Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - Broncos POSTCAST: Denver SURVIVES Week 1 Against Titans Despite Poor Play From Bo Nix

Episode Date: September 8, 2025

The Denver Broncos managed to beat the Tennesse Titans in Week 1, 20-12. The Broncos defense put the team on its back as Bo Nix and the offense struggled throughout the game. The Broncos lost the turnover battle, but managed to keep No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward in check throughout the game. Aniello Piro breaks down the game on tonight's Locked On Broncos POSTCAST. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! 5-Hour ENERGY Tee up that trip! Enter for a chance to win a dream golf trip for two to any golf tournament* in the USA. Visit https://5HEWIN.com for full rules and entry. No purchase necessary. Excludes the Master’s tournament. Ends October 31, 2025. DoorDash With DoorDash Streaks, you save every Saturday you order — stack it up all season and you could save up to $250. Order this Saturday. Keep the streak alive. Fuel your gameday — only with DoorDash. Terms apply. Promo period through 11/18. Monarch Money Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNFL at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnfl for 50% off your first year. Upside Don’t let this offer drive on by, download the free Upside app now using my limited time promo code TOUCHDOWN for a limited time 25 cent per gallon bonus! Offers vary by user and location, Go to upside.com for terms and conditions. Click Here to download the app: https://getupside.onelink.me/zlLr?af_xp=custom&pid=barrington&c=barrington_lockedon25&deep_link_value=promo&deep_link_sub1=lockedon25&af_dp=upsideapp%3A%2F%2F Yahoo Fantasy Presented by YahooFantasy #YahooPartner. Draft now at https://yahoofantasy.com/lockedonnfl. PrizePicks Download the PrizePicks app today and use code LOCKEDONNFL to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNFL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. FanDuel Right now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You are Locked-on Broncos Postcast, powered by Mile High Sports, part of Locked-on Sports, Denver, on the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Yes, it of course is your Locked-on Broncos Postcast. Hope everyone is doing well out there. I am your host, Anilo Piro. Of course, Cody and Sarah, they've got you covered with your standard Locked-on Broncos podcast. This is the postcast, which we debuted last season, but now moving the video. video feed over to the Lockdown Broncos YouTube channel. So I hope you guys are looking forward to rocking with me throughout the course of the season. You'll get some additional content from our guys, Cody and Sarah was sitting next to Cody throughout the course of this game. And I'm sure he's got a lot of thoughts. I certainly have a lot of thoughts as well as the Denver Broncos.

Somehow, some way, despite four turnovers and a pretty rough game overall from Bo Nix, managed to take down the Tennessee Titans in week one, your final score here, 20 to 12. So certainly not the most glamorous of games from the Denver Broncos, but as I have up here in the corner, a win is a win. So I want to hear from you. Let me know your thoughts, your opinions, your questions right here on your Locked on Broncos postcast. And of course, your Lockedon Broncos postcast is brought to you by our friends over at

Game Time. Download the GameTime app today. Create an account and use code locked on NFL for $20 off of your first purchase. All right. I see we got the comment already here from Dennis. it's a win. That's, I think, the general vibe across the board with Broncos country today. And look, there was a lot. Let me pull up these week one scores because there was a lot of clunky games across the league today. I see the bills are up seven to three currently on the Ravens.

But I mean, you got the Detroit Lions, a team that you expect to make the playoffs this year getting smack 27 to 13. The Texans only put up nine points in their 14 to nine loss. San Francisco managed to squeak out a victory against Seattle. The Bengals almost lost to the Browns. You know, the Buccaneers squeaked one out against the Falcons, you know, so the point being Jets and Steelers. I don't know what that game was Miami 33 to 8 against the Colts. So point being, the reason I rip out those scores is because it was an interesting day across the league. The Denver Broncos were not mutually exclusive in their struggles and shortcomings and frustrations that you saw on display here today against the Tennessee Titans.

But again, that's not worthy of a pass. You know, Sean Payton himself, by his own doing, has put a lot of pressure on this Denver Broncos. team, you know, talking about we can't be afraid to talk about Super Bowl. We can't be afraid to talk about having high expectations. You know, I was at just about every single training camp practice throughout the course of the summer leading up to the season. And, you know, the constant theme we heard from Sean Payton is we got to start fast. We got to start fast.

And I believe he meant that with the record overall, but also starting fast as a team in the course of a game throughout the course of the season. And really, the Broncos did not do that today. They score three points there in the first quarter. end of the first quarter. It's not up at three apiece. They put up a touchdown there in the second, Detroit, not Detroit, Tennessee matches them with six. And then, you know, the defense really is the story of the day for the Denver Broncos as to why they won this game. But point being, the Broncos did not get out to that fast start in the game that Chon Payne had been preaching and hoping for throughout the course of training camp.

Now, they do get out to a fast start on the season. Of course, turning out 1 and 0 is a good thing. If you remember back to that 2015 season for the Broncos, I believe that first game of that year was a bit of an ugly win as well. So you take them any way you can get them in the National Football League. There's no if, ands, or buts about it. But, you know, if you listen to the last postcast show that I did from the final preseason game, I believe the caption that I put across the thumbnail on YouTube is concerns about the offense.

And I turned to one of the guys that I was watching the game with. And he asked me, what was my prediction for the game today? And I'm not even getting on God. I said 20 to 10 Broncos. And, you know, we get close to that, 20 to 12. And part of the reason that I went with that score prediction is just because, because I did not like what I was seeing. I wasn't buying what was being sold to me from the Broncos first team offense

and the limited reps that we did see them in the preseason. And I'll come out and say it, though. I didn't think Bo Nix was going to struggle as much as he did today. I mean, not exactly an efficient night at the office for Bo Nix, 25 for 40, 176 yards, passing a touchdown, but two interceptions, a QBR of 19.3, 19.3, not exactly, great. Now Cam Ward was even worse with the QBR of 7.4. And we'll talk about Cam Ward and the Broncos defense and what they did to limit him today a little bit later on in the program. But

the big story of the day is Bo Nixon this offense. And you know, you saw Sean Payton and talked about, you know, the Broncos, some funky play calls, especially down the stretch there, you know, what was it, two minutes and change left to play in the game, you know, an infield goal range. And instead of opting to kick a field goal, which would have made it a two-score game, Sean Payton runs a fourth downplay with cover zero against Tennessee trying to go for it that results in an incomplete pass that gives Tennessee the ball back. I'll be it with no time out. But with an opportunity to go down the field in a one score game,

they'd have to get the two-point conversion. But Tennessee had life in this game. And look, the Tennessee Titans had the number one overall pick for a reason, right? So it's not like you're doing that against the Chiefs or, you know, Detroit or Baltimore or Buffalo. But I was sitting in that. I'm like, why? Why? Why even play with that? And I understand that your defense has been absolutely rock solid throughout the course of the game.

But like, just, I don't know. I didn't understand the play call from there. Sean Pay it after the game, you know, kind of discussed it and said that he knew that the Broncos' offense was going to get a cover zero look. And he had a play that he really liked kind of licking his lips about it. And they ran it. Didn't go. And away we go. But thankfully the Broncos still managed to win this game with some questionable play calling in that in that specific sequence.

But also to start the game, I mean, you shouldn't. be surprised by a pass-heavy approach from a Sean Peyton-led team. But like all offseason, a lot of the talk about this Broncos offense outside of Boe taking a step. And the contract stuff with Cortland Zutton was bringing in J.K. Dobbins and bringing in R.J. Harvey. And you saw R.J. Harvey at one point during the second half, rip off that 50-yard run run run run. There we go. That's what you were looking for. J.K. Dobbins, with his first touchdown as a member of the Denver Broncos as well,

breaking a couple tackles, a little stiff arm along the way. So when the Broncos leaned into the run game a little bit, they found themselves with some success. It was not the case early in this game. Let's see, the Broncos end up rushing for a total of 151 yards. Now, take away the RJ Harvey 50-yard burst, and that's 101 yards, which is not exactly fantastic for the day of Broncos offensively. Now, look, they're never going to be a run-first team. They're never going to be a run-first team.

They're always going to be a past first team as long as Sean Payton is that coach. That's just the reality situation, folks. But I do think they need a little bit more balance. And again, it's week one. I'm not going crazy, but just. at least to open up the game, they skewed so, so heavy towards the past that I feel like, I don't know if they were trying to get Bo into a rhythm. And Bo talked about, you know, with his two interceptions, sometimes he felt, you know,

he said he feels like you could be a little bit too aggressive and he felt that's what happened to him today is he was trying to fit some balls in some tough windows, although that one interception with a ball intended for Croton Sutton, you know, double coverage or, you know, court was pretty covered. There was a safety over the top as well. So maybe not the best read from Bo Nicks there. But point being, you hope, let's all take a deep breath. let's hope the Broncos offense and Bo Nicks in particular got that out of their system.

Bo Nix said as much after the game saying, you know, I'm going to throw most likely an interception, at least one interception a year. Like that's just bound to happen at this point. Hopefully, you know, his word's not mine. He says, hopefully I only end up with two on the year. I don't think that's going to be the case, but hopefully you don't see as ugly of turnovers as you saw from Bo Nicks today, specifically with the interceptions, the strip sacks is another thing.

And then Marvin Mims fumbling that punt, that's just that that cannot happen. I mean, again, if you're going up against a, even a, quality team, and I don't mean that in a slight to Tennessee, but a fringe playoff team, a 500 team. They're going to take advantage of the four turnovers. We shot from the Broncos today as the Tennessee Titans were unable to do that. So it is what it is. Like I said, I can't be too overly critical in a win. They got the job done.

At the end of the day, you are what your record says you are. And the Broncos are 1 and 0 at home. Tennessee Titans are 0 in 1. So the job, they got the job done, just maybe not necessarily in the fashion in which you thought it might be. they were what nine nine and a half point favorites coming into this game they do end up covering that spread for those who care about that but this game was a lot closer than it should have been fact of the matter and I do put stock into what we saw here today we'll see what happens

against indie next week Colts played pretty well maybe not as easy of a game as we thought it might be but you know we shall see we shall see so one and no a win is a win 20 to 12 your final score here. Bownex in the offense a bit interesting today again Bo necks 25 for 40 176 yards passing one touchdown two interceptions but thankfully cam war was not better than that all right let's hit a break when we come back we'll continue along with the conversation go ahead and drop those comments folks let me know your thoughts your opinions we can vent as long as it's within reason and we keep it you know pc pg in that sense let me know your thoughts and where the broncos go from here we'll get back to it talk a little bit a little bit about the defense back on the other side

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All right. Welcome on back into your locked on Broncos post guest. I am your host, Anilo Piero. You guys can follow me on social media at media by AP. Appreciate y'all rocking with me here tonight. And Cody and Sarah, they're not going anywhere, folks. Don't worry, Cody and Sarah are still around.

This is just the Lockdown Broncos postcast. There, of course, are the host of the Lockdown Broncos podcast, so a little postgame show you and me now throughout the course of the NFL season. So check me out at Media by AP. Do me a favor. Hit that like button, smash that subscribe button as well. That way you guys never, ever miss an episode of your Locked on Broncos postcast. So getting back into it, obviously an ugly win today for the Denver Broncos,

but a win is a win, 20 to 12 year final score here today. We talked about Bo Nix. You know, RJ Harvey today had a nice little game. Six carry for 70 yards, including that 50-yard burst, Cortland Sutton, six receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown. So those are kind of the positives from the offense as a whole. Like what I saw from J.K. Dobbins in the Red Zone. Like what we saw from RJ Harvey in spurts.

And nice to see Cortland Sutton get a touchdown. But the MVP's of the game, and I don't think there's just one. It's the Denver Broncos defense won this game for the Broncos today. There is no other way to put it. No if, and or buts about it. I mean, we saw Tennessee literally start a drive and go backwards multiple times throughout the course of the game. The defensive line for this Denver Broncos team, which is as advertised, nothing crazy

there. A bunch of dogs, dude. I mean, they absolutely made life miserable for number one overall pick Cam Ward. 12 for 28 and 112 yards. No touchdowns for Cam Ward is his stat line. So they made, like I said, life miserable for him. Tony Pollard kept in check for the most part. 60 yards on 18 carries, including a fumble.

So you live with what the, not even live. You're very satisfied. You're happy about what you got from this Denver Broncos defense. Not necessarily from the offense, but the defense, as advertised, getting the job done. I mean, I believe off the top of my head, you know, I was talking with some media folks as well. The Broncos, like, limited. Could you even say limited? The Broncos, the Titans had like negative two yards of offense in the second half, folks.

the Titans could not move the ball. And maybe that's more justification from Sean Payton for, you know, opting to go for it on fourth and eight, you know, late in the game and an eight by one score game as opposed to kicking a field goal, which would have made it a two score game. And he obviously came up right in that sense because the defense was nails. But, you know, that that's the one thing you can rest your head on at night is that this Denver Broncos defense is going to keep this team in games pretty much any given

Sunday while the offense tries to figure this thing out. And I tweeted this out at halftime as well at Media by AP. This Bronco game, and I really hate to frame it this way, but just the thought that appeared in my mind when I was watching it, this Bronco game felt like every single Broncos game or a lot of Broncos games of the last 10 years. Good defense, sluggish, pathetic, lethargic offense. Like it felt like it was the same, bleep different day to a certain extent. And I understand the expectation, and rightfully so for this Denver Broncos team.

is a lot different this year than it was even last year. And obviously the previous years under different quarterbacks and head coaches. But the vibe specifically early in this game was the same vibe that Broncos fans have been trying to get out of their mouths for the last decade or so. Now, they flipped the switch there a little bit in the second half, you know, some good runs and away we go, right? And I can't be too down on the Broncos after they get a win. And, you know, I started the show talking about, you know, just how ugly some of these week one games were throughout the court, you know, throughout the league. today. So again, the Broncos are not mutually exclusive in that category.

There was a lot of ugly, ugly games throughout the course of the day here today. Although it looks like Baltimore, did Derek Henry just run for a tutty? Baltimore and Buffalo going out of it. Yeah, Derek Henry just ran in for a touchdown. Who do you think is won the Super Bowl, by the way? You think it's one of these two teams? Take the Broncos out of it. Who do you think is win the Super Bowl?

What a great Sunday night football game. Now I'm locked into that. Ooh, that was almost a fumble. But yeah, go ahead and drop some thoughts. Let me know your comments. I see we got one here. Silly mistakes, 100%. Same team different year.

You know, we're kind of echoing, speaking the same language here. And, you know, it just kind of is what it is, folks. You know, I love this comment here. Breathe, folks. Week one's always sloppy. Be glad that we're talented and we still won. Been almost a decade since we said that. 100%.

And I think you kind of just need to, you know, take a deep breath, acknowledge the victory. Now move on to week two. It is what it is. I don't think Bo Nix is going to be as bad as he was today. Hopefully not. I mean, this was the Broncos most winnable home game of the year. Maybe even their most winnable game of the season.

And it was a bit sweaty there throughout the entire course of the game. And you know what was interesting in the first half as well, the boo birds coming out from the fans. You know, the Broncos would go three and out or just wouldn't do anything, whatever it might be. And, you know, you not just like a couple of booze, boo, like you heard those boo birds today. So obviously Broncos country, as you expect, understands what they have in front of them, understands what they think and believe this team can do. And they weren't satisfied with what they saw from the offense earlier in this one today as well. So it is what it is.

You know, I mean, Nick Benito, game wrecker. You know, you saw Riley Moss, you know, targeted a handful of times today. Riley Moss was second in tackles today. Seven total tackles, five of them being solo. He held up well. Obviously, you're not throwing at Pastor Tan. And why don't we end on this when we're talking about defensive players?

How about Talanoa, Hufanga, man? And look, we know that Hufunga, as long as he's healthy. This is a guy that's going to make a tremendous impact game to game, 100%. But rewatching that fumble. that he forced on Tony Pollard. I mean, and he said this not, I'm going to say it because I'm also thinking it, but he said this at the training camp,

or at the podium at training camp. He plays like Troy Palomalu, like just that very, and he even said in his post-game press conference that, you know, football is a violent game. He's not trying to go out there and hurt anyone, but he's trying to go out there and impact the game and jar balls loose and put big hits and, you know,

on bodies and whatnot. So I just thought Hufanga was fantastic today, led the way for the Broncos and tackled, 10 of them total, seven of them solo, and just as advertised. Obviously, no Dre Greenlaw today for the Broncos, but, you know, the defense didn't need Drey Relan. I mean, think about this Broncos defense when you throw Dre Greenlaw to that mix. Seriously.

I mean, the Broncos defense as a whole was completely as advertised. 110 percent, no if, ins or butts about it. And that's the thing. You could throw freaking Russell Wilson out there, which he all saw. And, you know, they almost made the playoffs that first year under Sean Payton with Russell Wilson. And the Broncos are still going to have a chance to win these games. Now, you need a competent quarterback to, you know, drive at home and whatnot. But, you know, you hope you have that in Bo Nix.

You saw it last year. You hope he grows and whatnot. But point being, like, this defense is so rock solid that if they can stay healthy, Bo and the offense aren't going to have to do much of the heavy lifting because that's how good the defense is. Point blank. It is what it is. So Hufong, a good game. Alex Singleton, nice to see him back out there after the season ending injury last season.

And where we go. Evan Ingram did leave this game with an injury. but we'll get an update about him throughout the course of the week. So stay tuned on that. I didn't look to be overly serious, but we shall see what the medical report comes back with. But it is what it is. Offense needs to be better.

Defense needs to keep it up. And at the end of the day, your Denver Broncos are 1 and 0 with a 20 to 12 victory over the Tennessee Titans. All right, folks, that is going to do it for me. Really, really appreciate y'all's happening with me here tonight. Hope y'all can decompress a little bit and enjoy the victory. We'll back at it again next week.

Again, you can follow me on social media at media by AP on your way. out. Do me a favor. Like button, subscribe button. Hit both of those. It really helps me out. And one more time. This is the Lockdown Broncos postcast. So Cody and Sarah still going to have you covered with their normal show. This is just a new layer into the Lockdown family. Did it last year, but now we're bringing the video feed over to the YouTube channel. So looking forward to talk to you guys after each and every Denver Broncos game throughout the course of this season. Want to know 20 to 12, your final score. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday night, folks. And we'll talk to you guys next week.