Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - TOUGH: Denver Broncos, Bo Nix BIGGEST THREAT To AFC Crown is Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Denver Broncos were top dogs in the AFC in 2025, but the Buffalo Bills might be their biggest challenge this upcoming season. You are Locked-on Broncos, your daily Denver Broncos podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Happy Tuesday, Broncos country, Cody Rourke, Sarah Bedinger here for another episode. Lockdown Broncos. Today's episode is brought to you by Fandu. Get $350 and bonus bets guaranteed when you bet $5 every day for seven days. Join all the action at Fentoncats.

Starting point is 00:00:34 Fanduel.com. It is officially game week as the Denver Broncos are gearing up to take on the Kansas City Chiefs. And we're going to take a look at the grand scheme of the entire AFC. We'll tell you why Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are the biggest threat to the Broncos is repeating his top dogs inside of the conference. We'll also go through why the Chargers are the biggest threat inside of the AFC West to the Denver Broncos and what they are going to have to counteract this upcoming season. We'll also talk about by the Patriots. We'll round things out as the third threat here to the Broncos inside of the AFC. this upcoming season. Sarah, let's get into this, my friend. I thought this was a great idea sent in from an everydayer who said, hey, you guys should really talk about this fantastic idea as we get ready.

Starting point is 00:01:15 The Broncos will practice Wednesday. They'll practice Thursday. Then they'll practice Saturday this week as they prepare for Kansas City. So this gives us perfect time to look at some of these options right here. I think we've got to start off. Josh Allen, the Buffalo Bills. I feel like these guys are the biggest threat here to the Broncos coming into this upcoming season. and if Denver's looking to repeat top of the entire AFC.

Starting point is 00:01:37 Well, Buffalo might just be the second best team in the AFC if we're considering the Broncos number one, right? And that's with all due respect to the New England Patriots who we'll talk about later on in this episode. But Buffalo is kind of the most battle tested when it comes to their quarterback and playing in big games. He's got way more experience, although I know Drake Mays made it further. So that's for the AFC East people to debate. We know that the Buffalo Bills have two things, Cody. they have an MVP at the quarterback position. And they also have a little friend, a former friend now on their coaching staff who

Starting point is 00:02:09 knows a little bit about the Denver Broncos and how they operate with Jim Leonard now calling their defense. So you've got some familiarity there. Now you've got a little bit of a, you know, playoff rivalry brewing the last two seasons. The Broncos and bills have faced off against each other in the postseason. And the Broncos got the better of them last year. So right now what I think you have here is one of those teams. It's just, it's hard to poke holes in the Buffalo bills, right? I mean, especially with the way that Josh Allen has been playing the last

Starting point is 00:02:38 handful of years, they've got a run game to compliment what he can do so well. And then obviously, their roster is just really good. So Buffalo is, I think, you could argue, the most complete team outside of Denver in the AFC. Maybe Houston has a claim to that. But Buffalo is that team that, hey, they've been to the playoffs every year. They know what they're doing when they get there. obviously they've got to finish better, but they certainly are the biggest threat, in my opinion,

Starting point is 00:03:05 to the Broncos in the AFC. Josh Allen is one of the faces of the NFL, and he's so talented, despite the fact that the bills in that playoff game last year in Denver had five turnovers. It still felt like they were never out of it, right? Broncos went into halftime, I think, with a 23 to 10 lead. And then all of a sudden, a few plays here and there from Josh Allen. I mean, the dude can launch it further than anybody I feel like right now in the NFL. He's dynamic with his legs.

Starting point is 00:03:30 he's a hard guy to bring down because, what is he, 240 pounds, 235 something along those lines. He's a load. He's hard to bring down. Oh, and then he factor in James Cook, who surprisingly, I mean, I don't even know if surprisingly is there I were. Seemingly, that might be more accurate here, has always had some big games against Denver in terms of the run game. He's electric. He does put the ball on the ground quite a bit, but they went out there. I think this off season, they upgraded their wide receiver room by going out there and trading for DJ Moore.

Starting point is 00:03:55 Obviously, the Broncos have had some experience going against him when he was a member of the Chicago Bears. back when the Broncos really kind of gotten that game against Chicago in 2023, where it really kind of sparked this turnaround, the culture turnaround in Denver. But he had a big game in that game specifically against Denver too. So you have DJ Moore, Kalil Shakir, who's obviously very talented. Keon Coleman, who's seemingly the organization now that Joe Brady is the head coach have kind of reaffirmed their commitment behind him and support. And then you have arguably two really good tight ends.

Starting point is 00:04:22 And obviously Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox and a big offensive line that we have always seen a custom. Like that's how they run the ball well. That's how they protect Josh Al. and Denver was able to overcome some of those elements last year. Because remember, wild card year, Bo Nix's rookie year, the idea was, well, the Broncos were bullied because they were too small compared to the Buffalo Bills' offensive line.

Starting point is 00:04:42 Denver kind of answered the call a little bit last year in the playoffs with guys like Nick Benito and everybody else taking on a little bit more. They challenge that offensive line a little bit in some of those key moments. So I still think, you know, there are some questions here about how things will obviously go to the season between both of these teams. will have a Christmas Day matchup between the two. But I think just right now on paper before the season even begins, before a single game is played for basing enough more teams right last year.

Starting point is 00:05:07 I think the Buffalo Bills are the biggest threat right now in the entire NFL, not just the AFC, but the entire league. I think they're very dangerous. They have a lot of potential. And there's always that question, right? There's that motivation. I think you have to look at if you're Josh out on the bills, he's gotten so close time and time and time again,

Starting point is 00:05:22 but he just hasn't been able to get over the hump. Not all of that has been on him, but there is maybe a sense of urgency. from Buffalo, and I think you're going to see them press a lot this year. They're going to be a challenge for the rest of the league. And what's going to be really fascinating is the chess match between the coaches when these two teams face off. We know they're going to face off one time you mentioned it, Christmas Day, but will they face

Starting point is 00:05:43 off a second time in the playoffs? Will they see each other in the postseason for the third time in a row? And how does Joe Brady manage a team that has clear and obvious Super Bowl aspirations where it feels like, okay, hey, the pressure is really on. to go out and win this thing. And we're saying, you know, as the Buffalo Bills, we're saying Sean McDermott is not the guy to get us there. And out of every candidate that we could have possibly had,

Starting point is 00:06:08 Joe Brady, we're saying you're the guy who's going to do it, who's going to get us over the hump. So you got a rookie head coach, you got a rookie NFL at the NFL level, rookie play caller on defense and Jim Leonard. And I think, honestly, Cody, they're set up pretty well because they have those veteran leaders on the team on both sides of the ball to be able to sort of not help along,

Starting point is 00:06:28 the coaching staff, but it makes the coaches jobs a little bit easier when you have those types of veterans who know their job, who know what they're supposed to do, who have been in big situations like that. So I don't look at the Buffalo Bills as having many weaknesses as a team. Our old friend Bradley Chubb is now with the Buffalo Bills. They had the number one past defense in the NFL last season. It will be interesting to hear kind of the difference of opinion now versus I know when we've talked to Joe Marino in the past, one of the things that he's talked about in terms of going

Starting point is 00:06:57 up against Denver's defense with Pat Sartan is, hey, it kind of, it kind of nullifies, you know, having a star corner like Pat Sartan when you don't have a true number one receiver that you filter your offense through, right? And that's kind of been where Buffalo has been. But now, like you mentioned, they got DJ Moore this offseason. He's expected to be that number one guy. And the player who, you know, their past game is going to be filtered through DJ Moore. Can Keon Coleman step up into a secondary role? Can Skyler Bell step up? up into a secondary role. We know what Khalil Shakir can do.

Starting point is 00:07:31 So it's all those pieces that are there. You know, they certainly have the look of a Super Bowl contending team, but can you get it done in the late stages of a game against a team like the Broncos that's as resilient as any. It seems like the AFC West is kind of the one, you know, I guess thing. The bills keep tripping over when they get to the postseason. They can't get past Mahomes. Now they can't get past Bo Nicks, apparently.

Starting point is 00:07:56 Josh Allen is under. that sort of pressure to make sure that this is part of his legacy. We've seen you win MVP's. You're maybe the most dynamic quarterback in modern history. I mean, I know Lamar Jackson has something to say about that. But gosh, Allen is truly one of the best that we've ever seen. Size, arm talent, athleticism, he can run, he could throw, he's clutch. He makes all these plays.

Starting point is 00:08:19 He puts on the Superman cape. But unfortunately, when you ask a guy to put on the Superman cape one too many times, the pressure wears down on him. and he can't get it done all the time. So how can the bills make up for that? Can somebody else on this team make a play? You know, there's been instances where his teammates have let him down. The defense has let him down in key moments.

Starting point is 00:08:39 We all remember the 13 second Kansas City Chiefs come back to, you know, unbelievable. That was ridiculous here. But there has been this little thought exercise that I'm very curious. Like say, say Bo Nix was not an option, right? Let's take Bo Nix completely off the table here for Denver. If you were an NFL team and you had to choose one quarterback in today, day's game, not including Bo Nix because Bo is obviously a Bronco, but like if you had to choose one quarterback, Broncos bias aside for anybody, who would you take right now in the NFL to lead

Starting point is 00:09:08 your team in QB? I think a lot of people would say Josh Allen. I know certainly we've had this conversation on the Broncos beat specifically when we look at the widespread thing. If you're, let's say an expansion team and you get to choose one superstar quarterback, I bet you Josh Allen is the guy that everybody chooses if they were that expansion team. So interesting little poll question of the day here. But Broncos country, let us know, did we get it right? Did we get it wrong? Do you think that the Buffalo Bills are the biggest threat to the Denver Broncos this upcoming season? Let's know your thoughts here on today's episode of the show coming up next. We're going to take a look at the AFC West. Which team amongst everybody is the biggest challenge to Denver's

Starting point is 00:09:43 AFC West crown coming to 2026? Spoiler alert, it's not the Kansas City Chiefs. Today's episode of the show was brought to you by our friends over there at Home Chef with schedules getting busier, especially with the NFL season starting up in full swing. And everyone's getting back into their normal routines, figuring out what's for dinner. It can become a daily headache. Home chef makes cooking simple with fresh food delivered right to your doorstep, easy to follow the recipes, and more importantly, meals that actually tastes great. That's important.

Starting point is 00:10:10 Weekly deliveries help eliminate the meal planning, the grocery runs, complicated prep, and even a lot of the cleanup. And with more than 30 meal options every single week, there are choices for different tastes and dietary needs, including 30-minute meals or my personal favorite oven-ready options. I'm going to Broncos practice almost every day. My week is crazy between running back and forth between practice and home. Some nights, I get home late. I don't want to cook.

Starting point is 00:10:35 For limited time, Home Chef is offering my listeners 50% off and free shipping for your first box plus free dessert for life. Plus free dessert for life. That's Home Chef.com. That's Home Chef.com for 50% off your first box and free dessert for life. Home Chef.com slash Locked on NFL must be an active subscriber to receive free dessert. Support for today's episode, Lockdown Bronco. comes from Quo, spelled QUO, the business phone system built so you never miss a call. For businesses, every call can be an opportunity and missing one can mean missing a customer.

Starting point is 00:11:05 Quo brings calls, texts, and voicemails all together in one place so teams can see the full conversation, they can respond quickly and they can stay organized. It can also be set up in minutes on any device, keep an existing number and add teammates as the business grows. Quo helps businesses stay reachable and professional without being complex, which is so important. And with an optional AI agent for after hours calls, businesses can answer questions and book appointments, even when the team is offline. I know for myself personally, I've had some crazy experiences. At my old apartment that I lived at, we had a torrential downpour.

Starting point is 00:11:37 My apartment flooded. And I could not get a hold of the leasing office. I couldn't get a hold of the maintenance team. And that was frustrating. Money is on the line. Always say hello with quo. Try quo for free. Plus get 20% off your first six months when you go to quo.com slash locked on NFL.

Starting point is 00:11:52 That's QUO.com slash locked on NFL. The Los Angeles Chargers, not the Kansas City Chiefs, are the biggest threat to the Broncos in the AFC West here in the 2026 season. The Chiefs, their time has kind of passed them by. I mean, they still be a competitive team this coming season, Cody. I actually talked about this on yesterday's episode of the show as well, just kind of looking through the AFC West teams and why I'm confident in the way that the Broncos stack up against them.

Starting point is 00:12:20 But I agree with, I know this is your. opinion as well, the Chargers being the biggest threat. The Chiefs, they had their dynasty window. They certainly deserve our reverence and respect for the way that they dominated the NFL for as long as they did. I mean, basically penciling them in for the Super Bowl every year since Patrick Mahomes has been the starting quarterback there. And I think that's the reason why so many folks are saying, hey, chiefs are going to be back in it this year. Last year was a fluke. They're going to be back in the mix. But I don't think so. They haven't been drafting well. Their stars are getting older.

Starting point is 00:12:54 They've lost a lot of those pieces that helped them get to the championships that they did. And now it's a youth movement on defense. Offensive line has a lot of holes, which I think shifts the attention to the Chargers who bring in Mike McDaniel as their OC this offseason. That might be behind Jalen Waddle, the most impactful move any AFC West team made in the 2026 offseason. Yeah, I agree with you because he plays really into the hands of what, and Jim Harbaugh wants to do here specifically.

Starting point is 00:13:24 And I think that is to run the football. And what they want to do from this, from a schematic standpoint is Justin Herbert has done a lot of stuff, right? I think there's this split conversation on social media. I think there are a lot of people who can't admit how good of a quarterback Justin Herbert really is. He's one of the best in the NFL right now. He's in that top tier status.

Starting point is 00:13:44 But when it gets to the playoffs, what's around Justin at that point? We watched this team specifically last year because at one point we're saying, you know what? The Broncos were monitoring that last week regular season matchup. That could have division stakes. And thankfully, the Houston Texans kind of beat the Los Angeles charters at a crucial juncture and allowed the Broncos to win the crown of the AFC West because of that. But the chargers have been the team since Sean Payton has taken over that Denver has not had success winning against. That's been one of those teams. They just simply can't get over the hurdle.

Starting point is 00:14:13 They get close. And then all of a sudden, something happens. They lose by a field goal. I mean, that's kind of been the challenge here. And I'd say collectively, I'd say the chargers have certainly gotten better. Herbert, I think, has a better supporting cast around him. Obviously, Ladd McConkey is a very, very important part of them. They got Randy Gadsden, who's, I think, has emerged pretty well for them, specifically at tight end. O'Marie and Hampton is going to handle a little bit more of the workload this year. I know they're running back picture behind him is kind of questionable, but Quentin Johnson, I think, has been one of those guys. I think through the first couple years of his career, I think we all said,

Starting point is 00:14:44 okay, we're not really worried about that guy. I think he's done a tremendous job of developing as a player. I think he presents that test. And then I think that defense, certainly the personnel makes things. Dr. James, Khalil, Max, obviously back in the main area for them. Once again, maybe for the last ride, Tierre Tart, I think did a really good job defensively for them. Tully, Tui Polo, too, has obviously been someone who's caused problems for them. They have a very talented defense, though. I think the biggest question mark with the charter specifically, and they're raining right now over Denver in terms of winning matchups year over year. How big of loss is Jesse Minter for them specifically?

Starting point is 00:15:21 I think from a coaching standpoint, that's going to benefit the Ravens quite a bit. I think it's going to hurt the Chargers a little bit, but they have a lot of the same personnel still defensively. And I don't think they're going to change much of the system. To me, that is arguably the biggest question I think that could get in the way of the chargers maybe being that biggest threat to Denver specifically. Well, I know Chris O'Leary, their defensive coordinator now was with the team a couple of years ago before he called place for, I believe, Western Michigan last year.

Starting point is 00:15:49 So he is a rookie play caller in the NFL as a defensive coordinator, but he's done this before. He's worked with these, I mean, a lot of these guys that are on the Chargers defense before, and they added Akeem Mesdor in the NFL draft. I mean, he's a really good pass rusher and get some juice off the edge. And so they're just one of those teams that you kind of know every single week what you're going to get from the Chargers when it comes to they're going to be tough on defense.

Starting point is 00:16:14 I mean, that's another situation where, like, we talked about with Buffalo, hey, you got a rookie head coach, you got a rookie play caller on defense, but you have all these veterans on the roster that kind of make their life a little bit easier. Now, as we saw with the Detroit Lions last year on both sides of the ball, when you lose coordinators, it does make a difference. It's a big deal in some instances. I mean, for Detroit, losing Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn was the difference of six wins on their, I mean, there's other factors that play into that,

Starting point is 00:16:47 but it does affect these teams substantially to have to shift things around. And you're playing chess. I mean, if you're the defensive coordinator, you can get outplayed in the game of chess that is football by a veteran head coach like Sean Payton. And even though Davis Webb is calling plays, you got to be able to play chess with those pieces,

Starting point is 00:17:06 even if you have veterans out there. So the personnel for the Chargers defensively is outstanding. I still have major questions about their offensive line. Obviously, they lose Biotish, the center, already for the season. They've got question marks all offseason about Rishan Slater, who I've brought this up a million times, but he suffered the same exact injury as Ryan Clayty did once upon a time. And we know that Ryan never came back and was ever the same.

Starting point is 00:17:36 He played, played for the Broncos for a little bit, played for the New York Jets for a little bit, but he wasn't able to get back to All-Pro form, he was showing before that injury, unfortunately. We don't wish that on him, but he's already missed significant time after kind of working his way back. So the offensive line is already a question mark. They're replacing their starting left guard. Zion Johnson is gone.

Starting point is 00:17:58 Maybe Chargers fans are okay with that. But they're replacing a lot and they're trying to, you know, shuffle these pieces around already. I just, I'm not confident that Justin Herbert's not going to be running for his life. I know Mike McDaniel, what do we, what do we say? the number one thing he brings to the table, run scheme. Like you said, they're going to want to run the ball and they're going to want to be a balance attack. They're going to get Justin Herbert outside of the pocket where he was more dangerous than ever last year, scrambling and creating as a weapon with his legs.

Starting point is 00:18:26 So I do think in the AFC West, they're the best team to go up against Denver. And obviously head to head, Bo Nix has yet to beat Justin Herbert. They're going to have to do that. I think the last time Bo Nix beat Herbert was, I think was Nick's true freshman. in year at Auburn was Oregon versus Auburn. I remember that game. I obviously is a diehard Oregon duck. That one kind of hurt my soul. But now in the context where we're at it's cool to see these guys playing against each other. I also think the addition to Charlie Kohler at tight end is going to be big for them, especially if they want to run the football. If you have those concerns

Starting point is 00:18:58 or questions about your offensive line, specifically at tackle, well, guess what? You got a guy who's perceived to be one of the better blocking tight ends in the NFL to help get that going. They have really good tight ends. They got three guys there. Obviously, David Nizoku, Gatson, as I mentioned earlier and that colar, they have some good talent there that I think, you know, the Broncos can't overlook them. Their first matchup is going to be week five of physical AFC West showdown. That's going to be fun to watch. I think the charges are the biggest threat in the AFC West to Denver specifically.

Starting point is 00:19:24 Broncos country, do you agree? Do you disagree? Let us know here on today's episode of the show. But coming up next, we're going to round out today's show with the top three, the third and final threat here that we believe for the Broncos AFC ambitions. It's a team that had the same amount of wins as them last year. It's the New England Patriots that got a little better this off season. Today's episode, Lockdown Broncos is brought to you by our friends over there at Indeed

Starting point is 00:19:45 Sponsored Jobs. When workplace chaos hits and you need the right hire, Indeed, sponsored jobs helps connect employers with candidates who match specific needs like skills, certifications, and locations. So less time gets spent searching and more time gets spent finding the right fit for your job here today. And people are finding quality hires on Indeed right now. And in the minute that I've been talking to you, companies like yours have made 27 hires on Indeed, according to Indeed data worldwide. And hiring the right fit is so important for your business. Spend less time searching and more time actually interviewing cans

Starting point is 00:20:15 who check all your boxes with less stress, less time, and more results. When you need the right person to cut through the chaos, this is a job for Indeed sponsored jobs. And listeners of this show, you'll get a $75 sponsor job credit to help get your job the premium status that it deserves at Indeed.com slash podcast. Just go to Indeed.com slash podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indy.com slash podcast. Terms and conditions apply.

Starting point is 00:20:40 Need to hire. This is a job for Indeed, sponsored jobs. Today's show is also brought to you by friends over there at Fandul. Welcome to your most rewarding NFL season ever, only on Fandu. How rewarding are we talking? More rewarding than a touchdown with time expiring. More rewarding than an 18-point comeback, maybe even more rewarding than an offensive lineman catching a touchdown.

Starting point is 00:20:59 Two of those three things the Broncos did last season. This season, Fandu was making the excitement go beyond what happens on the field with the all new Fanduil Rewards Club, featuring exclusive offers, surprises, and so much more. Every week, check the Fandu app to see what's waiting for you. You can open up the app now and take a look at NFL odds for week one matchups across the NFL. But if you want to look at the Denver Broncos,

Starting point is 00:21:20 traveling to take on the Kansas City Chiefs specifically, the Broncos are entering this matchup, according to Fanduil as two and a half point road underdogs. The Broncos, they thrive in the underdog role here. Can they march into Arrowhead and beat Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs to open up the season. That will change a lot. You can get it on the action over there at Fandul.com.

Starting point is 00:21:39 Make this your most rewarding season ever with Fandul. Visit Fandul.com to get started. The New England Patriots ended the Denver Broncos Super Bowl hopes last season in the AFC championship game. And revenge is on the mind of those in the Mile High City, especially with a late season showdown between the two. Thank you once again, all the everydayers out there in Broncos country. Thanks for tuning in, Rocking with us, making us your first listen here on the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day, also the number one sports podcast network.

Starting point is 00:22:05 We appreciate you so much. Sarah, the New England Patriots, I kind of debated on this one. I was going back and forth with a couple of teams. And I said, you know what, it probably makes the most sense to throw the New England Patriots as the third biggest threat right now to the Broncos' AFC ambitions. One, they finished with the same exact record last year. I understand there's that argument that people want to split hairs over in terms of schedule. People don't realize the Broncos actually had the 15th ranked schedule in the NFL last season.

Starting point is 00:22:29 People said they had the number one easiest schedule. I think New England had that last year. But regardless, New England took care of business against a lot of those teams that they should right? 110%. The Broncos ultimately fell short to them in the AFC championship game. They made it to the Super Bowl. So naturally speaking, coming into it, returning a lot of the same nucleus,

Starting point is 00:22:45 plus adding a couple of new faces, specifically a wide receiver in A.J. Brown and Romeo Dobbs, I would have to say that the Patriots right now, they definitely are, I think, that third threat right now to the Broncos, AFC reign. I think that's accurate to say, Cody, especially because obviously they took care of business last year. They proved in a couple of big opportunities, especially in the playoffs. I mean, even with the offense and Drake May specifically not really taking good care of the football, not playing their best ball at all from what we saw throughout the course of last season,

Starting point is 00:23:17 they took care of business situationally. Mike Vrable continued to prove, I think what makes him as good of a head coach as he is, Cody, he's one of the best in terms of situational awareness when it comes to being a head coach in the NFL. And obviously, that came into play in the postseason on a variety of occasions as you're working through the elements, as you're working through, you know, just difficult circumstances overall. And it was maybe some ugly football games, but the Patriots were able to endure. But you mentioned their schedule last year, Cody. Their schedule last year is the number one reason why I believe the Patriots are maybe

Starting point is 00:23:54 in for one of the biggest regressions of any AFC team in the NFL. I'm not saying they're going to be. bad by any means, but I think a regression is absolutely in store. You mentioned they had the easiest schedule in the NFL last season. How about this? The third easiest schedule of the last 50 seasons in terms of opponent win percentage. The 99 Rams played against 363 opponent win percentage. The 79 bucks played against a 379 win percentage and the 2025 Patriots tied with the 99 Jaguars with an opponent win percentage of 39.1 or 39.1%. So to me, when you look at this team and you see,

Starting point is 00:24:35 or they dominated all these bad teams last year, they kind of pumped up their stats a little bit against bad teams. That's not an invalid take. And they get to the playoffs, all of a sudden, oh, we're seeing them struggle against the charges. We're seeing them struggle against Houston. We're seeing them struggle against the Broncos with a backup quarterback out there.

Starting point is 00:24:52 And they're gifted their only touchdown of the game. I just think the Patriots are that team, Cody, where we saw the culmination of everything that they struggle with, worst sack differential in the NFL, meaning sacks allowed offensively and sacks defensively. So they can't protect the QB and they can't get to the QB. So you add A.J. Brown. You add Romeo Dobbs. Great.

Starting point is 00:25:14 You're going to play tougher teams this year. What is Drake May going to look like in those difficult situations and circumstances? Because he crumbled in moments that he got against playoff teams last year. And somehow the Patriots still found ways to win. But I don't know. I'm skeptical of this team going into 2026. Yeah, wasn't it for Drake specifically? Wasn't he sacked as many times in the playoffs as Bowdox was sacked all year long?

Starting point is 00:25:38 Something close to that? I remember more. Jeez, Louise. And I remember there were a lot of strip sacks that were taking place. Like Houston, I don't know how they squeaked past Houston. I mean, CJ Stroud played terribly. But my goodness, that Houston defense gave them every opportunity to beat the Patriots early. I think the jets inside the division will be much,

Starting point is 00:25:55 better, I think than what we've seen from them in recent memory. I think they'll compete well with New England. I think Miami might be the easy one right now on paper for everybody in that division. But for New England, that's not like an easy division. It wasn't last year specifically. I think it was really kind of between them and Buffalo primarily. But I do feel like this division will beat up on each other quite a bit. I think the, I think the Jets themselves, I don't think they're going to be in contention. I think they'll probably finish third in the division. I don't think they're going to be anywhere close to second. But I think the Jets are going to be a team that beats up on a lot of these guys like Josh Allen and the Bills, Drake May and the Patriots.

Starting point is 00:26:27 I think it's very possible considering what we have seen there. And I'm also very curious here early on, Sarah, we can see. We got a football game coming up. We're going to see the Patriots here in just a day now where they're going to be taking on the Seattle Seahawks. How they play in this game, let's say if they lose, does all the offseason stuff with Mike Braybill and the whole Diana Rusini stuff, like all of a sudden, where they face adversity like this, let's say that Seahawks come in and Molly Whopham, what type of New England Patriots team will we see? Could this be something that tanks them a little bit early on? Because

Starting point is 00:26:58 ultimately, players in a locker, I'm saying, hey, this isn't an issue because it's not affecting the on-field performance. The moment the Patriots struggle, does that get brought up again? I don't know. I'm not saying it will. I'm not saying that it should. I'm saying I know how the media game works. I know that these things that the Patriots lose, they're going to say how much of a distraction was the offseason stuff that impacted the Patriots in this game. I already see the headlines starting off. So I wanted to give the Patriots to respect because they finished, tied with Denver last year. I think if they can play the brand of football the way they did it last year,

Starting point is 00:27:28 and they can show that they don't regress, I think they absolutely will be a challenge. I think the AFC in general this year, sir, and I don't think this is a hot take. I think everybody will probably agree. I think the AFC this year is going to be very loaded with competitive teams, and teams are going to be vying in the mix. Now you have your top four guys based on who finishes in terms of the top of the division,

Starting point is 00:27:49 but then those battles for those wild card spots, I think it's going to be very deep this year. where we're going to see a lot of teams in the hunt, probably down the stretch of the season. Hopefully the Broncos maintain their spot as the number one seed. We looked at the biggest threats here to the Devere Broncos in the AFC this upcoming season. Tomorrow's episode of the show,

Starting point is 00:28:05 Sarah and I are going to sit down. We're going to look at Tier 2 threats. Why the Kansas City Chiefs are a wild card in the whole entire conversation, and Lamar Jackson and the Ravens could be poised for a little bit of resurgence, but also where does that leave other teams like the Jaguars? Could Joe Burrell and the Bengals emerge as a threat as well? We'll look at all those scenarios on tomorrow's episode, Lockdown Broncos. Make sure you subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcast.

Starting point is 00:28:26 If you're in every day or join the everydayer club lockdownbroncos.com. In the regular season, you get all 22 film breakdowns. You get one-on-one texting with Sarah and myself. You get access to our Discord. You get an ad-free episode of the show. You get everything a little bit more here for your experience here on the Lockdown Broncos podcast. We'll see you tomorrow.

Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - TOUGH: Denver Broncos, Bo Nix BIGGEST THREAT To AFC Crown is Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.