someone from the Patriots or the the Rams, the passing game coordinator for the Rams.
00:49:29:07 - 00:49:41:12
Brandon Krisztal
He can't talk to anybody this week. Right. She has he has to wait until next week. Are the Raiders willing to wait? Are the Ravens. We don't know much about what the Ravens are doing other than we heard a second interview is coming for Joe Brady. But if you're Joe Brady, do you leave Buffalo to go to Baltimore?
00:49:41:12 - 00:50:08:03
Brandon Krisztal
Do you at least let it play out in Buffalo? And then we also saw Anthony Weaver, who was the Dolphins coordinator the last couple years, played for Baltimore, coached in Baltimore. He's also getting a secondary blast at the end of their list of second interviews. So are the Ravens willing to wait? Because last week, their owner, Steve Bashara, who almost never meets the media, said he's interested in former head coach is it didn't have a good quarterback situation 5 or 6 years ago, and three, Vance Joseph is at least on that list, right?
00:50:08:07 - 00:50:26:29
Brandon Krisztal
So does Vijay. We'll see about Arizona. They know him. They don't need to race to interview him. The owner knows them, GM knows him. They interviewed him twice last time around. But Ravens and Raiders is still in the mix. There. When a new job opens up, you never anybody get fired. But in this case, it's good for someone like Vijay or Clint Kubiak because it's just taking a little longer to fill all the chair.
00:50:27:02 - 00:51:00:06
CJ
Well, and Ted, given the fact that those two because point chairs have not yet been filled, it's fair to, I guess, conclude perhaps that that bodes well for coaches who are still coaching because they can't fill the chair until, as as Mark just mentioned this next, the AFC, the AFC, an NFC Championship games have been played. There's that one week gap between the Super Bowl, the Avs, the championship games and the Super Bowl, which allows coaches to travel and to sit down and do face to face interviews.
00:51:00:06 - 00:51:12:16
Brandon Krisztal
And it's all going to be announced, which is why Kellen Moore didn't get announced up to the Super Bowl stake in Gannon. But it gets known. And that's why they stopped doing interviews like, okay, we expect to see that's one more in New Orleans. That's why they aren't still interviewing people.
00:51:12:18 - 00:51:38:10
CJ
How does that bode and how does this again the coaching there is no science to this stuff right. You know who who went to school with who who knows who who worked with the like the half, the hired. I mean, I'm like, what the who like what? And but that being said, that's just the nature of this. This is a people's business, or people business.
00:51:38:12 - 00:51:48:13
CJ
How does that bode for a guy like V.J. in your mind? With six jobs still open as we, approach the, AFC championship game this weekend.
00:51:48:16 - 00:52:03:08
Chad Brown
I think, Vijay, it has to be at the top of people's list. Obviously, I think folks recognize the lack of opportunity he had and his first time go around as far as hiring his own coaches and even playing some of the players he wanted to play. So that's got to be viewed with a bit of a grain of salt.
00:52:03:08 - 00:52:25:29
Chad Brown
There. Now, something that's lost in all this is, as we were talking about Kevin Stefanski. I looked up his record. He was 45 and 56 as a head coach, but he was in the AFC North. Gosh, Baltimore and Lamar Jackson dominated that division. While early on his career, Kevin Stefanski Pittsburgh was still pretty darn good. Joe Burrow was also in that division.
00:52:25:29 - 00:52:47:12
Chad Brown
So as much as I want our boy Vijay to get an awesome job and awesome opportunity is the Raiders, that opportunity where you got a guy who's part time broadcaster, part time owner telling you what to do, and he's not even in the building the whole time. You don't have a quarterback. You know, there's a lot of dysfunction over there.
00:52:47:14 - 00:53:05:10
Chad Brown
And and plus he would get he would immediately come into a division with Justin Herbert. Both mix and Patrick Mahomes. So again, I, I love EJ, I want him to get a job. But I'm not sure if that Raiders job is a job that would give him the best chance for long term success.
00:53:05:12 - 00:53:16:27
CJ
What would be the best spot would be the best job for long as you predict. And I'd love to get you a pin on this, too. Since you bring it up. What? What do you think? What job would be the best for a long term success?
00:53:17:00 - 00:53:41:08
Chad Brown
I think a Baltimore would be great. You got. You got a division that's in flux from a head coaching standpoint. You've got, you got a quarterback in the division who is questioning whether he wants to keep going in Joe Burrow, you got a quarterback on that roster in Baltimore who's a former MVP who needs a little bit more, I think of, a brother to put his arm around him and say, hey, man, this is how we got to do this.
00:53:41:11 - 00:54:01:26
Chad Brown
And not whatever Harbaugh was doing. The last couple of years with Lamar Jackson. So that would be a great opportunity for success. He got an owner who knows what he's doing and owner of this one Championships, a front office that is tremendous at drafting players and getting the maximum out of the draft process. The Ravens usually are the top two teams in the league with compensatory draft picks.
00:54:01:28 - 00:54:14:02
Chad Brown
So they're that's an organization that knows how to do it right. And it's an opportunity, not division, while everyone else is down to get on top and keep kicking them while they're down so you can stay on top.
00:54:14:04 - 00:54:29:12
Brandon Krisztal
I'll play devil's advocate for what makes the Raiders at least appealing, and this isn't a scenario where he just doesn't give the Ravens job, but the Raiders offer it to him is Max Crosby is certainly a cornerstone of that defense. And you can do one of two things. You can keep him there. He wants to be a Raider.
00:54:29:18 - 00:54:45:02
Brandon Krisztal
He looks like a Raider. But you can also trade him and probably add some value there. They have to get better up front. But I think wherever Vijay goes, he's going to follow Sean Payton's model, which is the Bill Belichick Bill Parcells model. We're going to be good upfront and good on both sides of the ball. So they will spend free agent dollars there.
00:54:45:02 - 00:55:03:14
Brandon Krisztal
They will draft there. And by the way, they're going to have the top pick in each round. And or May because I don't even know that's a coin flip but definitely the first pick. So Jim Mendoza for now we can argue that or talk about that later. But they also have the most money to spend in free agency in a place people want to live with no state income tax.
00:55:03:17 - 00:55:24:00
Brandon Krisztal
And so and, you know, one of the fastest growing cities in America, whether you like the glitz and glam of Vegas, there's also the parts of Vegas that aren't the strip. There's Summerlin and sure, and all that. And Henderson, where they wear their brand new headquarters is brand new stadium. And so you've also got Brock Bowers, who was as good a rookie two years ago as a that wasn't a quarterback.
00:55:24:05 - 00:55:42:00
Brandon Krisztal
You got gentry who you think he likes. You got a couple pieces and $115 million you spent. The Brady piece is interesting because how involved is he? But if they're gonna let you hire your own staff if you happen to go there specifically Joe Woods and Marcus Roberts are already on the staff, two guys that he wants to bring with them anyway.
00:55:42:01 - 00:56:06:01
Brandon Krisztal
But that's in a world where the Ravens are still the pick over the Raiders. I think even with the if Mendoza becomes awesome, then it's an interesting an interesting conversation. If he can go toe to toe with the three other quarterbacks in this division with the three other coaches. Now VGS also uses the coaching against. He sees Bowe every day and he's slowed Patrick Mahomes down as well as anybody and certainly slowed Herbert down as well as anybody at times.
00:56:06:03 - 00:56:25:16
CJ
Now I mean you make a good case and I and I think look you're right, there's some interesting pieces there in Vegas to say. Perhaps the thing that would worry me a little bit is the lack of any sort of emphasis. So, you know, like infrastructure that you can lean on to make the right moves moving forward.
00:56:25:22 - 00:56:29:20
CJ
And Al Davis is haircut man. I'm just Mark. Mark. Yeah, yeah, yeah, dude.
00:56:29:22 - 00:56:35:11
Brandon Krisztal
You're a billionaire. If you're a billionaire, you got to think that there's anything you could do. Let's say, hey, maybe, but.
00:56:35:13 - 00:56:35:22
CJ
What's.
00:56:35:22 - 00:56:52:01
Brandon Krisztal
Up with the Ravens? I don't know, Chad's right. Though. The Ravens are still the best job to be. The Ravens are Ferrari that just need, you know, a different driver. It's like the 24 hour LeMans where they they swap out drivers. So. Or 24 hours a day. Tyler the car is fine. So it's not that just a better coach.
00:56:52:01 - 00:56:54:23
Brandon Krisztal
And John Harbaugh, he's just a different coach or whomever they were to bring in.
00:56:54:23 - 00:56:55:09
CJ
Maybe a better.
00:56:55:09 - 00:57:09:13
Brandon Krisztal
Coach. He may he may be he may be, we'll find out. Yeah. But at the very least, it's a Ferrari that is just going to get a different driver. It's not. Oh, we've got a really cool old Ferrari that used to be cool. And now we got to put new tires on it and a new engine. Yeah.
00:57:09:20 - 00:57:17:28
Brandon Krisztal
Which is what the Raiders kind of are because they haven't been cool. It's a cool brand and Vegas is cool. But the Raiders haven't been anything since 002. Yeah.
00:57:17:28 - 00:57:27:27
CJ
And it's not very often that you can that a head coaching job opens up where your quarterback is a two time MVP. That's a very unique sort of circumstance.
00:57:27:27 - 00:57:30:17
Brandon Krisztal
And Derrick Henry is declining all the way to 1500 yards second in league.
00:57:30:17 - 00:57:56:19
CJ
And then I take that decline. No kidding. All day every day, twice on Sunday. Hey, you mentioned Mendoza. The Indiana Hoosiers went on this the most improbable run. And I know there's a bunch of recency bias around the, you know, hearing things like the greatest story ever and the greatest blah, blah, blah. It was, it's certainly an extremely interesting one.
00:57:56:22 - 00:58:16:25
CJ
A meteoric rise for the Indiana Hoosiers, in which today's college football game, the landscape of college football allows, room for it to happen. And, Jerry and that crew did an amazing job. And so I don't know how much there is to discuss. You guys want to talk about the game a little bit? Feel free to do so.
00:58:16:25 - 00:58:39:27
CJ
I think the big story coming out of this game is it was another opportunity to analyze, the Heisman Trophy winner and the projected first pick of the draft. And I'll ask both of you guys is this is have you seen or did you see a franchise quarterback that's capable of leading an NFL, an NFL team to a championship?
00:58:39:29 - 00:58:42:03
CJ
And Fernando Mendoza.
00:58:42:05 - 00:59:02:26
Chad Brown
Yes, I did, yes, I did. I think we all got a chance to see that, that gutsy run on fourth down to get into the end zone. Took a shot to the back. Held on to the football show toughness. There has not been a question put in front of Fernando Mendoza this year that he has not answered on the football field.
00:59:02:29 - 00:59:28:13
Chad Brown
I know he's a little goofy with his answers in interviews, and he's a little corny. He sounds like ChatGPT in a human form. But as a football player, this dude is the real damn deal. I saw him play, twice this year in the Big Ten championship game earlier this year against Illinois. He was tremendous in both those games that Illinois game the week before, he had a 98% completion percentage.
00:59:28:16 - 00:59:45:28
Chad Brown
Then he went out against Illinois, had like a 92, complete possession, completion percentage in that game. So he can be incredibly accurate when dealing with some of the best teams, the best defenses in football. He has got a clutching he's got a fourth quarter gene, he's got everything you want. And he loves football.
00:59:46:00 - 00:59:58:09
Chad Brown
At the Heisman Trophy ceremony, he was asking some of the guys about when do I start bringing girls into my life? He's so focused on football. Women and girls are not a part of his life right now.
00:59:58:16 - 01:00:08:29
Brandon Krisztal
So he didn't do that video chat, He didn't see that video. Ricky Williams, noted Heisman winner. It was great. I mean, you already started to tell the story, but yeah, C.J didn't see that video.
01:00:09:03 - 01:00:11:18
CJ
I mean, he was asking guys when he went should he's.
01:00:11:22 - 01:00:17:26
Brandon Krisztal
Asking Tim Tebow is probably the right guy to ask for. When should I start talking to girls? Basically.
01:00:17:29 - 01:00:37:24
Chad Brown
Basically, I'm so focused on football. Women are not a part of my life. But, you know, now that I'm going into the NFL and I got my Heisman Trophy, heck, he's got his national championship. When do I start bringing women into my space? Because my space has been filled with football and only football for so long. So that's how focused this dude is.
01:00:37:24 - 01:00:47:29
CJ
That's how I kind of worry. It's interesting. It's interesting. You'll take on that. That worries me. I'm not sure if that be good for her or him. Yeah, it's been working for him this long. Why would you change?
01:00:48:00 - 01:01:11:02
Brandon Krisztal
Well, here's here's what makes all of this amusing is if nothing changes between now and an April 23rd, he's going to be the first pick of the of the Las Vegas Raiders. And you want to bring women into your life and figure out different approaches. Vegas offers you various opportunities to do that. On lower level, more serious, whatever it may be.
01:01:11:07 - 01:01:29:01
Brandon Krisztal
But as a kid that grew up in a mile from the Miami campus, right. So he's been around women his whole life. And then he was at Cal, which no one's confusing Cal with Arizona State in the Pac 12 or whatever we want to call these leagues now, big 12. But there's still plenty of attractive women in the Bay area.
01:01:29:06 - 01:01:34:25
Brandon Krisztal
And then Indiana is a huge university where when you're the guy, I'm sure there are people that come into his orbit. You talking.
01:01:34:25 - 01:01:37:16
CJ
To? Of course. Opportunity is not an opportunity.
01:01:37:16 - 01:01:37:28
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah.
01:01:37:28 - 01:01:43:24
CJ
So, yeah, you're right. You go to Vegas, this thing go from 0 to 60 really real quick. I.
01:01:43:25 - 01:01:45:24
Brandon Krisztal
Would take 1 or 2 teammates, like we got to do that.
01:01:45:28 - 01:01:55:28
CJ
That's. That's all it takes. That's it. Chad, I'ma challenge you on the assurance that you are the picture that you paint of him being a.
01:01:56:00 - 01:01:56:19
Brandon Krisztal
Sure fire.
01:01:56:20 - 01:02:23:13
CJ
Sure fire franchise guy. What I love about the Indiana story is it really is an Indiana story. This isn't Cam Newton at Auburn, where there was a guy who just pulled everyone across the goal line with him to will that team to a national championship. If I'm not mistaken, I think Indiana actually ran the ball 55% of the time.
01:02:23:15 - 01:02:47:29
CJ
What you have in in my opinion, similar to JJ McCarthy a little bit with Michigan. My biggest hesitation with JJ McCarthy was that it was a system that played to his strength and quite frankly, plays any quarterback strength. If you can win games running the ball 55% of the time, your quarterback is going to be pretty damn good from a completion percentage perspective and from an overall performance perspective.
01:02:48:01 - 01:03:09:27
CJ
I don't want to take anything away from the young man because you right. I've seen him as he did last night in the national championship game, make big plays, right? Like the play that you described, running the ball on fourth and five and scoring that touchdown. It reminded me of the the John Elway Green Bay helicopter for the first down hit touchdown.
01:03:09:29 - 01:03:33:09
CJ
I don't want to take that away from them. But here's a guy who's played on schedule. He was a quarterback who played on schedule. There is not that scenario that exist in the National Football League, certainly not on the team that's drafting first, whoever that might be. And we know it's the Raiders. And so we're talking about a different ask from Mendoza.
01:03:33:15 - 01:03:39:13
CJ
Something that like you know, we just haven't seen yet.
01:03:39:15 - 01:04:00:11
Chad Brown
I think there's some credibility to what you are saying. But seemingly he's going to go to the Las Vegas Raiders. And while I talked about Tom Brady's involvement being complex for a future head coach, I think for a quarterback like Fernando Mendoza, could there be a better mentor? No, because Tom Brady did not come out of college as a finished product.
01:04:00:11 - 01:04:24:28
Chad Brown
He did not come out of college as a slam dunk quarterback, as evidenced by his draft, ranking and draft status. But there's no better guy to teach a cerebral young quarterback how to master the mental part of the game and the nuance of the game. For a guy who is as hungry for that knowledge as any player I've ever been around, and Fernando Mendoza to get it from the hungriest player for that knowledge I've ever been around.
01:04:24:28 - 01:04:48:14
Chad Brown
And Tom Brady, that seemingly would be a marriage made perfectly between those two. I, I hear what you're saying, and I don't think he comes to the league as a finished product, and he instantly is talked about at the top ten, much less a top five quarterback. But I think the franchise ability is within him, mainly because of the mindset, more so than the skill set.
01:04:48:14 - 01:04:55:22
Chad Brown
The skill set is there. It's enough to get the job done, but it's going to be his mental capability that's going to take him to the next steps.
01:04:55:25 - 01:05:17:21
Brandon Krisztal
And also a couple of things. When you look at the Raiders specifically, regardless of who the coach is. But if that coach comes in and it's it's V.J., it's Brian Flores, it's whomever it's Clint Kubiak, whoever else is on their list and they know that they're not winning the Super Bowl next year, but they can have some building blocks similar to what you saw with Drake Maye in the Pats a year ago.
01:05:17:23 - 01:05:34:03
Brandon Krisztal
And it's going to be like, okay, we also just took a top ten running back last year wherever he went. But you know a first round back hasn't a candidate there. We're going to run the ball more. We're going to get bigger up front. We're going to make this kid's life a little easier. Just like when Tom Brady came into the league.
01:05:34:03 - 01:05:54:04
Brandon Krisztal
We're going to play much better defense than they've ever played, but we're going to focus on defense. And then you talk about his off the field personality said. We know Tom Brady has had no problem talking to girls. Certainly. Whether it's Bridget Moynahan, the Hollywood actress, or Gisele, the prettiest woman in the world in some people's estimation, supermodel and the women he's talked to since.
01:05:54:07 - 01:06:12:24
Brandon Krisztal
But Tom Brady never put football on the back burner. You manage to make it all work, and then you just look, I know this is a silly thing, but the logistics of getting ready for the draft and quarterbacks trying to hit the ground running, there are rules around how much you can formally do with the team. And Tom Brady being an owner can kind of complicate things.
01:06:12:27 - 01:06:31:00
Brandon Krisztal
But where does Tom Brady live? Miami. Where's Fernando Mendoza from? Miami. Where's he going? Get drafted to Vegas. But Tom Brady may not be in Vegas that much. And so it's not there's not going to be an extra lift for Mendoza to fly to Northern California to hang out with Tom or New York City or Boston or even Tampa.
01:06:31:02 - 01:06:49:13
Brandon Krisztal
It's the places he's going to be are Vegas and Miami. Same with Tom. So they can get on the same page quickly. There's great. You know we're talking about Ricky Williams video. There's great video of Tom and Jay-Z with Michael Rubin from fanatics last year. And all the first round picks from the Bo Nix draft class and Caleb Williams, Brock Bowers and Drake.
01:06:49:13 - 01:07:06:29
Brandon Krisztal
Man, they're like a lunch with these guys and they're picking Tom's brain. It's all videotaped and some of it resurfaced again this week, with Drake and Caleb and Bo all playing in the playoffs. But this kid will have an unlimited opportunity to do that, and I don't think you can put a value on that because, like, we've asked Russ, how much do you talk to Peyton?
01:07:06:29 - 01:07:33:16
Brandon Krisztal
Or we ask Bo, how much you talking to Peyton Manning? That takes work to get on the same page because he's got a million things going on. If Tom is that invested when he's not with his kids, he's not gonna be calling games in the offseason. Yeah, it's his business stuff. But if the Raiders are his priority and Mendoza's come in there pretty much from now, I guess until or once they hire a coach through the offseason, they could spend a lot more time together than you would normally get.
01:07:33:19 - 01:07:39:02
Brandon Krisztal
If Drake May wanted to talk to Tom Brady. As a former patriot, you know, just in time on his normal day to day being Tom Brady.
01:07:39:02 - 01:07:43:03
CJ
And you know what? I think it makes not one damn bit of difference.
01:07:43:03 - 01:07:44:11
Brandon Krisztal
Well, Chad, you would know as.
01:07:44:13 - 01:08:10:23
CJ
Well one of the mental things, one of the most overblown things to me is this sort of practice, knowledge and skill set and ability by proximity. I'm close to the greatest to ever play. I talk to him every day and therefore I am going, you know, it's like if you just pour some water on both of us, osmosis will allow all of that brilliance to leak over into me, because I'm close to him and it's going to make me who he was.
01:08:10:25 - 01:08:39:05
CJ
Give me a break, guys. How many guys do you think Tom Brady and, Peyton Manning in the Greatest Quarterbacks mentor and talk to every single day. The only ones we talk about are the ones who turn out to be great. I guarantee you the heap pile of mediocrity that both those guys have mentored and talked to is far greater than the good quarterbacks that we talk about that they've had, you know, an ability to touch.
01:08:39:10 - 01:08:56:09
CJ
And so I don't, I'm not one to believe that either Fernando Mendoza is going to be good because he's going to be coached up. He's going to be in a situation that maximizes his skill set. And then ultimately, he just got the stuff to make it happen. Like any other quarterback in this league.
01:08:56:12 - 01:09:22:09
Chad Brown
One pushback on that for Peyton Manning and for Tom Brady. Clearly, those teams were not drafting first round quarterbacks to be in the same room with them because the quarterback position was solidified. So they were mentoring dudes who were not of the same caliber or skill set as Fernando Mendoza clearly is. And it's one thing to be a mentor and get on a phone call with somebody.
01:09:22:14 - 01:09:51:10
Chad Brown
It's quite another with the scenario that BC laid out, where it's much more of a coach and you know, C.J. and I know the value of great coaching we got at Colorado when I went to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yes, it was great to have Kevin Greene and Greg Lloyd as my mentors in that linebacker room, but it was even better to have Marvin Lewis as my linebacker coach, who went on to to become the longest tenured coach in the league when he retired from the Cincinnati Bengals.
01:09:51:17 - 01:10:09:10
Chad Brown
So those relationships, are what you make of them. S and mentor mentors probably not the right term for Brady. Tim Windows is probably a little bit more of a coach, and we all know the value that a great coach can have on you. And so that's where my projection about that is coming from.
01:10:09:15 - 01:10:09:27
CJ
Okay.
01:10:09:28 - 01:10:34:07
Brandon Krisztal
Well and also the aspects that you don't understand, like the coaches who whomever they end up hiring will handle the game plan stuff and the execution of whatever they need in their building. But the hardest thing for any kid going into the pros is to learn how to become a professional. And, mind you, this is also a world where these kids are coming in with money and I think his dad's a doctor anyway.
01:10:34:09 - 01:10:53:11
Brandon Krisztal
But the point being, he already has figured out the money part. It's okay. What in your routine work. And so going back to that fanatics video, they were asking Tom questions about when this happened. When that happened. Well now this kid is going to have unlimited access to kind of just answers to parts of the test that you still have to learn on your own.
01:10:53:13 - 01:11:12:09
Brandon Krisztal
But if you think it's going to be this and it turns out to be right or off season timetables, how do I train? How do I approach? There are things that I think will give him potential advantages that most number one picks. Caleb Williams didn't get it coming in, Peyton Manning didn't necessarily. Other Peyton might have had it more than most because of who his dad was.
01:11:12:11 - 01:11:29:28
Brandon Krisztal
But Ryan Leaf, who went number two, didn't get it. Most guys don't get this. And so it's going to be as curated as it could possibly be. But in most people's opinion, the best quarterback to ever do it and a kid willing to do it like he doesn't have the other stuff going on. Like I got to worry about my wife and my girlfriend or whatever, my kids, this or that.
01:11:30:01 - 01:11:31:12
Brandon Krisztal
All he cares about is football.
01:11:31:12 - 01:11:33:11
CJ
Look, I look.
01:11:33:13 - 01:11:35:21
Brandon Krisztal
I don't know if he'll be good, but I still have the opportunity.
01:11:35:21 - 01:12:00:13
CJ
I understand what you got, what you guys are saying. I just think it's it's an overblown sort of trope that we use, particularly in football because of the nature of the game and quite frankly, the nature of that position. You are on an island and either it's in you or it's not. Ultimately, that's why there are so we started the show talking about looks.
01:12:00:16 - 01:12:26:06
CJ
We got the 32 teams, and there are not 32 starting quarterbacks in the National Football League today. There's a reason that's true, and I will guarantee the majority of them in some way, shape or form have been have had some proximity, mentorship, relationship with greatness. It just doesn't rub off. Greatness doesn't rub off just because you're close to it.
01:12:26:08 - 01:12:50:08
CJ
It's in you and in the most hostile situations and environments, you have to it has to come out of you. And that's just there's no way you can just, you know, sort of get get that schooled out of it's in you. But it's not something that no great quarterback can put in. You. That's my only point there, Chad.
01:12:50:13 - 01:12:57:29
CJ
Now, did you have I think you had something else you wanted to add to this. If if not, I want to get on to something that's really bugging me in the studio.
01:12:58:01 - 01:13:32:16
Chad Brown
Okay. Just to touch on the national championship game last night. Indiana, first time national champions. When you and I became national champions, first time national champions for the University of Colorado. Jamari Sharp with the game sealing interception last night, I had to text Deon. Figures about that ceiling interception and our national championship game. And he talked about, as we were texting back and forth how he dang near got his ribs broke because everybody jumped and piled on top of him on the field.
01:13:32:19 - 01:13:53:17
Chad Brown
But I just thought the parallels. And now it's a different era in college football. So what Kirk's and yet he was able to do with a much more meteoric rise and what coach McCartney was able to pull off in Boulder. But to bring the lone national championship to both those teams and for both those games to end in such a similar fashion, I just thought, wow, life is funny.
01:13:53:20 - 01:13:58:24
Chad Brown
35 years later, have my car with the same formula again.
01:13:58:26 - 01:14:03:08
CJ
In the Orange Bowl. Ironically, as it was 35 years ago, you guys.
01:14:03:08 - 01:14:04:16
Brandon Krisztal
Played in the actual Orange Bowl, right?
01:14:04:18 - 01:14:05:06
CJ
It was a different.
01:14:05:06 - 01:14:21:24
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah, exactly. But in South Florida and then the the kid Sharp is a South Florida kid. I mean, northwest, northwest Miami northwest High, which is one of the one of the powerhouse programs down there. And his uncle famously for the you missed an interception that would have sealed the game against Ohio State.
01:14:21:24 - 01:14:27:22
CJ
See, this is why we love BC when he has all of these sort of like, mind numbing data about, like you.
01:14:27:23 - 01:14:30:01
Brandon Krisztal
I think you all for that one.
01:14:30:03 - 01:14:40:11
CJ
You know, BC is taking it to a whole nother level, man. I mean, he's talking about the uncle, the granddaddy, but Chad, the grandmama cook before the black eyed peas and ham hocks. But,
01:14:40:14 - 01:15:09:13
Brandon Krisztal
You I think you glossed over Chad, he said. Or you minimized you said it's recency bias. I think that this is in line with one of the greatest sports stories ever Miami or Miami. Indiana has been playing football in Bloomington for 125 years. It's like they have it most universities. All right. Until you guys won in Boulder and after Gary Barnett left, you know what a you know what a I don't call it a wasteland.
01:15:09:13 - 01:15:12:01
Brandon Krisztal
It was just what a desert it was just.
01:15:12:01 - 01:15:13:01
CJ
To say it was tough. It was.
01:15:13:01 - 01:15:28:22
Brandon Krisztal
Tough. I went to University of Kansas where we've been great in basketball forever. We've never been great in football. Even when guys like Gale Sayers or Johnny Riggins were there. Never come close to a national championship. We've got a new coach last couple years, Lance Leipold, who's one another levels like nutty that oh, maybe this could get us there.
01:15:28:25 - 01:15:54:19
Brandon Krisztal
Well, now that they've done it, when in 125 years they only played in six postseason games, they've now one half as many as they ever are. They've won three postseason games in this run to the championship, which is more than they had one leading up in over a century. Century and a quarter. It's it's it can't be overstated how remarkable that is.
01:15:54:19 - 01:16:15:04
Brandon Krisztal
But for all of the chaos that's going on in college football and it's hard to reel in and I understand the frustration of coaches and administrators and even fans are like, oh, no loyalty. These kids are going for a check. But because of that, you don't have all Americans backing up all Americans at Alabama anymore. That's right. The best player in college football was in Boulder the last couple of years.
01:16:15:04 - 01:16:32:05
Brandon Krisztal
The best left tackle came to Boulder the last couple of years. You know, the kid Dylan Edwards, he did. He was going to go to another game. He was here in Boulder. Anyone's case. Now he's going to Lawrence. Point being the the programs have opportunities to get players that you weren't necessarily going to get because like I said, that kid was going to Notre Dame.
01:16:32:07 - 01:16:34:24
Brandon Krisztal
But he then chose Colorado, K-State, Kansas.
01:16:34:26 - 01:16:36:19
CJ
Most kids. Are he still playing.
01:16:36:21 - 01:16:38:25
Brandon Krisztal
If he's at least going to be on campus.
01:16:38:27 - 01:16:40:01
CJ
Like sixth year of college.
01:16:40:01 - 01:16:58:02
Brandon Krisztal
But my point being is that when you have these boosters like a mark Cuban and a big alumni base, this won't be the last Indiana story. You need the right. Exactly right. You need the right coach. You need the right program. But why can't the University of Virginia do this? Arizona State, some of these schools, Oregon is coming close.
01:16:58:02 - 01:16:58:15
Brandon Krisztal
And they had.
01:16:58:15 - 01:17:00:20
CJ
Before Texas Tech Texas, right.
01:17:00:27 - 01:17:19:14
Brandon Krisztal
Right. And I think that is exciting for college football. I don't need to see Alabama and Georgia in the championship every year. Ohio State or Michigan. I love that Indiana was in there last night. It was cool that Miami got back, but I think I want to see Ole Miss. We saw Ole Miss. You got to see Ole Miss Mississippi State Auburn back in it.
01:17:19:14 - 01:17:21:05
Brandon Krisztal
All these schools Baylor or whatever.
01:17:21:05 - 01:17:41:24
CJ
That's Houston because I think that's a good point. A lot of people bellyache about the current state of college football. I do think one of the benefits we get is everyone's kind of in the game right now, where everyone has a shot to be in the game. If you got a mark Cuban who's an alum, or a friend of the program, then you have a shot.
01:17:41:26 - 01:18:08:18
CJ
It's as simple as that. And presumably every power five schools have their cadre, if you will, of Mark Cuban's. The question is, are they going to invest in the program the way that we've seen some of the big money donors do, as relates to college football since, since this whole nil and in the world of, of the new college landscape has opened up.
01:18:08:21 - 01:18:28:16
CJ
So we'll see about that. Hey, Matt. You're not in studio, but let's put the camera. Can we get a win, Umbc, please? You know, this dude walked up in here? Matt, I see you. Notice how he moved? Yeah, yeah, yeah, with this crap on now, of course, the Jayhawks, in Boulder, in Boulder for the play.
01:18:28:16 - 01:18:39:12
CJ
Play our buffs. Chad, you had something you wanted to talk about? You had mentioned at the very onset related to see you that you wanted to, to share with us.
01:18:39:14 - 01:18:48:23
Chad Brown
Oh, that was the comparison of last night's win for Indiana to, win the game and the the tie to Dion figures in the game sealing interception. That's what.
01:18:48:27 - 01:19:13:28
CJ
How about that. And think about this Chad. What let me ask you this before we get out of here. On that note, what would the narrative have been if in 89, when we were undefeated and lost in the national championship game? What, because by the time we end it, when ended up winning it, people that they were watching, we were the hunted.
01:19:13:28 - 01:19:27:22
CJ
Then in 89, we were still hunting. The big dogs in the conference were still Oklahoma. Nebraska. What might the narrative have been had we won that 1989 national championship?
01:19:27:25 - 01:19:33:10
Chad Brown
Oh my goodness, we would have been the greatest story in college football history probably at that point.
01:19:33:10 - 01:19:34:10
CJ
You.
01:19:34:12 - 01:20:05:25
Chad Brown
Yeah. Yeah, it's it's funny, but just like Indiana need it last year to make this year possible. We need it. 1909 that process of going undefeated and being the darling and realizing, oh, we were not quite as tough as we think we are. We're not quite as hardened as we thought we were, like Notre Dame was to order to withstand the gantlet that ended up being the 1990 season, because we played the nation's toughest schedule that year, and we still found a way to come out on top.
01:20:05:28 - 01:20:21:15
Chad Brown
Our backup quarterback, as little and small as he was, manage to play big for us in certain critical moments of the season. So we were hard and toughened by that 89 season. So 90 would not have been possible without 89.
01:20:21:18 - 01:20:42:11
CJ
You know what I love, man? You know, what I love about my old teammates is we are the most complementary of 1 to 1 another. But compliments don't come without a price. Like it's a great compliment, right? Like like Chad, you would have been the greatest. Yeah. You were. You were arguably the greatest linebacker to ever play at Colorado.
01:20:42:17 - 01:20:47:01
CJ
If you take al and a couple other guys out. Right. You know that kind of compliment.
01:20:47:01 - 01:20:48:17
Brandon Krisztal
Always a qualifier. It's always.
01:20:48:17 - 01:20:57:23
CJ
A qualifier. Hey man, I want to give a shout out to our folks over at Furniture Row for setting this up. Chad, I don't know if you've been in studio since we had the new new digs in here, man. Have you?
01:20:57:26 - 01:21:10:27
Chad Brown
No, I will be in, this week for the post-game show after the AFC championship, so I'll have a chance to see how those chairs fit for a man of normal size versus you two.
01:21:10:29 - 01:21:29:00
CJ
Well, here's what I tell you. They fit quite well. Quite comfy. I know BK swings his legs a little bit. They're probably Bob's, but that is ground that aside to, Hold on. Let's get Chad back up because I want to give him a little bit of, wardrobe advice. Don't wear that shirt with your skin tone on these chairs.
01:21:29:00 - 01:21:32:01
CJ
We won't see anything but glass. Yeah, I mean.
01:21:32:02 - 01:21:33:22
Brandon Krisztal
More lightning, less light. Maybe.
01:21:33:22 - 01:21:40:26
Chad Brown
Train is about halfway through the show. I was like, this was a bad choice.
01:21:40:28 - 01:21:43:20
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't Chad's gonna put a shirt on.
01:21:43:23 - 01:21:59:12
CJ
Right. Oh, man. Hey, look right on, fellas. Man, I appreciate it. Again, the Big Island CJ podcast with my main man, Chad Brown, and of course BK Brandon Chris star right here in studio postgame show coming up Sunday. Chad Ewing and Kristen.
01:21:59:14 - 01:22:02:10
Chad Brown
Yes. At right after the game, we will be in studio.
01:22:02:13 - 01:22:03:03
Brandon Krisztal
And I'll join him from.
01:22:03:03 - 01:22:05:16
CJ
The View. And now what about Football Friday? You got football.
01:22:05:16 - 01:22:29:22
Brandon Krisztal
Football Friday Chris Harris Jr. We will be previewing the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game. It's almost I don't say we're taking it for granted, but it should feel like a bigger deal. And maybe the bow injury has mutated a little bit. The Broncos are still one win away from going back to the Super Bowl in the same city where they won Super Bowl 60, and if it ends up being against Chad's Seahawks, they could exact some revenge there.
01:22:29:22 - 01:22:32:23
Brandon Krisztal
That would be a tall task based on that Seahawks roster and that defense.
01:22:32:23 - 01:22:37:07
CJ
I'll tell you what, that's fun, fun storylines. That's one good looking football team.
01:22:37:08 - 01:22:46:12
Brandon Krisztal
Kubiak by the way, some people may not know his dad, Gary, was the Broncos coach when they won Super Bowl 50. And I don't know if Clint or of us.
01:22:46:16 - 01:22:47:15
CJ
Doesn't know that.
01:22:47:17 - 01:22:57:23
Brandon Krisztal
Well, I just like the latter. I know, but there's a chance one or both of them were Clint or Cline. Some of them were on messed staff. I needed to go double check, but, so that's a fun tie in there.
01:22:57:24 - 01:23:19:04
CJ
No, no doubt about that. And, hey, our next episode of Big Island Siege podcast will have a special guest. Former. See you buff. Former Denver Bronco, now radio talk show host extraordinaire Phillip Lindsay. Denver's own Phillip Lindsay will join us. So that does it for us again Chad. Preciate you big dog. BC right on man. Have a great week everybody.