Locked On Broncos - Daily Podcast On The Denver Broncos - UPDATE: Denver Broncos AVOID DISASTER With Patrick Surtain II Injury

Episode Date: October 5, 2026

The Denver Broncos will likely be without Patrick Surtain II for some time after an injury in Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers, but the initial news is that the Broncos avoided it being a seas...on ending injury.Cody Roark and Sayre Bedinger discuss how Surtain's absence impacts the Broncos defense, cornerback room, and whether Jahdae Barron or Kris Abrams-Draine will be the primary guy in Denver's base package. Plus, they discuss why the Broncos can no longer provide lip service when it comes to the offensive run game, scheme, and personnel and why Davis Webb, Sean Payton need to incorporate more quick hitters for Bo Nix, Courtland Sutton, and Jaylen Waddle.Cody Roark is a credentialed beat reporter for Mile High Sports and provides boots-on-the-ground coverage of the Broncos daily in person. Sayre Bedinger is one of Broncos Country's longest-tenured voices, writing for Predominantly Orange. Together, they bring Broncos Country the most in-depth and objective coverage of the Denver Broncos every single day, year round.📸 - Ron Chenoy — Imagn ImagesWANT MORE DAILY DENVER BRONCOS CONTENT?For all of the latest Denver Broncos news today --Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-broncos/Locked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft, & More🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/nfl/📲 Cody Roark Twitter / (https://twitter.com/codyroarknfl)📲 Cody Roark Instagram / (https://instagram.com/codyroarknfl)📲  Sayre Bedinger Twitter / (https://twitter.com/sayrebedinger)Everydayer Club  If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get access to ad-free audio version of Locked On Broncos,  All-22 Film Breakdown, and access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. 📲 https://lockedonbroncos.supercast.com/📢 Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!TempoFor a limited time, Tempo is offering my listeners SIXTY PERCENT OFF your first box! Go to http://TempoMeals.com/LOCKEDON60.QuoTry QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to http://Quo.com/LOCKEDONNFL.OdooGreat organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon.Butcher BoxIf you're looking for an easier way to get great meals on the table, give ButcherBox a try. Go to https://ButcherBox.com/LOCKEDONNFL to get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ribeye, new york strip, or filet mignon in every box for a year — with free shipping always.AppleYou can earn up to 3% unlimited Daily Cash back on every purchase you make with Apple Card using Apple Pay. Apply in the Wallet app on your iPhone today. Subject to credit approval. Apple Card issued by Goldman Sachs Bank, USA. Salt Lake City Branch. Terms and more at apple-card-dot-com.https://learn.applecard.apple/unlimited-daily-cash?cid=apy-318-2000008800000-400000000000039&itscg=2030032&itsct=srvs-crd-P3004756-C3004897&mttnagencyid=c1a&mttnsiteid=133087&mttnpid=LockedOn%20%28Audio%29&mttnsubad=srvs-crd-P3004756-C3004897&mttnsubplmnt=&mttncc=USPrizePicksVisit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNFL and use code LOCKEDONNFL and get $150 if you win your first $5 lineup!KALSHIToday's episode is brought to you by Kalshi. For a limited time, Download Kalshi and use code Locked On to get $25 when you trade $25. Kalshi. Trade what’s next.GametimeToday's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelGet three hundred fifty dollars in Bonus Bets — GUARANTEED — when you bet five dollars every day for seven days. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COMFANDUEL 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 pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Sunday's loss for the Denver Broncos sucked, but they got some good news regarding Patrick Sertan the second. You are locked on Broncos, your daily Denver Broncos podcast, part of the locked on podcast network, your team every day. Happy Aftermath Monday, Broncos country, Cody Rourke, Sarah Beninger here. And today we're going to talk about PS2 avoiding a major injury in Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers, according to the initial report. We'll also tell you why it's time to put up or shut up for the Broncos run game.
Starting point is 00:00:35 game and the running back specifically if this offense hopes to get on track. And then we'll go through whether Broncos need to embrace some of the quick hitters inside of this offense if they hope to ever find some rhythm at some point this season. We'll get all that here on today's episode of the show brought to you by our friends over there at Fandu. Make this your most rewarding season ever with Fandu Rewards Club. Every week, check the Fandu app to see what's waiting for you. Sarah. Let's get into it. Obviously, everybody in Broncos country was holding their breath during Sunday's game when
Starting point is 00:01:04 Passer Tan left with a non-contact ankle injury. We talked about it in our postgame show, how he was able to put weight on his feet as he was walking with trainers with an arm around each one. That's typically a good sign versus being carted back. But the initial reports, according to our good friend Tom Pelliserro suggests that he avoided a major injury. He'll still have to undergo further testing. But the belief is that he avoided major injury.
Starting point is 00:01:28 His Achilles is intact. And that right there, Sarah, that's probably about the best news you can get when we talk about the aftermath of what was Sunday here for Denver. Absolutely. I mean, obviously losing the game is painful enough, but when you add injury to the insult of losing, I mean, that's the compound effect that you really don't want when it comes to Aftermath Monday, right?
Starting point is 00:01:47 But good news, relatively speaking, right, when it comes to Pat Sertan, that it's not season ending in nature. Same with Pat Bryant as well, Cody, I saw from our good friend Mike Cliss, saying that the belief is that his injury is not season ending as well. So we'll see what happens with both of these guys. We'll see how much time they miss. But this is precisely why George Payton and Sean Payton have the philosophy of absolutely overloading at the cornerback position. And honestly, like, this isn't why you use a first round pick on Jadet Barron.
Starting point is 00:02:20 You use a first round pick on a guy to be a starter for your defense within his first season or two with the team. But now you have somebody that honestly, Jadet has played pretty darned. darn well when he's been called upon this season and especially the last two games, Cody, we thought he might get unleashed against the Rams. He was. He played more against the 49ers as well, had a really nice tackle. Actually took Kyle Eusecheck out of the game. What was a clean play, but unfortunate, another injury on that play.
Starting point is 00:02:50 But what the point is is that he was playing physical out there, playing fast. It looks like he's playing with confidence. So I also am confident because of that. Seeing the way Jada has played makes me. me confident that he can step up with PS2 out, although there's no sugar coding that loss. Like that is, that's your best player, you know? So you're missing your best player. You've got to have other guys step up in his absence and they've got to be on point. Yeah, they do. And look, obviously, we don't have an update on Riley Moss just yet, but I mean,
Starting point is 00:03:20 that's something we'll continue to follow them. I mean, there's a really good chance right now, at least early on here Monday morning that the Broncos, the outlook for them going into this Los Angeles game on Sunday is that they could be without Riley Moss and P. PS2. And that does change a lot, right? If you don't have those guys. I think obviously you lose Pats or tan, it certainly, I'd say impacts what your defense can certainly do, right? I think you're going to have quarterbacks test more of the field than when you have PS2. I mean, he's, he's a guy that erases one side of the ball. But, you know, after he went down with the injury, we saw Chris Abrams drain step up and play 34 snaps on defense. I was 52% of the defensive
Starting point is 00:03:56 snaps. He got a lot of run the rest of the way. Same thing was Jaday Barron. And also part of me is one are like, okay, like Denver here, I think in base, is it going to be Chris Abrams drain? Like if PS2 is out right, let's say Rodley Moss comes back and is able to go this week. When you go to your base defense, is it going to be Jide or is going to be Chris Abrams, Drain opposite of Riley or what's going to be the situation? Like, for example, if both of those guys miss and then you have to go into the dime, who's going to be the dime guy now at this point? Is it going to be Jide?
Starting point is 00:04:26 I mean, still at this point? And then Chris Ames Drain on the outside, who's going to replace the slot? opposite of JMA is really cut on what I'm alluding to. So, I mean, obviously the ripple effects of this, hey, great news that PS2 avoids major injure. We don't know the official timeline for how many games he's expected to miss or what the official prognosis is for his injury. But all we know is the good news is that it's not expected to be season ending.
Starting point is 00:04:47 So knock on what that continues to be the case early this morning here, as we're sitting here recording at 719 a.m. Mountain time on the aftermath of the Broncos loss on Sunday to the 49ers. But I also think to your point of what you mentioned, like this is exactly why you wanted to see what you have with Jaday Barham, Chris Abram's dream. It's important to have really good depth. This isn't like the Monday night football game a couple of years ago
Starting point is 00:05:09 where you lose Riley Moss and you have a guy like Levi Wallace, a veteran guy who steps in and just simply can't fit it within the scheme. You have guys here specifically that know the terminology that know the scheme. Abramsdrain, Jada, they've picked up the defense. So I think that right there is something that gives me a little bit of piece. of mind. However, it makes you a little uneasy, right? Just because you're going into a game against the winless Los Angeles Chargers who still have a lot of offense of firepower, even though they're not playing well, but you don't want this to be the game the Chargers get right on Sunday.
Starting point is 00:05:43 No, you absolutely don't. I mean, and that's what I hate, Cody. I hate about like when teams are playing the Broncos after like a losing streak or they're winless on the season, you know, you just kind of figure like we talked about with with the 49ers in some instances last week, like what goes up must come down or what's going down must come up at some point. I don't know if that's true for the Broncos offense. You know, I have no idea. We'll talk about that more as we go about today's show. But certainly at the cornerback position, you figure with Brent Austin and Sean Fresh Jr.
Starting point is 00:06:16 on the practice squad that the Broncos might look, depending on the nature of the injury to PS2, even if it's not season ending, depending on how long he, and Riley Moss are out. Maybe they look at some free agents that are available at the cornerback position. I was going to look that up here and see who's even available. But obviously, it's slim pickings at this point in the year. Like,
Starting point is 00:06:35 you're not wanting to sign free agents off the street to come and play for your team or even sign on to the practice squad at this point. So hopefully there's at least a veteran out there that could provide some peace of mind, but your depth is now being tested. Like, once again, you're down to, hey, we're one injury away from blank. now you're one injury away from, I mean, not really having anybody. Literally on the roster, you've got three corners that are healthy right now,
Starting point is 00:07:02 including J-Quan-McMillan. So, yeah, Brent Austin and Sean Fresh Jr., those guys primarily slot guys as well. It'll be interesting to see what the team does to approach this, Cody, because right now it feels like Abrams Drain is the only true outside corner that they have healthy. Yeah, and look, I think Jaday played well on the outside, but he's more of that hybrid guy. I mean, if Denver really wanted to, they could. They could kick Jaquant to the outside,
Starting point is 00:07:30 put Jadae inside the slot if you really, really wanted to, right? If you wanted to have that balance there. But I don't know, like this is a challenge here for Denver. Could you also get a safety involved a little bit more? Could Devin Key play a little bit of a larger role? I think there's always a possibility of that here is that the Broncos now have to shift their focus and move on to the Los Angeles chargers
Starting point is 00:07:48 and obviously take what comes with, you know, the uncertainty that is potential timelines of, PS2 or Riley Moss missing time for them, certainly on the defensive side of the ball. But good news, all things considered coming out of Sunday's game from what we initially saw and just the uncertainty of a non-contact ankle injury. You always think kind of the worst in that situation anytime it's non-contact. So knock on wood, we'll find out maybe at some point here this week what the official timeline is for PS2.
Starting point is 00:08:17 But I wouldn't expect him to play this week against the Los Angeles Charters. Broncos country, share your thoughts with us here on today's episode of show on the health status of PS2, whether or not you could take a collective breath of fresh air, knowing it's not a season-ending injury. Let us know your thoughts here today. But coming up next, Sarah and I are going to lay our cards out on the table. For the Broncos run game offense and the offensive line, the running back specifically, it is time to put up or shut up. Something has to happen. The rubber has to meet the road or this Bronco season could get away from them.
Starting point is 00:08:45 Today's show is brought to you by our friends over there at Butcher Box. And one thing I always try to do every week with every meal is make sure that I get enough protein. And Butcher Box, that's why I love them because it makes quality protein the easiest option when it's time to cook. Butcher Box delivers 100% grass-fed beef, organic chicken, wild-caught seafood, and more. All sorts the standards they can actually tell you about. They've already done the research and made the tough sourcing decisions. So all you have to do is decide what's for dinner. Whether it's boneless, rib-eye steak every Tuesday night, my wife and I do that or in the morning.
Starting point is 00:09:19 You want to make some bacon? Who doesn't love bacon? Butcher Box has everything you could be looking for to reach your protein goals. If you're looking for an easier way to get great meals on the table, give Butcher Box a try. Go to butcherbox.com slash locked on NFL to get $20 off your first box plus chicken breast in every box for life or fillet or New York strips for a year with free shipping always. That's butcherbox.com slash locked on NFL. Again, that's butcherbox.com slash locked on NFL.
Starting point is 00:09:48 Be sure to use our link so that they know that we sent you. Today's episode of the show is also brought to you by our friends over there at Fandu. And Fandu is America's number one sportsbook. And they want to welcome you 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 a bounce back win for the Denver Broncos after a disappointing loss. Well, this season, Fandu, they're making the excitement go beyond what happens on the field with the all new Fandual Rewards Club that features exclusive offers,
Starting point is 00:10:19 surprises, and so much more inside of the app. Every week, all you have to do is open up the app and see what's waiting for you inside. The NFL gives you something new to watch every single week and new Slater Games. And now Fandu is giving fans something new to check out every week too. The Broncos are three and a half point road favorites this week against the Los Angeles Chargers. And the rewards club has exclusive offers and surprises. So it's worth opening up the app to see what's waiting for you. Make this your most rewarding season ever with Fandual.
Starting point is 00:10:45 Visit Fandual.com to get started. It's time for the run game to put up or shut up for the Denver Broncos. look, we talk about it all year, Broncos country. This team needs to run the ball in order for everything else to start clicking. Well, not everything's clicking. Why?
Starting point is 00:11:00 Because they ain't running the ball. They're not running the ball. They're not running it well. And certainly they need to figure that out against a Chargers team, Cody, that they've been, I mean, defensively, like we've seen the Chargers struggle this season, right?
Starting point is 00:11:13 We've seen them obviously put up some stinkers in the first four weeks. But you expect a veteran-laden defense to be geared up at home, try to get their first win of the season against the Broncos. It doesn't feel like there's any sort of just like, hey, here's a get right game for your Broncos run game. They're going to have to do it the hard way. Yeah, and look, rubber's got to meet the road. That's what we said here.
Starting point is 00:11:36 The Broncos have to find a way to run the football. And it's no more just sitting here saying, okay, well, you know, we hope that we can run it. But, you know, based on the front that they come out in, it's going to dictate what you want to do. The Broncos, realistically, over the last handful of years, sir, they've stried. to run the football against the charges. Now, granted, Jesse Minter was the defensive coordinator. You got a different defensive play caller this year in L.A. So how much of that has changed?
Starting point is 00:11:58 Like, as you mentioned, this Chargers defense was returning a lot of the same personnel that we saw from them last year, but they're not executing the way that they did when Minter was calling the defense. And I think so much of that goes to show how important certain coaches are in today's NFL, right? Having the right coach certainly makes a big difference with how your scheme looks like, how you're executing, how you're adjusting. and the Chargers just look a little bit different.
Starting point is 00:12:21 But this is obviously, you know, I think a situation you look at where Denver is at coming off of a loss sitting here at two and two, you're going into a road game here against the Chargers who are desperately trying to find a little bit of life because things are very dark for them right now. And you know what it kind of reminds me of it kind of reminds me of that scenario where the Broncos had to travel to Vegas back in 2022, right? And it was against Josh McDaniels and the Raiders at that point. I remember the Raiders in that game, there were a lot of questions about whether or not. Josh McDaniels will get fired mid-season because of how they started out. And then the Broncos simply gave them life. And they won and they were a little bit more competitive down the stretch there.
Starting point is 00:12:58 To me, you don't want to give this Chargers team a little bit of life. Now, obviously, they've got veteran guys like Kalilomacki, so Durwin James in the mix. Diane Henley at linebacker, I think, is one of the better linebackers in the NFL, just a hybrid that I think create a lot of different problems for you. You know, on the interior defensive line, they also have guys that can create problems for the Broncos that certainly impacted them last year. in the run game specifically. Then you have Tui Pilotu off the edge.
Starting point is 00:13:22 Like they are a very, they have really good players, even if they're not playing well right now. And the last thing you want to do is give this team life because the Broncos at this point, the offense, they're fighting to try to find some light right now while the Chargers defense, they're trying to find some light. They're also trying to find some light on the offensive side of the ball for them.
Starting point is 00:13:40 But this is one of those games where I think if you go into L.A. And you lay an egg and you end up losing the problem here for Denver is that this season, especially coming off. what's going to be a short week to go face the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday and I football after the fact. Things could get really ugly quickly here. And I don't know if the Broncos can just sit around and be like, ah, you know what? We just hope that the run game is going to get better.
Starting point is 00:14:01 I don't know how many times in the last what, three years, you and I've been doing this covering the Sean Payton era that we've said, man, the run game's got to get going. The run game's got to get going. At what point do we look and does Sean look at Zach Streif and the offensive line and the running back personnel and say, you know what? there is a problem here. They went into this off season and they said, you know what?
Starting point is 00:14:22 We think our biggest issue, it's not the personnel, it's the scheme. So they made some tweaks. And so far the scheme is not translating into run game success. So at what point do you look at the O line? Do you look at what's being coached? And do you look at the running back personnel and say,
Starting point is 00:14:36 you know what? This is the group that we're going to go with. I think the Broncos got to spark some change. They got to do something to get the run game going because, man, I get so tired of us having to sit here every single week and say, the same dang thing about running the dang ball. They simply refuse to do it and they simply can't do it. Yeah, Cody, during the game against the 49ers,
Starting point is 00:14:56 even the announcers, Kevin Harlan and Trent Green made a comment at one point that, you know, they talked in the pregame meetings that they have with the Bronco staff about, hey, the staff wants to emphasize the run. So they called them out on the broadcast. They're like, well, so far this game, they've had 12 past plays and three running plays at that point in the game. And it just provided a stark contrast to, what the Broncos are saying and what they're doing.
Starting point is 00:15:21 It's a lot of lip service when it comes to the running game right now. And frankly, the loss of Jonah Coleman couldn't have happened at a worse time because it finally felt like you found somebody who was running with purpose, who's making people miss, who's physical, who's got vision. And I know it was just a one quarter sample, but honestly, we had seen it with Coleman, I mean, obviously at Washington, but during the preseason and his limited action there as well. So his loss was extremely unfortunate timing.
Starting point is 00:15:51 But also, here's the thing. The Broncos at some point got to take it personal that they're stinking up going with their running game. Like that's one of the things that you and I talk about with after the Kansas City game where the Broncos miss 800 tackles or whatever it was. What did we say the next day? We're like, hey, that can't happen again. You've got to be so offended that that happened to you.
Starting point is 00:16:12 You've got to take it so personal that that happened to you that that's never going to happen again. again. So now you've got to do the same thing with this running game. Like J.K. Dobbins, people be calling you out for losing or missing a step or losing a step and looking like a shell of your former self. How about RJ Harvey? Well, you're not really a real running back. You're a past catching back. I mean, take these things personal guys like Ben Powers, Luke Wattonberg, Mike McGlinchie. You guys are now being perceived as the weak link on the offensive line. And it's like take this stuff personally. Go out there and
Starting point is 00:16:46 mall somebody. This has to be, when the Broncos in the locker room say, hey, we're going to go watch the film. We're going to see what we can learn from this. That's what they have to learn. It's like, man, I'm getting, I'm getting whooped. Man, I'm getting tackle that first contact. Man, I didn't see that hole.
Starting point is 00:17:04 Like, they've got to be taking it personally when it comes to not being able to run the ball and getting beat at the line of scrimmage, which we know. That was the biggest emphasis when Sean Payton came in. Upgrade the offensive line and defense. line upgrading the trenches. If you're not winning there, you're going to lose a lot of games. And the Broncos right now, they're getting whipped in the trenches. And the Broncos have two offensive linemen that are consistently winning in the trenches.
Starting point is 00:17:27 And unfortunately, as we talk about with offensive line play, you could have two guys doing their job. But if there's lapses by any one guy amongst the five on the offensive line, it can make the offensive operation sputter. I mean, simple as a holding penalty on Mike McGlinchie, negates a nice play. You have false start penalty that backs you up. up on third down, makes you third and medium at this point. Like this team just consistently gets in our own way.
Starting point is 00:17:51 And look, Broncos country, we're not trying to sound negative anything. We're being critical here. Like sometimes we get accused of being two orange colored lenses here at this point. But no, it's like we're being objectively critical here that the Broncos, they're telling us every single week. They're telling you every single week, we got to run the football. We've got to find a way to run the football, you know, but they keep making the same mistakes that have impacted them for the last three years.
Starting point is 00:18:12 So at what point does it finally change? That is the challenge. That is the question here this week. And the Broncos have no time to feel sorry for themselves. They got to find a way to put rubber to the road. They got to get downhill. And they got to run the dang ball. And I don't know, Sarah, if they need to change up the rotation like they did a little bit
Starting point is 00:18:29 against San Francisco. I thought RJ Harvey, you know, did really well, especially as a past catcher out of the backfield. But maybe you feed RJ a little bit more, right? Maybe you have Adam Prentice lead up a little bit more. I don't know if I'm looking at the overall offensive snap counts here from Sunday. I'm trying to find Adam. Adam Prentice. He only played seven snaps on offense this past Sunday.
Starting point is 00:18:50 So maybe get Adam Prentice the ball a little bit more and have him lead through the A and the B gaps and have a running back follow, right? You've got a guy in Quinn Miners that I would feel comfortable. You could have Luke Wattenberg blocking whoever is in front of him. But have Adam Prentice lead up through the A gap. Quinn Miners will take care of anything in the A and the B gap in the second level. Try to get the run game going there. Five or six yards of pop.
Starting point is 00:19:12 And then that makes the manageable stuff a little bit. easier here for this Broncos football team. But, Sarah, I think we can be very honest here. Until the Broncos get this run game situation figured out, the offense is not going to go anywhere. And that is a big concern here going forward. Broncos country, let us know your level of concern on a scale of 1 to 10 here for Denver's offense as the season continues. Coming up next, Sarah and I are also going to give you some insight in some of the quick fixes
Starting point is 00:19:37 the Broncos offense can certainly utilize to help them out, specifically involving two of their top pass catchers. Brock goes country. Today's episode, the show was brought to you by our friends over there at Tempo. October, November, they get chaotic fast between Halloween, football, Thanksgiving, prep, and everything else that's filling up the calendar. Cooking dinner can easily become the first thing to go. And Tempo has been a go-to for those busy days when you still want a real meal without spending your evening in the kitchen cooking and not having to do dishes either. Tempo delivers fresh, chef-created, dietitian-approved meals right to your doorstep. And each meal, they are perfectly portioned for lunch or dinner. dinner and they're ready in just two minutes. So you can get real food without the sad desk lunch or the drive-through regret. With more than 20 recipes every week and nutrient-rich ingredients, tempo also gives you variety while helping you stay consistent with your healthy habits. Having a tempo meal that's ready in two minutes means that I can have an actual meal
Starting point is 00:20:31 without adding another task to my already busy day. And for a limited time, Temple was offering my listeners, 60% off your first box. Go to Tempelmills.com slash Lockdown 60. That's Tempelmills.com slash Lockdown 60 for 6. 60% off your first box, tempelmills.com slash locked on 60 rules and restrictions may apply. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. If you've thought about trying therapy with our long-term partner, BetterHelp, insurance options may now be available nationwide with an average co-pay for eligible members of just $23 per session. World Mental Health Day is October 10th,
Starting point is 00:21:04 but your mental health doesn't exactly follow a calendar. Stress doesn't wait for a certain day. Burnout doesn't RSVP, and sometimes your brain decides to spiral at 1147 p.m. Mental health is a part of regular life, and that's okay. And therapy doesn't have to be reserved for the biggest moments in your life. It can also be a place where you can work through some of the smaller things that are taking up your mental space, more so than you realize, a stressful situation that's going on at work, a relationship dynamic that you can't quite put your finger on. If you've been waiting to start therapy, better help works with more than 125 health plan networks, and eligible members have an average co-pay of just $23 per session with insurance.
Starting point is 00:21:40 Don't have insurance or don't live in the United States. you can still get 10% off your first month. Visit betterhelp.com slash locked on to explore your payment options. That's better. HELP.com slash locked on. Sometimes the simple fix is the quick fix here for offenses around the NFL and the Debra Broncos are trying to find theirs. Where can they start?
Starting point is 00:22:00 We'll get into that. I want to say thank you once again to all the everydayers out there in Broncos country. Thanks for tuning in, making us your first listen here on the Lockdown podcast network, your team every day, also the number one sports podcast network in the country. Sarah, so much of it too. Like a lot of the conversations I'm sure that you've been having on social media myself, we've been interacting with Broncos country. There are a lot of ideas outside of fire this guy, trade this guy, right?
Starting point is 00:22:22 But what are the simple fixes here for the Broncos offense? And I would say comfortably, Sarah, through watching through the first four weeks, the one thing I feel like the Broncos do not have or that they haven't gone to their bag enough with. It's the simple quick hitters, right? Let's talk about the passing game first here. For Bo Nix and the offense, I feel like a lot of it. is it's when he's under center, it's a five-step, seven-step drop,
Starting point is 00:22:45 and it's trying to let these, you know, these longer route concepts develop. Where are the quick hitters? Where are the slants? Remember, we were so excited when Pat Bryant initially last year in 2025 was starting to bring the slant game back here to the Denver Broncos. Now, Pat obviously has been an energizer bunny for this offense, and hopefully we'll find out a timeline for him on his injury. But the quick hitters, the slants, the quick hitches, we're not seeing that as much.
Starting point is 00:23:10 A lot of it is the downfield stuff, and defenses are taken that away because they simply don't respect Denver in the run game, and that makes it harder. So why not the quick hitters to guys like Cortland Sutton and Jalen Wadle, who say their targets have been atrocious. And yes, Jalen Waddle has had some drops this season. But my goodness, like when you are coming out of a game on Sunday against San Francisco and the guy who has the most targets for you is R.J. Harvey with 10. That's a problem. You look at Pat Bryant, three targets, three catches in this game. Jalen Wattle, five catches on six targets for 35 yards. And Cortland Sutton, one catch for four yards on six targets.
Starting point is 00:23:48 The Broncos got to find a way to get back to the basics and get these guys involved a lot more than what we're currently seeing. And this is why I think maybe utilizing fewer guys in the skill positions. I know this seems like such a ridiculous thought. And we talked about this on the squad show. So I don't want to make it seem like, hey, he's making light of a player being injured or anything like that. That's not what I'm saying at all.
Starting point is 00:24:13 I think regardless of injuries or what have you, it might benefit the Broncos to sort of limit their personnel grouping. Like you said, let's see a little bit more of Adam Prentice. Let's see a little bit more of that traditional just running game. And then at the receiver position, let's just get our stars involved. Let's get the top dogs involved.
Starting point is 00:24:33 Jalen Waddle ran one route over the middle of the field against the 49ers. Now, I understand defenses kind of dictate what, you're capable of doing. That one route was one of his best of the day. Unfortunately, it just fell incomplete because he dropped it. But you can't not throw the ball to Jalen Waddle because of dropped passes. You have to keep going to that well. Obviously, not at the expense of hurting your team down the line. But man, Cody, I feel like the Broncos just you make that investment in a guy like Waddle. And it feels like through three or four games now, we've only seen one really concerted effort to make him the featured focal point of the offense.
Starting point is 00:25:11 He was kind of just there against the 49ers. He was one of the receivers in the progression against the 49ers. That's not acceptable for a guy that you traded first and third round draft picks for. And yes, you and I both understand. And the commenters, we saw it all last, you know, in the post game, we saw it on the YouTube shorts. We saw everything. Like, we understand the frustration.
Starting point is 00:25:32 We throw a guy the ball and he drops a pass. Like, yes, the drops need to be addressed for Jalen Waddle. But I'm saying get this guy as many targets as possible. He's the only game changing weapon you have right now in the passing game. And yes, we need more for Troy Franklin as well now with Pat Bryant being injured. But Jalen Waddle is a game changing player. And so you have to get him the ball at all levels of the field, especially over the middle where he's running at full speed and can make plays after the catch.
Starting point is 00:26:03 you have to design more plays. Davis Webb, you've got to call more plays to get waddle the ball over the middle of the field. I just don't understand how you come away from a game where he has like two targets like he did against the Chiefs or where he has one route that goes over the middle of the field like he did against the 49ers. That strategy makes no sense to my brain when he traded so much to get a guy like this. Yeah. Well, and on top of that, too, your other guys, I mean, Troy Franklin played 32 offensive snaps. Didn't have a single target.
Starting point is 00:26:32 And I was a little surprised by that. you know, obviously, naturally, he's going to get more snaps because of the injury to Pat Bryant. But here's also another trend, Sarah, through the first four weeks of the season, the Broncos, their personnel groupings. I mean, when you look at it from the numbers according to true media, it's very predictable in terms of understanding what they're going to do. Primarily, they're an 11 personnel team, right? And Sunday's game against San Francisco, they had 64 offensive snaps. 42 of those snaps were in 11 personnel. 10 plays were in 12 personnel.
Starting point is 00:27:01 five plays were in 13. You had three plays in 21 where you have two backs and one tight end. And then you had two plays in 22 where you have two backs, two tight ends. But that theme, if you look at the numbers against the Rams, you look at the numbers against Jacksonville and even the Chiefs, so much of it indicates that they are living a lot in 11 personnel and 12 personnel is their primary two things. And now those personnel groupings simply aren't producing, whether it's in the run game or whether it's in the past game. They're not consistently producing. And teams are saying, you know what, we don't got to worry about this. They have a plan.
Starting point is 00:27:32 And once again, it's that too high shell, soft zone. And until the Broncos run the ball, you're not going to get teams out of that look. And now you're going to have to hit these certain windows, right, against cover two. And sometimes it's going to be hard because they'll allocate some of those resources. When you're going against a linebacker like Fred Warner, I can understand why attack in the middle of the field isn't necessarily what you want to do. But that's where the quick hitters come in, right?
Starting point is 00:27:52 If you don't want to attack the deep middle or the intermediate middle area of the field, you can't tell me you can't put Cortland Sutton in the slot and work him on a quick slant inside and just throw in the ball and have him catch it, where he's got the size where even if he's going to be in between the window, between the nickel and the inside linebacker, okay, you might get five or six yards there. I know it's easier said than done. I understand that.
Starting point is 00:28:13 But I'm saying we are not seeing just the little things, the simple things that could help this Broncos offense, just get some momentum, right? And when we do see it, there's a penalty. And it backs them up. So, like, it's so frustrating here. And I'm very, very curious to see where things go. Yeah, I am too, Cody.
Starting point is 00:28:31 I was really disappointed. I know you said this earlier. I don't want to seem negative right now. We're being critical right now, everybody. I mean, obviously, there's a time for everything when it comes to being positive, optimistic, critical, negative, what have you. I was extremely disappointed by the contrast of watching Mike Evans playing with a busted rib, most likely. and the way that he played in that game on Sunday versus the way that Cortland Sutton played.
Starting point is 00:29:03 And I just, I don't know. I mean, there are two similar types of guys, right? Two similar types of receivers, big guys on the outside who use their size to their advantage, not necessarily the fastest dudes, but man, they're going to win at the catch point.
Starting point is 00:29:16 And they're going to make sure that they get open for their quarterback. They're going to be that easy button for their QB. Evans was out there playing with a ton of heart. I just don't, I haven't felt that. from Cortland. I haven't. You want to feel it. You don't want him to be regressing. You don't want age to be catching up with a guy.
Starting point is 00:29:34 But I just feel like there's not there with him right now. He's either his mind is somewhere else or it's just one target, Cody, or one catch in a game. Like, he's falling down. He's running into defensive backs. I don't know.
Starting point is 00:29:50 You just want a guy like that to step. But when your offense is struggling, a guy like Cortland Sutton should be the one who's stepping up and we're just not seeing it. Yeah, it's been frustrating. It's been a frustrating start, I'd say to Sutton's season for sure. I'd even say it's been outside of the Jacksonville game, a frustrating start to even Jay Laudeau's time here in Denver. And I think the common down on the area goes back to, is this a scheme issue here for this team? Is the Broncos scheme? Is it just not matching up to what their players do best? I don't know. I don't have the answer.
Starting point is 00:30:18 We're fixing to find out, though, here. Bronco's country that'll wrap up today's episode of the show. Sarah and I will be back tomorrow as we recap what we learn from Sean Payton as he speaks. to us here briefly in the next couple of moments this morning on his Monday Aftermath conference call. You get the recap on that on tomorrow's episode of the show. And hopefully some injury updates on Pat Bryant and Riley Moss. We'll see you then.

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