PTI - Should You Think Less of the Broncos After Last Night's Win?

Episode Date: November 7, 2025

Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser discuss Vegas vs. Denver, the NFC West, and the Big-12. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hey, sports fans, the ESPN app has all of ESPN all in one place. The ESPN app is your home to thousands of live events, ESPN shows, and originals across every ESPN network and service. And now you can check if you already have ESPN Unlimited as part of your TV package for no additional calls. Visit activate.esPN.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now. Pardon the interruption, but I'm Mike Wilbon. Prince Harry apologized for wearing a Dodgers hat instead of a Blue J's hat to a World Series game.

Has one of your clothing choices ever caused a stir? I'm Tony Cornice. I don't know about a stir, but that lambskin mankini definitely caused a rash. Ew. You know what we call Prince Harry at my house? No. Purple-in-law.

Oh, did she go? Did she go to Northwestern? I'm sorry? Megan went to North... I didn't know that. Get out! She went to Northwestern? Yes. I had no idea.

I had no idea. Yes. I had no idea. Absolutely. Wow. Welcome to PTI, boys and girls in today's episode. The NFC West faces itself. Drake May takes on Baker Mayfield and a college game tomorrow with potential playoff implications.

But we begin today with last night's 10 to 7 Denver win over Las Vegas, a game where you could probably hear snoring in the stance. The Broncos' game-winning field goal came as the result of a block. punt late in the third quarter. This was Denver's seventh win in a row, and their eight and two record is the best in the NFL. Wilbon, does this win make you think more or less of Denver? Tony, that's a totally worthy question, and my answer is not going to fit.

Because it doesn't make me have any opinion of Denver. Not that game. Maybe the whole body of work, and they keep coming from behind in the fourth quarter, and they're losing at some point in every game. Yes. But that game last night, that was Drek. Yeah.

That was awful. That is why you can look at the Thursday night product and say your Thursday night product NFL is junk. Because the teams either don't appear ready to play, don't appear just capable of doing what it is. Your coaches are asking because I feel that the Broncos are better than that. And so I want to judge them not on what I saw last night, but on the rest of the season. And based on that, I'm still fairly impressed with the Broncos. I will say this, that the concept of a Thursday night game has some inherent problems because you have played on Sunday and you don't get much time to do it. Yes.

But I have been, I would say, in the defense of the schedule, they're at least putting division games out there, which have inherent meaning. So this is what I'm going to say. And this had one. Yes. If you are winning a division game, I don't care how you win it or by how many. It is, in my mind, a good win because it's a division game. We'll agree on that. So this, I'm not going to sit here and denigrate.

that win because it was a division win. Even though Denver showed no offense whatsoever. On the other hand, the Raiders are 15th in the league in terms of allowing yards right in the middle, so that's pretty good. Denver showed a very good defense. Denver sacked Gino-Smith.

Russia's historically good. They sacked Gino-Smith six times. They hurried him about 200 times. You know, I'm reluctant to sit here and say Denver's done. It doesn't make any sense to me. because I think this is the way they win games. As you're saying, they win close, they win late. They only score the 17th most points in the entire league,

so they're not a big offensive team, and this is pretty much how they do it. Let me go to my notes here because I wrote some stuff down. A win like this causes a certain amount of reservation, because yes, they are eight and two. But this is not a wow win. They don't have any wow win. This is not a win where you say,

oh, that's a championship. They won it. They got one wow win. So they're like marching in place. It's not artistic. It's not a statement win. But what does Herm say, hello? We play to win the game.

There's another wow win they need to have. Well, the Kansas City win this coming week. How about that? I'm sure you'll join me in holding off until. That's what I said last night is not going to inform our judge. But if they beat Kansas City, then that's a game changer. That's a division changer. Yes.

Literally. Yeah. All right. Then let's move from the AFC West to the NFC West to the NFC West. Three and five Cardinals take on the six and two Seahawks Sunday afternoon while the six and two Rams face the six and three Niners. Tom, which of these four teams do you favor to win this division? I know we'll get one eliminated right off the top.

Okay. So I think the hot and trendy pick is Seattle, and I understand it. Because Sam Darnold has started out this year in Seattle, the way he started out last year in Minnesota. Yep. He is an MVP candidate. He is.

I believe that Seattle will have little trouble, beating Arizona. Arizona is in disarray at quarterback unless Jacoby Bresset is absolutely the answer. Be careful. But it is very hard for me not to like the Rams. Because every time I see the Rams, I think they're pretty good. They had a loss to Philadelphia.

They could have won that game. They're trying a game winning field goal. It gets blocked and returned for a touchdown. How often does that? It never happens. They lose to San Francisco 26, 23, and overtime. So both those games are games that were winnable for them, and they could be conceivably undefeated. For me, the Trump

card is Matthew Stafford. He is the only quarterback in this division who's ever actually won a Super Bowl, and I understand that Darnold is more highly rated right now, and I get that. But the numbers on Stafford, I believe, are 21 touchdowns and two picks. Stafford's having a great season. I'm going to go with that.

Whatever. Whatever. I was that back trouble that was going to keep him from being any good the first few weeks of the season. That's a long time ago. By the way, neither one of us is going to pick the Cardinals. Right. But the Cardinals should be six and two. The Cardinals had double-digit leads.

They frittered away in three different games. You care about them because they're out there. I said, I'll care about them. I watch them. And I know they're better than that record indicates. So they could beat Seattle. I favor Seattle to win the division. And by the way, San Francisco's got a fascinating game coming up

because they do play the Rams. They've already won one of those. That's right. But the loss of Warner, the loss for Warner to that team is something that you cannot go through the season everybody's heard all the time. They do, but they also still manage to wind up standing often late in the season. Because they got a really good coach. Yes, they do.

As do the Rams and apparently as do the Seahawks. That's right. I'm going to go with Seattle. I'm going to stay with the hot hand with Donald. Right. With the acquisition of a wide receiver which makes that offense even more potent. That's right. So I'm going to go with Seattle in this with a narrow win over Phoenix, narrow win.

narrow win, but those three teams, that division is fascinating. Yeah, it's a very good division. I do like San Francisco, except they always get hurt, but you look at what Kyle Shanahan does. Mack Jones is on the exact same level as Brock Purdy at the moment. It seems. He can do that.

Obviously, Sean McVeigh can do that. Both of these guys have been, I think, to two Super Bowls at these particular stops. And Sean McVeigh won one with Stafford. Yes, it's a very competitive, very good division. I think you overrate the Cardinals a little bit, but I think you pay attention because you watch it.

The Cardinals are going to, at best, be like, seven and eleven. My point is, they're a tough out, right? And Seattle's not going to romp. Actually, I think Seattle might romp. This week, I think. Let's move to college football in the biggest game on the board this week, undefeated in seventh ranked by the committee, BYU,

at once beaten and eighth ranked Texas Tech. Wilbon, you've been geeked about this game for weeks. Oh, this week. These are the two highest-rated teams in the Big 12, so does it feel like a playoff berth could be at stake in this one? Yes. I do feel that way, Tony, because I think the committee is going to hose the loser. I just think the committee will have no respect for the loser

because it's not in the Big Ten or the SEC. That's how the committee rolls. I'm not jumping up now screaming about it, but that's how it roll. Because those two teams, those two teams are not poor sisters to use an old term. They got money. They have resources, those two schools. their football programs are well funded, but they are not big brands.

And it seems to me the committee is swayed by brands. SEC, Big Ten, and the biggest brands within those individual brands. So the loser of this game... I wouldn't put Indiana in that category in football. But you know what? Indiana's had a year. Yeah, I'm just saying... And Indiana's gaining... I'm saying it's a generalization that may not work all the way down the line.

Okay, but you know why it does work now? because Indiana's had brand. Indiana's been a big brand in all kinds of sports for decades. Yeah, but not in football. No, but Indiana last year got into this tournament, all right? And so when you see them again, it's like a kid who comes back for a sniff at the Heisman. The second year, you got a better chance at this thing. And so Indiana.

But Indiana's a much bigger brand in the two schools we're talking about right now, Texas Tech and BYU. I will say this, that I think if BYU beats Texas Tech, it's over for Texas Tech. in terms of the playoffs. Yeah. Because they become a two-loss team in what we both think might be a one-bid conference. Right?

And if you look, the committee doesn't value the Big 12. It values it more than the ACC, but they value my dog more than the ACCC. The other two contenders are Cincinnati,

which the committee doesn't even rank in the top 25, and two-loss Utah, I think the two losses are to text. So they're not going to get it. No. Head-to-head. You're saying what I'm saying in a different way

that the committee's going to look at the loser of this game and say take a hike. No. No. I think if BYUu wins, they are in the playoffs. Okay. I think if Texas Tech wins, then I think all bets are off. And I think that the Big 12 could sneak in two. Last year, the ACC, with Clemson and SMU, they snuck in two. The ACC, I'm just saying.

As long as it's the right schools in the ACC. I think the ACC is behind the Big 12. It's behind everybody else right now. Here is how I think it's going to work out. I think it's a reasonable way looking at it. That the Big 12 gets one, that the ACC gets one, that the gang of five or whatever they call that gets one. Gets one at Notre Dame.

Notre Dame is going to be in. That leaves eight teams. Because they're going to run the table. Well, they certainly could. That leaves eight teams among the two behemoths. The Big Ten and the SEC. And I will say this. If that's what they do, I'm okay with that.

I want to see them. So we started this with a question. This is a playing game, isn't it? Well, yes, I believe it is. Yeah. I believe it is. But I believe that Texas Tech. I don't think BYU has to win, and I think Texas Tech has to win.

I think so. Let's take a break. It's worth watching. Coming up, Drake May takes on Baker Mayfield on Sunday. Which would you rather have, or who would you rather have? And both the Vikes and Steelers pulled up says last week, but which team is more likely to keep that winning going, toss up his neck. This is Big Friday here on.

PTI, Big Friday. Is that what the kids are calling it? Yeah, Big Friday. Is it on social media as Big Friday? Yes. Oh, yes. I wish I went on social media. I don't know whose account, but...

Time for toss up. Two men enter, one man leaves, finishes the show, then celebrates upstairs, biting candy that's still in his office from before the pandemic. Candy corn? And it's good. What's first? Toss up, they play on Sunday. Which quarterback would you rather have?

Drake May or Baker Mayfield? Okay. I know how good a year, Drake, Drake May is having. He is now in the top five in the league in completion percentage, yards, yards per attempt, and touchdowns. Top five. He's the fourth quarterback all time to go through the first nine games of a season and be 70% or higher in completion percentage and nine plus yards per tent. Getting the ball down the feet. Let me tell you who the other three quarterbacks are. Perhaps you've heard of them. Joe Montana, Tom Brady and Aaron Rogers. This is in

incredibly elite company. Yeah, it is. I am aware that the Patriots at the moment are seven and two, and at this very juncture of the season last year, we're two and seven. So if anybody thinks that Mike Vrable does in how to coach, they should stop watching now. They should stop.

But with all that, I'm going to take Baker Mayfield. Because Baker Mayfield has been dealing without his best receivers all year long. No God win? No Evans. Working with nothing, and he's winning games. And he has become a really, good quarterback.

I'm taking Baker Mayfield. You are? That surprises me. One, Tampa's... You hated him for years. I did. Tampa's coming off a by week. They've had a week to sort of look at some things,

figure out what they don't have, and figure out how to get around it. And we mentioned no Godwin, no Evans, no Bucking Irving. And there's a lot of stuff missing. But you know who's not missing Baker Mayfield, who just seems to have a sense of who on his team he can use in the absence of those stars,

And by the way, Abuca is out there and a reliable, not just reliable receiver, but a threat. And it just seems that Baker Mayfield is one of those guys who knows how to lead his team. He's great late in games. Yeah. All right. They win late. They're at home. Like Denver, they won't wait.

There's no reason to doubt Drake at this point, but I'm taking bake. He's, because what Baker Mayfield has become is a competent quarterback. More than that. More than that. He plays that. Other people have great games. He plays that position. Very good at the position.

Very good at the position. What's next? Toss up, more likely to keep it going after last week's surprising wins. The Vikings or the Steelers? Okay, so let me set this up. Last week, the Vikings beat the Lions in Detroit. Now they are hosting the Baltimore Ravens. Last week, the Steelers beat the Colts.

It's a pretty big win. This week, they're at the Chargers. Neither to me is likely to win, but I'm being asked who is more likely to win. I think Minnesota has the tougher draw because Lamar Jackson has said every game we play is a playoff game from now on. And as much as we may like J.J. McCarthy, this is his first year being a quarterback and he's missed a bunch of games already. Aaron Rogers has clothing that's older than J.J. McCarthy. I looked, and I told you this for weeks, I looked at the Steelers and they didn't pass the eye test, but they did against the Colts. they turned the Colts over six times.

They played really well against the Colts. And I have, and you have two looked at the charges when they haven't passed the eye test. So I give the Steelers a better opportunity. Slightly better, Tony. The thing is the Steelers pass defense is like 31st or 32nd. And the other kid can pass. Herbert can pass.

He can pass. He can pass. He can pass. But he can throw it and they can figure out what it is that that Steelers weak link is, obviously. So I would expect a coach Harball, this particular Harbaugh. We got both Harbauls involved in this equation. No, having said that, I'm still going to take the Steelers,

because I got to see Jay. You know, J.J. McCarthy has had about three or four good quarters. Not full game. And in doing so, he has been impressive, and he did that in Detroit last week. And he had those touchdown runs. So I don't want to start taking shots at J.J. McCarthy, not until next week when he gets the monsters in Minnesota, then I'll take my shots. But I think the Steelers, neither one I'm going to win.

Pittsburgh's not going to win. Minnesota's not going to win. The Baltimore Ravens are in a playoff game, particularly vis-a-vis the Steelers. You know who is going to win? Who? Detroit's going to win. They play Washington. They're going to win.

Because when they lose, they come back and they score 100 points. They took Tom Brady off that game. Brady, we're going to just run you right back out to California. Forget about Landover this week. That's it. Victory is so sweet. Let's take one last break still to come. Florida's 7-foot-9-inch red shirt freshman makes his debut.

And Northwestern tries to take out a ranked USC team tonight in Los Angeles. Will the Wildcats shock the world? Why are you playing Friday night? National TV? Oh, is that how it worked? Huh? Come on now. So you can get more playoff teams in? Big Friday.

Big Friday. I thought that was just us. No, it's everywhere. Oh. We spread it around. Happy time, people. Happy 87th birthday tomorrow, Satch Sanders. History lesson, kids.

Satch's real first name is Tom. Thomas Ernest Sanders. He played his college ball at NYU and was drafted eighth overall in 1960 by the Boston Celtics. You want to know what it's like to play with Bill Russell? How about eight championship? rings for Satch. Sanders played forward opposite Hall of Famers Tommy Hineson and John

Havlicek played with Hall of Fame guards Bob Cousie, Bill Sharman, Sam Jones, KC. Jones, and he played for Hall of Fame coach Red Hourback. Over his 13 years with the Celtics, Sanders averaged 9.6 points and 6.3 rebounds. And after retiring, Sanders coached the Celtics briefly and Harvard for four years. First time I ever went to Boston was to cover Patrick Ewing's announcement of where he was going to college. Go to Georgetown. That was held at Sass Sanders restaurant. Is that right? In Cambridge.

I know you always love Sats Sands. Before my first trip up there, you were lauding Sats Sands. NYU, the violets. I always love them. A not-so-happy anniversary, Mike Brown, on this day 13 years ago, Brown coach's last game with the Lakers as they dropped to one and four. Brown then returned to Cleveland, where he first was a head coach, but lasted only one season this time.

This is the roller coaster life of most NBA coaches. Brown had success in Cleveland. in his first time around, voted coach of the year in 2009. He had success in Sacramento, winning the Pacific Division, his first year, 2023, getting the Kings to the playoffs for the first time since 2006, and being voted coach of the year unanimously the first time that ever happened. And then he was fired two years later.

Now Brown is coaching the Knicks, has them off to a five and oh start at home. Seems it's a big swing from Tibbs to Mike Brown. It seems that way. But they're both, the credentials, These guys are both terrific coaches. And he is so easy to roll for Mike Brown. If you're not Steve Kerr or Eric Spolstra or Greg Popovich,

this is what happens. You go around. Happy trails to watching from the bench for Olivier Rieu. Florida's red shirt freshman became the tallest person ever to play college basketball when he entered last night's win over North Florida with just over two minutes to play. The seven foot nine inch Canadian is two inches taller than NBA Giants George Murissan and Mnude Bowel.

three inches taller than Yao Ming and Sean Bradley. Ryu got a huge obation, though we never actually touched the ball. He will only play late in blowouts for now, as the defending champs have a stacked front court. We got to start including Zach Eady in these lists with height. 74. 7-4, Zach Edy? Zach Ety playing in Memphis?

He did pretty good by Purdue for a couple of years. So there is a sort of a height limit where you look up and you go, oh, that's really big. Can they play? Ralph Samson for a guy who was really big. And Wemba Nama. Yes. Wemba Nama.

But a 7-9 college kid. We got a lot to see. You know, I don't know. I got to take a while. I'm going to watch Florida more than I thought I would. Just to watch him. I want to see. We've got to watch late in the game and blowouts.

That's what the copy said. Let's go to the big finish if we could. Let's do it. The four teams at the top of the Premier League table all play each other this weekend. Are you intrigued Mr. Soccer? Yes, with fourth place Sunderland. Who I'd never. never heard of before. They're going to play first place Arsenal. Sunderland, you familiar with Sunderland?

No. No. Paul D. Podesta reportedly leaving his job as chief strategy officer of the Cleveland Browns to take over the Colorado Rockies. Does that make sense? He's a baseball guy. He was sort of profiled in Moneyball. This is what he do. Jerry Carl's situation. Baseball is what he does. Baseball. Multiple sports. Balkans coach, Rahim Morris showed the team of video on Jesse Owens' feats at Berlin's Olympic Stadium prior to Atlanta's game there on Sunday, your thoughts. You and I have seen some of the film of this for decades. It's Jesse Owens. There's nothing like it. Nothing like it. One of the all-time greats. Bradley Beale had a dud of a return to Phoenix, getting booed every time he touched the ball on a two-for-14 shooting night as the Clippers

lost to the sons, your thoughts. He got the dumbest contract in history given to him by the Wizards. He's never really been on a winning team. Last one, Northwestern. At number 19 USC to 90, you're smelling upset. Well, what am I smelling outside? What food am I smelling outside the Coliseo? Don't call the Colise. Go to Craves. Okay.

Go to Chris. For a victory party. We're out of time. We'll try to do better than next time. Rita DeCruz, our greatest Canadian fan. This is in her honor. I'm Mike Wilbon. Have a great weekend knuckleheads.