1 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: What's up everyone, and welcome to the Playmakers Podcast. I'm 2 00:00:14,560 --> 00:00:17,079 Speaker 1: your host, Hayley Elwyn and on today's show, we're gonna 3 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: hear from journalists Lindsay Jones. Lindsay currently covers the National 4 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: Football League for the Athletic, but previously she's covered the 5 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:25,959 Speaker 1: NFL for USA Today and has also worked for the 6 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: Denver Post. Although she covers the full NFL landscape, She's 7 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:31,640 Speaker 1: based out of Colorado and popped on over to Chargers 8 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: camp this summer. So with it being Broncos Chargers Week, 9 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: she's a great guest to provide a lot of insight 10 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:38,959 Speaker 1: on this matchup as well as her career. So now, 11 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: without further ado, let's welcome in Lindsey Jones, presented by 12 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: Mercury Insurance. All right, so now let's welcome in Lindsay Jones. Lindsay, 13 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: how are you today? I'm good? How are you doing? 14 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:52,879 Speaker 1: I am good? Thank you so much for joining me. 15 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: Happy to be here. So you joined the Athletic last 16 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: year and you wrote in your introductory piece stories matter, 17 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: not hot takes. But I was that such an important 18 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: thing to convey? Yeah, well, I just think you know 19 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: the internet, so it is right? Now? Is a lot 20 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 1: of times the reporting parts can get lost. And you 21 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: know that's not going to say that I'm you know, 22 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:12,679 Speaker 1: never going to have a take here and there. You know, 23 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 1: I do have a podcast now, and you know we 24 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 1: do power rankings and all these sorts of things. But 25 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: I just think that, you know, kind of at the 26 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,840 Speaker 1: heart of what we do, as in sports journalism and 27 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:24,479 Speaker 1: really in any kind of journalism, is the reporting part. 28 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: And I feel like a really strong responsibility as somebody 29 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 1: who the athletic has hired. And just like when I 30 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:31,720 Speaker 1: was at USA today or the Denver Post before that, 31 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 1: you know, I have that credential and I take it 32 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:36,640 Speaker 1: very seriously and you know, want to use it to 33 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: provide our readers, whether that was when I was at 34 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: the Denver Post, whether you know that was those were 35 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: Broncos fans, and then now the league at large, you know, 36 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:45,800 Speaker 1: people who care about the NFL, introducing them to people 37 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: around the league that they might not know otherwise and 38 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: telling stories and different you know, in different ways and 39 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 1: things that you have access to. I feel very lucky 40 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 1: to be able to have because of those sit down 41 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:58,760 Speaker 1: conversations with coaches and executives and people who kind of 42 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:00,840 Speaker 1: work in and around football, So you know, I think 43 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 1: those are the important stories to tell, and um, you know, 44 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 1: I think that's more important than kind of you know, 45 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: I think anybody can kind of stop shot up an 46 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,320 Speaker 1: opinion on what you've watched on television, So you know, 47 00:02:11,360 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: I want to be able to kind of provide some 48 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: context and do the reporting that gets these stories told. 49 00:02:16,360 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: How is working for the Athletic different from the other 50 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:22,160 Speaker 1: outlets you've been part of previously. Yeah, I mean it's 51 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:23,799 Speaker 1: you know, it's been good, and you know, I don't 52 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: want to ever sound like it's, you know, anything negative 53 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:28,080 Speaker 1: about the previous places that I've worked, because I loved 54 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 1: my experiences at the Denver Posts and at USA today. 55 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: I mean I think they were both really great places 56 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 1: to work. Um, but there's just something really exciting about 57 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: kind of energy within the athletic where you know, we 58 00:02:39,400 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: very much feel kind of a common kind of a 59 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,880 Speaker 1: common goal, where it is all about the storytelling and 60 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 1: the kind of deeply reported stories and you know that 61 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: we're not trying to chase clicks, and you know, well, 62 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: yes I do. Like I mentioned, I do do power rankings, 63 00:02:53,639 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: and those too tend to drive a lot of traffic 64 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:59,440 Speaker 1: gets usually get read very well. I just think that 65 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,639 Speaker 1: the message that I'm getting from, you know, my intermediate 66 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: bosses all the way up to the top, is that 67 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:07,959 Speaker 1: they want us to take chances with their storytelling and 68 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,480 Speaker 1: pitch big ideas. You know, they say yes to everything, 69 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:13,800 Speaker 1: and that's been really cool to kind of come to 70 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: them with, you know, hey, I have this hypothesis about something. 71 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 1: Can I pursue it. One of the things that I 72 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 1: do at the athletic I'm on our national staff, so 73 00:03:21,160 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: I don't cover any specific team. I cover the league 74 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: at large, which means I don't have to go to 75 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:28,359 Speaker 1: games on Sundays. I do sometimes. I went to a 76 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,280 Speaker 1: lot of games last year. I'm going to viewer this year. 77 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: But so I can pitch things like, hey, I want 78 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: to go fund an NFL Sunday at the new Sports 79 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: book in Atlantic City where you know when gambling just 80 00:03:37,840 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: as league alive last year. So in September last year, 81 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: I went and spun an NFL Sunday in the casinos 82 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,560 Speaker 1: in New Jersey. Or I say, like, you know, hey, 83 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: I can I see if I can go spend an 84 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: entire game day with Gardner Minschow's family and they say, sure, 85 00:03:52,560 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: see if that works. And that's what I did. I 86 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: spent all of last Sunday from you know, breakfast through 87 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: Sundown basically, I spent with Flint min and I watched 88 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: the entire game with him, and you know, it's kind 89 00:04:02,680 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 1: of fun. So it's just been fun for to have 90 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: bosses who say yes, like Chase these things, pitch us 91 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 1: cool story ideas, go ahead and do it. And you know, 92 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: we've been getting some good response. Yeah, I think, you know, 93 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:17,400 Speaker 1: around sports especially and certainly in the NFL, like everybody 94 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: knows who we are now, you know, within the NFL world, 95 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,600 Speaker 1: you know we stat or we're beat right on all 96 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 1: thirty two teams. Some of those teams we've got two 97 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: or three people. So yeah, I think teams are saying 98 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: what we're doing and for the most part, I think 99 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: respecting the way that we're approaching the job. So you're 100 00:04:34,240 --> 00:04:36,440 Speaker 1: a great follow on Twitter. You're also a mom and 101 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: if someone is to follow you on Twitter, sometimes they'll 102 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 1: see some some takes your daughter has, like during the 103 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: week one Monday night football game between the Broncos and 104 00:04:43,839 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: the Raiders. But how old is your daughter? She just 105 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 1: turned three, So she just turned three. So what does 106 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:50,919 Speaker 1: it like to kind of be able to share the 107 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:55,760 Speaker 1: game with her and essentially just observe it from her perspective. Yeah, 108 00:04:55,760 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: it's been fun. I mean, she's you know, this is 109 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 1: kind of the first year where she's like kind of 110 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 1: understanding sports a little bit. And my husband is from 111 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:06,440 Speaker 1: Saint Louis, so he's a big Saint Louis Cardinals baseball 112 00:05:06,440 --> 00:05:08,719 Speaker 1: fans who've gotten her very much into baseball. We've taken 113 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: to a lot of baseball games this year, both in 114 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: Saint Louis and in Denver Um. You know, my husband's 115 00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:16,279 Speaker 1: a big Saint Louis Flues hockey fan, so she watched 116 00:05:16,279 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 1: a lot of you know, playoff hockey and we're you know, 117 00:05:19,240 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: Stanley Cup games this summer. And she knows it's really 118 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: fun now because she knows that mommy's job is to 119 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: write about football. Yeah, she doesn't really know exactly what 120 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: that means, but she knows that when I go to work, 121 00:05:29,480 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: I'm writing about football, and so she's so she's kind 122 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,680 Speaker 1: of curious about it. She certainly doesn't have the attention 123 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,799 Speaker 1: span to actually watch football, and we have not taken 124 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 1: her to any football games yet because mostly because working. 125 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: You know, I'm working, and I can't run into a 126 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:45,239 Speaker 1: football game with me like we do for baseball games. 127 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 1: But I have taken her to training camp practice. It 128 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 1: took her two joint practices between the Broncos and the 129 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: forty nine ers, and she was just super fascinated because 130 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,039 Speaker 1: the forty nine ers defensive line coach is the loudest 131 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,599 Speaker 1: coach I've ever heard in more than ten years of 132 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: covering the NFL. Yeah, and so she still will ask 133 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: me like, why does that guy yell so much? Is 134 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:06,160 Speaker 1: he so loud? And he really is really loud. Um. 135 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:08,159 Speaker 1: But so that's been kind of fun, and you know, 136 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: and we'll you know, we'll put on different pieces of 137 00:06:10,240 --> 00:06:12,120 Speaker 1: games here. She doesn't really she does not have the 138 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: attention to stand for it at all, Like, but she'll watch, 139 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:16,800 Speaker 1: you know, she'll watch us play here here or there 140 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 1: and say like, oh, he's fell down and things like that. 141 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: But it is cool for her to kind of see 142 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 1: me working, to be interested in what I'm doing. And 143 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: you know, hopefully she gets a little bit older, I 144 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:28,240 Speaker 1: can start teaching her a little bit more about the 145 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 1: nuances of football, the stuff that we're you know, she's 146 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: starting to learn little bits and pieces about what baseball 147 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:36,120 Speaker 1: so far. So for those who want to get into 148 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:39,599 Speaker 1: sports reporting sports broadcasting, what sort of maybe your biggest 149 00:06:39,600 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: piece of advice that you could share. You know, the 150 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 1: business is so much different than when I was in 151 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:47,279 Speaker 1: college twenty years ago, which is crazy to think that 152 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 1: it's been, um it's twenty years. But you know, there's 153 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 1: so many just different platforms. I mean, I in terms 154 00:06:53,160 --> 00:06:56,159 Speaker 1: of you know, Internet, and there are still print publications, 155 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 1: but there's you know, there's just so many spectrums who 156 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 1: hastening and radio and stuff. But I think at the 157 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: heart of everything to me is the reporting and the 158 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:09,920 Speaker 1: writing skills, and those are the things that, um, you 159 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: just you have to have if you want to be 160 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 1: in any area of sports journalism, from print, digital, broadcast, anywhere. 161 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: It's so those kind of very fundamental skills. So you know, 162 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: it's really about writing a lot, reading a lot of journalism, 163 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 1: you know, from you know, all sorts of kinds long form, 164 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:30,480 Speaker 1: short form, listening to different types of storytelling, um, and 165 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 1: then just getting the reps. I mean, there's a sports 166 00:07:32,600 --> 00:07:34,960 Speaker 1: podcast we talk about, you know, so that's so the 167 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 1: word you hear all the time for players, you know, 168 00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,680 Speaker 1: they need reps, and in journalism you just need the 169 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: reps too. And you know, if you're in high school, 170 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: it's you know, what outlets do you have um available 171 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 1: in your high school? You probably have a student newspaper, 172 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 1: student website, news website. So it's starting to you know, 173 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 1: that's where I was. Those those my first silinces for 174 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 1: buildings the newspaper at my high school, and you know, 175 00:07:58,600 --> 00:07:59,960 Speaker 1: it was just you know, going out and the inner 176 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: people and learning learning about story format. But if you're 177 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: in college or kind of shortly out of college, it's 178 00:08:05,960 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: really about finding places to write. And you know, the 179 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: hardest part is that, you know, the way that the 180 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,080 Speaker 1: industry is right now there, I think there are a 181 00:08:13,080 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: lot fewer of those kind of like entry level jobs 182 00:08:15,720 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: just you know, newspaper staffs or staffs are a lot smaller, right, 183 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 1: It's a little harder to exactly picture that career that 184 00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: like I have had. You know, I'm dat saddles, I 185 00:08:24,800 --> 00:08:27,280 Speaker 1: don't think. But you know, when I came out in 186 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: the early two thousands, when I came out of college, 187 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 1: you know, it was still very common to you get 188 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: the job at the small newspaper and you cover high schools, 189 00:08:33,880 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: and then you go from covering high schools to covering colleges, 190 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 1: and then you go from covering colleges to a pro beat. 191 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: I mean, I went I had the very kind of 192 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 1: typical newspaper track, and I think that's a little bit harder. 193 00:08:45,600 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: But the thing is that those stories are still there. 194 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:50,040 Speaker 1: Just the way you tell them or the way it's 195 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 1: the way that you publish is a little bit different. 196 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: I also think that there's still this desire that it's 197 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 1: it's all about covering pro teams and covering the NFL. 198 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 1: But some of the best stories and my favorite stories 199 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:05,240 Speaker 1: I've ever written and reported are you know, they're the 200 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 1: local stories. They're at the high school level. It's you know, 201 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: it's high school football, it's high school softball and soccer, 202 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: and you know, Olympic sports at the youth and high 203 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 1: school level. And those stories aren't being told by other people. 204 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:20,760 Speaker 1: So if that's if you live in you know, whatever 205 00:09:20,800 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: town that you're in, and you know, you know these kids, 206 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: you know these stories, go pitch it to your local 207 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,599 Speaker 1: newspaper because their staff might not be big, but you know, 208 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 1: they might pay you one hundred bucks to write it 209 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: or whatever it is. So it's just all about getting 210 00:09:32,280 --> 00:09:34,959 Speaker 1: reps and then turning the work that you're doing as 211 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: a student into internships, and then turning their internships into jobs. 212 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:43,680 Speaker 1: We'll get back to our convo with Lindsay in a 213 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 1: few but we wanted to remind you that you won't 214 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 1: miss a minute of the action with the official Los 215 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 1: Angeles Chargers mobile app. Follow real time stats, watch your 216 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: favorite Bolts programming, and live local Chargers games all season long. 217 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:58,200 Speaker 1: Download today at Chargers dot com slash app. Geographic and 218 00:09:58,200 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 1: device restrictions apply local and pre time games only. 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It 237 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:54,360 Speaker 1: is the first AFC West opponent for the Chargers this season. 238 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:57,280 Speaker 1: We know the Broncos are winless, but overall, what are 239 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:00,839 Speaker 1: your thoughts on this game? Yeah, well, you know the 240 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 1: Broncos are in um. I think Emanuel Sanders put it 241 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:06,839 Speaker 1: best last week after they lost the Packers, who said 242 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:08,640 Speaker 1: that they were in a world of stuff and it 243 00:11:08,720 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: has only gotten worse. So the products will live then. 244 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 1: I mean it really, it's been a really bad couple 245 00:11:13,559 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: of years to be a Broncos fan, and it's significantly 246 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 1: worse now than I think anybody anticipated here at Owen four. 247 00:11:20,720 --> 00:11:22,600 Speaker 1: I don't think anybody thought the Chargers would be two 248 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:25,199 Speaker 1: and two either, you know, I think I think there 249 00:11:25,200 --> 00:11:28,239 Speaker 1: were a lot higher expectations. I certainly had higher expectations 250 00:11:28,240 --> 00:11:29,839 Speaker 1: for how the Chargers were going to start this year. 251 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: I'm sure they're still kicking themselves after the way they 252 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:34,800 Speaker 1: lost that Detroit game. But you know, I think top 253 00:11:34,840 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 1: to bottom, the Chargers are a better team than the 254 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: Broncos are right now. But weird things happen, Yeah, when 255 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:44,080 Speaker 1: these two teams play each other. Things happened last year, yeah, exactly, 256 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,319 Speaker 1: and especially you know, the Broncos seemed to play well 257 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: when they when they go out to Carson. But I do, 258 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:52,200 Speaker 1: I do think that the Chargers are significantly better. They're 259 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:54,560 Speaker 1: better roster wise, their quarterback is better. I think they're 260 00:11:54,559 --> 00:11:57,200 Speaker 1: better approached right now as zick'anjo is still kind of 261 00:11:57,200 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 1: trying to figure out what his staff looks like. Um, 262 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: and I think they're better defensively even as they're trying 263 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,640 Speaker 1: to figure out what's going on in their secondary. It's 264 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 1: a huge It's a huge deal at Bradley Chubb for 265 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:10,080 Speaker 1: his ACL this week and they just placed him on 266 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 1: IR on Tuesday afternoon, So that's a huge deal for 267 00:12:13,080 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 1: as great as von Miller is, and he's very, very, 268 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 1: very good. Bradley Chubb had the chance to be kind 269 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 1: of the real star in the Broncos defense, and now 270 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,280 Speaker 1: they don't have him. So, you know, I think when 271 00:12:23,320 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: you look, you know, you compare position to physician between 272 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 1: the Chartering and the Broncos. I you know, I think 273 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: the Chargers are better at just about all of them. 274 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,199 Speaker 1: So like you, but who knows, who knows, We'll see 275 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: because weird stuff happens, Like I said, when these two 276 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 1: teams play each other. So you mentioned no Bradley Chubb. 277 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 1: The Broncos though they finally got their pass rush going 278 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: last week after three straight games with no sacks. But 279 00:12:44,280 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 1: how can the Chargers capitalize on the fact that Chub 280 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: won't be there on Sunday? It means they can really 281 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,400 Speaker 1: focus on Von Miller. And you know, one of the 282 00:12:51,440 --> 00:12:54,240 Speaker 1: best things about for Von Miller about having Bradley Chubb 283 00:12:54,280 --> 00:12:56,720 Speaker 1: there was that he wasn't getting all of the double 284 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 1: teams sometimes tripled. He wasn't getting chipped by a tight end, 285 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:03,040 Speaker 1: you know, every play because Bradley Chubb is so disruptive, 286 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: and you know, and Chubb was a piece that they 287 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 1: really could move all over. He's a bit he's bigger 288 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:10,839 Speaker 1: than Von is, you know, Von is so fast, and 289 00:13:11,040 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: you know, he really likes to line up on the 290 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:15,520 Speaker 1: defensive left, where he goes against the offensive right tackle. 291 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: Whereas Chubb was a guy that you could kind of 292 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:19,760 Speaker 1: you know, you could put him on the right, you 293 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 1: could put him interior a little bit. I mean, you 294 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 1: could just do a lot more things with him. So 295 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: not having Chubb to defend is going to be huge 296 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 1: for the Chargers because they can really game plan now 297 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,320 Speaker 1: to take von Miller out of the game. And you know, 298 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:36,720 Speaker 1: I think they know who von Miller is a lot 299 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 1: more than they know Chubb too, just because they played 300 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:40,840 Speaker 1: against him so much. And you know, when von Miller 301 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 1: has had some really good games against the Chargers, and 302 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:45,320 Speaker 1: you know he loves playing against Philip Rivers. I think 303 00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:47,640 Speaker 1: he's right. I think Rivers is right at the top 304 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:51,800 Speaker 1: of the list of a Von's favorite quarterbacks. Yeah, just 305 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:53,520 Speaker 1: because I think they just have had such good games 306 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:56,079 Speaker 1: against each other, and they they kind of feed off 307 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 1: each other a little bit. So you were at Chargers 308 00:13:57,920 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: camp over the summer, Like I said, you've got a 309 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:02,000 Speaker 1: pretty good look get this team. But Keenan Allen, how 310 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:04,760 Speaker 1: would you just assess his performance of late? Yeah, I 311 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:07,640 Speaker 1: mean he's just dominant, and you know it's you know, 312 00:14:07,679 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: he's very under the radar, you know nationally, even though 313 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 1: he does this year after year after year. And when 314 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 1: you talk to cornerbacks around the league, you know, you 315 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,440 Speaker 1: ask him about who are the toughest guys to defend consistent, 316 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:21,680 Speaker 1: you know, they'll almost always include Keenan Allen that group. 317 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 1: And you know, I think maybe he's a little bit 318 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:25,800 Speaker 1: under the radar because he is a little understated. You know, 319 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 1: he doesn't have that big, like Diza wide receiver personality 320 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:32,120 Speaker 1: like we've seen somewhere else, you know, some of these 321 00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: other guys around the league. And you know, he has 322 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: had those years where he's have missed a lot of 323 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:39,520 Speaker 1: time because of injuries. But you know, I think the 324 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: thing that I just love about Keenan Allen and what 325 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:44,320 Speaker 1: players respect so much about him, is that he just 326 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:48,280 Speaker 1: he's such a technician and he's you know, he's one 327 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:50,600 Speaker 1: of the best route runners in the NFL. His release 328 00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 1: is so is so good off the line. I mean, 329 00:14:53,760 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 1: I think he might have the best release of any 330 00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 1: of any receiver in the NFL right now. So it's 331 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 1: just what they them so fun and you know, it's cool. 332 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:04,200 Speaker 1: I saw that. I saw the Instagram post or Instagram 333 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: or Twitter that he posted as a kind of his 334 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:08,080 Speaker 1: like love letter to Philip Rivers yeah, the other day, 335 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: and I just, yeah, exactly, I just thought it was 336 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: like so interesting. You're kind of so nice that you 337 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:17,400 Speaker 1: just think about all of the guys, the teammates that 338 00:15:17,680 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: filled as had you know, that has been like his guy, 339 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:23,080 Speaker 1: and he's now been that guy for as long as 340 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:26,120 Speaker 1: almost any of them, basically anybody other than Antonio Gates 341 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 1: at this point. So you know, this is going to 342 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: go down as one of the great kind of partnerships 343 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: in AFCUS history almost. You know, hopefully they have a 344 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: few more really good years together. Just but um, yeah, 345 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: I hope that Keenan Allen can kind of break into 346 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 1: that conversation with the best receivers in the league where 347 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:45,600 Speaker 1: you know, I think he just consistently gets overshadowed by 348 00:15:46,240 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: you know, well, it was Antonio Brown's not Antonio Brown 349 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: this year, but you know kind of some of those 350 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 1: other guys that have been his peers, Yeah, I mean, 351 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 1: the guys who were in his generation of receivers, and 352 00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 1: you know, he just he does it consistently up he 353 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:03,440 Speaker 1: doesn't quietly, and you know, now we just need to 354 00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 1: see him do it in some like really big, really 355 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: big moments that gets everybody in the NFL talking about it. 356 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: So Philip Rivers talked about him for a second. This 357 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: is a guy who's been leading an offense that's been 358 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 1: down so many starters these past few weeks, but yet 359 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:19,320 Speaker 1: he's kept it productive. How does he continue to play 360 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 1: at such a high level. Yeah, it's it's it's amazing, right, 361 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:24,680 Speaker 1: you know. I remember I was out there about this 362 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 1: time last year, was early in the season, and talked 363 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:32,720 Speaker 1: to him a little bit about kind of aging quarterbacks, 364 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: and it's just this we've completely shifted of our thought 365 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 1: of like what is old for quarterbacks. So he's thirty seven, 366 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 1: about to turn thirty eight this year. You know, I 367 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 1: remember just four or five years ago when Peyton Manning 368 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: was that age, and it was like a huge deal 369 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 1: about how old Peyton Manning was. But I don't ever 370 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: think about how old Philip Rivers is yet. And you know, 371 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: and that's maybe because we haven't seen any sort of 372 00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 1: decline yet. You know, he hasn't been through any you know, 373 00:16:57,040 --> 00:16:59,040 Speaker 1: knock good Wood everywhere. He's not him but through any 374 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: major injuries in ten plus years, any of that kind 375 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 1: of stuff. So you know, he's just so efficient, he's 376 00:17:05,040 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 1: you know, really smart. He's got such good m rapport 377 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 1: with his teammates, you know, like with Keenan Allen, Like 378 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,359 Speaker 1: we keep talking about that, you know, when you're that 379 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,640 Speaker 1: much in command of your offense, and you know he's 380 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 1: been working with that coaching staff or now you know 381 00:17:18,440 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 1: a long time. You know, especially with Wiz that you know, 382 00:17:21,040 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 1: they know each other so well, they know what works 383 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:27,200 Speaker 1: what doesn't work. So it's just it just shows the 384 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 1: benefit of having stability and consistency at quarterback and you 385 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 1: know you flip that around and that's something that the 386 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 1: Broncos have not had. And then lastly, just key's to 387 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: victory for the Chargers this weekend. Don't turn over the ball. 388 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: I think that's you know, I think that's the biggest one. 389 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:45,800 Speaker 1: Although that's you know, that's really really obvious. And um, 390 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,000 Speaker 1: you know, the Broncos offensive line they played well against 391 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:50,560 Speaker 1: Jacksonville last week. I think that was um I was 392 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 1: actually surprised. I mean the Jags had eight stacks the 393 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: weeks the week before against Tennessee and then didn't fact 394 00:17:55,680 --> 00:17:58,840 Speaker 1: Joe Blacko at all. So, you know, what we've seen 395 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:00,920 Speaker 1: is that the Broncos offensive well in the flip side 396 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 1: that the Broncos gave up six sacs the week before 397 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 1: to Green Bay and then projected really well. So we've 398 00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 1: seen that they can play well, but we've also seen 399 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: that they can be really really vulnerable. So if they 400 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,920 Speaker 1: can make life really difficult for Garables and Joe Flacco, 401 00:18:14,160 --> 00:18:16,440 Speaker 1: then I think that's that's a really good sign for 402 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:19,120 Speaker 1: the Chargers. All right, Well, thanks Lindsey. Where can people 403 00:18:19,119 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 1: listen to your podcasts and find you? On the Athletic? Yeah, 404 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,200 Speaker 1: so you can find all of my stories and i'llso 405 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:27,200 Speaker 1: our podcast too on the Athletics dot com. Our Power 406 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 1: Ranking podcast is also on It's on Apple kind of 407 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 1: all the podcast platforms. It's called the NFL Power Rankings 408 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:37,720 Speaker 1: Podcast through through the Athletic And you can follow me 409 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:40,399 Speaker 1: on Twitter at by Lindsay H Jones and you can 410 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:43,119 Speaker 1: come for the football, stay for the mom the mom 411 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: life tweets. There you go. I'm into it. Thank you 412 00:18:45,560 --> 00:18:48,480 Speaker 1: so much, Lindsay. We appreciate it. Great, Hailey, thanks for 413 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: having me. And that's a wrap on this week's episode 414 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 1: of playmakers. Many thanks to Lindsay Jones for previewing this 415 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 1: Sunday's game against the Broncos. One final reminder to subscribe 416 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 1: to the All New Chargers podcast Network wherever you listen 417 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:04,719 Speaker 1: to your podcasts. It's your one stop shop for all 418 00:19:04,760 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: things Chargers directly from the team, including in depth conversations 419 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: and analysis with players, coaches, executives, national reporters and broadcasters, 420 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 1: and much more. Be sure to rate and review on 421 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 1: Apple podcasts and thanks for listening. Catch you guys next time.