1 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:18,080 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, Chris Hary with you on Chargers Weekly. A 2 00:00:18,079 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: great episode today. Throughout the off season, we're gonna get 3 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 1: to know our AFC rivals a little bit better. Starting 4 00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: in Denver. ESPN senior writer Jeff Legwalt stops in to 5 00:00:27,040 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: answer key off season questions about the Broncos. But first, 6 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:33,559 Speaker 1: NFL reporter Neil Reynolds of Sky Sports TV in the 7 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: UK joins me to discuss the Chargers twenty eighteen trip 8 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: to London. All right here with Neil Reynolds on Chargers 9 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: Weekly and Neil amid all these fantastic playoff games, Chargers 10 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:48,880 Speaker 1: fans were given some big news last week. They're headed 11 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,239 Speaker 1: to London in twenty eighteen to play the Tennessee Titans. 12 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: It's gonna be a Wembley Stadium in either week seven 13 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: or we eate. How has that news been received in 14 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: the UK? Neil very very excited fan base. We have. 15 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 1: We have multiple games every year played in London and 16 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: I think this is the on paper, the strongest lineup 17 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 1: we've ever had, and I think people are very excited 18 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: to see Philip Rivers again. We saw him just in 19 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 1: the very secondly, just the second game that was played 20 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: in Wembley Stadium in two thousand and eight a shootout 21 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:28,839 Speaker 1: with Drew Brees and the Saints. So people are really 22 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: excited about all three games that we've got, but they 23 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:36,479 Speaker 1: are excited about the matchup between the Chargers and the Titans. 24 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 1: People see how how good the Chargers were down down 25 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: the stretch and how I'm lucky they were really not 26 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 1: to be a playoff team, certainly a playoff quality team 27 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: in my opinion. So it's been very, very well received. 28 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: I think people are very excited to see the old 29 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: guns singer and then all the young stars around him. Absolutely. 30 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,559 Speaker 1: You mentioned the last time that the Chargers played in London. 31 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: You got to go back to two thousand and eight. 32 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: They fell into the scenes thirty seven thirty two, but 33 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:08,880 Speaker 1: Rivers and Breeze, as you mentioned, put on a show. 34 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: I think Philip through for three hundred forty one yards 35 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:15,239 Speaker 1: three touchdowns and Neil. It's incredible how ten years later 36 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: not much has changed with number seventeen. He's as dangerous 37 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:21,600 Speaker 1: as ever. It is real and it is really incredible 38 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: because I remember that night and la Damian Tomlinson went 39 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: off as well. He had a run where he kind 40 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 1: of spun out of attackle and he ran downfield and 41 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 1: I want to say it was either his first one 42 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: hundred yard game of the season or his only one 43 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:37,359 Speaker 1: hundred yard game of that season. You know, he kind 44 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:41,160 Speaker 1: of really broke out at Wembley. Well, ELT's been safely 45 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: ensconced in a TV studio for a few years now. 46 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: Philip's still Philip's still going strong. And you know, I 47 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: think people I tell what he really appeals to the 48 00:02:51,080 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: British fans, but I think not that he's an underdog, 49 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: but Brits really loved like a sort of guts he competitor, 50 00:02:57,560 --> 00:03:00,600 Speaker 1: somebody who kind of lays it on the line every 51 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:03,520 Speaker 1: single week. And I think whenever we watch Philip Rivers, 52 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: that is that is him. I mean there are obviously 53 00:03:06,800 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 1: he's a very talented passer in terms of the technicalities 54 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: of it and the accuracy, but sometimes it's just that 55 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: he wears his heart on his sleeve and I think 56 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,640 Speaker 1: we love him for that. You know another player that 57 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:21,280 Speaker 1: was recently there Neil Melvin Gordon. He was in London 58 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,360 Speaker 1: in twenty sixteen and I believe he threw a bowling 59 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,200 Speaker 1: party for Chargers fans in the UK. He was yeah, right, 60 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: there's a lot of Chargers fans overseas. How much has 61 00:03:30,480 --> 00:03:34,000 Speaker 1: NFL fandom grown year over year in the UK, I 62 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: mean it's grown now to the point where we have 63 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: enough fans to be considered seriously for a franchise. I 64 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:44,160 Speaker 1: think we've got to that stage. I think the NFL 65 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 1: know that they can play multiple games here. They continue 66 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:51,160 Speaker 1: to test the market in terms of seeing if we 67 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: can host a franchise. That's why we're going to play 68 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: games in week six, seven and eight, because if we 69 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 1: have a team, we're probably going to have a homestand 70 00:03:58,400 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: and then we're going to go on the road and 71 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: then we're going to be back at home. So I 72 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:06,480 Speaker 1: think everything has grown about the business. I host the 73 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:11,280 Speaker 1: NFL on Sky Sports. Our viewing figures from last year 74 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 1: to this year, we're up more than forty percent. So 75 00:04:14,960 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 1: every year it grows, and it's because of the Yeah, 76 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: and you think about TV ratings in the States, I 77 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,200 Speaker 1: mean you take a forty percent hike every year. So 78 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 1: everything's growing at a really fast rate because we're getting 79 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: to see the real thing. We're getting to see the games. 80 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: New fans are coming in all the time, and you know, 81 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: just to go back to Melvin Gordon. I do a 82 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:40,159 Speaker 1: lot of the event hosting for nfl UK, being on 83 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 1: tour during the playoffs, touring the country hosting events, so 84 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:46,760 Speaker 1: I worked closely with nfl UK and I can tell 85 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:49,680 Speaker 1: you Melvin reached out to nfl UK and was the 86 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 1: one that said, I want to host a bowling night 87 00:04:52,640 --> 00:04:55,039 Speaker 1: with Chargers fans. I mean, what a great ambassador for 88 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: the sport. I know those Chargers fans had a great 89 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,280 Speaker 1: time and kind of blown That does not happen in 90 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 1: the English Premier League, that really doesn't, so they were 91 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,280 Speaker 1: blown away by his generosity, you know, Neil. As soon 92 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 1: as the news came out, I think Melvin tweeted out 93 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,279 Speaker 1: a picture of that bowling party in twenty sixteen and 94 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 1: said we'll see you guys soon. So I know he's 95 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: excited and a lot of Charges players are excited to 96 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:21,080 Speaker 1: get there. There were four games in London this past season. 97 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 1: I think a total of twenty one NFL games have 98 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:25,680 Speaker 1: now been played in the UK, becoming a staple in 99 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 1: the NFL schedule. As you mentioned, what's your favorite memory, Neil, 100 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:31,840 Speaker 1: Now that you have about twenty or so of these 101 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: under your belt in London, Wow, A couple of things, 102 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: and the NFL does a great job of putting on 103 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: a weekend or events. Players say, it's like a it's 104 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,239 Speaker 1: like a super Bowl atmosphere, you know if you've played 105 00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: in a super Bowl. The next best thing in terms 106 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 1: of atmosphere and all the vas botats that goes with 107 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,680 Speaker 1: it is a London game. So I get to host. 108 00:05:53,760 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 1: I hosted the pregame party the day before a few 109 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: games now, but the first time when the Steelers and 110 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: the Vikings played in two and thirteen, we took over 111 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:08,640 Speaker 1: a Regent Street, so it's kind of the equivalent of 112 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: shutting down Fifth Avenue in New York and there was 113 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: it was packed with five hundred thousand NFL fans on 114 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: the day. So that's a really special one. In terms 115 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: of games, I think the one where the Jags a 116 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: couple of years back, the Jags beat Buffalo and it 117 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: was to dive in Alan Hearn's catch in the corner 118 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: of the end zone. That was That was a great 119 00:06:34,720 --> 00:06:38,080 Speaker 1: moment because Jags had stormed out to the lead, Buffalo 120 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,720 Speaker 1: came back and took the lead and then bought us 121 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,039 Speaker 1: through the touchdown to Alan Herns. So that one's there 122 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:45,560 Speaker 1: and I will I always still say this. One of 123 00:06:45,600 --> 00:06:48,560 Speaker 1: the best games overall from start to finish, was the 124 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:50,920 Speaker 1: game we had between the Chargers and the Saints. It 125 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:53,359 Speaker 1: was came the year after first year we had the 126 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:57,680 Speaker 1: Dolphins and the Giants in pouring rain. Neither tam team 127 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: could move the ball. It was horrible conditions and it 128 00:07:01,760 --> 00:07:04,359 Speaker 1: was a slug fest with not many points. The following 129 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: year it was raining. It was not great conditions, and 130 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: we saw the power of two quarterbacks because Drew Brees 131 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: and fhlip Rivers they had no problem putting points. It 132 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: didn't matter right right. Thirty seven thirty two was the 133 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: final score of that game. That's that's what we call 134 00:07:20,200 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 1: a good old fashioned shootout. Neil, what's the biggest difference 135 00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 1: between watching a game in the States in an NFL 136 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:29,280 Speaker 1: stadium versus Wembley, for instance. I think you kind of 137 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: mentioned it. It almost kind of has that Super Bowl 138 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: atmosphere to it. Yeah, so you'll you'll see it when 139 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: you when you come over and come for the games 140 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 1: that we all thirty two team jerseys represented. We tailgate, 141 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: but not like you do in the States, so it's 142 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: not kind of out of the back of your car. 143 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: The NFL will put on an official tailgate party. I'll 144 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:51,880 Speaker 1: kind of host that, will bring alumni up on stage. 145 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: You know, we make a big thing of former players 146 00:07:55,760 --> 00:07:59,559 Speaker 1: and players associated with the team's history. I think you'll 147 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 1: notice that it's a split crowd a lot of the time. 148 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,160 Speaker 1: You know, it's it can be. You know, people obviously 149 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: will be Chargers fans there, there will be Titans fans there, 150 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:13,040 Speaker 1: but then there will be fans of all other thirty two, 151 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 1: you know, all other thirty teams, and they'll be picking 152 00:08:15,480 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 1: who they want to win on that day. The other 153 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: thing I don't know obviously hence who you play in 154 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: the States, but sometimes you'll have quite a fierce rivalry 155 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:28,680 Speaker 1: and so the fans may not always get along. I 156 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: don't we never have that. It's almost like it's almost 157 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:35,319 Speaker 1: like everyone's first love is the NFL and then they 158 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: picked their team. So everyone's got this kind of shared passion. 159 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:42,240 Speaker 1: So it feels very very family day out. It's a 160 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 1: really it's a really cool experience. And yeah, you get 161 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: half the stadium cheer for one team, half of the other, 162 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,199 Speaker 1: and you the other thing you'll see Chris isn't and 163 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: you know, you could be five minutes left in the 164 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: fourth quarter of a of a twenty one point blowout, 165 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,480 Speaker 1: and they'll all still be there. They'll all still be 166 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,439 Speaker 1: They don't leave early, and and they you know, they don't, 167 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 1: they don't. They don't leave any empty seats. I mean, 168 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: everything's a sellout. And that's my argument when I talk 169 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: to people about, you know, why should London have a franchise, 170 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,319 Speaker 1: and I say why not? Why not? If we're if 171 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: we're willing to spend our money on the NFL, we 172 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:20,320 Speaker 1: want to come and watch the games, and we're going 173 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: to pack out an eighty thousand seats stadium every week, 174 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 1: which we do when we go to Wembley Stadium. So 175 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:29,240 Speaker 1: I think the fans here shouldn't be held back by geography. 176 00:09:29,280 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 1: I think their passion, their commitment is every bit as 177 00:09:33,160 --> 00:09:36,440 Speaker 1: strong as as you see in the United States. Neil 178 00:09:36,480 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 1: for Chargers fans living in Los Angeles and they haven't 179 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: been to London, for instance, what's the best way to 180 00:09:42,240 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: experience London. You're about you're there for the game, but 181 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:47,160 Speaker 1: you want to take in all the sights and pack 182 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: in as much as possible. I feel like this is 183 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:52,520 Speaker 1: a this is a seven day trip. Yes, so I 184 00:09:52,559 --> 00:09:56,760 Speaker 1: would say, I love and I live about an hour 185 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: outside of London. But if I come, if I go 186 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:01,760 Speaker 1: into London and stuff with my family, then we don't. 187 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: We don't take the train. We take the boat up 188 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: the River Thames and you can see everything from either 189 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 1: side of the boat. You can actually also do this 190 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:12,319 Speaker 1: is my personal favorite and I recommend it for anyone 191 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:15,160 Speaker 1: who comes over. You can take a speedboat up the 192 00:10:15,280 --> 00:10:20,240 Speaker 1: River Thames, so which is just fantastic. So that is 193 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 1: you know, they they they, You see the Houses of Parliament, 194 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:27,360 Speaker 1: you see Big Ben and they're playing James Bond music 195 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:31,520 Speaker 1: and you're on a speedboat, perfect in the work, and 196 00:10:31,559 --> 00:10:35,000 Speaker 1: you want that's amazing. You'll tell us about this NFL 197 00:10:35,440 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: UK Live Tour. I saw you were with Josh Norman 198 00:10:38,679 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: and Emmanuel Sanders earlier this week in Manchester. What's that 199 00:10:42,120 --> 00:10:44,480 Speaker 1: event all about? So this is a this is our 200 00:10:44,559 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: chance because everything is so London focused on the on 201 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: the games, and obviously we're building a fan base in 202 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 1: London from southeast. NFL recognizes that fans come from all 203 00:10:54,600 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 1: over the UK to watch the games. So we can't 204 00:10:58,520 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: take the games to them, but we can we can 205 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:04,880 Speaker 1: take content to them. And put on a fun event. 206 00:11:04,920 --> 00:11:08,679 Speaker 1: So I created a stage show which is two hours 207 00:11:08,920 --> 00:11:12,520 Speaker 1: and we'll play fun and games that they'll answer questions 208 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:18,680 Speaker 1: from from fans. It's a really lighthearted, laid back sort 209 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:22,120 Speaker 1: of way for fans to get to know NFL players 210 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: even more. We've had in the past Odell Beckham, Andrew Luck, 211 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: Ben Roethlisberger. We're Kurt Warner. Last year, Peter King came. 212 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 1: We've had a real mix of guests, Kirk Cousins, Jervis Landry, 213 00:11:35,800 --> 00:11:41,640 Speaker 1: j J This. Now we're with Josh Norman, Emmanuel Sanders. 214 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:44,800 Speaker 1: Scott Hansen joined us from from NFL Red Zone News 215 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:48,800 Speaker 1: with us for the last couple of days. So I'm 216 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 1: always looking for new guests and new players to bring over. 217 00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: And I'm doing another tour in March, going to take 218 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,880 Speaker 1: in Ireland. So now I'm thinking Melvin Gordon's going to 219 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: be on my radar resolutely. You may even want to 220 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,199 Speaker 1: give him a shout. It might have to tweet him. 221 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:06,679 Speaker 1: I want to get you out of here on this. 222 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:08,880 Speaker 1: We have to talk Championship Sunday real quick. But before 223 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:11,240 Speaker 1: we do, there is an amazing tweet I think from 224 00:12:11,240 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 1: the sky Sports account. I think you may have retweeted 225 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 1: as well, if you and Scott Hanson watching the end 226 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 1: of the Saints Vikings game one of the most incredible 227 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: moments in NFL playoff history. What were your takeaways from 228 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:24,960 Speaker 1: that divisional round? Oh? Just it was just such a 229 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 1: fun weekend. And me and Scott were saying afterwards, you know, 230 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:31,319 Speaker 1: every game, it seemed, with the exception of the Patriots 231 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: one on the Saturday night, has been competitive, and it's 232 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:38,880 Speaker 1: been a really exciting playoffs this year. I only appear 233 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: in that video about halfway through because I actually ran 234 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 1: around the studio for about ten seconds. Scott was like 235 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:49,679 Speaker 1: he was receiving electric shock treatment, and you know, our 236 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:51,840 Speaker 1: other guests were kind of just hanging on for dear life. 237 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 1: But it was just what a fantastic That's what the 238 00:12:55,240 --> 00:12:59,760 Speaker 1: NFL does, right, It creates those wow moments and we 239 00:13:00,040 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: have them. That was one thirty am UK time. We've 240 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:09,800 Speaker 1: been walking until five am, so we worked on By 241 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,559 Speaker 1: the time the Patriots game finished, it was five am 242 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:16,560 Speaker 1: Sunday morning. By the time that touchdown went in for 243 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: Stefon Diggs, it was one thirty am Monday morning. And 244 00:13:22,280 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: do you know what we went up to Scotland on 245 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:26,680 Speaker 1: the Monday night and we had six hundred fans in 246 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: the theater and there wasn't an empty seat and people 247 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:31,960 Speaker 1: who had no sleep all weekend. And that's what the 248 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 1: NFL does. We just we just love it. We just 249 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,679 Speaker 1: love we just love those moments. And that's play like that, 250 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: you become a fan again, even though you're sitting in 251 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: the TV studio. Oh my gosh, you know, I got 252 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,480 Speaker 1: chills watching Case keen On lead that skull chant at 253 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,160 Speaker 1: the end. I mean, that's the That's probably the last 254 00:13:48,160 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: thing image that I'll have of this NFL playoffs. Obviously 255 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 1: we have the Championship round and the super Bowl and go. 256 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,319 Speaker 1: But those are the types of moments you mentioned, you know, 257 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:59,360 Speaker 1: the fandom and just the growth of popularity of the sport. 258 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:01,959 Speaker 1: It's more like that they make it all worth it. 259 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:05,760 Speaker 1: It was, and I was really excited because I've been 260 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:09,079 Speaker 1: on tour with Kyl Rudolph and Harrison Smith and you know, 261 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: we still talk all the time, so I consider them 262 00:14:11,160 --> 00:14:14,360 Speaker 1: to be kind of friends. But then I felt really 263 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: bad and this is the class of the man. I 264 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: don't know if people even noticed it, but I went 265 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 1: on tour last year with Thomas more Staid, the punter 266 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: for the Saints. Yeah, one of the nicest guys you 267 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 1: will ever meet. And Thomas, when he could have been 268 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:30,680 Speaker 1: hiding in the showers, jogged out of that locker room 269 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:32,680 Speaker 1: for that two point conversion when they were going to 270 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: take a knee and played linebacker for the Saints. I mean, 271 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: it was just and it will never ever get mentioned, 272 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 1: It will never ever get noticed, but I still saw 273 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 1: him out there anyway. I'm glad you brought that up, 274 00:14:43,240 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 1: because that's just that's class. That's class fas class, right, 275 00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 1: that's when you know who your leaders are. Absolutely all right, 276 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: let's get you out of here. And this Neil Jags 277 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: at Patriots. Jags have really been the factor home team 278 00:14:54,440 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: in the UK for some time, and I think it's 279 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: gonna be a fascinating chess match between their Jags defense 280 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: and Tom Brady. Do you think Jacksonville has the chance 281 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 1: at the upset? They're built that way. When you think 282 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: about Tom Coughlin's teams that cost Tom Brady two more 283 00:15:08,240 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: Super Bowl wins. They could rush with four, they could 284 00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: play physical on the back end, and they could run 285 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: the football and that's all what the Jags can do so, 286 00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: you know, and again they've built themselves a monster. When 287 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:21,760 Speaker 1: I when I first started going to cover Jack's training 288 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 1: camp because they were coming over and playing games in London, 289 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,200 Speaker 1: they would ask me who I'd want to interview, and 290 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 1: I be the list started with Josh Scobe, you know, 291 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:32,000 Speaker 1: and I love Josh, but he was he was the 292 00:15:32,080 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 1: number one player on their list as a kicker. It's 293 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: a little bit different that it was not that way 294 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 1: this year when I went back, Yeah, it was. It 295 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: was a little bit different. They're built, they're built to 296 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: really challenge Tom Brady. They have everything you need to 297 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: challenge Tom Brady, but it's Tom Brady. So I don't 298 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: very often go against the Patriots, especially in Foxburgh. So 299 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 1: I think I think New England are going to be 300 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: back there again. I'm with you on that. I just 301 00:15:58,240 --> 00:16:02,040 Speaker 1: think the experience and having number twelve under center, you 302 00:16:02,080 --> 00:16:05,280 Speaker 1: really can't bet against them. In January, Vikings at Eagles. 303 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: Vikings played the Browns in London this season and the 304 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:10,000 Speaker 1: Eagles are gonna be taking on the Jags at Wembley 305 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:13,240 Speaker 1: in twenty eighteen. Do you think the Vikings can carry 306 00:16:13,280 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 1: that momentum into Philly or will Nick Falls lead the 307 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 1: Eagles to super Bowl fifty till. Yeah, Well this is 308 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 1: the this is the quarterback matchup we all predicted in 309 00:16:22,400 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: the preseason. Guess how we drew it up? Les, Yeah, 310 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,320 Speaker 1: I think that, you know. I always keep I worked 311 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:32,240 Speaker 1: with a lot of this year on Sky Sports. We 312 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 1: had to Kio Spikes join us for three weeks stint 313 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: doing our studio show. Had Rob Bryan joined me, Sean Gayle, 314 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 1: who won a Super Bowl with the eighty five Bears. 315 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:47,720 Speaker 1: I'm always told defense wins championships, so that Vikings defense 316 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 1: is pretty special. So I'm going to pick Minnesota to 317 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: win away from home me as well. I think we're 318 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:57,160 Speaker 1: on the same page here, Pats. Vikings, Minnesota gets a 319 00:16:57,240 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: home super Bowl, it would be quite the store if 320 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:03,600 Speaker 1: they could take it home. Neil, I know how busy 321 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: you are. I cannot thank you enough for your time. 322 00:17:06,000 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 1: I know you You've got NFL UK live shows, You're 323 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: on Sky Sports, You're all over the place right now. 324 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 1: I appreciate you carving out some time for the Chargers 325 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 1: fans today. We look forward to talking to you down 326 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 1: the line. Yeah, definitely, I'm glad you reached out because 327 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: we've got what nine months before the Charges play in 328 00:17:20,840 --> 00:17:22,119 Speaker 1: the UK, so that means I can get on a 329 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 1: few more times. Absolutely, we're gonna have you on a 330 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:26,680 Speaker 1: few more times this offseason. You guys can ask some 331 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 1: questions to get the best tips for us stay in London, Neil, 332 00:17:31,200 --> 00:17:33,400 Speaker 1: Thank you so much and I will talk to you soon, sir. 333 00:17:33,800 --> 00:17:38,159 Speaker 1: Thanks Chris. All right, now that it's the offseason, it's 334 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,240 Speaker 1: important to know what's going on with your rivals in 335 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: the AFC West, and today we're gonna talk from Denver 336 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 1: Broncos with ESPN senior writer and Broncos reporter Jeff Legwald. 337 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:50,440 Speaker 1: And Jeff, let's start with your overall thoughts on this division, 338 00:17:50,440 --> 00:17:53,040 Speaker 1: because a lot has happened the last two weeks, from 339 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:55,919 Speaker 1: John Bruten being hired in Oakland to Kansas City losing 340 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: that twenty one three halftime lead to the Titans on 341 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 1: Wildcard weekend. Well, you know that I think the Gruden 342 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:08,160 Speaker 1: news is that, you know, obviously the biggest and certainly 343 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:11,720 Speaker 1: you can see that you know, changes in order now 344 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:17,199 Speaker 1: for half the division. You know, the Broncos have retained 345 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:22,480 Speaker 1: fans Joseph, but they fired six assistant coaches after the season, 346 00:18:22,640 --> 00:18:26,919 Speaker 1: and that doesn't include offensive coordina and Mike McCoy, the 347 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:29,719 Speaker 1: former head coach there who was fired during this season. 348 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:34,200 Speaker 1: So that's seven assistant coaches off one staff fired in 349 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:37,359 Speaker 1: one season, which I'm not sure I've ever seen before 350 00:18:37,440 --> 00:18:40,520 Speaker 1: when the when the head coach has remained. So you've 351 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:43,040 Speaker 1: got a lot of change for two teams. And you know, 352 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:46,600 Speaker 1: I think you could argue that Chargers closed the strongest, 353 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,520 Speaker 1: even though you know the Chiefs made the playoffs, but 354 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,720 Speaker 1: you know, in that that old body of work category, 355 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 1: I think you could say that the Chargers closed the 356 00:18:55,920 --> 00:18:59,439 Speaker 1: year the strongest, and and you know, they've got the 357 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:02,719 Speaker 1: feel off good about what they can do next season 358 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: if you know, again, if if everything comes together on 359 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,960 Speaker 1: offense like they hope. Yeah, I think the key was 360 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: continuity with that coaching staff in Los Angeles with coach 361 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,880 Speaker 1: Lynn and getting Gus Bradley and Ken wizz A Hunt back. 362 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 1: And like you said, winning nine of your last twelve 363 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: always a good thing momentum going into the offseason. But 364 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: in Denver, Jeff disappointing year five and eleven very uncharacteristic 365 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 1: of the Denver Broncos. And you can point to a 366 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:29,679 Speaker 1: lot of different issues, but chief among them has to 367 00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 1: be the uncertainty at the quarterback position. I would even 368 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:34,520 Speaker 1: go a little further than that, you know, I would 369 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: say the fact they couldn't decide or didn't decide what 370 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:41,720 Speaker 1: they wanted to be on offense. I think they had 371 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 1: enough at the quarterback position to with their defense to 372 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:50,440 Speaker 1: make the playoffs. But I think, you know, they're five 373 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:53,640 Speaker 1: and eleven, and they had five games this year where 374 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 1: they ran the ball more than they threw it, and 375 00:19:55,960 --> 00:20:00,560 Speaker 1: those were the five wins. Yet they made a conscious 376 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: decision not to play that way a lot of the time, 377 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 1: and I think they got sidetracked, you know, trying to 378 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,199 Speaker 1: be something they weren't on offense, and I think that 379 00:20:09,440 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 1: dragged the quarterbacks down with them. I mean they went 380 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 1: they went nine and seven with Trevor Simeon a quarterback 381 00:20:17,160 --> 00:20:21,960 Speaker 1: in twenty sixteen, and I think there's plenty of argument 382 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 1: that this year's roster one to fifty three was better 383 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:29,520 Speaker 1: than that team. So I don't, you know, it's convenient 384 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:32,200 Speaker 1: to say it's the quarterback's fault, and they certainly paid 385 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:35,000 Speaker 1: the price. You know, all of them got pulled from 386 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 1: the lineup at some point. But I think it went 387 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:44,000 Speaker 1: deeper and beyond the quarterbacks to just a lack of 388 00:20:44,119 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 1: identity on offense or the inability to do what the 389 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:51,439 Speaker 1: team could do well. And Jeff, that leads me to 390 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:54,080 Speaker 1: my next question, because you know the quarterbacks won this 391 00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: roster currently, namely Paxton Lynch. Do you think he even 392 00:20:57,640 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: has a shot to be the starter in twenty eight? 393 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: This is a first round pick. He's only started four 394 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:04,560 Speaker 1: NFL games. I think he only played in two this year, 395 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:07,840 Speaker 1: was hurt for a large part of the season. I 396 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,280 Speaker 1: just I would imagine there's a little bit of apprehension 397 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 1: on the Broncos bath to roll the dice on another 398 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:16,879 Speaker 1: young quarterback in the first round this year, knowing that 399 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:19,400 Speaker 1: you just drafted one in the first round two years ago. 400 00:21:20,440 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: And but they're gonna changes that are coming at quarterback. 401 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,960 Speaker 1: I think it's only a question of, you know, who 402 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 1: gets to remain in place because they're they're adding at 403 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:33,520 Speaker 1: quarterback and they and they might well do it in 404 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 1: both free agency and the draft. So I asked John 405 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 1: Elway at the end of the season, what you know 406 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:45,560 Speaker 1: he could say about Paxiston Lynch's future, and all he 407 00:21:45,600 --> 00:21:48,400 Speaker 1: would say was, we're going to discuss it. So that's 408 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 1: not a vote of confidence. If you're Paxixton Lynch, you 409 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:56,359 Speaker 1: know that that's every opportunity for the GM of the 410 00:21:56,359 --> 00:21:59,199 Speaker 1: team to say, you know, we drafted this guy in 411 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: the first round and think he's on track to be 412 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 1: a starter. And Elway didn't say that, And what he 413 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: did say was that in his mind, they have to 414 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:12,000 Speaker 1: get better at quarterback if they're going to compete again. 415 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:15,200 Speaker 1: So I think that puts everybody on notice, including Paxton, 416 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:18,000 Speaker 1: that if you're going to be part of the equation, 417 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:21,000 Speaker 1: you better have a good offseason because they are they're 418 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,560 Speaker 1: bringing in competition, whether any of the quarterbacks who remain 419 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 1: like it or not. They do have three under contract 420 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:33,480 Speaker 1: right now. Simeon, Paxton, Lynch, and Chad Kelly are all 421 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:37,359 Speaker 1: under contract for next season. I don't think all three 422 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 1: will be here when camp opens. Jeff A name we're 423 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:43,480 Speaker 1: hearing a lot is Kirk Cousins and whether it's with 424 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: Denver or speculative with other teams, and whether or not 425 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:49,800 Speaker 1: he may be the answer at quarterback in Denver if 426 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,960 Speaker 1: he indeed hits the free agency market. Are the Broncos 427 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:57,879 Speaker 1: ready to invest in a thirty million dollars per year quarterback. Well, 428 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:01,520 Speaker 1: I think that's the going rate. You know, everybody looks 429 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: at what Mike Glennon got, you know, to not play 430 00:23:06,440 --> 00:23:09,880 Speaker 1: in Chicago, so you know that that sets the bar. 431 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,400 Speaker 1: I mean, if you're a quarterback who's who's got any 432 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:15,960 Speaker 1: ability to be a starter at all, that's your starting point. 433 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:20,400 Speaker 1: And Cousins is going to be maybe you know other 434 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: than you know, it was an injured Peyton Manning who 435 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 1: came into the market, but Cousins is rare. I mean, 436 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:28,960 Speaker 1: he's he's going to be a thirty year old quarterback 437 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 1: who's been a a proven starter in the open market. 438 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,080 Speaker 1: It's it's the rarest of things. And you know, if 439 00:23:37,119 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 1: they franchise him for the third year, you know that's 440 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:43,000 Speaker 1: thirty four million dollars or so that's a tough call 441 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 1: for the Redskins. If they transition him. You know, teams 442 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 1: can bid on them, like the Broncos. But I think 443 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: if if you're a general manager and you've decided you're 444 00:23:52,800 --> 00:23:57,160 Speaker 1: going to sign a free agent quarterback, you understand the 445 00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:00,200 Speaker 1: top of the market is gonna be about thirty millillion 446 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: dollars a year and you better just accept it. If 447 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:04,760 Speaker 1: you're going to wait in and do it. I will 448 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 1: say when Cousins came into the draft, the Broncos were 449 00:24:07,680 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 1: very interested in him, you know, at that time, So 450 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:14,320 Speaker 1: I don't think it would it would be you know, 451 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:17,119 Speaker 1: they think he's a player. It's just a matter of 452 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 1: you know, once you do that, it affects what you 453 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 1: can do everywhere on your roster. And that's a big 454 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: decision because this team's had very few salary cap dollars 455 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:31,200 Speaker 1: at quarterback over the last two years, and they've structured 456 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 1: their roster that way. So if they suddenly kip the 457 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:38,680 Speaker 1: scales so the quarterback has the biggest cap figure, that 458 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:42,720 Speaker 1: affects what they've done elsewhere. It's it's just fascinating how 459 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 1: Kirk Cousins has really played this because he didn't accept 460 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:48,840 Speaker 1: the deal that the Ridskins gave him a couple of 461 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:51,640 Speaker 1: years ago, and you just playing essentially on one year deals, 462 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 1: one year deals, and like you said, we've never seen 463 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:58,080 Speaker 1: anything like this, like a quarterback in his prime that's available. 464 00:24:58,480 --> 00:25:00,280 Speaker 1: You're just gonna have to spend a lot of money 465 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:03,600 Speaker 1: to get him. Let's let's move to the coach vance, Joseph, 466 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 1: he's back in the full Jeff the Denver coaching staff 467 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:10,639 Speaker 1: will coach in the Senior Bowl. You heard rubblings about 468 00:25:10,800 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 1: coach Joseph's job security. He himself said he was aware 469 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,320 Speaker 1: of the noise at the end of the season. How 470 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:18,119 Speaker 1: does he rebound after a difficult first year? And I 471 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: think you alluded to it at the beginning, a lot 472 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:23,400 Speaker 1: of changes on that coaching staff. Yeah, I mean he's 473 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:28,960 Speaker 1: he essentially, you know, he cut a big swath through there, 474 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:31,199 Speaker 1: and I think what he has now is, you know, 475 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:34,120 Speaker 1: there's you know, he had a few of the coaches 476 00:25:34,920 --> 00:25:38,119 Speaker 1: that he hired, you know, a year ago, so it 477 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:41,639 Speaker 1: was a mix of holdovers and guys he had hired 478 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,159 Speaker 1: who got fired at the end of the season. But 479 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 1: this staff moving forward is kind of how he wants 480 00:25:50,040 --> 00:25:54,200 Speaker 1: to construct it. Now. They've split some of the position duties. 481 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:56,840 Speaker 1: You know, they have a one line coach will handle 482 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:00,240 Speaker 1: guards and centers, the other coach will hander tackle. You know, 483 00:26:00,240 --> 00:26:04,160 Speaker 1: they've divied things up like that in the secondary offensive 484 00:26:04,200 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 1: line and that linebacker. I think that tells me they're 485 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:12,159 Speaker 1: they're looking to maybe have a younger roster where teaching 486 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 1: is going to be more important. So I think they've 487 00:26:15,119 --> 00:26:19,040 Speaker 1: set that up and I think Vance has openly said 488 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:21,679 Speaker 1: he needs to do a better job of managing the 489 00:26:21,720 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: whole picture that when you're a head coach and you 490 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:28,760 Speaker 1: haven't done it before, I think sometimes you underestimate all 491 00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 1: of the things that come with it. And one of 492 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: those things is you have to manage your coaching staff. 493 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 1: You can't just name coordinators and let them do their thing. 494 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:41,199 Speaker 1: You know, you've you've got to have a vision. And 495 00:26:41,240 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 1: I think the fact they they did not play the 496 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:48,440 Speaker 1: way on offense their personnel would have dictated, and they missed. 497 00:26:48,440 --> 00:26:51,960 Speaker 1: They lost a whole season because of it. I think 498 00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:54,880 Speaker 1: that affected him and I think he understands moving forward 499 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: that if you're the head coach and everybody's going to 500 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,040 Speaker 1: put all that stuff in your lap, you better you 501 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 1: better oversee it yourself. One of the bright spots for 502 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 1: this coaching staff is they're going to be able to 503 00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:07,560 Speaker 1: coach in the Senior Bowl and there's some big time 504 00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:10,359 Speaker 1: talented a lot of different positions, including quarterback. When we 505 00:27:10,359 --> 00:27:13,879 Speaker 1: talk about Baker Mayfield and Josh Allen really headlining that group, 506 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 1: what kind of advantage does coach Joseph and that staff 507 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,359 Speaker 1: see this being getting your hands on some of these 508 00:27:20,440 --> 00:27:24,560 Speaker 1: seniors early before the combine. Well, I think any staff 509 00:27:24,560 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 1: that coaches in the Senior Bowl gets one advantage the 510 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:30,639 Speaker 1: other teams don't have, and that is you get to 511 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 1: see players and meetings. You get to see players handle 512 00:27:35,359 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 1: their business away from the field, and that's not a 513 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:42,920 Speaker 1: look you get, you know, in your pre draft preparation. 514 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: You may get private workouts with guys, but you don't 515 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 1: see how they are in meetings, what kinds of questions 516 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:51,520 Speaker 1: they asked, you know, are they late? You know, you 517 00:27:51,560 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 1: get to see a guy go through a week's worth 518 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: of essentially practices and meetings that are constructed for the 519 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:01,240 Speaker 1: most part, what they'll see in the NFL. So I 520 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,640 Speaker 1: think you get that vision of a player and it 521 00:28:04,680 --> 00:28:08,439 Speaker 1: makes it a safer a far safer bet if you 522 00:28:08,560 --> 00:28:10,359 Speaker 1: like what he does on the field too. And I 523 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: think that's why you've seen every staff that coached in 524 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:18,439 Speaker 1: the Senior Ball their draft class almost always includes uh, 525 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:21,360 Speaker 1: you know, players they coached at the game. I want 526 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:23,000 Speaker 1: to ask you about this defense. You know, we know 527 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 1: the special teams was kind of their bugaboo. Last year. 528 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:28,960 Speaker 1: A new special teams coordinator comes in to McMahon, there 529 00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:32,080 Speaker 1: was a lot of gaffs on special teams this year 530 00:28:32,119 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 1: that really hurt them defensively, third overall in the league, 531 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: but they allowed nearly twenty four points per game. You 532 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 1: look at last year, that was under nineteen. How would 533 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 1: you assess the defense now, Jeff under Joe Woods in 534 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 1: his first year as a defensive coordinator, I think they 535 00:28:47,440 --> 00:28:51,200 Speaker 1: had some some busts and coverage because they tried to 536 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 1: do some new things for this group. You know, there 537 00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:58,120 Speaker 1: there was a lot more man zone combinations than they 538 00:28:58,120 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 1: had played in the past, and I think as a 539 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: result of that, they gave up, you know, more touchdowns 540 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 1: than almost everybody in the league touchdown passes, and some 541 00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,560 Speaker 1: of that was they turned the ball over so often. 542 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 1: They were one of the worst. I think only the 543 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 1: Browns had more turnovers in the league, and that often 544 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 1: put them in short fields and some of their statistical 545 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:26,080 Speaker 1: problems were because of that. You know, they're they're defended 546 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 1: teams from the thirty They run three players and kick 547 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:33,080 Speaker 1: a field goal. So you know, I think defensively they 548 00:29:33,080 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: feel good about overall where they are, but they do 549 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 1: have to clean up, uh, some some of those mistakes 550 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:41,959 Speaker 1: in the secondary and they they have to find another 551 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 1: another rusher because teams were you know, Von Miller may 552 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 1: have had one of the best seasons that a defensive 553 00:29:49,920 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: player had in the league, and nobody knows that he 554 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 1: was waiting. He was waiting through double and triple teams 555 00:29:56,040 --> 00:29:59,360 Speaker 1: all years. So you know, they've got to find a 556 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:01,800 Speaker 1: way to get him free because he is still very 557 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 1: much in his prime and there are very few better 558 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 1: players in the league. So they've got to take advantage 559 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 1: of his window here to give them a lead play. Jeff, 560 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 1: I remember after Week one when the Broncos beat the 561 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 1: Chargers in really the last seconds there. I remember Phillips 562 00:30:19,680 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: saying something like, we saw a lot of Miami, referring 563 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 1: to Vance Joseph and his style of defense. What was 564 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,479 Speaker 1: the balance between what Wade did the year before and 565 00:30:28,520 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: what coach Joseph brought in, and how did that kind 566 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:35,400 Speaker 1: of mesh throughout the twenty seventeen season. You know, I 567 00:30:35,480 --> 00:30:38,720 Speaker 1: think that you know, you could see the differences, and again, 568 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 1: a lot of it was in some of the coverages. 569 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:45,040 Speaker 1: You know, Wade was far more man to man oriented. 570 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 1: Now he would you know, he would sprinkle other things 571 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 1: in sometimes, but and the Broncos played a lot of 572 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 1: man this year. That. You know, when you have corners 573 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:55,520 Speaker 1: like they do, you're going to play a lot of man. 574 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:58,680 Speaker 1: But there was a lot more of a bigger variety 575 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:02,480 Speaker 1: of things, and in that they did make some mistakes 576 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:04,360 Speaker 1: because of it. So I think they have to, you know, 577 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:07,200 Speaker 1: moving forward, they got to decide how much is too 578 00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 1: much on both sides of the ball. You know, how 579 00:31:09,680 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 1: much you know, how much in your game plan is 580 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 1: too much? And what has really needed and what do 581 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:17,200 Speaker 1: you do best? And I think that's part of a 582 00:31:18,120 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 1: transition moving forward. But I think it will be more 583 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 1: and more Joe Woods and advanced Joseph's defense moving forward, 584 00:31:27,400 --> 00:31:30,680 Speaker 1: just just because that's natural. You know, they're now they're 585 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:36,120 Speaker 1: another year away from removed from from wage time. Here, Jeff, 586 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:37,960 Speaker 1: get you out of here on this. If you had 587 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:41,640 Speaker 1: an offseason wish list for these Broncos, what are going 588 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: to be the two or three or four things that 589 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:47,160 Speaker 1: are going to top that list that says, hey, we 590 00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:50,120 Speaker 1: had a successful offseason, let's try to rebound in twenty eighteen. 591 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:54,000 Speaker 1: You know, rather than specific players. I mean, obviously the 592 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 1: quarterback they've got to and I'm not even saying a 593 00:31:57,240 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 1: specific quarterback, but they have to. They have to have 594 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: a firm plan. Yeah, get better, do you do? You 595 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:05,880 Speaker 1: have a young guy coming behind him? You know what's 596 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:08,320 Speaker 1: your long range plan is? It just throw a young 597 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,360 Speaker 1: guy in and let him play his way out of trouble. 598 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:14,280 Speaker 1: But they need a firm plan at quarterback and the 599 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 1: same kind of plan in the offensive line because they've 600 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:21,560 Speaker 1: gone back and forth between different schemes and what they 601 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:26,280 Speaker 1: want in lineman for about four years now and it's 602 00:32:26,320 --> 00:32:29,240 Speaker 1: affected their play and it makes it hard to draft. 603 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 1: So you know, those two spots, they need a firm 604 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:36,320 Speaker 1: plan of in a mold of a player they want 605 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 1: and stick to it. And beyond that, I would say 606 00:32:39,160 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: some help in the rush to get Miller free because 607 00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:46,000 Speaker 1: it would be a shame to not have him be 608 00:32:46,200 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 1: all he can be because he's wading through so so 609 00:32:49,840 --> 00:32:52,800 Speaker 1: many double and triple teams. Because nobody else in the 610 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:57,200 Speaker 1: formation is challenging anybody. You talk about that offensive line, 611 00:32:57,320 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 1: especially in the AFC West, when you got Mac and 612 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:02,640 Speaker 1: Oak and Houston and company in Kansas City and obviously 613 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:05,480 Speaker 1: Ingram and Bosa in LA, you definitely want to show 614 00:33:05,520 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 1: up that offensive line and you may find some of 615 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:10,040 Speaker 1: those guys down at the Senior Bowl you're gonna be 616 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:12,320 Speaker 1: down there, right, Jeff, Yeah, a couple of days at 617 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:15,160 Speaker 1: the Senior Bowl. I'll check in and see see what 618 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 1: there is to see awesome. I'll be down there. Be 619 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:19,800 Speaker 1: sure to say hi, I really appreciate your time today 620 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:23,120 Speaker 1: and we'll talk to you soon. Thank you, and that's 621 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:24,960 Speaker 1: gonna do it for this week's episode. By thanks to 622 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 1: Jeff Legwald and Neil Reynolds for joining me, and thanks 623 00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:30,640 Speaker 1: you all for listening. Be sure to subscribe to Chargers 624 00:33:30,640 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 1: Weekly on Apple Podcasts and leave review to help spread 625 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:36,000 Speaker 1: the words. We can get this to as many Chargers 626 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,160 Speaker 1: fans as possible. Next week, I'll be coming to you 627 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 1: from the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. Keep it like 628 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:43,880 Speaker 1: the Chargers Weekly for some big time interviews as the 629 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:47,960 Speaker 1: organization prepares for the NFL Draft. Enjoy Championship Sunday, and 630 00:33:48,040 --> 00:33:53,160 Speaker 1: until next time, I'm Chris Hayry