The Drive

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil continue their conversation on the Nuggets potentially acquiring Zach Lavine. Would the guys prefer a big trade that would send Michael Porter Jr. out of town, or a smaller trade that brings in role players to round out the roster? We pivot the Broncos and Zach asks which award is most likely to come to Denver, coach of the year, rookie of the year, or defensive player of the year? Today’s “Three Count” includes Marvin Mims being named AFC special teams player of the week, Atlanta benching a struggling Kirk Cousins for rookie Michael Penix Jr., Patrick Mahomes participating in practice after an injury, and the Buffs bringing in a transfer portal quarterback. We hear from Bo Nix and his thoughts on the Broncos remaining schedule. Should the Broncos be happy to win just one more game or should they be focused on finishing the season, 3-0?

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil react to Coach Prime’s recent comments on wanting to plant his flag in Boulder. What will Prime’s next contract with Colorado look like? Will Prime coach for another team in his career after Colorado? We hear from Sean Payton and his thoughts on the Broncos playing a second Thursday Night Football game this season. Was Sean being selfish when the Broncos decided to accept taking on an additional road Thursday Night Football game? Zach and Phil react to trade rumors around the NBA about the Nuggets being in the market for a major piece. Should the Nuggets be willing to move Michael Porter Jr. out of town for Zach Lavine? Would trading MPJ now be the Nuggets “selling high” on him as he is having a career season?

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil debate which award is most likely to come to Denver for the Broncos, coach of year, rookie of the year, or defensive player of the year? The guys dig into the full circle moments the Broncos have had as Vance Joesph went from head coach to returning as defensive coordinator, years later. Did the Broncos get lucky by settling for Sean Payton after missing out on Jim Harbaugh and settling for Vance after missing out on many other coordinator options? DenverSports.com’s Will Petersen joins the show to discuss the Broncos with potential to take home NFL awards this season. We wrap up the show with the guys debating if the Nuggets should pull the trigger on a trade for Zach Lavine or try to do a smaller trade that brings in depth to the bench.

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross talking with Dover and Cecil. The guys discuss Jonathon Taylor’s mistake from Sunday’s Bronco game and recount their own sports gaffs from over the years. Zach asks if Sean Payton should “rip off the band aid” and start Audric Estime at running back. Why has Payton been so hesitant to give Estime the starting job? Phil has some theories. The Broncos have a great chance of matching up with Steelers in the playoffs, would Broncos Country welcome a high stakes game vs their former quarterback? What matchup would Zach and Phil prefer for the Broncos in the first round of the NFL playoffs?

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil analyze the Broncos playoff chances after securing a big AFC win vs the Colts. How does the Broncos remaining schedule impact their playoff chances? Which remaining game for the Broncos is the most winnable? Will the Broncos playoff hopes come down to the last week of the season vs the Chiefs? Today’s “Three Count” features the improbable Broncos win when it comes to the stats, former Crimson Tide DT and the number one defensive player in the transfer portal picking Colorado, the Avs falling in Vancouver with a struggling power play, and Michael Vick potentially being the next HC of Sacramento State. Will former NFL players with no coaching experience, have success at the FBS level? The guys react to Mel Kiper’s NFL draft big board and Travis Hunter coming in at the number one spot. Will Hunter be considered the best wide receiver and best cornerback in the draft?

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil react to breaking news of Michael Vick becoming the next head coach for Norfolk State. Will Vick have success as a first-time college football coach? We pivot to Marvin Mims impressive run the past month, from returning punts, receptions down field, to running the ball. We surprise Zach with a piece of audio from Zach in February saying he would get a tattoo if Russell Wilson went 11-6 with the Steelers, how does Zach feel about his take now? The Nuggets pulled out a come from behind win in Sacramento last night but the big takeaway for the guys was how spry Jamal Murray looked. Zach asks if it’s time for Sean Payton to elevate Audric Estime to the starting running back? Phil questions why we haven’t seen more of Estime? The guys speculate all the different reasons Sean doesn’t trust Estime.

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil examine the Broncos playoff probability after their big win over Indianapolis. How will the Broncos preform on a short week and major playoff implications on the line? Will the Broncos agree with Zach that Thursday is not a “must win”? Will the Broncos playoff hopes come down to the final week of the season when the Chiefs travel to Denver? The guys pick their ideal first round playoff matchup for the Broncos. Zach and Phil react to ESPN’s Mel Kiper ranking Travis Hunter as the number one player on his “big board”. Will Hunter be the first player selected in the 2025 NFL Draft? We wrap up the show with a quote from Bo Nix and wanting to win out, not settle with one win to make the playoffs. Is Jamal Murray “back”?

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross talking with Dover and Cecil. The guys recap the Broncos game and specifically the Colts mishaps. Is Broncos Country back or still looking for more from their team? Zach and Phil discuss their major takeaways from the Broncos big win and how important the Broncos defense and special teams were. Do the Broncos still win if Jonathon Taylor didn’t drop the ball before getting into the endzone? Could Pat Surtain or Nik Bonitto take home the NFL’s defensive player of the year award? The guys breakdown Bo Nix’s 14th game in the NFL. Although it was bumpy were there positives to take away? How do Zach and Phil grade Nix’s day?

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil discuss the Broncos finally breaking through with a winning record. The guys question how the Broncos run game is still struggling and how they can fix it. Today’s “Three Count” includes Travis Hunter’s Heisman win we will remember for years to come, the Nuggets rolling over the Clippers and Jamal Murray surprisingly playing in the game, and the Avs beating up on Nashville in Mackenzie Blackwood’s Avs debut. Should we be encouraged but how spry Jamal Murray looked vs Los Angeles? We hear from Bo Nix and his thoughts on the turnovers. Is Bo getting too loose with the ball? Would targeting the tight end more help Nix with turnovers and in the red zone?

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil react to Sean Payton’s comments on the Denver Broncos ownership. Will this aligned ownership, general manager, head coach, and quarterback bring a Super Bowl to Denver? The Broncos defense proved once again to be the Broncos strength and the reason they win a game; the guys take a dive into all the impactful plays the Broncos defense made on Sunday. Zach and Phil grade Bo Nix’s 14th NFL game. Are we seeing Bo Nix revert to what he looked like in his first few games? Will Nix be able to rebound and stay aggressive throwing the ball down field? What did Sean Payton have to say about Nix’s performance? Will we see more designed runs for Nix going forward?