The Drive

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil continue their discussion on if Sean Payton cost the Broncos by playing for overtime vs risking the game on the final play of the game. Veteran NFL reporter, James Palmer joins the show to discuss Sean Payton’s decision to play for overtime vs going for the win at the end of the 4th quarter, Bo Nix’s performance and non-ability to throw the ball down field, and what the other most impactful plays were throughout the game. Does Sean Payton have a play calling issue by committing to throwing the ball too much? The Buffs finished up the Shedeur and Travis Hunter era with an embarrassing loss in the Alamo Bowl, Phil shares his thoughts form the game. Was it a bad idea to have Sanders and Hunter play in the game with their minds on the next level? We wrap up the show with the top 5 reasons the Broncos fell to the Bengals. Did Sean Payton get too conservative with his play calling in overtime?

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Will cross talking with Dover. The guys debate if it matters how the Broncos make the playoffs or just that the team makes it to the playoffs. If the Broncos miss out on the playoffs, would the second half of the Broncos season be considered a collapse? Would the rest of the AFC be nervous if Joe Burrow and Bengals found their way into the playoffs? Saturday’s Broncos game will feature arguably the best wide receiver and best cornerback in the NFL, how excited are the guys to see this premier matchup? Will the weather in Cincinnati be a factor for Bo Nix and the Broncos offense? Will the rain be a reminder from when Nix struggled in New York? The Buffs take on BYU in the Alamo Bowl this weekend in what should be Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter’s final game in black and gold. Will CU end this era of Buffs football on a high note and get a win over their Big 12 conference opponent?

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Will breakdown the Broncos as they try to secure their playoff spot with a win over Cincinnati. Are the Broncos and Bengals’ seasons more similar than people think? How many points does Bo Nix and the Broncos offense need to get to ensure a win over the Bengals? The guys rank their top QB’s in the NFL and say where Burrow falls on their list. Today’s “Three Count” features the newest goaltender for the Avalanche receiving a 5-year contract extension, the NFL ratings for Christmas Day and how they compare to the NBA’s Christmas Day ratings, and the Sacramento Kings firing Mike Brown today. We finish up the hour reacting to the Nuggets poor performance on Christmas Day vs the Suns who they just beat handily a few days prior. Are the Nuggets a better team without Jamal Murray on the court?

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Will do their best to make sense of the Broncos running back room. Will it be a carousel of guys getting opportunities to run the ball like we have seen in recent weeks? Will makes the case why all the rest of the guys should get carries over Javonte Williams. This weeks Broncos game will feature a very special matchup in Patrick Surtain and Jamar Chase, will PS2 be able to contain Chase? We hear from Surtain and his thoughts on Chase and the importance of not letting Jamar gain yards after the catch. Will the weather come into factor for the Broncos offense this Saturday? We hear from Sean Payton and his thoughts on how the Broncos are preparing for a wet day. Will Nix be able to redeem himself after a bad performance playing in rain in New York, earlier this season? Zach and Will breakdown the Alamo Bowl as the Buffs take on BYU. The guys debate if Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter playing in the game is a good idea and what the motivation is for these guys to play in the game.

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Will preview the Broncos and Bengals massive game with playoff implications on the line. Would a Broncos win in Cincinnati be the best win on the Broncos resume this season? Will the Broncos opting to play an additional Thursday Night Football game against the Chargers, come back to bite them, especially if they can’t get a win in Cincy? Former Bronco and Super Bowl Champion, Chris Harris Jr., joins the show to discuss Joe Burrow’s strengths and weaknesses, Chris’s experience from the last time the Broncos clinched a playoff spot vs the Bengals, and how he sees the Pat Surtain and Jamar Chase matchup. The guys react to Chris Harris Jr.’s expectation of Pat Surtain being able to shut down Jamar Chase. We hear from Sean Payton and his thoughts from seeing Jamar Chase during his time in Louisiana. Where do Zach and Will rank Joe Burrow in their top QB lists in the NFL? 9News Denver Broncos insider, Mike Klis joins the show to discuss the return of Riley Moss, if the Broncos are feeling pressure to win on Saturday, and how the Broncos will combat the rain this game. We wrap up the show with a quote from Michael Malone on the firing of Mike Brown and 5 Denver sports predictions for the weekend.

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with James Merilatt and Kyle Reese cross talking with Dover. The guys recap their Christmases. James questions if Bo Nix could turn into Mac Jones, a rookie QB with a strong first season but didn’t progress after that? Kyle and James react to Russell Wilson’s struggles from yesterday, is Russell Wilson officially washed up? What does the Chiefs win and locking up the number one seed mean for the Broncos? Is Saturday’s game vs the Bengals a “must win” for the Broncos? How did the Broncos bring the “wrong balls” for their game in New York vs the Jets? The Nuggets were in action on Christmas Day and unfortunately fell in Phoenix. Is the lack of effort, competitiveness and attention to detail a fixable problem for the Nuggets? Do all the Nuggets problems stem from Jamal Murray or are their underlying issues for this team?

In hour 2 of The Drive, James Merilatt and Kyle Reese breakdown the Buffs upcoming bowl game. Are the guys interested in the Buffs bowl game which will most likely be the last time Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter suit up in a CU jersey? We pivot the Broncos as they gear up for a game with the Bengals with playoff implications on the line. Would a Broncos win convince the guys the Broncos can compete with the best teams in the league? Would a 9-8 season for the Broncos still be a successful season? Today’s “Three Count” includes Teddy Bridgewater returning to the Lions after coaching to a high school state championship, the NFL stepping on the NBA’s toes and having games on Christmas Day, and recapping the first round of the College Football Playoff. James and Kyle debate who the third best quarterback is in Broncos history and take your suggestions from the text-line.

In hour 3 of The Drive, James Merilatt and Kyle Reese breakdown the Broncos playoff matchup in what is most likely the Broncos heading to Buffalo to take on Josh Allen and the Bills. Are the Broncos built to contend with the top teams in the NFL at this point in Bo Nix’s career? Who on the Broncos current defense would start on the Broncos 2015 Super Bowl champion defense? Would Joe Burrow and the Bengals be more intriguing for NFL fans to watch in the playoffs over Bo Nix and the Broncos? Will the Broncos be better equipped to take on the weather when they head to Cincinnati than when the Broncos struggled vs the Jets? James questions if Bo Nix is “special” and capable of elevating a team around him?

In hour 4 of The Drive, James Merilatt and Kyle Reese continue their conversation on Bo Nix and if he is “special” or closer to a Mac Jones, Daniel Jones or Trevor Simien? Has Bo Nix proven he is the next franchise quarterback of the Broncos? Is it more likely that Bo Nix leads the Broncos to Super Bowls, or his rookie season is his best season as a pro? We pivot to the Nuggets and Coach Malone’s coaching style and how it changes when criticizing his stars in Jokic and Murray vs how he criticizes the rest of the team. The Nuggets fell to the Suns on Christmas Day as Aaron Gordon went down with an injury that will sideline him for at least Friday’s game vs the Cavs. Would trading Michael Porter Jr. for a Zach Lavine or Jimmy Butler fix the Nuggets issues? James makes the case that the Nuggets trading MPJ would be “trading the wrong guy” and Jamal Murray makes more sense to trade when the team is able to do so. We wrap up the show with the top 5 gifts for each of the Denver sports, the Broncos, Nuggets, Buffs, Avalanche, and Rockies.

On this Christmas Eve Kyle Reese and Chand Andrus sit in for Zach and Phil.  The guys try to help settle a debate for the previous show.  What are the holiday rules?  The guys get into what is happening with the Broncos.  Do the Nuggets have a problem?