A swing in the right direction for the Nuggets and a great opportunity for the Broncos to make the playoffs with the most important game they’ve played in a decade.
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[00:00:00] We own the Clippers again. Everything is right in the world. We're fresh off of a Nuggets home victory over the Clippers. We're going to be reacting to that, plus some bigger picture Nuggets stuff. And are the Broncos going to take care of business against the Colts team?
[00:00:19] Plus I look to stay red hot despite that hating dwarf Dan at every turn bullying me and saying mean things. Dan, do your goddamn job and play the music.
[00:00:38] Welcome into a victorious Lucifer Brothers episode here. We are just recording live after having attended the Nuggets demolishing of the Los Angeles Clippers.
[00:00:54] I am your host Kyle Poland. Joined as always by my brother Ryan Poland. Ryan, how are you feeling after watching the Nuggets do what they do best? Beat the Clippers ass.
[00:01:05] Yeah, I mean, I wish it was not the Clippers, right? Like it would feel a little bit better if it was a more competitive team. But at this point, if you're a Nuggets fan, a win's a win.
[00:01:17] So we're not going to get too nitpicky here. We're just going to accept good things.
[00:01:24] We certainly are. And let's just start with the Nuggets since we just came out of that.
[00:01:33] But I'm first, I'm just going to go through. So obviously real quick, Wizards disappointing, came back, responded the next night versus the Hawks.
[00:01:45] A potential in-season champion Hawks team beat the Knicks who beat us by 30, but then we beat the Hawks by 30.
[00:01:57] So maybe we're just as good as the Knicks is what I took from that.
[00:02:04] And then all of that came in tonight. Jamal Murray, there was talk he wasn't going to play.
[00:02:09] He ended up starting. So that kind of sets the table there.
[00:02:13] Obviously, a lot of the talk coming into this game was just Jokic was losing his mind.
[00:02:17] He went the F off against the Wizards and then scored 48 against the Hawks in a blowout.
[00:02:25] So that's kind of where we stood. They had a week off.
[00:02:28] And so, Ryan, I thought since this is our first official one of the season, I think, where we're recording right after a game.
[00:02:36] For a long time, listeners of the pod know that in the postseason, this is pretty common practice.
[00:02:40] But regular season-wise, this is our first one.
[00:02:43] So I thought I'd try something out where I just I wrote down a lot of observations that I had during the game.
[00:02:51] And I'm just going to go through them.
[00:02:53] And you stop me if there's one that you're like, hey, hold on.
[00:02:58] I want to discuss this further or I have a different take on this as far as things go.
[00:03:04] Yeah, that sounds great.
[00:03:06] All right. First things first.
[00:03:08] First, both of these teams somehow look tired after having a week off.
[00:03:14] It was not a playoff-like intensity, I would not say, to this game.
[00:03:21] And so I think that was interesting to note.
[00:03:25] The Nuggets, the first thing I wanted to say was offensively,
[00:03:32] first quarter, we got Murray going, got Gordon going.
[00:03:36] And then the bench gave back a little lead, but the starters really screwed the pooch here.
[00:03:44] They got in.
[00:03:45] It was a six-point lead still.
[00:03:48] Tons of careless turnovers.
[00:03:50] And the thing I noticed in the first half, a lot of like being stuck in the air from Murray,
[00:03:56] just weird turnovers where like the strength of this Nuggets team was like,
[00:04:01] they just always seemed to know where to go with the ball and be under control.
[00:04:07] And there were a lot of like, not just turnovers, but the killer turnovers where they're like live ball
[00:04:14] and they're, you know, throwing it backwards or something.
[00:04:18] They're literally handing it to the other team in transition almost.
[00:04:21] Yeah, you're giving up a fast break.
[00:04:27] So I didn't like that.
[00:04:29] And then during that second quarter, I think that was maybe the ugliest stretch of offense I've seen from the starting five.
[00:04:38] And obviously no KCP.
[00:04:41] But it's just weird offense.
[00:04:43] And I don't understand it.
[00:04:45] For some reason, we went, we've just gone away because there's no KCP from like the most successful offense in the NBA the past two years.
[00:04:58] You know, say what you will about last year.
[00:05:00] The offense was not the problem, right?
[00:05:01] What do you mean by that?
[00:05:02] Hold on.
[00:05:03] I mean, so there were stretches where Jokic just didn't touch the ball.
[00:05:08] And we just played a lot of one-on-one.
[00:05:10] Or there was one time you could tell Jokic was trying to settle us down.
[00:05:13] They're coming down in transition.
[00:05:15] He throws it to Gordon on the wing.
[00:05:16] And he goes hard to the post.
[00:05:19] He like cuts across going hard to the post.
[00:05:23] And Gordon just starts driving in.
[00:05:26] And he, it's just a weird vibe there, I guess.
[00:05:33] It's sort of.
[00:05:34] It just feels like, hey, let's post up.
[00:05:37] Let's get Jokic.
[00:05:40] Let's play through him.
[00:05:42] And it feels like people aren't quite sure how to do that.
[00:05:46] And a lot of that started with Murray, who was great in the second half.
[00:05:52] But even though he had some points in the first half, he was rusty, to be kind.
[00:05:58] Had some bad turnovers.
[00:05:59] And just stuff where we're not getting into offense until, which used to just be a hallmark of our team,
[00:06:07] is we would get right into offense.
[00:06:08] There wasn't a lot of wasted time.
[00:06:10] And it just feels like there's stuff where guys aren't organized.
[00:06:12] Guys aren't where they're supposed to be.
[00:06:15] And that's both a point guard and a coaching critique there that I had during the first half.
[00:06:23] I agree with you.
[00:06:24] But I have somewhat of a different take, I guess.
[00:06:28] And this is really off the cuff because we literally just watched the game.
[00:06:32] And this is coming off of what you just said.
[00:06:35] But I wonder if they sort of saw a matchup and liked what they could get with Gordon.
[00:06:43] Because it almost felt a little bit like one of those playoff games where they want to get Gordon going early.
[00:06:49] And so they just feed him in the post.
[00:06:51] And they're almost ISO-ing him in the post.
[00:06:53] Like a la Orlando Magic Aaron Gordon.
[00:06:57] And it wasn't working.
[00:07:01] And so normally, AG is not the type of player where you're worrying about that being a big thing.
[00:07:11] You're not worrying about him taking unnecessary shots.
[00:07:14] But it did feel like he was forcing things a little bit tonight.
[00:07:16] So I wonder if that was truly what we saw on the tape.
[00:07:20] And then in the actual game, they played a little bit better defense on AG.
[00:07:25] And we had to adjust in the game.
[00:07:27] And to me, and this is a little bit broader in just the general scope.
[00:07:33] And I want to get back to your points here.
[00:07:36] But in general, I think this was a game where it actually made me feel really good about the Nuggets potentially moving forward.
[00:07:46] Because Jokic didn't go off, right?
[00:07:49] Like he did not have that typical Jokic 2024-2025 game.
[00:07:55] And we still kicked the shit out of the Clippers.
[00:07:59] So that feels good as a Nuggets fan to sort of have the conglomerate come together and really win a game for us as opposed to just Jokic having to carry the load.
[00:08:10] Yeah.
[00:08:11] No, I agree with that.
[00:08:13] And I have some stuff on that later.
[00:08:15] I think to wrap up this Gordons thing, I just feel like side Aaron Gordon posts or Aaron Gordon mid posts are almost always bad offense for us.
[00:08:25] There are some times where it works and you get a bucket, but it always looks hard.
[00:08:28] It always looks difficult.
[00:08:30] And if I am a team and the Denver Nuggets offense is Aaron Gordon shooting a contested turnaround, God bless you.
[00:08:41] If he makes all of them, the good man above did not want us to win this game.
[00:08:47] And we never were.
[00:08:49] So good for you.
[00:08:51] I think where you're talking about with that Aaron Gordon physicality, I feel like he's so much better when he's coming across and he's coming middle lane.
[00:09:00] Because it feels like there, that's where the first one he got was dumped down right away.
[00:09:07] He is able to just not even think and he turns around and just tries to dunk it.
[00:09:11] Dunk it backwards, dunk it forwards, dunk it whatever.
[00:09:14] He just tries to dunk it so quick and his explosion slash physicality is so hard to match there.
[00:09:20] Whereas I feel like when he has to put the ball on the floor, dribble, dribble, dribble, it becomes a little Zach Randolph-y in there.
[00:09:27] Um, the, uh, other thing to note there is that, um, and this was an all game theme, but the two man game is just off between Jokic and Murray.
[00:09:40] There's no semblance of, uh, what to do there.
[00:09:44] Um, it doesn't, they're not looking to, there would be times where they would literally just run it just to try to get Jokic a post.
[00:09:53] Like they weren't even really trying to get some, they would just be like, well, you guys are doing this.
[00:09:58] Um, so, and so something's off chemistry wise there.
[00:10:02] And that can obviously play into the fact that Murray's been hurt, but.
[00:10:06] Yeah, there's no respect for Murray off of that two man game.
[00:10:09] That's what's off.
[00:10:11] It's the defense does not respect what Murray is doing.
[00:10:14] If he gets that ball in that short roll or whatever he's doing off of that role is not threatening enough for them to really be helping aggressively off of Jokic, which.
[00:10:28] That is.
[00:10:29] I agree to a point.
[00:10:31] The only counterpoint I would have is we never saw Jokic get more easy shots than when Russell Westbrook was the point guard.
[00:10:38] And everyone in the NBA knows that Russell Westbrook cannot make a step back three, cannot make that.
[00:10:43] So some of it is like creating angles, creating things, which Murray just used to feel like he had such a good sense of.
[00:10:49] And I don't know if part of it, the other thing I thought about is Jokic has been popping a little more this year.
[00:10:54] And so there's a little bit more of like the cat and mouse game of like, how much can I draw this big into this corner?
[00:11:01] You know, and then kick it back out to Jokic there.
[00:11:04] So it's not the same kind of floater role game that Jokic does a little bit more with Westbrook.
[00:11:09] But something to note there, a positive.
[00:11:13] I really like these.
[00:11:15] Jokic has noticed or coaching staff don't know who to give credit to, but they've noticed that these big dumb nerds are absolutely.
[00:11:24] They're just out there and on these mid to high posts when they try to get touches.
[00:11:29] These guys are just out there trying their heart out to try to not let Jokic get the ball.
[00:11:34] And so they are just running curl screens around Jokic where we just swing it and he turns and he just sprints around this and goes in the lane.
[00:11:43] And he got some easy layups tonight.
[00:11:45] He's gotten some before this.
[00:11:46] So I think this is a nice coaching adjustment and where, you know, you kind of want to give criticism to Malone for allowing some of the other bad offense.
[00:11:54] I do want to give credit where credit's due that.
[00:11:57] I do think that's a nice adjustment instead of just sitting there, which we were sometimes last year.
[00:12:03] And just being like, well, our offense gets initiated to Jokic.
[00:12:06] So I have to sit here and wait while this guy climbs all over his back and goes through there.
[00:12:11] I thought that I think that's a good adjustment and a good way to counteract the fact that we don't have knockdown shooting at every position.
[00:12:20] But you can still use a swing to not just get a three, but to reposition your post.
[00:12:25] Something that we talked about earlier in the season.
[00:12:27] And I think that's been a nice adjustment for this team.
[00:12:30] I agree.
[00:12:31] And I think the benefit of the two-man game not working to perfection like it's worked in the last, whatever, half a decade is that Malone is going to have to, the team is going to have to get more creative in how they get Jokic to the ball.
[00:12:49] And I think you've pointed out a great way that they have sort of found ways to manufacture those touches in an advantageous position where Jokic is, we know he's the best player in the world.
[00:13:02] Like he's going to be fine.
[00:13:03] He'll figure it out.
[00:13:04] So you just have to get him the ball in those spots.
[00:13:07] And it'll be interesting to see how those develop, assuming the two-man game doesn't come back into gear where we really feel like that's just automatic points every possession.
[00:13:20] Yeah.
[00:13:22] The other thing was, outside of that second quarter stretch, I do feel like this offense looked a little bit more like the Nuggets.
[00:13:33] Not in terms of, like I said, I still think we're playing in a weird way as far as where we have the ball and where we're setting up.
[00:13:38] But just in terms of like making the extra pass, the ball moving, some good offenses, Christian Brown was 0 for 4 for 3 tonight.
[00:13:47] And they were all wide, wide open.
[00:13:51] But to me, that's good process, right?
[00:13:54] And we talked about this on the last podcast that like we're just having bad process on some of the offense.
[00:14:00] So it was encouraging to see, even if the shot didn't go down, to be like, that is good process.
[00:14:05] We are getting a good shot, a wide open shot, and multiple people are touching the ball compared to, there was one in the second quarter where I nearly threw myself from the rafters.
[00:14:19] Because we just had Aaron Gordon at the top of the key and he had the ball the whole possession and then shot it.
[00:14:27] And to your point, it's not that Aaron Gordon is a selfish player or something.
[00:14:30] You know, like he's just trying to make something happen.
[00:14:31] He's trying to give some energy.
[00:14:32] But it was like, that's just not how our team gets energy.
[00:14:37] Our team gets energy from the ball moving from everyone, you know, and eventually some shots will go down.
[00:14:45] Getting into the second half, I thought they came out a little flat.
[00:14:50] Quick timeout from Malone was really helpful, was really smart.
[00:14:53] And then the bucket and then the three from Gordon.
[00:14:57] And they never really looked back from there.
[00:15:00] To your point, I thought some little things that I noticed.
[00:15:08] On ball defense, Russell Westbrook is awesome.
[00:15:10] And this is something we pointed out in the preseason that we said off ball, Russell Westbrook defense, not as great.
[00:15:18] On ball or guard the star, awesome.
[00:15:21] He was great against Harden game before.
[00:15:25] Unbelievable against Trae Young.
[00:15:27] Trae Young got some garbage time points.
[00:15:29] And then you saw what Trae Young did to the Knicks, who have Mikael Bridges, who have Josh Hart, who have like length, who have OG and OB.
[00:15:39] Like they have guys to throw who should be bothering Trae Young.
[00:15:43] And none of them made as much of a difference as Russell Westbrook did on the ball.
[00:15:47] So I thought that was good.
[00:15:50] Julian Strother, it was nice to see the ball go in for him some.
[00:15:54] But the other thing that I really was impressed by is I don't know what Julian doesn't practice.
[00:16:00] But for someone who has had a rough shooting stretch, shall we say, and the floaters haven't gone, like he just hasn't made some of the stuff that he was knocking down in the preseason.
[00:16:17] He is still a big part of this offense.
[00:16:20] And you can tell that like Russ and Murray and those guys, they really try to get him the ball with that second unit.
[00:16:26] And he had some really confident plays.
[00:16:30] Like there was one where he could have easily tried to make this bounce pass to Murray.
[00:16:34] And he just football, pick the ball up two steps, strong layup.
[00:16:38] And so it's cool to see, like I think we've seen some young guys in the Malone system and under the pressure of the Nuggets and the bench and all that that comes along with that.
[00:16:51] Start just playing a little scared and being like, all right, whatever.
[00:16:55] Or I'm just not going to be the one who shoots it and misses it.
[00:16:57] I'm going to just play, you know, and Strother is not that.
[00:17:02] And I think that is very cool to see.
[00:17:06] And then the other little thing that I liked and I noticed, 7-17 mark of the fourth quarter, the game is over.
[00:17:16] You know, they're up 20.
[00:17:17] The Clippers are just coming out of a timeout.
[00:17:21] And Malone showed a little full-court press out of a timeout, which is something other teams have done to the Nuggets.
[00:17:27] But it just was nice to see Malone using garbage time to put something on tape to give Strother-Westberg, you know, practice doing that.
[00:17:40] And being like, hey, we'll come after you with our second unit, too.
[00:17:45] And we saw some forced turnovers from the Nuggets tonight.
[00:17:48] As much as we were turning the ball over, a lot of good steals, a lot of good stuff, especially in the fourth.
[00:17:53] They really blew this open with the bench.
[00:17:55] And we talked about that preseason.
[00:17:56] That's when the bench is going to be good, is when you get Peyton Watson out in the open.
[00:18:03] He has some great finishes tonight.
[00:18:05] You get Strother out there.
[00:18:07] You get Russ going downhill.
[00:18:08] And I really thought that that was a cool little wrinkle and a thing that just showed me, like, okay, Malone's locked in right now.
[00:18:17] Like, he's trying to get some things on tape, try to see how guys do with certain things.
[00:18:23] And you could see he was having to tell, like, hey, everyone come up with this.
[00:18:28] We're not just token, you know, pressuring it.
[00:18:31] But I think that's good.
[00:18:32] Like, figure that out when you're up 20.
[00:18:35] Like, use every minute in a positive way.
[00:18:40] So I thought that was cool.
[00:18:42] And then you kind of alluded to this.
[00:18:46] But there were some very bad stretches.
[00:18:49] And this is not a Nuggets team that just shot the absolute bejesus out of the three-pointer by any stretch of the imagination.
[00:18:58] They shot 34%.
[00:19:00] But some of that is garbage time threes.
[00:19:02] Like, you know, we had a Hunter Tyson three.
[00:19:07] We had a Jalen pick at three with no defense.
[00:19:11] I mean, 0 for 4 from Rod, 2 for 7 from MPJ.
[00:19:17] They still scored 120.
[00:19:19] And Ty Lue was absolutely trying to cook up some things to bother Jokic, to bother Murray.
[00:19:27] And he's still a good coach.
[00:19:29] And that's a team that has a lot of wings, a lot of depth, a lot of length.
[00:19:34] And I think that's, to my point, and you kind of already highlighted this a little bit.
[00:19:40] But to me, that was the most encouraging thing.
[00:19:42] Is there was a lot of meat left on that bone.
[00:19:46] And this team scored 120 pretty effortlessly.
[00:19:50] Jokic, to your point, I mean, he never had to be.
[00:19:54] But, like, it looked like, I joked with you guys, it looked like old Jokic.
[00:19:59] Where there were some games where he was just like, I don't need to shoot tonight.
[00:20:02] It's clear we're going to win.
[00:20:03] It's fine.
[00:20:04] I'm not shooting.
[00:20:05] It's his favorite type of game.
[00:20:07] Yeah.
[00:20:07] Yeah, where he can just take a backseat and not really worry about it.
[00:20:12] Yeah.
[00:20:12] It's, I think, it's very encouraging.
[00:20:17] I don't really know what to take from it.
[00:20:19] Like, I don't think that there's a lot.
[00:20:22] It's, there's a lot of positive tape moving forward from this.
[00:20:26] But I don't think it really means anything.
[00:20:28] I guess, if that makes sense.
[00:20:31] Where you saw everything you want to see.
[00:20:33] But I think I want to see it consistently.
[00:20:36] And then we can start getting excited.
[00:20:40] Yeah.
[00:20:41] In talking to Arrola Bradley after the game, I said to him, he said, you know, where do you think the Nuggets ceiling is?
[00:20:51] And I was like, you know, I don't know that I've changed my mind on where this team's ceiling is.
[00:20:56] I said, I've changed my mind on where their floor is.
[00:20:59] Coming into this season, if you'd have told me, the Nuggets might be a play-in team.
[00:21:04] I'd have said, shut up, Kendrick Perkins.
[00:21:07] And, but now, like, if you told me that, I would be like, yeah, a few things go wrong.
[00:21:13] This could absolutely be a team that is, Jokic is dragging them across the finish line.
[00:21:18] It's filthy.
[00:21:19] Like, the West looks so good that that also plays into this where, like, the Rockets are potentially top three seed.
[00:21:27] Like, we also wouldn't have predicted that.
[00:21:30] So, the landscape of the league changed a little bit as well.
[00:21:35] Yep.
[00:21:36] And I do think that's the next three games.
[00:21:41] These are games where you have to stack wins.
[00:21:44] You're at the Kings.
[00:21:45] That's a hard game, for sure.
[00:21:48] But then you are at Portland.
[00:21:52] You are at the Pelicans.
[00:21:56] Those have got to be wins.
[00:21:57] And you've got to go at least 2-1 in that stretch.
[00:22:00] 3-0 would be great.
[00:22:01] And then you come home for Phoenix.
[00:22:05] And I think that's a very interesting game.
[00:22:07] No, that's a way, isn't it?
[00:22:09] Because that's Christmas Day.
[00:22:11] Phoenix, we play them back-to-back.
[00:22:13] We are at Phoenix on Christmas, but we play them at home December 23rd.
[00:22:19] So, what a time, NBA.
[00:22:22] I guess that's one way to maybe get some bad blood between teams.
[00:22:25] Just have them play back-to-back.
[00:22:29] But, yeah, I think that's an interesting barometer game for this Nuggets team.
[00:22:35] Because if you make some of the silly defensive mistakes we've made against three-point shooters,
[00:22:40] you can give up a lot of points to this Phoenix team.
[00:22:45] But the Phoenix team is also, like, they're not a perfect team by any stretch of the imagination.
[00:22:51] And you can absolutely exploit some things versus them as well.
[00:22:57] So, that's kind of the Nuggets, the upcoming stuff.
[00:23:03] I think early in the week there was some trade stuff.
[00:23:09] I want to see some more concrete stuff.
[00:23:11] I don't think there's any way that the Nuggets can get Jimmy Butler in a way that makes sense for the Nuggets,
[00:23:17] if that makes sense.
[00:23:18] As much as you have problems with, you know, concerns about a Murray health or a Porter health,
[00:23:25] Jimmy Butler is so much older than both of those guys and has a lot of miles on him.
[00:23:31] And does nothing to help with the Jokic taking the load off Jokic because he just won't play in the regular season.
[00:23:39] In the playoffs, it would be awesome.
[00:23:41] But regular season-wise, it might not be as good.
[00:23:47] So, I think to go back to sort of my point about, well, I think it was last podcast that I made this argument.
[00:23:58] But Jokic is so good, he doesn't need Jimmy Butler.
[00:24:03] Like, we don't need a star.
[00:24:05] We need somebody sort of good.
[00:24:08] We need Bruce Brown.
[00:24:09] Like, we don't need somebody.
[00:24:11] We don't, yeah, we need a couple of decent players.
[00:24:15] Two Bruce Browns is better than one Jimmy Butler.
[00:24:17] A hundred percent.
[00:24:18] Yeah.
[00:24:18] We don't need a superstar.
[00:24:21] Russell Westbrook looks like he's going to have eight more years in the league with Jokic.
[00:24:28] Like, that's not because Russell Westbrook is a great player.
[00:24:33] That's because Nikola Jokic is insane.
[00:24:36] So, I just think everybody needs to reposition themselves around Jokic, including the fans who are,
[00:24:46] I understand everybody wants a big name.
[00:24:48] Like, it's all exciting, whatever.
[00:24:50] But, like, we don't need that.
[00:24:52] So, and we're not going to be able to, realistically, it's not going to happen.
[00:24:57] So, the Heat literally do not, would never trade anything for Michael Porter Jr.
[00:25:06] It's not going to happen.
[00:25:07] So, yeah.
[00:25:09] No, but I also, I'm just not sure you win that trade.
[00:25:12] But, the-
[00:25:14] No, I don't want Jimmy Butler.
[00:25:15] I guess I'm arguing vehemently against doing something like that.
[00:25:20] I'm arguing vehemently for having two mid-level deals that people are like, well, that's kind
[00:25:27] of weird that they did that.
[00:25:30] That's the reaction that I want the national media having to anything that we do.
[00:25:35] I want Dario Saric and Zeke Nagy traded for somebody that you would assume would get less
[00:25:46] than that.
[00:25:47] Like, that's totally fine.
[00:25:49] That we could win that trade just because Nicole Jokic is very good at basketball.
[00:25:55] Yeah.
[00:25:59] I 100% agree.
[00:26:01] And I think that people need to remember that small market teams just don't have the
[00:26:12] same luxuries.
[00:26:13] And this is where the Bucs screwed themselves, is they were like, fuck, Giannis is going to
[00:26:19] leave.
[00:26:20] Ah, Damian Lillard!
[00:26:21] Like, this is where so many teams do this.
[00:26:24] And Jokic wouldn't do this, but, like, this is where it gets into that cycle.
[00:26:32] I mean, the Timberwolves are in it right now.
[00:26:35] Ah, we have to make a move to get somebody here, but then we can't pay everyone.
[00:26:41] And now, when we have to offload some things, Anthony Edwards is going to leave and he's
[00:26:45] going to justify it by like, I mean, I'm not trying to compete here.
[00:26:49] I got to go to the Lakers.
[00:26:51] Um, and you know, that's the small market.
[00:26:56] Curse.
[00:26:56] Tale as old as time, right?
[00:26:58] So don't panic here.
[00:27:00] That's another reason why I was happy to see these two wins.
[00:27:03] Cause it felt like, uh, it could be some pressure and some, uh, calls being made from ownership
[00:27:10] of like, Hey, every national podcast is talking about how we're an incompetent organization
[00:27:15] and we have the best player and we've surrounded him with nothing.
[00:27:17] I want you to get Jimmy Butler, no matter what it takes, no matter what it takes, no matter
[00:27:22] what it takes.
[00:27:23] Okay.
[00:27:24] Right.
[00:27:25] And you screw your franchise.
[00:27:26] Right.
[00:27:27] Uh, I, I do sort of think that the fact that Jokic is the franchise player, like he's not
[00:27:36] going to go to, he's not the type of superstar that's going to go to the front office and say,
[00:27:40] you have to do this, you have to do this, whatever.
[00:27:43] But you kind of do have to run every deal by him.
[00:27:46] And I honestly think if you told Nicole, Nicole, the Jokic, like, Hey, we have a chance
[00:27:52] to go get Jimmy Butler, but we have to give up Christian Brown and whoever you're like,
[00:27:58] Jokic is going to look at you and be like, no, no, we're not fucking doing that.
[00:28:02] Give me a break.
[00:28:02] I'll win with these guys.
[00:28:04] Like, no worries.
[00:28:05] No worries.
[00:28:05] Who else could we get?
[00:28:07] Can we get Jovich for less?
[00:28:08] Like what, what do they want for that guy?
[00:28:11] So I, I think it, they're in a advantageous position because they're superstars, a person
[00:28:20] who is not like other superstars.
[00:28:23] And that allows you to be patient in a way that I think, uh, is really valuable.
[00:28:32] And I hope that they take advantage of that, I guess.
[00:28:35] Then that's the point.
[00:28:36] You have to take advantage of it, right?
[00:28:38] Like Dirk was very patient with Dallas and it led to Dallas just kind of taking advantage
[00:28:43] of that and not making a push again after he won his title.
[00:28:46] Right.
[00:28:47] Um, so you hope that's not the case.
[00:28:49] Um, and I hope that, um, you know, there's an opportunity, like you said, to make those
[00:28:55] kind of adjustments to the roster where, um, instead of Christian being your fourth, most
[00:29:02] important player, he's your seventh.
[00:29:03] And you're like, Oh dang.
[00:29:05] Okay.
[00:29:05] Now we're cooking.
[00:29:07] Um, and, and that's, uh, in a better place.
[00:29:10] He could still start, but he also could be your seventh most important player.
[00:29:14] Yeah.
[00:29:15] No, no, no.
[00:29:15] Whoever can score off the bench instantly becomes very important to you.
[00:29:20] Yeah.
[00:29:21] Uh, I mean, Russell Westbrook is arguably our third most important player, right?
[00:29:25] But it's, it's, I mean, with how much Murray's been hurt, it's, it's, there's an argument
[00:29:31] to be made.
[00:29:31] Yeah.
[00:29:32] Um, I would make the argument.
[00:29:34] So yeah.
[00:29:35] Uh, also, Oh, that was my last thing.
[00:29:37] Uh, we have to make note of the fact that Russell Westbrook, as I said, he played great
[00:29:43] defense for Stray young.
[00:29:44] He played great defense versus James Harden all game.
[00:29:46] Uh, did he lose his mind about that?
[00:29:49] No, he lost his mind when he in garbage time stole the ball.
[00:29:57] Then began doing the lock them up seatbelt NFL celebration.
[00:30:03] And then when he checked out a minute later, right, the crowd started cheering.
[00:30:08] Cause he'd been playing great.
[00:30:09] He started doing the seatbelt the whole way to the bench.
[00:30:13] And I wouldn't be surprised if when Michael Malone started his speech, Russ just went up there
[00:30:19] and was like, coach, just give me them defensive player of the game chain.
[00:30:22] All right.
[00:30:22] Lockdown.
[00:30:23] And I absolutely love it.
[00:30:26] And it was a fun personality moment, uh, for this team.
[00:30:30] And that, that's something that's been missing, right?
[00:30:33] Um, like the fun personality, the fun moments.
[00:30:36] And so 10 out of 10 for Russ tonight, uh, no notes on his performance.
[00:30:41] I've got no notes for the season.
[00:30:44] Yeah.
[00:30:45] Yeah.
[00:30:46] No, you're right.
[00:30:47] It's been better than what, than what, uh, we, we could have hoped for.
[00:30:52] All right.
[00:30:53] Let's get into the Broncos now though.
[00:30:55] Um, Broncos coming off a bye.
[00:30:57] They are home for the Indianapolis Colts.
[00:30:59] They're four and a half point favorites here.
[00:31:04] Um, they are, um, facing this Colts team also coming off a bye who had to come back against
[00:31:14] the new England team.
[00:31:16] Um, Anthony Richardson at quarterback and mobile quarterback here.
[00:31:22] Um, I guess let's start there.
[00:31:25] Uh, word on the street is probably going to get Josh Downs back.
[00:31:30] If you're the Colts, um, that's good news for them.
[00:31:32] Pittman, uh, obviously he's had a pretty good season.
[00:31:36] Um, they still have Jonathan Taylor.
[00:31:38] Um, however, Anthony Richardson, um, he has seven touchdowns and nine picks and a 47% completion
[00:31:46] rate.
[00:31:46] Uh, and against the new England Patriots, uh, who do not have a good defense, um, through
[00:31:53] two picks, uh, and barely through for, um, yeah, through for 109 yards.
[00:32:02] Um, and only ran for 50, like people talk about his legs, but like, it's not like he was Lamar
[00:32:08] out there.
[00:32:08] Right.
[00:32:08] And like running for a hundred slow down on the running in the second half of the year.
[00:32:13] Cause I think he got a little, uh, I mean, he's not a big guy, so he got a little rocked
[00:32:19] early in the year.
[00:32:20] And I think they told him, Hey buddy, we're going to, we're not going to win a lot of
[00:32:24] games, but this is, I mean, it's a playoff game essentially for both teams.
[00:32:29] So, yeah.
[00:32:30] So I was looking at some stuff here.
[00:32:32] Um, I'm glad you brought that up.
[00:32:33] The Broncos currently, uh, they are at a, a 75% chance of making the playoffs.
[00:32:41] If they lose this game, it goes down to basically 50, 50.
[00:32:45] Um, the Colts are currently at a 27% chance of making the playoffs.
[00:32:49] If they win this game, it goes up to like 50, 50.
[00:32:53] So, um, the Colts players have many quotes saying, you know, like, Hey, we're in the playoffs
[00:32:59] right now.
[00:32:59] Like we need this game.
[00:33:01] We can't lose.
[00:33:02] Um, so it feels like the Broncos have a chance here to over the next, like two of the next
[00:33:10] three opponents are teams.
[00:33:11] They can basically knock out of the playoffs if they just beat them.
[00:33:14] Um, you have them here and then you have the bangles, um, in two weeks where you can say,
[00:33:19] see you later, Joe, uh, and the boys.
[00:33:23] Um, so I guess on offense, how do you see this Broncos defense playing?
[00:33:29] Um, Richardson, uh, has can throw a pretty deep ball, but is not going to pick you apart,
[00:33:36] but you have to be careful with the legs.
[00:33:38] And then you have to be able to stop Jonathan Taylor.
[00:33:41] Um, because they do not want Anthony Richardson dropping back 30 sometimes like, um, Jameis
[00:33:48] did, uh, against the wrongs on Monday night.
[00:33:50] Like it, Anthony Richardson will throw the Broncos way more picks than Jameis Winston did and far
[00:33:57] less touchdowns.
[00:33:58] Yeah.
[00:33:59] I would feel a lot better if we had rally boss.
[00:34:03] Uh, it's one of those games where, I mean, it's the luxury of having Sertan, right?
[00:34:11] Where one half of the field is essentially locked down, uh, which with the rookie quarterback
[00:34:18] means that he may make a mistake and throw Pat a ball that he shouldn't throw him.
[00:34:23] Like, I think that that is very much in play and the odds are reflective of that.
[00:34:28] I was looking at the Richardson interception props and he's minus 135 to throw a pick,
[00:34:33] which feels like free money.
[00:34:36] Uh, you're obviously paying the juice for a reason there.
[00:34:38] And so I think that the, the secondary, I feel okay about because I'm not sure that they have
[00:34:48] the weapons to really be able to exploit the, uh, weaknesses there.
[00:34:54] It's more, how does the run game lead to the pass game?
[00:34:59] Cause I think that's the only way that we sort of get into a rough place is if they're getting
[00:35:06] four yards of carry and Richardson's throwing deep and they are able to run some play action
[00:35:13] and get us into bad spots where we're bringing extra guys into the box to stop the run.
[00:35:19] Cause Richardson can burn you deep.
[00:35:21] And I think that's the only way that this gets crooked on us is if that happens, uh, which
[00:35:31] I, this, this smells like a rat line to me.
[00:35:35] Like four and a half seems very high for this game.
[00:35:39] I do, I don't know that the Broncos deserve a four and a half point line and it feels a little
[00:35:48] bit like they're begging you to take the Colts, which is always, uh, it's a weird place to
[00:35:56] be in and it doesn't feel good as the team who needs to win the game when you're on, when
[00:36:01] your line is the rat line.
[00:36:04] Um, would you feel better if I told you that I misspoke and we're only favored by three and
[00:36:09] a half?
[00:36:10] Um, it's still over field goal.
[00:36:12] I saw four and a half on draft Kings.
[00:36:15] It is juiced minus one 22 on four and a half on draft Kings.
[00:36:20] It's minus one Oh eight.
[00:36:21] So doggie.
[00:36:23] Okay.
[00:36:24] I thought maybe you were just going off of what I said and I was like, I'm pretty sure I miss
[00:36:28] both.
[00:36:28] Um, but, uh, yeah, no, I agree with you there.
[00:36:33] Um, there doesn't like when you just break this game down.
[00:36:38] You go, okay.
[00:36:40] Bo Nix never turns the ball over.
[00:36:42] This Colts team can't get pressure for anything.
[00:36:45] They have one of the lowest blitz rates in the league.
[00:36:47] They have a terrible good.
[00:36:49] They give up the most yards per game in the whole league.
[00:36:53] Um, which means, and it's not like the Broncos have been explosive plays all over the place,
[00:36:58] which to me just means Anthony Richardson has less cracks at it, which then means that, uh,
[00:37:06] it's going to be even worse when he inevitably has a guy open 10 yards down the field and
[00:37:12] throws it to us in the stands.
[00:37:14] Um, you know, where, where we'll be cheering, cheering him on for throwing a dart, uh, right
[00:37:20] up to us.
[00:37:22] Um, but so I just don't think like to your point, there's nothing here that says to me,
[00:37:30] Oh, the Colts can stay within a touchdown, right?
[00:37:33] Like this is a team that I mean, probably what five weeks ago, their veterans were saying,
[00:37:41] guys don't try hard.
[00:37:43] Anthony Richardson was asking to get subbed out cause he was a little bit sleepy.
[00:37:48] Like this has been like kind of a shit show of a team and they just happen to play in
[00:37:53] the AFC South.
[00:37:55] Um, so to me, I agree with you.
[00:38:00] It's a rat line, but it also just feels like why don't we just trust the fact that maybe
[00:38:11] this Colts team, if you are not good in the AFC South, it's kind of like when the Falcons
[00:38:18] weren't pulling away and then the Broncos got to play them.
[00:38:21] And it was like, Oh, you, you guys suck.
[00:38:26] Like you're in a terrible division.
[00:38:28] So your record looks a little better.
[00:38:29] So this can be a thing, but you, you guys blow the only thing that we haven't talked
[00:38:35] about here that I do think lends itself to your thing is Shane Steichen is a hell of a
[00:38:43] coach and he is drawn up some dimes back there.
[00:38:48] Um, now Anthony doesn't always execute them, but he is getting people open and doing some
[00:38:54] good things back there.
[00:38:55] So this is not a, uh, a team that I would want to have a, a half full deck going into.
[00:39:03] Um, but I'm curious, do you, if you were, uh, Vance, would you just have certain follow
[00:39:09] Pittman?
[00:39:10] It felt like it was a little harder to have him follow Judy because Judy could line up
[00:39:14] slot could line up all over the place, but like Pittman's pretty, pretty outside.
[00:39:19] And then you take your risk with downs running those underneath routes, that kind of stuff.
[00:39:25] Um, I, I don't think I would because I'd be daring Richardson to make a mistake, like lose
[00:39:32] him somewhere.
[00:39:34] Like I'd move them all over the field, just trying to confuse the shit out of the kid.
[00:39:39] Like I, I don't, uh, it's a, I mean, if Pittman has three catches in the first quarter, then
[00:39:46] yeah, you're probably like, all right, we gotta, we've seen this movie.
[00:39:50] Yeah.
[00:39:51] Yeah.
[00:39:51] So let's not let us see Jerry Judy, the sequel.
[00:39:54] Yeah.
[00:39:54] We're going to have to do something different, but, uh, I don't think you start that way.
[00:40:00] I think you sort of try to bait Richardson into doing something stupid early.
[00:40:05] Yeah.
[00:40:06] Um, and then offensively, this is a chance for the Broncos to build, um, on what they did.
[00:40:15] Like you, you opened the playbook.
[00:40:17] This is the, it, it seems like everything has been leading towards him trusting Bo more, more
[00:40:25] plays getting input and everything.
[00:40:27] But this is the game where like all of that shit's on the table.
[00:40:31] Like let's, let's go out and actually win the game.
[00:40:36] Uh, let's put this away early.
[00:40:38] Yeah.
[00:40:39] And it just feels like this is the perfect defense for Bo Nix to go against because all
[00:40:45] season, they've just kind of been a, we'll give up a lot of yards.
[00:40:49] We're going to try to keep people out of the end zone.
[00:40:51] Like we're going to try to, you know, force a turnover here and there and there, like whatever
[00:40:55] and sneak out of here.
[00:40:58] And Bo Nix is going to be like, oh, there's a guy open six yards.
[00:41:01] Oh, I'm just going to throw it to him right away.
[00:41:02] Like, why would I not?
[00:41:04] And it feels like that is going to be not only a methodical way, but a way that like
[00:41:13] you just cut down on the time that Levi Wallace spends on the football field that way.
[00:41:18] And like, you're just like, Hey, we're going to have these six, seven minute drives.
[00:41:26] And now you're down 10, nothing.
[00:41:29] And if Anthony Richardson misses the wide open play, uh, one time, all of a sudden you're
[00:41:36] down 17, nothing.
[00:41:37] And now when he hits the bomb, because Levi Wallace fell down over his own feet and did
[00:41:43] that, like, then who cares?
[00:41:45] It's 17, seven, as opposed to your point, like you get out to a slow start on offense,
[00:41:50] you, you know, mis-execute some things.
[00:41:52] And all of a sudden now Levi Wallace trips over his feet and you're like, oh, we're down
[00:41:56] seven, three, like what the hell?
[00:41:58] And you know, you get a little dog fight on your hands there.
[00:42:02] Um, I definitely feel like this is a game where similar to that Atlanta game, you can
[00:42:06] take the fight out of this team pretty early.
[00:42:09] If you just go out and execute and do what you need to do.
[00:42:11] Um, because this is, I mean, maybe we should talk about it here, but this is probably the
[00:42:18] first time where people have said, Hey, the, if the Broncos want to be a playoff team, they
[00:42:23] need to win this game and the Broncos are favored to win the game.
[00:42:26] Like we've had some moments in seasons pass where it's been like, we just gotta be Patrick
[00:42:31] and the boys here.
[00:42:32] And then it's like, oh, we did not be Patrick and the boys here.
[00:42:36] Right?
[00:42:36] Like, um, to, to seven and nine land we go.
[00:42:41] Uh, but I think this is a game where it's like, Hey, we need this game, but also we should
[00:42:50] win this game and we should approach it that way of like, Hey, we're not the like, Oh,
[00:42:55] we're trying to hang around and see if we can steal another one.
[00:42:58] It's like, no, no, no.
[00:42:59] We're going to try to come out and beat your ass in the first quarter and never look back.
[00:43:04] Um, so final, final prediction score here wise or anything else you wanted to touch on,
[00:43:09] I guess.
[00:43:10] Uh, no, in my typical fashion, all three of my best bets are going to come from this
[00:43:16] game.
[00:43:16] So, uh, I can't wait to be rooting for him unless you're picking the Colts money line,
[00:43:20] then I won't be rooting for him, but, uh, anything sure to that I'm open to, I'm open
[00:43:24] to, uh, cheering for any props.
[00:43:26] I wouldn't, I wouldn't do that to our cheering.
[00:43:29] I didn't think you would, but I, I want to be cheering my entire heart out for the Broncos.
[00:43:35] Uh, um, I think that this is a Broncos 24, 17 win.
[00:43:45] Yeah, I am, uh, I'm going to give it to the Broncos 28, 10.
[00:43:48] Um, I think that this is a, um, like Richardson can't sustain stuff.
[00:43:54] Um, and I just don't trust them.
[00:43:57] Um, I think I, it makes me a little nervous with this feet, but good weather.
[00:44:06] It feels like it's been emphasized and it feels like the Broncos have had enough time to game
[00:44:14] plan and see where mobile quarterbacks kicked our ass with like Lamar, um, Herbert had some
[00:44:20] big runs like that kind of stuff that we can make some adjustments there.
[00:44:24] Um, Broncos minus 13 and a half is plus 272.
[00:44:29] If I can tempt you.
[00:44:30] Yeah.
[00:44:30] You could not tempt me as, uh, we now transition into the picks part and in typical fashion,
[00:44:37] that little snake in the weeds, Dan out there just posting, posting, posting, except about
[00:44:47] my three and a week all strangely silent from the bearded one, you know, had to post.
[00:44:56] Oh, at the abs game.
[00:44:58] Well, who was there?
[00:44:59] Not me.
[00:45:00] I'll tell you that.
[00:45:02] And did you see a single thing mentioning my three and a week?
[00:45:05] No, of course not.
[00:45:07] That man is a menace to society.
[00:45:11] And it just refuses to give me any credit.
[00:45:15] You know, it's an outrage of the highest order, Ryan, but you know what?
[00:45:20] I don't deserve.
[00:45:21] I do it for the people of Colorado and that's what's lucky.
[00:45:24] That's why I'm just sad.
[00:45:26] Dan's not highlighting it so that, you know, more people could jump it.
[00:45:30] Ah, tailed Kyle again.
[00:45:32] Thank you for my new home.
[00:45:34] You know, those kinds of things, right?
[00:45:36] Wow, this six-week run has truly been something to behold.
[00:45:41] Finally, my kid can go to college.
[00:45:43] His dream of being a doctor can come true thanks to you, Kyle.
[00:45:47] But no, Dan's over here just...
[00:45:53] Terrible work from Dan.
[00:45:56] Terrible.
[00:45:58] But anyway, Ryan, who do you want to go first in the pigs?
[00:46:02] Well, I think the tee box is yours after that.
[00:46:05] All right.
[00:46:08] Let me get right out the gates.
[00:46:09] I'm taking the Broncos minus three and a half on the FanDuel line.
[00:46:15] Actually, hold on.
[00:46:16] Did you say four and a half is on...
[00:46:20] What did you say that was?
[00:46:21] Minus 108?
[00:46:21] Yeah, minus 108 on the draft.
[00:46:23] Yeah, I'll take the minus four and a half, 108.
[00:46:27] I just think this is a really, really bad matchup for the kids.
[00:46:30] Why not take the 13 and a half?
[00:46:32] Well, because I care about the kids, Ryan.
[00:46:36] And there are so many people, as I mentioned, relying on the college tuition, mortgage.
[00:46:41] Six and a half is plus 116.
[00:46:44] That's more tempting to me.
[00:46:45] But I'm just going to keep it right there.
[00:46:49] Four and a half.
[00:46:50] That's how we've gotten back in this thing.
[00:46:52] We've just been doubles and singles every time up to the plate.
[00:46:56] We're on base.
[00:46:57] We're on base out here.
[00:47:00] I know you mentioned a little bit of a rat line.
[00:47:03] I think you had this over four and a half in your final prediction.
[00:47:06] Yeah.
[00:47:07] 24-17.
[00:47:07] It's just a scary line.
[00:47:09] It's just a scary line.
[00:47:11] I agree.
[00:47:13] I don't disagree with how you're handicapping him.
[00:47:18] Yeah.
[00:47:19] It's just why is Vegas keeping us here?
[00:47:22] Yeah.
[00:47:23] All right.
[00:47:24] What's your first one there, buddy?
[00:47:27] What to start with here?
[00:47:30] I'm going to start with one of my favorite Broncos from this year.
[00:47:36] Devon Vele over 40 receiving yards.
[00:47:40] This is plus 110.
[00:47:43] I love Vele.
[00:47:45] And really, this is two catches for him.
[00:47:48] He's got big play potential.
[00:47:51] He could do this in one catch.
[00:47:53] He's always catching that eight-yard third down ball.
[00:47:58] So I feel like they've got a little connection going, and so I'm going to ride that.
[00:48:05] This one makes me a little bit nervous.
[00:48:08] It just feels like Sutton is the established number one, and then Vele, to your point, he can have three or four straight catches, and then he just doesn't get a ball the rest of the game.
[00:48:22] And you're like, hey, man, that guy was open the whole first half.
[00:48:26] Why wouldn't we throw it to him again?
[00:48:28] Oh, we need to throw another bubble screen to Troy Franklin?
[00:48:31] Okay, that's good, too.
[00:48:32] Like, I just don't want to be sad with you about that.
[00:48:35] But I agree with you.
[00:48:36] Vele has been awesome and has been so reliable.
[00:48:41] He's huge and has great hands.
[00:48:44] I don't understand.
[00:48:45] I'm just going to go again because you mentioned I also believe in Cortland Sutton.
[00:48:53] Over Cortland Sutton's longest reception, it's 23.5 yards.
[00:48:59] Sutton is having a catch over 23.5 yards.
[00:49:02] That's minus 115.
[00:49:03] You're paying for it a little bit.
[00:49:05] It's well worth the juice.
[00:49:07] This is a crazy line.
[00:49:08] And he could have a bubble screen for 23, 24 yards.
[00:49:13] Like, the guy just consistently does not get tackled.
[00:49:18] It also just feels like we've figured out the, like, way to manipulate that zone a little bit,
[00:49:24] that we just get Sutton open in the back half where you're just like,
[00:49:28] ha, there's no one within 10 yards of him, and he caught it at 20 yards.
[00:49:33] Well, I guess we get 30 yards.
[00:49:35] Like, he, I agree with you.
[00:49:37] I think that's a disrespectful one.
[00:49:40] And to your point, I think the Velae one, to make another point on that, talking about this Colts team,
[00:49:49] they're very much alike.
[00:49:51] We have guys out in front of us, but there's going to be gaps in these zones.
[00:49:57] And Velae has been great this season at just sitting down in a gap eight yards down the field or six yards down the field
[00:50:03] and being willing to take the catch, turn up field, dive, get the, you know, take the little hit, take the little whatever.
[00:50:09] So I like both yours.
[00:50:10] And I like how you've made an adjustment to this, to where one person goes first and the other one gives two.
[00:50:15] It feels like it's a, it's a lovely, lovely adjustment.
[00:50:19] It's a little snake draft here.
[00:50:20] Yeah, I like it.
[00:50:22] So my next one, I am, I'm doing my first player prop and I feel really strongly about it.
[00:50:31] It also helps that we're recording on a Friday.
[00:50:34] Normally not a lot of player props are out when, if we record on a Wednesday.
[00:50:38] But over 44 and a half receiving yards from Amari Cooper, he got targeted 14 times in that game that they lost to the Rams.
[00:50:49] And this Lions defense isn't very good right now, just due to injury, due to being banged up.
[00:50:55] Like not that they won't be good by the time the playoffs roll around or whatever, but they're just not very good right now.
[00:51:00] And so I think he has huge big play potential.
[00:51:02] He drew some big pass interferences in that Rams game.
[00:51:06] Um, obviously you just the nature of Josh Allen always gives you that.
[00:51:12] Cause he can always break free of a tackle, a cornerback stopped guarding.
[00:51:16] He's going to throw it across his body 5 million yards.
[00:51:21] Um, and I just think that Amari Cooper is going to get force fed the ball here, um, a little bit.
[00:51:27] And so I love over 44 and a half yards.
[00:51:30] Um, yes, please.
[00:51:32] Um, if I can get Amari Cooper, very similar to where you're getting Valey.
[00:51:35] Um, I feel pretty, pretty good about that.
[00:51:38] Um, I'll be at, uh, worse odds.
[00:51:42] It's minus one 13.
[00:51:44] Yeah, that's fine.
[00:51:46] Uh, I don't really have any feelings about that.
[00:51:50] That game is going to be great, but I, I'm staying away in terms of, I know a lot of sharps
[00:51:55] are on the bills in that game.
[00:51:58] Yeah.
[00:51:58] And I'm just not going to go against Stan Campbell at home, uh, and Jared Goff in the dome.
[00:52:04] It's just not tasty enough to take pre.
[00:52:07] I mean, it's plus one 24 for them on the road.
[00:52:10] Like on the money.
[00:52:11] That's not, that's not worth it.
[00:52:13] Don't do that.
[00:52:14] Nope.
[00:52:14] Nope.
[00:52:14] I don't care what the sharps are doing.
[00:52:16] That's stupid.
[00:52:17] Hey, you, you don't see it in my picks.
[00:52:20] Um, my last one, I'm going to take Anthony Richardson over 34 and a half as long as passing
[00:52:27] completion.
[00:52:28] Uh, this guy's thrown a bomb.
[00:52:31] I feel stupid taking all overs as my three, but yeah.
[00:52:37] What are you going to do?
[00:52:38] Sometimes you just have a feeling.
[00:52:40] I have a feeling that our backup corner back is going to get burned for about 65.
[00:52:49] Maybe 70 yards at some point.
[00:52:52] Like Anthony Richardson has a fucking cannon for an arm.
[00:52:56] This guy can throw the ball 70 yards in the air.
[00:52:59] Like what are we talking about?
[00:53:00] That I, I don't understand this line either.
[00:53:03] So I was happy to see it.
[00:53:05] It's minus one 15.
[00:53:07] I'm going to take it.
[00:53:08] Yeah.
[00:53:08] No.
[00:53:09] Uh, I think this is great.
[00:53:10] As I mentioned, um, I wish I could adjust this line.
[00:53:16] Like if I could get this to, if I could adjust it to 45 and a half, 55 and a half and have
[00:53:22] it be plus one 80 plus one 90.
[00:53:24] I'd love to do that.
[00:53:26] Yeah.
[00:53:27] Um, but I, I just agree with you here.
[00:53:31] I think, um, obviously Travis Hunter favorite to win the Heisman.
[00:53:37] Um, I think Riley Moss, uh, wrapped up MVP, um, after watching what our backup corners do
[00:53:44] with him out.
[00:53:46] Um, good Lord.
[00:53:48] Uh, what are they brutal versus the Browns?
[00:53:51] So, um, I a hundred percent agree that.
[00:53:54] And I think downs being back is also big for this.
[00:53:57] Cause he's been a big guy where like, he'll just do the shallow cross and then you lose
[00:54:01] him and he's fast and he takes off for 35.
[00:54:05] So I feel good about you here.
[00:54:07] Um, my last one, this line doesn't make any sense to me, Ryan.
[00:54:13] And so I may need you to walk me off this ledge, but can you tell me why the Texans are only
[00:54:20] two and a half point favorites versus the dolphins?
[00:54:23] The Texans get unbelievable pressure.
[00:54:25] D'Amico Ryan's is great against Tua.
[00:54:27] Um, the Tua might die in this game because of all these sacks, two and a half points.
[00:54:36] I would take over two and a half concussions.
[00:54:38] Um, this is going to be bad, bad, bad awful.
[00:54:43] Bye for the Texans.
[00:54:45] I kind of think that this, the Jets suck.
[00:54:48] I kind of think the Texans suck.
[00:54:51] I mean, that's fine, but the dolphins absolutely suck.
[00:54:56] I don't know.
[00:54:57] They've been playing very, trust me, my fantasy team disagrees.
[00:55:02] They've been playing very good.
[00:55:04] You say?
[00:55:04] Well, the offense has been playing better recently.
[00:55:09] Tua had like 37 fantasy points last week.
[00:55:12] Trust me.
[00:55:13] Uh, I think it's.
[00:55:15] Well, as someone who had Jalen Hurts, I can tell you, you don't have to be actually playing
[00:55:19] well to score a lot of fantasy points.
[00:55:21] No, I, I think that this line is that way for a reason.
[00:55:26] I'm looking at three on DraftKings, by the way.
[00:55:29] So you should be shopping this.
[00:55:32] Um, three is minus 108.
[00:55:35] Yeah, I'll take that minus 108.
[00:55:37] Give me three minus 108.
[00:55:39] Um, I just think the Texans are going to.
[00:55:41] I think they're getting healthy again.
[00:55:43] I think their defense looks good.
[00:55:45] Um, I think they're in a dog walk this dolphins team.
[00:55:49] Uh, I think the, the dolphins are a poor man's version of the Broncos.
[00:55:55] Um, and you don't have to necessarily, you have to be a good team to beat the Broncos.
[00:56:01] Uh, you can be a mediocre team and, uh, and beat the dolphins, I think.
[00:56:05] So I, I like this a lot.
[00:56:08] All right.
[00:56:10] So in a hypothetical situation, uh, where you have, I already know what you're trying
[00:56:18] to do, where you have Josh Jacobs, Derek Henry.
[00:56:22] This is your fantasy lineup.
[00:56:24] You have Josh Jacobs, Derek Henry, Isaiah Pacheco and Devon Achan.
[00:56:32] You have to not start one of them.
[00:56:35] You're not starting Achan, I'm assuming.
[00:56:37] Yeah, I'm not starting Achan.
[00:56:38] Or, well, I might not start Pacheco just because the way the Chiefs have been scoring.
[00:56:43] That's how I go back and forth.
[00:56:45] The Chiefs are at the, at the Browns.
[00:56:48] So I kind of think they might try to run the ball.
[00:56:50] I think I would, I think I'd not start Pacheco because I think Achan has value even if you're
[00:56:57] not going to, um, just with the pass.
[00:57:00] He's going to catch some screens.
[00:57:01] He's going to catch some passes.
[00:57:02] Would you start Russell Wilson or Tua?
[00:57:06] Oh.
[00:57:08] Russell plays Philly.
[00:57:10] So it's kind of.
[00:57:10] Yeah, I know.
[00:57:11] Oh, I know.
[00:57:12] And no pickings.
[00:57:14] Uh, probably Tua.
[00:57:16] Yeah.
[00:57:18] Um, but yeah, that's, that's my three picks.
[00:57:22] Another 3-0.
[00:57:24] Can't wait to see silence from Dan on Sunday.
[00:57:28] Well, at least you can bully him in person.
[00:57:31] Oh my God.
[00:57:33] Bullying?
[00:57:34] I get bullied.
[00:57:36] I just said, I texted him, right?
[00:57:38] I'll read it to you.
[00:57:40] Look at this.
[00:57:41] I said, Dan, um, just a heads up.
[00:57:45] I went 3-0 this week.
[00:57:47] Maybe something good for the socials.
[00:57:50] Dan responded.
[00:57:52] By the way, a minute later, Ryan, he saw it right away.
[00:57:56] Yeah.
[00:57:57] He said, I didn't say you could talk to me, fuck boy.
[00:58:02] Please lose my number.
[00:58:04] Wow.
[00:58:05] Yeah.
[00:58:06] I mean, it seems like you guys have a lot to go on.
[00:58:09] A lot to talk about on Sunday.
[00:58:12] A lot to work through.
[00:58:14] Well, that's what I deal with, Ryan.
[00:58:16] A therapy session is going to be necessary, I think.
[00:58:20] Might be.
[00:58:21] Might be.
[00:58:24] But that's it for this episode.
[00:58:26] Thank you for listening.
[00:58:29] We will be at the game.
[00:58:31] So if you, we'll be tailgating.
[00:58:33] So if you, if you see us, make sure to come say hi.
[00:58:36] Don't actually come say hi or see us.
[00:58:39] No, we, we want you to come say hi.
[00:58:41] Get lost.
[00:58:42] Ryan loves us high.
[00:58:44] And a hug.
[00:58:45] He's a big hugger.
[00:58:46] Just don't even, don't even ask.
[00:58:49] Just this is, this is your consent right now.
[00:58:53] If you see Ryan, just wrap him up.
[00:58:55] Silence is not consent.
[00:58:55] And I love pressing charges.
[00:59:00] But go Broncos.
[00:59:02] Glad to see the nuggets back on top.
[00:59:04] And hopefully congratulations to Travis Hunter.
[00:59:07] We will talk to you next week.
[00:59:10] And thank you for listening.
[00:59:11] Like and subscribe.
[00:59:13] Hasta luego.
[00:59:16] Lucifer Brothers is a Crab Shell Media podcast.
[00:59:18] Crab Shell Media Podcast.