The Drive

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil rank the quarterbacks in the AFC playoffs and debate where Bo Nix is ranked out of the seven. We have breaking news as John Harbaugh has been fired from the Ravens. Could we see another Harbaugh join the AFC west and become the next coach of the Raiders? Should the Ravens have chosen Harbaugh over Lamar Jackson amid their fractured relationship? Today's "Three Count" includes the pressure on Lamar Jackson next season now that he got his coach fired, the New York Jets making NFL history but not recording a single interception all season, and a conspiracy theory on if Bill Belichick could return to the NFL. We react to Gabe Landeskog going down with an injury over the weekend and debate if Landeskog should participate in the Olympics when he returns from injury. How will the Avs deal with their first adversity of the season?

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross talking with Dover and Cecil. The guys discuss the Nuggets miraculous upset over the 76ers last night and debate if Payton Watson is worth the Nuggets going into the 2^nd apron for if they re-sign him in the off season. Should the Nuggets have given Watson a contract extension instead of Christian Braun? Zach and Phil react to the latest projections for the Broncos to reach the AFC title game, the Super Bowl, and more. We react to the Nuggets pulling off one of the biggest upset wins in Denver sports history, winning as 14.5-point underdogs in Philadelphia. Zach breaks down how the Nuggets were able to win without all 5 of their starters and who stepped up. How important is it for Deion Sanders to nail the next two weeks while the transfer portal is open? We break down who CU has already added in the portal. 

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil share their biggest takeaways from the Broncos and Chargers game yesterday. We acknowledge the positives that came from yesterday's game but share our concerns with Bo Nix and the Broncos offense. Was Sean Payton holding back the Broncos offensive game plan and being too "vanilla" for the offense to be successful? We hear from Bo Nix and his thoughts on the offensive struggles with not being "up" for the game when facing a backup quarterback. We hear from Sean Payton and his funny run in with a Denver sports media member, never being happy with the Broncos performances, and the importance of being the number one seed in the playoffs. We wrap up the show with Zach and Phil handing out their "game balls" for the Broncos after their win. 

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil dive into Bo Nix's performance in yesterday's Broncos game. What did the guys make of Bo Nix yelling at Sean Payton on the sideline during the game? We hear from Nix and his thoughts on being the "overdogs" and learning from the playoffs last year. We react to the Broncos winning yesterday and securing the number one seed in the AFC. While securing the one seed was a huge positive, we discuss all the concerns we still have with the team as they head into the playoffs. What did the guys make of the Broncos defense and finally busting through with creating turnovers? Who stood out on the Broncos defense? We breakdown the Broncos run game and debate how confident we are in the running backs and if JK Dobbins could return to the team during the playoffs. 

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil share their biggest takeaways from the Broncos and Chargers game yesterday. We acknowledge the positives that came from yesterday's game but share our concerns with Bo Nix and the Broncos offense. Was the Broncos offensive game plan too vanilla for the offense to be successful? Has the Broncos offensive line regressed during the season? Today's "Three Count" features reports that Vance Joseph will interview with multiple NFL teams for their head coaching openings, Gabe Landeskog going down with an injury in this weekends game vs the Panthers, and Michael Porter Jr. going off with 27 points and 11 rebounds in a Nets win over his former team in the Nuggets. We react to the viewership from the college football playoff quarterfinals and preview the NFL wildcard weekend matchups. 

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross talking with Dover and Cecil. The guys discuss the Broncos securing the number one seed in the AFC despite the Broncos offense struggling yet again. How confident are the guys in the Broncos divisional round playoff game coming off back-to-back ugly wins? Zach and Phil debate if Sean Payton was holding back the offense to not give away play calls ahead of the playoffs? We breakdown the Broncos run game and the guys advocate for Jaleel McLaughlin to get more opportunities with his recent spike in production. What did the guys make of the strength of the Broncos in their defense. Should Nik Bonitto have had an even bigger day than he did? We hear from Sean Payton and his thoughts on the Broncos defense taking the ball away from the other team. 

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil breakdown what Broncos players will have incentives on the line this weekend and Phil explains the dynamic with incentives between the player and the organization. Why has Jonothan Cooper's sack production slowed down so much in the second half of the season? Will Sean Payton get Bo Nix to 4,000-yards for the season? Will Jaleel McLaughlin continued to be featured this weekend? Zach shares the three things all of Broncos Country should be looking for in Sunday's game against the Chargers. We wrap up the show previewing the Nuggets and Nets game as Michael Porter Jr. will face off against his old team and sharing their predictions for the Broncos and Chargers game. 

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil continue their conversation with our 9News Broncos insider Mike Klis. Zach questions Mike's comments from a piece with Von Miller missing meetings, a health update on Dre Greenlaw, and more. We react to the quarterfinal games in the college football playoff which included Indiana blowing out Alabama and debating which upset was more surprising with Ohio State and Georgia both losing. How were the Nuggets able to beat the Raptors in Toronto without 4 of their 5 starters? How impressed have the guys been with Spencer Jones this season? What will the Nuggets do at center with Jonas Valanciunas being sidelined for the foreseeable future? Former Bronco and Super Bowl champion Brandon Marshall joins the show to discuss if the Broncos will win with "style points" on Sunday, if there's a concern in getting a bye in the playoffs, and more. 

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil continue their conversation on the Nuggets and debate if Denver should have paid Peyton Watson instead of Christian Braun last off season and if it is worth it for the nuggets to go into the second apron to pay Watson now. We pivot to the Broncos and breakdown what players will have incentives on the line this weekend. Phil explains the dynamic with incentives between the player and the organization. Today's "Three Count" features the Broncos updated projections for the AFC title game and Super Bowl, fun facts from the College Football Playoff's final four teams, and which NFL game we are most looking forward to this weekend. Our 9News Broncos insider Mike Klis joins the show to discuss if Mike is looking for "style points" on Sunday, the concerns with the Broncos sack numbers going down, and more. 

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross talking with Dover and Cecil. The guys if they expect "style points" out of the Broncos this weekend to build momentum heading into the postseason. Zach and Phil preview the Broncos and Chargers matchup this weekend and Zach shares the three things we should be looking for during the game including if RJ Harvey can extend his touchdown streak to 6 games. We react to the quarterfinal games in the college football playoff which included Indiana blowing out Alabama, Miami pulling off their second upset in a row now taking down Ohio State, and more. How were the Nuggets able to beat the Raptors in Toronto without 4 of their 5 starters? What will the Nuggets look like going forward now that Jonas Valanciunas is out for the foreseeable future? 

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil continue to preview the College Football Playoff with tomorrow night's Sugar Bowl. Will Ole Miss's lack of head finally come back to bite them as they face one of the best coaches in college football in Kirby Smart. What has been the biggest surprise in Denver sports in 2025? We debate between Bo Nix's second half comeback proving he is a franchise quarterback, Gabe Landeskog returning to the ice to be an impact player after missing 3 years, and much more. Who was the biggest disappointment in Denver sports in 2025? We wrap up the show discussing who in Denver sports, the guys are buying stock in for 2026, including Jim Mora and Troy Franklin. 

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil look back at the year of 2025 and summarize each of the Broncos, Nuggets, Avalanche and Rockies years. How have the Broncos changed from the beginning of this year to now? Will 2026 be less chaotic then 2025? Today's "Three Count" features the crazy viewership numbers for the NBA on Christmas Day, SGA's MVP odds soaring after news of Nikola Jokic's injury, and previewing the Nuggets first of many games tonight without Jokic as the Nuggets travel to Toronto. We preview the remaining College Football Playoff games. Will Indiana be able to overcome the pedigree of Alabama? Zach explains why he expects #1 Indiana to take care of business and win by double digits in a rainy Rose Bowl. 

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross talking with Will. The guys discuss the path for the Broncos to the Super Bowl and if the guys would be rooting for the easiest path possible? Zach and Phil debate who the scariest team in the AFC is outside of the Broncos. Are the Charges a sneaky team to watch out for in the playoffs with Jim Harbaugh's success against Sean Payton? We preview tonight and tomorrow's quarterfinal games of the College Football Playoffs. Will Miami's defense keep it closer with #2 Ohio State than most think? Will Texas Tech and Oregon be the best game of the quarterfinal with #5 taking on #4? Will Oregon be too fast for Texas Tech? 

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil share and react to the great news we received today as a show and a station. We thank the listeners for tuning into the show the previous two and a half years since Zach and Phil started working The Drive. We shift gears to the Broncos and react to the Broncos 2026 opponents and how difficult of a road it will be with 10 playoff teams on the schedule. We breakdown the Avalanche as they continue their red-hot streak, winning their 8^th straight game. While the Avs scored 5 goals, is there still reason to be concerned with the power play as they went 0-4 last night? We wrap up the show with DenverSports.com's Will Petersen joining the show to discuss the good news we got today from the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic only missing about a month instead of the possible year with a torn ACL. Can the Nuggets still stay out of the NBA playoff play-in tournament? 

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil are joined by veteran NFL reporter James Palmer to discuss the Chargers sitting and resting a handful of players in their week 18 matchup with the Broncos, if we will see the Broncos win with style points on Sunday, and how much tougher road the Broncos will have next year with a first place schedule. We look back at many of the quarterbacks the Broncos have faced this season and debate if the lesser talent they've faced is reason for concern when it comes to the playoffs? We react to the injury update on Nikola Jokic and his knee being re-evaluated in four weeks. Zach explains why "sky is not falling" and how he doesn't have high expectations for January but they will still be in the playoff picture. How will the Nuggets re-learn how to play basketball without the three-time MVP? What should the Nuggets record be during Jokic's absence? 

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil share and react to the great news we received today as a show and a station. We thank the listeners for tuning into the show the previous two and a half years since Zach and Phil started working The Drive. We shift gears to the Broncos and react to the Broncos 2026 opponents and how difficult of a road it will be with 10 playoff teams on the schedule. Today's "Three Count" includes the Avalanche continuing the hot streak they are on with winning their 8^th straight in a 5-2 win last night over the Kings and Phillip Rivers' legendary comeback coming to an end as the Colts announce Riley Leonard will start in week 18. We react to the injury update on Nikola Jokic and his knee being re-evaluated in four weeks. 

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross talking with Dover and Richie. The guys discuss their reactions in real time to Nikola Jokic going down and grabbing at his knee during last night's Nuggets and Heat game. The guys compare it to their knee injuries in the past and how a torn ACL can feel. Zach and Phil dive into Jokic's injury further and how we have taken Jokic's health for granted throughout his career. How will the Nuggets re-learn how to play basketball without the three-time MVP? What will the Nuggets record be during the next month when Jokic is supposed to be sidelined? Will they be able to weather the storm and stay in the upper half of the western conference? We look back at many of the quarterbacks the Broncos have faced this season and debate if the lesser talent they've faced is reason for concern when it comes to the playoffs? 

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil react to Sean Payton and his lackluster comments on winning the divison and thoughts on the Broncos needing to improve their ability to create turnovers. Phil explains why the lack of Broncos defensive turnovers goes back to the way they practiced during training camp. Are the guys concerned with Nik Bonitto's sack numbers decreasing as of late? Will the Broncos be able to go out and finish the job of winning the number one seed against a Justin Herbert-less Chargers team? We share their reactions to the "Elway" documentary that came out recently on Netflix. What did the guys learn about John Elway and what more were they looking for? We wrap up the show debating if style points matter for the Broncos this upcoming weekend. 

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil share their reactions to the "Elway" documentary that came out recently on Netflix. What did the guys learn about John Elway and what more were they looking for? We preview the impactful games in the NFL in week 18 and discuss how great Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold have been this season. We react to the Charges announcing Justin Herbert will not play in the week 18 matchup with the Broncos. What will the Broncos mindset be with an injured and resting Chargers team? Is the Nuggets record in "clutch games" something to be concerned about or should we chalk it up to the injuries to their starting rotation? We react to the University of Colorado hiring Fernando Lovo to be the next Athletic Director of the school. What questions do the guys have with the up-and-coming AD? 

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil react to the breaking news from the Chargers that Justin Herbert will not play against the Broncos this upcoming weekend and will rest him before the playoffs. Do the Broncos need to blowout the Chargers with this news? We hear from Sean Payton and his thoughts on the Broncos needing to improve their ability to create turnovers. Are the guys concerned with Nik Bonitto's sack numbers decreasing as of late? Today's "Three Count" features the guys biggest takeaways from the weekend in the NFL and how the Oklahoma City Thunder have come back to earth in their last 10 games. We react to the Avalanche's comeback win over Las Vegas. Are the Avs "emptying the tank" too much during the regular season?

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross talking with Cecil. The guys discuss the improbability of the Broncos winning the AFC West and how wide open the AFC is. Will the Broncos be able to be better in the turnover margin going forward? We go down a rabbit hole on our first books that caught our attention as kids and then dive into what Zach and Phil made of the Broncos clinching the division on Saturday after the Chargers loss? Is the Nuggets record in "clutch games" something to be concerned about or should we chalk it up to the injuries to their starting rotation? We react to the University of Colorado hiring Fernando Lovo to be the next Athletic Director of the school. What questions do the guys have with the up-and-coming AD? 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Zach Bye and Phillip Lindsay are in the studio to break down the Broncos Christmas day win on a Budlight football Friday! 

Zach and Phil join Josh and Cecil for some cross talk! The Denver Nuggets took care of a very strong Minnesota team missing three starters. What were their takeaways and is there a ceiling for Jokic? How was the fellas Christamas Day? Bo Nix made NFL history with their win last night, what was it and does it add to the myth of Bo Nix? There is one area of the Denver Broncos that has started to raise some concerns. What area is it and could it be the difference between a Superbowl win and an early exit in the playoffs? Which players have started to slip as the season has gone by. Which players are they and can they find their groove back before the playoff starts?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Zach Bye and Phillip Lindsay are in the studio to break down the Broncos Christmas day win on a Budlight football Friday! 

What were our single biggest takeaways from the Broncos Christmas day win in Arrowhead? Do we take anything away from the Broncos struggles against a depleted Kansas City team? We hear from Coach Sean Payton after the game last night and react to his comments. We come off the top rope with it on The Three Count. We are joined by our 9News Broncos insider Mike Klis and get his reaction to a Broncos win. How does he feel about how the team played and their matchup moving into week 17? 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Zach Bye and Phillip Lindsay are in the studio to break down the Broncos Christmas day win on a Budlight football Friday!

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets put on a show as the NBA Christmas nightcap. What did Jokic do to add to his long list of NBA records? Are we watching one of the greatest basketball players of all time in our own backyard? How do we feel about the Broncos scraping out a win against a short handed Kansas City team? What do we make of the run game as we approach the Broncos superbowl push? We are joined by Superbowl 50 champion Brandon Marshal and get his thoughts on the win, the defenses struggles, and if this team can still win the big one at the end of it all.

 Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Zach Bye and Phillip Lindsay are in the studio to break down the Broncos Christmas day win on a Budlight football Friday!

Brandon Marshal said there is nothing to worry about when it comes to defense. Do our guys agree? What needs to improve on that end of the ball for this team to make the championship push we all know they can make.What were our single biggest takeaways from the Broncos Christmas day win in Arrowhead? Do we take anything away from the Broncos struggles against a depleted Kansas City team? We hear from Coach Sean Payton after the game last night and react to his comments. Bo Nix set some records last night. What were they and what do they mean for his young career? The Broncos won last night, we hand out gameballs to end the show!