Afternoon Drive

The Chargers wrapped up Week 2 with a 20-9 win over the Raiders in Las Vegas. LAC looked very balanced on offense and their defense made it tough for Geno Smith all night. How scary are the Chargers and how well do the Broncos match up against them? Plus, Tom Brady was shown in the Raiders booth wearing a headset on Monday Night Football. Brady is also a broadcaster for FOX, so is this a conflict of interest? Baker Mayfield led the Bucs on a game-winning drive last night. Is Mayfield in the elite tier of QB's? Eric and Bruce also dive into the Shedeur Sanders report, in which he told the Ravens not to draft him in the 5th Round because he didn't want to be a backup to Lamar Jackson. Catch a Tuesday edition of Hot Takes! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Broncos lost a gut-wrenching game yesterday in Indianapolis, falling 29-28 to the Colts. Will Lutz missed a key 42-yard field goal late in the 4th quarter and a Broncos penalty on a Colts 60-yarder gave Indy another chance and moments later a 45-yard FG ended the game. Eric and Bruce react to the loss, discussing the much-improved offense in Week 2 and Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor and Tyler Warren slicing up the Broncos defense. How much of a concern are the special teams? Troy Franklin looked excellent, so what is his ceiling this season? Denver's Week 3 opponent -- the Chargers play the Raiders in Las Vegas tonight. Tune in to Hot Takes for a full reaction Monday! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It appears that John Franklin-Myers and Evan Engram will play on Sunday at Indianapolis after practicing fully yesterday. Broncos are -1.5 point favorites and the Over/Under is set at 43.5. What will the ratio be between pass plays and run plays? Is Jonathan Taylor or Tyler Warren more of a threat in the Colts offense? The CU Buffs have their Big 12 opener tonight in Houston and Ryan Staub is expected to start at QB. Will we see Kaidon Salter or JuJu Lewis at all? And is this game a litmus test to see how good the Buffs are right now? Catch a Football Friday edition of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

Sean Payton spoke at yesterday's press conference, saying again that he needs to be better with his play calling. Does Payton tend to protect Nix too much from criticism? Nix spoke about his performance and the overall offensive performance vs. the Titans. What will the play calling look like vs. the Colts? A closer look at the Broncos defense vs. the Colts offense. Will Vance Joseph have a blitz heavy game plan? Can the Colts eclipse 20 points? Eric and Bruce dive into the latest with the Broncos on a Thursday version of Hot Takes!

The Broncos have named historic Burnham Yard as the preferred site for new stadium development. The stadium will be privately funded and have a retractable roof and will stay in the downtown area. Is this Walton-Penner ownership group too good to be true? What is the best part of this new stadium plan? Plus, the Colorado Buffaloes have a dilemma at quarterback. Will it be Ryan Staub under center on Friday at Houston? Will Coach Prime let the media know what the plan at QB is ahead of time or will we have to wait and see? Catch a Wednesday version of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

Many criticized Sean Payton for abandoning the run game early on in the win vs. the Titans, so Payton discussed the run-pass ratio, saying he has to be better in that department. Although the Broncos rushed for 151 yards, did Denver really run the ball effectively throughout the game? The Broncos defense was lights out, only allowing 133 total yards and 7 first downs, so why wasn't the historic defensive performance talked about more? Plus, is Bruce the Don Mattingly of Broncos media? Catch a Tuesday edition of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

Reaction Monday! Broncos start their 2025 season with a 20-12 win over the Titans. It wasn't pretty at times, but the Broncos showed why they have one of the best defenses in the NFL. A closer look at Sean Payton's game plan and evaluating Bo Nix's performance, as he threw two interceptions. Who gets the game balls on defense? The Colorado Buffaloes beat Delaware 31-7 on Saturday and used three quarterbacks in the process. Eric and Bruce have lots to talk about on this reaction Monday!

The Broncos signed Nik Bonitto to a 4-year contract extension worth up to $120M. Bonitto is now the top-paid non-QB in Broncos history. A Broncos injury update, as LB Dre Greenlaw looks iffy for Sunday. Are the Broncos a 'sexy' Super Bowl pick? Eric and Bruce give a couple bold predictions for the Broncos this season. Gear up for Week 1 in the NFL with a Friday edition of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

Titans star defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said Bo Nix will take off running if his first read is not there. Sean Payton disagreed, so will this backfire on Simmons come Sunday? How much will Bo Nix run the football this season? Kurt Warner said the Broncos are not a Super Bowl contender because of the questions in the run game, as well as not having a second go-to-guy in the passing game. Is Warner right? Plus, Deion Sanders said that both Kaidon Salter and JuJu Lewis will play on Saturday vs. Delaware. Catch a Thursday version of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

After Rafael Devers hit a long first-inning home run off Kyle Freeland, he took his time running down to 1st base and Freeland let him know about it. This sparked a benches-clearing brawl in which 3 players were ultimately ejected. Eric and Bruce give their take on the incident, who was in the wrong and respecting the game of baseball. Also, the Broncos released their unofficial depth chart for Week 1. Any surprises? Can the Broncos get off to a 'fast start' this season and what would be considered a 'fast start?' Catch a Wednesday version of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

The NFL released the top 10 players on their Top-100 list and Patrick Surtain came in at No. 10. Should he have been ranked any higher? Broncos are 8-point favorites in their season opener. What are some of the keys for the Broncos to beat the Titans on Sunday? Does the defensive line need to dominate the Titans offensive line? Sean Payton spoke on how much more Bo Nix can handle in Year 2. Plus, Bruce Haertl makes an announcement at the end of the show. Catch a Tuesday edition of Hot Takes with Eric and Bruce!

The Cowboys dealt Micah Parsons to the Packers, who immediately gave him a 4-year, $188M contract with $120M fully guaranteed. How does this affect the looming contract extension for Nik Bonitto? Would you rather have Pat Surtain or Micah Parsons on your team? Plus, a preview of Colorado vs. Georgia Tech tonight and season expectations for the CU Buffs. Check out a football Friday show with Eric Goodman and Myck Miller!

The Broncos have filled out their practice squad, signing 16 players, including Sam Ehlinger, who turned down two 53-man roster offers elsewhere. Denver keeps three inside linebackers on their practice squad. A look at what Sean Payton and George Paton have built up over the last couple years. Plus, Eric and Myck take a look at the correlation between Super Bowl QB's and them playing on rookie contracts. Based on the history, is the Broncos window to win a Super Bowl now open? Tune in to Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Myck Miller!

The Broncos have finalized their 53-man roster. Were there any surprise cuts? Are there any holes on the Broncos roster? How concerning is the inconsistency from rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw? The Colorado Buffaloes open their season on Friday at home against Georgia Tech. Kaidon Salter, the transfer from Liberty, was named starting quarterback over true freshman JuJu Lewis. Was going with the veteran Salter the right decision? If Deion Sanders wasn't the coach of the Buffs, what would the excitement level be for this game? Catch a Wednesday version of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Myck Miller!

The Broncos will finalize their 53-man roster today at 2pm MT. The cuts are well underway, with Audric Estime, Blake Watson and Damarri Mathis among yesterday's cuts. The Broncos RB room appears to be set. Where could the team use a little more depth? Should the Broncos bring in somebody to give rookie punter Jeremy Crawshaw some competition? Will John Franklin-Myers sign an extension with Denver or will it be his last year here? Plus, the Browns traded Kenny Pickett to the Raiders and it appears Shedeur Sanders is slated to be QB3 in Cleveland. Catch a Tuesday edition of Hot Takes with Goodman and Haertl!

The Broncos preseason is over, following their win over the Saints in the preseason finale. Eric and Bruce give their overall impressions of the first-team offense, which played three series and scored 10 points. Roster cuts are tomorrow at 2pm MT - Which guys on the bubble helped their case to make the team? Saturday was a rough one for the Sanders boys. Shedeur struggled, as he was sacked 5 times and only threw for 6 yards, while Shilo was ejected for throwing a punch and was waived by the Buccaneers yesterday. The guys dive into it all on a Monday morning episode of Hot Takes!

The Broncos wrap up their preseason slate tomorrow morning in New Orleans against the Saints. The first-teamers are expected to play a series or two. More reaction to the Devaughn Vele trade. Will this end up helping or hurting the team? Should the Broncos look at trying to trade Jarrett Stidham as well, if the return is adequate? Plus, Shedeur Sanders is listed as the No. 3 QB on the Browns depth chart. Eric and Bruce discuss a sound byte from Eric Dickerson, in which he claims the NFL told teams not to draft Shedeur. Tune in to a Friday edition of Hot Takes with Goodman and Haertl!

The Broncos agreed to terms on a trade with the New Orleans Saints to acquire a 2026 4th round and a 2027 7th round pick for wide receiver Devaughn Vele. Was this move surprising? And what does it say about the current wide receiver room? Does it now mean that Denver will carry only 5 WR's? Plus, the Colts named Daniel Jones their starting QB. Broncos will face Indy on the road in Week 2. A look at the Colorado Buffaloes 2025 season and the expectations for this year after losing Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders to the NFL Draft. Catch a Thursday edition of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

Many have pondered what the pecking order in the Broncos wide receiver will look like. Yesterday, Sean Payton cleared it up by saying each WR that dresses will play and that there may not be a clear #2 or #3 guy. Has the media made too much about which young receiver will play more snaps than the others? Eric and Bruce chat about the Broncos different position groups and which rooms rank the strongest. How much have the receivers improved from three months ago? Catch a Wednesday edition of Hot Takes with Goodman and Haertl!

A look at some of the Broncos position battles, specifically in the running back room. Can Audric Estime avoid being cut? Will Tyler Badie get the last RB spot? Denver had 11 penalties in the game on Saturday, including 7 pre-snap infractions. How much emphasis will Sean Payton put on cleaning these penalties up? Plus, Lone Tree is making another push for the Broncos new stadium. How would fans feel putting the stadium in Lone Tree, instead of Denver? Pat Surtain is starting a podcast with Lions DB Terrion Arnold. Is this going to be a must-listen? Catch a Tuesday edition of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

The Broncos easily won their second preseason game, jumping all over the Cardinals, 27-7. Jarrett Stidham continued his dream preseason with another solid performance, Evan Engram had a big play and Troy Franklin and Pat Bryant both had positive showings as well. Eric and Bruce take a look at the pecking order in the wide receiver room. The guys also ponder how many games Stidham could win this year if he was the starter. Are these QB's who play under Sean Payton successful because of their talent or the system? Catch it all on a Broncos reaction Monday on Hot Takes!

The Broncos and Cardinals got after it at the shared workout yesterday, in which Bo Nix was dialed in. Cardinals star TE Trey McBride had his way with the Denver defense. Sean Payton announced the starters will not play in tomorrow's preseason game. Eric and Bruce evaluate Nix's training camp and how he has looked overall. A couple of Cardinals defenders had some glowing remarks about Nix's play. Plus, the Denver Nuggets 2025-26 schedule is out and the guys talk about why the schedule makers did not do the Nuggets any favors. Catch a Friday episode of Hot Takes!

The Arizona Cardinals are in town to face the Broncos in a shared practice today ahead of the second preseason game on Saturday. Why are the Broncos preseason opponents the 49ers, Cardinals and Saints? Colorado native Trey McBride is one of the best tight ends in the NFL. Where does he rank among best football players to come out of the box state? Bo Nix and Courtland Sutton on their head coach. Browns star Myles Garrett was cited for speeding again, going 100 MPH in a 60 MPH zone. And what does it say about Sean Payton that he is simplifying and shortening his play calls so they are easier to understand? Catch a Thursday edition of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

Training camp is winding down - Eric and Bruce discuss their notes from yesterday's practice. Which skill position player, besides Courtland Sutton will play the most snaps? Is Jonathan Cooper a better all-around player than Nik Bonitto? Speaking of Bonitto, he was ranked No. 38 on NFL's Top-100 players list. Patrick Surtain II had some glowing things to say about his defense. Could it be -- dare we say, historic? Catch a Wednesday edition of Hot Takes!

The Broncos are back out on the field today as they prep for the joint practice on Thursday with the Arizona Cardinals. Sean Payton wasn't happy with his starters after the game on Saturday, so how will the team get better moving forward? The Athletic listed Bo Nix in their 3rd quarterback tier, tied for 20th overall. Is this ranking too low? accurate? Or should Nix be in the 4th tier? Plus, Shedeur Sanders seized his opportunity in his preseason debut on Friday night, but is still 4th on the Browns QB depth chart. Catch Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

The Broncos won big in their preseason opener vs. the 49ers, 30-9, but their first-teamers struggled at times against the 49ers backups. The first-team offense left much to be desired and Sean Payton called it 'average to below average.' Eric and Bruce evaluate the performance from the offense and defense, including highlighting some standouts. Who will get the last running back spot on the roster? How quickly do the Broncos need to get a deal done with Nik Bonitto? Tune in to a Monday edition of Hot Takes!

The Broncos looked solid yesterday in their joint workout in Santa Clara vs. the 49ers. The offense did well, while the defense dominated. Eric and Bruce highlight some of the bright spots, including second-year WR Troy Franklin. How much value does the joint practice hold? Broncos will take on the Niners tomorrow night in the preseason opener. Also, Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders will start Cleveland's preseason opener tonight. Eric and Bruce discuss if Shedeur is being set up to fail. Tune in to a Friday edition of Hot Takes!

The Rockies were swept by the Blue Jays and gave up 63 hits and 45 runs in the 3-game series. Will the club set the record for most losses in a season in the modern era? The Broncos are in the Bay Area for their joint practice today with the Niners. Are joint practices or exhibition games more useful? Also, who would you rather have as your head coach: Sean Payton or Kyle Shanahan? A look at the Bills teams from the early 1990s that lost four consecutive Super Bowls and the Broncos teams from the 1980s, who were blown out in multiple Super Bowls. Catch a Thursday edition of Hot Takes with Eric and Bruce!

The Broncos will have a walkthrough today before leaving for San Francisco, where they will have a joint practice with the 49ers ahead of the preseason game on Saturday. Which wide receiver has impressed the most so far? And is Bo Nix getting too much praise as he enters his sophomore season? Eric and Bruce give their take on Nix's newly-created YouTube channel. And who are a couple of players that have been solid, but not really talked about? Catch Hot Takes with Goodman and Haertl!

Sean Payton did an in-depth interview with Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports and made no bones about his confidence in the Broncos and Bo Nix. Eric and Bruce discuss whether Payton should have kept these thoughts to himself or if it's a good thing that he's showing this much confidence. Nix has thrown 5 INT's over the last three days of team periods. Is this a concern? And how does Sean Payton differ from other successful head coaches? The guys break it all down on a Tuesday edition of Hot Takes!

Peyton Manning spoke to Troy Renck of the Denver Post and had some glowing things to say about the Broncos. Does the team have enough talent to make a run at the Super Bowl? In Bo Nix's second year, how different has he looked so far in practices? Plus, DL Zach Allen signed a 4-year extension worth $102M and held a press conference the day after he signed the deal. Plus, Eric and Bruce discuss the culture in Denver and how the ownership has shaped it. Catch a Monday edition of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

Bruce Haertl and Alex Becker get into the latest from Broncos camp, including Sean Payton's comments from yesterday regarding his feelings on the team. A closer look at the injury LB Dre Greenlaw sustained yesterday and if we should be concerned about the string of injuries to the inside linebackers. The NFL preseason kicked off last night with the Hall of Fame Game. And in Rockies news, the team traded a couple relief pitchers before yesterday's deadline, sending Tyler Kinley to Atlanta and Jake Bird to the Yankees. Bruce and Alex examine the return the Rockies received in the trades. Tune in to a Friday edition of Hot Takes!

Yesterday's Broncos practice was the most physical one yet, as it was the third day in pads. Malcolm Roach and Marvin Mims traded jabs at each other, all in good fun. Can Marvin Mims be another joker this season, as he was at the end of last season? Plus, what is the biggest challenge the Broncos face this season? Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl break it down on a Thursday version of Hot Takes!

The Broncos defense dominated the offense at yesterday's practice. How much better will the offense be this season for having to practice against the defense? Courtland Sutton met the media yesterday and spoke about his Broncos tenure and receiving a third contract. A closer look at Sutton and Garett Bolles' time in Denver and how they have persevered through some tough years. Tune in to a Wednesday edition of Hot Takes with Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl!

Courtland Sutton and the Broncos reached an agreement on a 4-year contract extension worth $92M. Sutton will now be roughly the 18th highest paid WR in the league. How happy were Sutton's teammates that he received a new deal? Also, Alex Singleton broke his thumb in practice yesterday and is expected to miss 7-10 days. Are injuries a major concern at inside linebacker? Yesterday, Deion Sanders announced that he fought bladder cancer and had to have surgery to remove the tumor, but is now cancer-free and ready to coach this season.

The Broncos will have their first full practice in pads today. On Saturday, LB Drew Sanders suffered a tendon injury to his foot and will miss some time. How big of a blow is this to the inside linebacker room? Also, Bo Nix held his first media session for camp on Saturday. Nix discussed what motivates him on the football field. Why do Nix's teammates seem to love him so much? Eric and Bruce get into all things Training Camp on a Monday edition of Hot Takes!

After a couple days of maintenance practices, the Broncos will officially open up training camp today. Eric and Bruce dive into their history of covering training camps and how it has changed over the years. Which is the strongest position group for the Broncos? And is Bo Nix rightfully ranked at No. 64 on NFL's Top-100 players list? Plus, Troy Renck wrote a column on Sean Payton and the turnaround/improvement of the Broncos since he walked in the building. The guys get after it on a Friday edition of Hot Takes!

The Broncos went through Day 1 of acclimation practice yesterday. Sean Payton spoke afterwards and revealed that Bo Nix was busy this offseason, spending a few days with Drew Brees and also spent time with throwing guru, Tom House. Plus, who could potentially be breakout players on the Broncos offense and defense this year? Eric and Bruce talk all things Broncos today on Hot Takes!

After the veterans arrived at camp yesterday, the Broncos will begin a pair of acclimation practices starting today. Will we learn anything over the next two days? The Broncos didn't fare so well against teams with winning records last season, so what do they have to do in order to play better against teams over .500? Plus, ESPN ranked the Broncos as the 6th best roster in the NFL. Eric and Bruce discuss the national media having high expectations placed on Denver.

To start the show, Eric discusses the crazy similarities between Caitlin Clark and Larry Bird. Jonas Valančiūnas commits to the Nuggets for 2025-26. What are some realistic expectations for the Broncos this season and what will be the most intriguing position battle in training camp? Plus, of the young wide receivers on the team, who is most likely to emerge as a breakout player this year? And what will the environment be like for the fans out at camp? Eric and Bruce dig into it all on a Tuesday edition of Hot Takes!

The Broncos haven't had a quarterback/head coach combo in consecutive years since 2014, until now. How lethal is the Payton-Nix duo? And is it true that almost all great QB's have great head coaches as well and vice versa? In Year 3 of the Sean Payton era, are the Broncos on schedule? Plus, a look at the early portion of the Broncos 2025 schedule. And if you could choose a 'homegrown duo' from the Broncos, which two players would you go with - active players and an all-time duo? Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl are back after the weekend on Hot Takes!

The Broncos and second-round pick R.J. Harvey agreed to terms on a 4-year contract. How will the carries be split up between Harvey and J.K. Dobbins this season? What's more important - having a dominant defense or a dominant offense? Plus, with T.J. Watt signing a massive extension with the Steelers yesterday, who are some of the best sibling duos in sports history? Eric Goodman and Bruce Haertl get into it on a Friday version of Hot Takes!