The Denver Broncos clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC, and Brandon Krisztal and Chris Harris Jr. break down why that matters heading into the playoffs. From a dominant defensive performance against the Chargers to the importance of turnovers, tackling, and home-field advantage at altitude, the guys examine what gives Denver a real edge in the postseason. They also dive into the NFL coaching carousel, including major openings around the league and why Baltimore could be the top destination. Plus, Broncos nickel corner Ja’Quan McMillan joins the show to talk about his breakout season, being an undrafted player, learning the role of the modern nickel, playing in Vance Joseph’s system, and what it means to secure the No. 1 seed in Denver.
The Broncos are back on top of the AFC, and Football Fridays digs into what that means for a team built on defense, discipline, and physicality. Brandon Krisztal and Chris Harris Jr. revisit Denver’s win over the Chargers, highlighting takeaways, elite tackling, and why players like Nik Bonitto, Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, and Ja’Quan McMillan are defining this unit. The conversation expands to the value of the No. 1 seed, home-field advantage at Mile High, and how eliminating a playoff game can be just as important as extra rest. The guys also unpack the NFL coaching carousel, including the stunning changes in Baltimore and Miami and what destinations make the most sense for top candidates. Then, Jay Mack joins the show to reflect on his journey as an undrafted player, studying Chris Harris Jr.’s game, thriving in the nickel role, embracing competition in the secondary, and preparing for the playoffs. It’s a complete look at where the Broncos stand, what gives them a championship path, and why this defense believes it can carry Denver deep into January.
00;00;00;06 - 00;00;20;26
Brandon Krisztal
Wild Card weekend is upon us. We're going to break that down. Plus everything going on in the coaching carousel. And of course look back at the number one seed Broncos. And we're going to have a special guest as well. Chris Harris joins me every week at this time. Football Fridays starts now.
00;00;20;28 - 00;00;42;11
Brandon Krisztal
Chris, it's been a wild week. And it started with the Broncos winning Sunday night. And then I've been busy all week kind of tracking the coaching carousel because the Broncos aren't even on the practice field until later Friday afternoon. And so they were able to get treatment, you know, off their feet and then be on the field a little Friday, a little Saturday, and then really get into the game planning Monday.
00;00;42;12 - 00;00;57;15
Brandon Krisztal
But let's go back before we go forward. And before we look at how busy Vee-Jay and Davis Webb's dance cards have been, and even Darren Rizzi. And let's look at that. Broncos win. So as you're watching them play the Chargers team and hold them just three points. What's going through your head.
00;00;57;18 - 00;01;22;21
Chris Harris Jr.
Just let's get this turnover machine going. And that's what they did. Jay Mac topping it off with the pick six. Nick Bonito being able to get that sack forced fumble. Just defense came out and did what they supposed to do, play a guy that, you know, this is an opportunity for him to get his chance to build his resume and show that he deserves to be in the league and keep and be a backup or potentially be a starter.
00;01;22;21 - 00;01;28;27
Chris Harris Jr.
And and they were able to handle him. And, that's the type of finish you want to have as a defense.
00;01;28;29 - 00;01;46;17
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. You talk about those takeaways. And we've always heard them say, and I assume you agree with this, that turnovers come in bunches. Yo. That's the start of something big to come in the in the playoffs. But we just said for several weeks it's been a point of emphasis. Aim for the elbow. You know you played with one of the best to ever do it.
00;01;46;17 - 00;02;07;07
Brandon Krisztal
Vaughn said he aimed for the football, but can it really be because I had a couple picks, obviously some huge picks in that Packers game. When you talk about Pat and Riley Moss, but we know it hasn't come very frequently compared to, say, the two roll, you know, Super Bowl 50 team where y'all had 27 takeaways. But can it can do they really build on each other.
00;02;07;09 - 00;02;28;18
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah. You just gotta it's a feeling right. And we used to have the football just in the locker room. But we all touch it right. So we can all be used to getting that ball and right now is the perfect time to get that turnover ball rolling. They come in bunches, and now you got to just want to stay on that hot string, because in the playoffs, you're going to need to be able to create extra possessions.
00;02;28;20 - 00;02;45;27
Chris Harris Jr.
Being able to get bonus short yardage, short film to be able to work with. And you know, you don't want ball traveling 80 yards every play on offense. Let's get on some short fields, getting some takeaways of let's try to score on defense to make his life easier. And that's what it's going to take to win a Super Bowl.
00;02;45;29 - 00;03;02;19
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. And we know one of the things it takes to win a Super Bowl. And it's kind of a simplification. But that one seed I think 11 of the last 20 Super Bowl champs have been the one seed. And I'm fairly certain the Eagles were the one seed last year and the Chiefs were the one seed in the AFC.
00;03;02;19 - 00;03;18;03
Brandon Krisztal
We know that. And so when you guys got there both for Super Bowl 48 and Super Bowl 50, you were the one seed. So before we here John and in court and some of the guys talk about it, how big is it to get that one seed as a player.
00;03;18;05 - 00;03;39;02
Chris Harris Jr.
Oh it's huge. And I don't know if it's as big as it was when I was playing because, you know, nobody wanted to go to New England. Nobody wanted to go see Tom Brady as the number one seed that automatically put him in the Super Bowl. So, that it was very big. Now you know, a lot of these guys and teams, there's no guy that's truly dominate at home.
00;03;39;04 - 00;04;02;26
Chris Harris Jr.
And, truly a guy that's scary over there. So to be able to get the number one seed, it's still huge. But it's, you know, it's not as valuable as it used to be. I believe, but to be able to have home field advantage and be able to have these teams coming to Denver now, that is an advantage because, you know, it's those fans are going to be rude and cranked up because it's been ten years since we've had a home game.
00;04;02;28 - 00;04;21;22
Chris Harris Jr.
Home playoff game, right? Yeah. Ten years. Oh, yeah. My heart is going to be rocking it next weekend. So, yeah, they're my I almost want to come back to the game. This, you know, it's going to be a crazy game. And I know the fans are going to be wild. And, whoever we play, you know, it's going to be a very tough environment.
00;04;21;22 - 00;04;29;21
Chris Harris Jr.
So if we use that as a weapon, as if the Broncos used as a weapon this whole playoffs, you know, man, that could be huge.
00;04;29;23 - 00;04;58;26
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah, I would argue. And we're gonna hear from Sean Payton here literally right now because Nate Jackson and I kind of got into this just back and forth. As I got into it, we were agreeing and disagreeing at the same time about what Sean says here. But in a world where now only one team in each conference gets the bye as the one seed the home field takes, you know, that is in some ways self-explanatory in a place like Denver or in the NFC, Seattle, it can be an even bigger advantage than it might be in other cities.
00;04;58;29 - 00;05;07;25
Brandon Krisztal
But I think for what Sean says here, and I'll tell you how Nate and I got into it, the biggest reason why is explained here by the Broncos head coach.
00;05;08;01 - 00;05;36;22
Sean Payton
When people ask, look, when people ask like, what's the benefit of the one seed? Many will say it's the rest. I personally think it's the elimination of a game that you don't have to play. Our fans were fantastic, and, And I'm proud of our team. You know, sit here with 14 wins and line them up, and all you can do is plan.
00;05;36;26 - 00;05;59;13
Sean Payton
You can't control when you're playing them. This game ended up being a little bit like last year's finish to Kansas City. You know, at the beginning of the week, there's a couple players, and as the week's going on, you're hearing more and more. And as a coach,
00;05;59;15 - 00;06;23;05
Sean Payton
Mike, it's it's it's, how do I stand? And I referenced the Covid games where, you know, you were going into a game and this one here was different. But when you're on the other side of it and you find out you're running, backs are all out. And I asked the GM, what about the running back coach he's out to.
00;06;23;08 - 00;06;49;25
Sean Payton
And like that kind of challenge you like. But it's the ones when they're the opposite where you feel like you have everything to lose. Nothing the game. But we had a lot to gain tonight and, to be able to host the divisional round is significant. Yeah. We got to clean some things up and, and we will we'll be ready.
00;06;49;28 - 00;07;12;02
Brandon Krisztal
All right, so what I heard off the top and and and he also said during the week and I think it I don't say it went overlooked because Bowden mentioned it right off the top of his, his press conference saying getting the extra week, if they were really banged up and you saw how hurt the Chargers were or the Eagles were, they felt the need to have the bye for themselves the week before the playoffs started.
00;07;12;04 - 00;07;29;07
Brandon Krisztal
The Broncos aren't, and we'll get to the injury report a little later, but the Broncos just aren't as banged up as a lot of teams often are. And so what I got into it was having to play one less game is bigger than the rest. And Nate's argument was like, no, you're still getting rest because you're not putting that on your body.
00;07;29;11 - 00;07;47;21
Brandon Krisztal
And I tried to then make the analogy, if and you were at a bar and were in a pool tournament playing eight ball or a dart tournament. If I automatically get a bye to the next round, that's just one less chance to lose. And because I was getting hurt in a playing pool or playing playing darts, throwing darts, playing cornhole.
00;07;47;21 - 00;08;03;08
Brandon Krisztal
But if I get one more, you know, one more easier path or one less game. And so I believe him when he says we only have to win two home games, everyone else has to win three games, no matter where they go, except for us in Seattle. And so I think that's as big. If they were really banged up, then the rest would matter.
00;08;03;08 - 00;08;04;07
Brandon Krisztal
Where do you come down on it?
00;08;04;11 - 00;08;25;15
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah, man, I used to just enjoy that race. Right. Being able to get that by, we get a, extra week of rest. You know, when we won a Super Bowl. My shoulder was out, so I was pretty much playing almost with just one arm. So being able to get that extra week, arrest to get me to, to play the Steelers, that was huge.
00;08;25;17 - 00;08;33;27
Chris Harris Jr.
But, you know, guys on the Broncos this year, they're not very banged up. Only guy I could possibly think of is, the linebacker, right?
00;08;33;29 - 00;08;34;29
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. Dre Greenlaw.
00;08;35;00 - 00;08;57;19
Chris Harris Jr.
Great. All right. So, Greenlaw was be the only guy that was banged up. And hopefully he can use this extra week to get back full stretch because we're going to need a healthy Greenlaw in the playoffs. But like you said, that is an advantage in only having to win two games. But, you know, you you don't want to face a team that's hot, you know, that's rolling.
00;08;57;22 - 00;09;15;26
Chris Harris Jr.
That had a great week in that wild card and that's rolling. And, that could be that can challenge you. So you got to always be ready. Make sure the guys are, 100% focused and taking this bye week. Just a time of just to prepare, do some extra, extra studying and getting their body right.
00;09;15;29 - 00;09;36;05
Brandon Krisztal
Or what was funny is the Chargers are the only team that lost of the six teams playing the bills with all backups. I mean, the bills did the same thing. Josh Allen plays one snap and then it was a Mitch Trubisky show. The Jags obviously played their guys. The Texans played their guys. So they are rolling a bit when you talk about stringing together some wins.
00;09;36;07 - 00;09;57;24
Brandon Krisztal
And the Broncos obviously will you know have to deal with whoever comes their way. We saw how the Steelers won their game. And so it's one of those where you you can't worry about a team being hot. You got hope that you can just read it back up. And they're coming to a mile above sea level. And there's some other factors too, like we won't know until really until the Patriots game ends.
00;09;57;24 - 00;10;21;05
Brandon Krisztal
Patriots, Chargers. Whether the Broncos play Sunday or Monday. We will know immediately, though, as soon as that game ends, because you're not going to make the Monday teams play Sunday Saturday rather. So if both home teams win. Jags and Pats. Broncos are playing Sunday. Don't know if it's early or late, but they're definitely playing Sunday. But in general, if they are playing, let's just call it the the bills.
00;10;21;05 - 00;10;36;03
Brandon Krisztal
Right. If the bills are going to come, the bills are playing Sunday. So you're get an extra day there too because you're definitely playing Saturday. If it's the bills if the bills win and the Patriots win. So, I think that Orbitz, the Chargers are getting a little bit even more rest. And they're flying home and flying back.
00;10;36;03 - 00;10;51;29
Brandon Krisztal
So I think that it does have some huge advantages. Here's Nick Benito talking about just seeing this team build now he's in year four. He hasn't been around as long as Garrett and caught through the leanest of years in Broncos Country in recent memory. But Nick Benito has obviously seen what this team has become.
00;10;52;01 - 00;11;16;29
Sean Payton
Yeah I mean it's really special, man. And, it was hard my first year. Obviously for me personally and obviously the team, just knowing all we went through and, just to see some of the guys that that stuck around and continue to build with Coach Payton and, just continuously trying to grow and get better every year from think it was eight and nine, you know, coach your first European and playoffs last year.
00;11;17;01 - 00;11;32;03
Sean Payton
And so now being able to be the one seed it just you know shows the toughness and just the will and you know ability to keep able to grow. I feel like it's been pretty special. You know being a part of that. And so yeah.
00;11;32;05 - 00;11;33;07
Chris Harris Jr.
Yes, sir.
00;11;33;10 - 00;11;51;10
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. You were, you came in the you're obviously just trying to make the team, and I'm not trying to minimize it, but as an undrafted guy, you're not worried about what the Broncos had been doing necessarily, because we said, you know, it's not apples to apples, but the idea that Dante Moore or they're saying, hey, stay in college because you want to go to the Jets.
00;11;51;13 - 00;12;09;21
Brandon Krisztal
Well, the Broncos hadn't been as down as as the Jets have been, of late. But when you got there, there's a reason they're picking number two, because there have been a rough couple of years with Josh McDaniels and quick turnaround between obviously the magical year with Tebow and I put magic in quotes and then the four years with Peyton.
00;12;09;23 - 00;12;19;07
Brandon Krisztal
But for Nick Menino he got here and it has been it has been pretty lean. They've been picking high the last couple years. And one of the reasons that they didn't when you first got here was because of the Russell Wilson trade.
00;12;19;09 - 00;12;41;00
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah. You know he didn't get to see a lot of the dark side. But Bowles Cortland you know those guys being able to fight it through and be able to push through and help this team get over the hump is is huge because for for them, they could use a excuse. Hey, guy, you never won. You're not, you can't be a good leader because you never been on a good winning team, a playoff team.
00;12;41;00 - 00;13;02;04
Chris Harris Jr.
But Bose and Cortland was able to shut that down. So to see Nick and not the young core tight end with the older guys being able to come together and get us to the the growth that we're at, you know, it definitely happened fast, you know, and Matt let you know, bc all you got to do is have a quarterback and you get a quarterback that everybody believes in.
00;13;02;07 - 00;13;20;10
Chris Harris Jr.
That can that is you know, that's a playmaker. And you know, just having that one belief right there can change the organization. And just with both Nick's man we've seen how fast that's sped up. You know, all the improvements that the Broncos have been trying to make, you know, because we're trying hard to get back there to the playoffs for a while.
00;13;20;10 - 00;13;32;19
Chris Harris Jr.
You know, we tried to get the other quarterbacks in there and they just didn't work out. But we finally found that right one at Boeing in a decade. And now we see the results. What happens when you get a solid quarterback.
00;13;32;21 - 00;13;56;19
Brandon Krisztal
You have to think, and I know this based on just jersey sales and excitement that more Broncos fans are excited about Bo Nix and are Bo believers than the ones that aren't. Now there's some nervousness because of the the lack of production from the offense, including against a bunch of backups with the Chargers. And so they got down to the red zone, Sean Payton said they would have liked to have scored more, but he knew what his defense was capable of given them against Trey, Lance and company.
00;13;56;21 - 00;14;03;01
Brandon Krisztal
Nonetheless, we saw some boos. And here's Bo Nix on boos. I'm going to ask you about it as soon as we hear from it.
00;14;03;02 - 00;14;18;11
Bo Nix
They're not really booing me. They're not booing a certain player. They're not booing certain coaches, just kind of the whole thing. Once one guy does it though, no fans do it. So it's a part of the game. As every time I get this question, I feel like I'll say it. I've been booed before and I'll be booed again.
00;14;18;13 - 00;14;37;25
Bo Nix
And, you know, nothing's going to change out of me and you're going to get the same, effort. And, you know, trying to do our best out there. And, you know, we got a good team and got a team that we're all trying to find ways to grow and learn. And, you know, we're not complacent right now as a team, which is good going into the playoffs.
00;14;37;28 - 00;14;42;06
Bo Nix
You know, we still feel like we have some hunger about us.
00;14;42;08 - 00;14;52;05
Brandon Krisztal
Where do you come down on being booed at home? I don't think it happened to you. Certainly happen to you watching your first five years. I don't know, but it might happen a little bit. And, Yeah.
00;14;52;07 - 00;15;10;06
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah, unless the teams at all. And I think, Peyton, you know, he didn't have a great showing. They gave us the biggest boost ever versus the Chiefs that game. So that's something I definitely do remember. They blew Peyton Manning right. So you know back up fans you know they once they get to the game man they want to see some results man.
00;15;10;06 - 00;15;14;14
Chris Harris Jr.
Or you definitely will get the boos. So they'll let you have it.
00;15;14;17 - 00;15;31;00
Brandon Krisztal
Where do you come down on home fans booing their team if they're not seeing something you like. Because for me, you buy a ticket. I'm not saying you need to be M-F and anybody you're talking about, you know, death threats like the kicker in Baltimore got and all that or talking about their family. But just boo. We want you to pick it up.
00;15;31;00 - 00;15;33;06
Brandon Krisztal
Where do you come down on home fans booing you?
00;15;33;09 - 00;15;50;16
Chris Harris Jr.
I don't like it. Of course you need that advantage. You need the fans on right there on your team. But I understand it. You know, some, some, some of this football definitely deserves a boot, right. If I was, if I was coaching the Raiders of the Jets, I would have got a lot of boos.
00;15;50;16 - 00;16;12;10
Chris Harris Jr.
So. Or if I was the fans, one of their fans, you know, but, you know, you don't want to see it as a quarterback. It can really make you start probably pressing and trying to make a play. And it might lead to more bad plays, but you got to have a mindset like Bo and just knowing that, hey, I want to get better and it's going to happen again and it may happen again and just be have an open mind to it.
00;16;12;12 - 00;16;31;05
Brandon Krisztal
I like that his, his, his thought is it's a chain reaction that just one guy moves and then everybody else joins in. So it's only one guy's idea. And I was like, oh yeah, well Boo Boo as well. All right. So we're about to jump into the film room and we're going to hear from two first, and then we'll, we'll see his play.
00;16;31;10 - 00;16;48;10
Brandon Krisztal
Because when this play happened the other day, at first I thought it was Riley monster J. Mack. But you were as good at tacklers we've seen around here, and you had one of the best. Never do it on the other side of you and Champ Bailey. But here's Pat on his big tackle. Out and out in space on on a swing pass.
00;16;48;13 - 00;16;49;00
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah, I think it.
00;16;49;00 - 00;17;05;05
Speaker 5
Was a pivotal down. Obviously he checked down to the flat. That's my responsibility in that it came up come up and later boom. So, you know, that's what I had to do, get off the field. But, yeah, I for Sho could attest to that is probably my biggest hit in my career. You know, I mean, I.
00;17;05;05 - 00;17;07;23
Bo Nix
Felt a little those things after. But, you know, I'm good.
00;17;07;23 - 00;17;13;21
Speaker 5
You know, I mean, I shook it off, so. But, definitely one of my biggest is no.
00;17;13;24 - 00;17;17;00
Brandon Krisztal
Did you know is that, do you know as Pat when he made that hit?
00;17;17;03 - 00;17;31;01
Chris Harris Jr.
Oh, yeah, I seen him, love it or not, being able to be used to kind of playing that void and cover two and just came down and made a great tackle. Those are the ones you like as the corner and the running back don't really see us, and we can just come out of nowhere and, lay that here.
00;17;31;03 - 00;17;49;11
Chris Harris Jr.
I kind of had a tackle just like that. It kind of reminded me of play when we played Houston with Brock Osweiler. On his first game back to Denver. We ended the game just like that. Same way I was kind of smack the receiver, for the game. Just kind of like that. So I love it, man. Being able to close the game out on defense.
00;17;49;14 - 00;17;57;08
Chris Harris Jr.
Pat's always been a great tackler. So, being able to close it out as the leader of the defense, man, that was that was fun to watch.
00;17;57;10 - 00;18;16;07
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. So how about we do this as we do every week. And there's not a lot of plays in the 19 three game. With that defense doing what it did against a poor offense for the Chargers and then Broncos offense not doing much. Let's hop into Chris Harris Jr's film room.
00;18;16;09 - 00;18;26;29
Brandon Krisztal
Okay. So let's see let's see this play because again I and maybe a different vantage point watch it on TV in the stadium. I just I was surprised it was Pat.
00;18;27;01 - 00;18;28;23
Chris Harris Jr.
Boone.
00;18;28;25 - 00;18;29;15
Brandon Krisztal
Former tackle.
00;18;29;19 - 00;18;49;22
Chris Harris Jr.
It man. That's how you want to tackle being able to you know line them up square. Make them go back. Right. A lot of tackles. You see guys still going to be able to get momentum. But Pat Matt being able to make a line them up, making a great tackle. That's the momentum we need right there.
00;18;49;25 - 00;19;06;03
Chris Harris Jr.
And Pat's a big guy man. He's not small. That's A63 corner right there. Six to corner. You know that's a big boy right there man. So I'm surprised he doesn't have a lot big hits like that. You know he said I was as big as one. But I'm pretty sure you got some more coming over.
00;19;06;03 - 00;19;16;01
Brandon Krisztal
They say in cover two, I guess. Did you did you ever talk tackling with champ? Because champs is good. I mean, we know how good his technique was. Kind of in everything, but did you talk tackling with him?
00;19;16;03 - 00;19;34;08
Chris Harris Jr.
No. I think if if, if there was one thing I was really good at coming in, the NFL was tackling, so I didn't have to really. I had my own kind of style of tackling, you know, and, but I never, you know, I think one thing with champ was like, I just try to eliminate the YAC.
00;19;34;08 - 00;19;47;26
Chris Harris Jr.
I don't want guys getting yards after the catch. So that's always. That was kind of my motto, too. But tackling form and things like that. And, that was something that if I did have something coming in as an undrafted rookie. Yeah. Had tackling.
00;19;47;28 - 00;20;05;05
Brandon Krisztal
Well. And I do remember Champ Bailey telling me you were a dog, but I want you to elaborate on that a little bit. Where did you develop your tackling style, and do you think maybe playing safety some two or safeties are obviously, relied upon certainly to play a big hit like we've seen, whether it was Dennis Smith or Steve Atwater, Brian Dawkins on down the line.
00;20;05;08 - 00;20;16;08
Brandon Krisztal
CJ certainly to and now down to Vanga for sure. Do you think that's what a jury is. Just something that from the time you started playing football you always were able to, to tackle. Tell us about your style.
00;20;16;15 - 00;20;38;26
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah. High school I was a great tackler. Always open field tackles, rarely miss. And, that kind of just led to the same in college once I got to the college, now my first time playing corner, able to, you know, still use my advantage of the experience I had in high school playing safety to make tackles.
00;20;38;28 - 00;20;58;18
Chris Harris Jr.
Then once I got to the NFL, you know, I was just kind of carried that on, you know, being able to play multiple positions, having that experience coming into the league is how, you know, I was never really afraid to be able to get guys down. And my style wasn't to play the ball. It's a really grab, you know, being able to not let go of these guys, being a sure tackler.
00;20;58;20 - 00;21;08;16
Chris Harris Jr.
And what I add on to you, man, it was hard for you two to go. So I think throughout my career I was always in the top of, missed tackle rates and things like that.
00;21;08;19 - 00;21;28;29
Brandon Krisztal
And that's something for criticisms of the Broncos secondary. And there aren't a lot of them. It does feel like things have maybe loosened up a little post Brandon Jones, but Rylie Moss, we know about the picks, but his coverage numbers are still good. He's a really sure tackler. We've seen him make plays we've highlighted on here in the film room.
00;21;29;01 - 00;21;44;27
Brandon Krisztal
Jay Mack really good tackler, obviously a really good blitzer too. And then as Pat just showed us, a really good tackler. Speaking of Jay Mack, how about we see what was the Broncos lone touchdown on the day. Yeah he obviously got the scoring going here early.
00;21;45;00 - 00;22;10;09
Chris Harris Jr.
Oh yeah. Tips and over those being in the right spot. Breaking on the ball finding that alley man. My guy almost pushed him pushed my guy out of bounds right. Get out the way find somebody you know. But hey man that was a nice pick. We'll take it to the house. And now this is what we need, right when we bring so much pressure, so much, you know, heat on the quarterback and being able to hit him and rush his timing.
00;22;10;11 - 00;22;29;25
Chris Harris Jr.
Right. We got to get. You expect more interceptions like this. So we need those tips and overthrows. Great break on Jay Mac and finishing over with the retire. But come on to not all that wrote Malcolm run Jay Roach man come on Rose that's my dad. But you got to get out the way right there. I see Jay doing a little bit more cover to this game.
00;22;29;27 - 00;22;36;04
Chris Harris Jr.
So especially that that's good to bring in some zone when you play, man. So much all season.
00;22;36;06 - 00;22;47;23
Brandon Krisztal
When I asked Jay Mack in the locker room to kind of take us through the interception and here's him describing how it went down. Okay, Mack, I know I know, I'm sure you touched up. You can take us through the pick six and just getting those takeaways today. What event.
00;22;47;26 - 00;23;08;09
Speaker 5
Yeah we was in like cover two. I think they ran like I think like dagger knife to the field and they had a crosser coming back. Once I seen him coming off, I knew he was going to kick the ball down. I just, you know, vision break. I was on off the quarterback, and they just dropped it and called it to pass and ran it back.
00;23;08;12 - 00;23;10;22
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. So it's that simple,
00;23;10;25 - 00;23;30;20
Chris Harris Jr.
And that's how I can be sometimes, man. And, you got to you got to get on when you can write tips and overthrows and that's what they mean. And, Jay Mack getting in the end zone. Is that his second time scoring as you think he's up there and score a fumble. They take a fumble back this year.
00;23;30;23 - 00;23;34;12
Brandon Krisztal
I don't remember that. But I'm not saying you're wrong.
00;23;34;14 - 00;23;44;28
Chris Harris Jr.
Oh I don't I gotta see and then I got to see I gotta look at a stat man I gotta see. You know how many defensive touchdowns this defense had this season, right?
00;23;44;29 - 00;24;09;00
Brandon Krisztal
Not many. Last year they had a bunch more. Bonito had a couple just on a zone. We don't have that. You want against the Raiders. I'm trying to Brandon Jones get one. I don't I mean, look they only had three forced fumbles before the other day. Recovered fumbles and nine picks going into the game. So, I don't I don't think he had more than the one touchdown.
00;24;09;03 - 00;24;10;25
Brandon Krisztal
I feel like he might have as a rookie.
00;24;10;27 - 00;24;12;08
Chris Harris Jr.
Touchdown last year. Okay.
00;24;12;09 - 00;24;25;12
Brandon Krisztal
Or last year. Okay. So last year. Yeah. And sometimes it all runs together when you're, when you're, just watching so much football. All right, well, we don't have to tell you that.
00;24;25;12 - 00;24;26;12
Chris Harris Jr.
Right there.
00;24;26;14 - 00;24;30;04
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. Those are. Can we see him again here real quick? David.
00;24;30;07 - 00;24;39;28
Chris Harris Jr.
So undrafted last year on, on contract. Right. Or would he be a restricted next year or is he unrestricted?
00;24;40;01 - 00;24;55;04
Brandon Krisztal
I think because he's undrafted I think he's unrestricted. But I need to double check that. I feel like he's unrestricted. And so, you know, and we're going to get into it here in just a second. Could this be his last year as a Bronco? If Vance Joseph gets a job somewhere else? First.
00;24;55;04 - 00;25;09;14
Chris Harris Jr.
Year, I think, if B.J. goes, you don't get paid. So, I mean, I think he gets paid regardless. Being one of the top nickels. And then, you know, he could be, you know.
00;25;09;14 - 00;25;12;03
Brandon Krisztal
All right, he's restricted one more year.
00;25;12;05 - 00;25;13;22
Chris Harris Jr.
Okay. So he'll be back.
00;25;13;24 - 00;25;39;02
Brandon Krisztal
Well, unless. Because I guess it depends on what type of restriction they put on him. Because if you're. Yeah, you might still say, oh, well, he's going to be better than the nickel we have. Especially because I think the vision for JD Barron right now is still to be a nickel next year inside of Peyton Riley, even though we saw him play outside for those four games you drafted in the first round, he's going to be on the field a lot and he is on the field a lot because you're in so many sub packages.
00;25;39;05 - 00;25;54;17
Brandon Krisztal
We can also just, asked Jay Mack here perhaps, but all right. Not a lot going on in in the film room beyond that, Broncos take care of business. So we will now exit the Chris Harris Jr film room.
00;25;54;20 - 00;26;17;12
Brandon Krisztal
And I want to spend a little bit of time on the coaching carousel because we talk about V-J busy day Thursday, three interviews as the Ravens fired John Harbaugh and quickly move on to interviewing coaches, including Davis Webb. But Vijay his his dance card. Every team has asked to talk to him, including the Falcons. Browns were the only ones that weren't the Dolphins on Thursday.
00;26;17;12 - 00;26;37;13
Brandon Krisztal
Fire Mike McDaniel. I think they're waiting until that GM is in place, and then they will get into their head coach interviews. I'm not saying they won't start asking for the usual suspects, but five interviews for Vijay. I think he ultimately doesn't end up talking to Atlanta Davis Webb, a couple interviews, but as you look at the jobs that were opened, I'll take you through it real quick.
00;26;37;17 - 00;26;46;28
Brandon Krisztal
We knew about Tennessee and the Giants. They should have had a head start. It's no surprise like talk to Mike McCarthy yet if you're the Giants, why are you waiting until like you've just been sitting at home. You could have gotten that one out of the way.
00;26;46;28 - 00;26;56;00
Chris Harris Jr.
This isn't like an interview period that they have in the NFL, I guess. But yeah, you can mid-season or early in the season, like, let's start the process now.
00;26;56;02 - 00;27;16;19
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. I get the you can't talk to active coaches, but if Mike sits on his couch chillin, Josh and him should have had dinner two weeks ago. I don't know, because the Falcons maybe surprise some folks with not only Raheem as they had as many wins as their division champ. But so they get rid of Raheem Morris after just two seasons, plus Terry Fontana after five seasons.
00;27;16;19 - 00;27;40;25
Brandon Krisztal
And you've got I think that quarterback debacle has something to do with it. Maybe Kyle Pitts lack of development, consistently. But they get I mean, look, they got Bijan, they got two quarterbacks and they obviously got one. Then they had some pieces on defense. Those young pass. But so GM to then Raiders not that big a surprise Pete Carroll Cardinals even though we understand that Bidwell likes Jonathan Gannon.
00;27;40;27 - 00;27;57;25
Brandon Krisztal
Or whatever that means after three years. Kyler is part of it. But they lost their last nine games and never you look at the gap between them when the rest of your division is in the playoffs, and one of them is the one seed, I understand. Want to make that change. I gotta think BJ's probably want the leaders there.
00;27;57;27 - 00;28;04;03
Brandon Krisztal
And then you had Ravens. I want to know. So we'll start with the Ravens and the Dolphins. But how shocked were you when John Harbaugh gets let go?
00;28;04;05 - 00;28;29;18
Chris Harris Jr.
I'm not shocked at all. You know when you've had chance after chance you got a two time MVP and you just can't get that team over the hump. And they're not looking better, right? They're looking they're they're trending down as a team. And the rumblings between that you hear in the media, between the quarterback and the head coach, they're always going to choose, and sports mainly you've seen the majority of the time go with the quarterback.
00;28;29;20 - 00;28;48;23
Chris Harris Jr.
So I'm not very surprised at all. And I do think Baltimore should be BJ's number one spot. If I'm trying to coach and be a head coach, you want to go where they have a quarterback, right? A veteran and especially a veteran guy that's proven so, be able to match my defense up with Lamar Jackson. That would be the number one option.
00;28;48;23 - 00;28;52;18
Chris Harris Jr.
If I'm BJ, I'm trying my best to get that job.
00;28;52;20 - 00;29;10;03
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. They need to fix their their salary cap. And David, I don't know if we can get to a quickly enough on either over the cap or Spotrac because Lamar is going to count 74 million right now, but they still have Derrick Henry next year. They have not a back up front. They have maybe the best safety in football.
00;29;10;03 - 00;29;30;03
Brandon Krisztal
And Kyle Hamilton, certainly a, piece that, you know, Jay would enjoy using. And they obviously are solid at corner. Can you always get better. But the biggest thing about the Ravens to me is whether it was Ozzie Newsome or now he's an adviser and Eric DeCosta, they have, without question, for the last two decades, been the best drafting team they have drafting developed.
00;29;30;05 - 00;29;42;19
Brandon Krisztal
They got Roquan Smith. They're paying him 30 million bucks. He might still be the best middle linebacker in football though. So here when you look at those numbers yeah that cap hit for Lamar is going to sting. So you have to get a new deal that he's arming.
00;29;42;19 - 00;29;45;26
Chris Harris Jr.
And I can't really see him buying.
00;29;45;29 - 00;30;08;13
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah well there we go. Now we're zoomed in, but yeah. So you look Lamar ro quan, Matt Marlon Humphrey I think is I think is good. Could he be is he all world? No. Stanley Andrews plus lively. Derek Washington up front. Stanley left. I mean, you got that anchor there at left tackle. You're just in really good shape.
00;30;08;16 - 00;30;09;09
Brandon Krisztal
I don't think saying.
00;30;09;09 - 00;30;17;20
Chris Harris Jr.
How might be up for the big cut. Yeah, maybe. Raekwon. No way. They pay a linebacker 3030 million.
00;30;17;20 - 00;30;19;01
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah, maybe you're reworking that.
00;30;19;01 - 00;30;40;23
Chris Harris Jr.
Deal and then I yeah I see they rework. I see Lamar gets a extension, Ray Quan might get a new deal or they're going to cut him. And the same thing with Humphrey. So you could either see a extension or cut between those guys. So it can get a little shaky with those two. And, but I think the Ravens can create some caps.
00;30;40;23 - 00;30;57;07
Chris Harris Jr.
They cap space being able to, you know, kind of let those let those guys go and then be able to, you know, replace them with and save a lot of money. So but Marge Jackson 74 million. That's that got to be the biggest in the league. Right. It's up to John Watson.
00;30;57;10 - 00;31;14;01
Brandon Krisztal
Oh it's it's certainly up there. I mean we could look at quarterback captains. David's gonna have to do a little, a little navigating on the site to, to get to quarterback cap number. But regardless, you know that you've got Lamar in place and you rework the deal just to give you some room. They're still at 36 million under the cap.
00;31;14;01 - 00;31;15;29
Brandon Krisztal
Even with all that. So they're in bad shape.
00;31;16;00 - 00;31;16;11
Chris Harris Jr.
They're doing.
00;31;16;11 - 00;31;32;04
Brandon Krisztal
Great. They're in better shape than some teams like the Dolphins who have to figure out the type of thing. And so to me, that is absolutely the number one job. And I get the idea. You can't get maybe a better coach Harbaugh, just a different coach. But sometimes you need a different voice after 18 years, and Harbaugh didn't want to move on from his coaches.
00;31;32;06 - 00;31;48;04
Brandon Krisztal
The way Todd Bowles moves on from all of his, and you want to bring Todd Monken back. And we hear that Monken and Lamar maybe weren't ever on the same page or weren't of late. And so there's a lot of reporting out there around it. But as somebody I saw somebody that's the best job to come out in a long time.
00;31;48;06 - 00;32;05;13
Brandon Krisztal
You've got a two time MVP, you've got one of the most dominant running backs in football. I don't know where you want to rank him. Still had almost 1600 yards this year. You know they're certainly snake bit late. But if you were going to rank them let's just put ravens far and away. Number one after that. What.
00;32;05;15 - 00;32;23;07
Brandon Krisztal
Well we can also get back to it to, in a few, but if you've got after the Ravens Giants with Jackson in that defense, is it Titans with cam Ward and $100 million in cap space Raiders 100 something million in cap space plus Jim Powers in the number one pick. The red.
00;32;23;11 - 00;32;30;22
Chris Harris Jr.
Paid last year. What's the good name? What? Watkins, the D tackle. Oh, well.
00;32;30;24 - 00;32;51;20
Brandon Krisztal
They still have all the they've got over. They've got the most cap space them then the Titans. But they do also play in a division with Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes and the one seed Denver Broncos and Bo Nix. But you got the number one pick. Cardinals is low to me. Dolphins is a mess right now. Falcons like okay so I'm.
00;32;51;22 - 00;32;53;11
Chris Harris Jr.
Gonna be number two or my.
00;32;53;13 - 00;32;54;18
Brandon Krisztal
Falcons number two.
00;32;54;20 - 00;33;18;28
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah. Because they got a running back. You know they got some young corners I like nice pass rush, young pass rush. Oh line's not bad. You know that, based on just had a, you know, career year yards of scrimmage. Quarterback is the question mark, right? Can we develop Penix? I don't know if he's a quarterback developer.
00;33;19;00 - 00;33;22;22
Chris Harris Jr.
So y'all need somebody they can count on as an offensive coach to be able to. I don't.
00;33;22;24 - 00;33;36;15
Brandon Krisztal
Even talk. I don't think he talks to Atlanta. They just moved on from Raheem a second time coach. I think they have a similar coaching profile. Defensive guy. I think they're going to go a different direction there. But how about this. We can we can circle back around for we get to our predictions. We have a special guest.
00;33;36;21 - 00;33;56;12
Brandon Krisztal
You were an undrafted cornerback out of the University of Kansas. How about this gentlemen or J. Mack Jaquan McMillan undrafted out of East Carolina and balling. We were just looking at your contract. You're restricted, so the Broncos may want you back, but if V.J. gets a job somewhere else, does he say, hey, Jay Mack, why don't you and Jay FM come join me?
00;33;56;15 - 00;33;59;26
Brandon Krisztal
Nonetheless? Jay Mack, welcome to the show. Have you and Chris ever talk, by the way?
00;33;59;28 - 00;34;04;16
Speaker 5
Do we Oh yeah. Sometimes you appreciate that sort of.
00;34;04;19 - 00;34;18;25
Chris Harris Jr.
Congrats on the big yeah, bro. Man. We want to welcome you to the show. And being a fellow, you know what I mean? Shutting it down inside, man. I just want to say congrats on a big year. Great career. Man. Let's get it going. BK what you got for.
00;34;18;28 - 00;34;49;13
Brandon Krisztal
Well, let's start with that. Chris Evans junior kind of helped define what the modern nickel is. And he is all decade player, you know, based on when he was doing it. And you coming up I know you're I'm sure you're playing outside coming up because of your athleticism. But as you've gotten into this, I'm curious just how much you've watched Chris's game over the years and and want to try to emulate that, especially knowing, like yourself, that he was an undrafted guy to have so much success, make the All-Decade team and four Pro Bowls and win a Super Bowl.
00;34;49;16 - 00;35;07;14
Speaker 5
Yeah. And a few times I searched him up on YouTube and watched the plays he made. But, you know, what I liked about his game was like confidence. You know, the physicality he played with. You know, that's what I try to. That's my brand of football. So, you also got to be pretty smart to be playing a nickel.
00;35;07;17 - 00;35;19;12
Speaker 5
You had to process things quick. So, I'm definitely Washington a few times. And, you know, I like the plays that he made out there, man. I, I try to go out there and do the same thing.
00;35;19;14 - 00;35;40;17
Chris Harris Jr.
Yes, sir. You are the man you are man. I know in the nickel and being undrafted, you got to be scrappy, right? And, how do you feel every week having that chip on their shoulder? Do you have that chip on your shoulder? Because that's what I had every week. Trying to prove it every week. Describe your chip, though.
00;35;40;17 - 00;35;48;17
Chris Harris Jr.
Everybody has a different type of you know, why. What is what is that chip on your shoulder that keeps you going?
00;35;48;19 - 00;36;09;25
Speaker 5
The way. Of course, I play with, like, shit, man, you know, I yeah, I go out there, you know, I always feel like, you know, I was. I've been the underdog my whole life. No. No. And that's what I go with, you know? I'm okay with that, you know? So I just go out there, you know, give it my all, play like you say, a scrappy, but that's all, you know, that's my biggest thing.
00;36;09;26 - 00;36;31;21
Speaker 5
Go out there and just play my my brand of football, you know? Which is always been physical. You know, I always play smart with, you know, knowing what I, what I have to do and seeing different formations, man. But yeah, man, a lot of times, you know, I don't really get talked a lot, but I do a lot of dirty work for the team, and, and and that's all that's cool and stuff, you know?
00;36;31;21 - 00;36;39;20
Speaker 5
The team belong as a team. You know, respect what I do. You know what I bring to the table. That's all I care about man I just going I like going out there with my guys. When.
00;36;39;22 - 00;36;40;10
Chris Harris Jr.
Yes, sir.
00;36;40;10 - 00;37;08;10
Brandon Krisztal
Jim. Jim I asked you this earlier in the year on, on the podium. I think, you know, one of the times that they had you out there and we asked Riley Moss as well, and then I think we asked Pat about it and ask coach, but I kept I was curious. They drafted Barron in the first round, like, he's going to get on the field one way or another, but it looks like both you and Riley, not that you don't welcome him, but you're like, okay, well, I'm glad they drafted him, but they're going to have to he's gonna have to figure out a way to beat us.
00;37;08;10 - 00;37;16;28
Brandon Krisztal
And both of you feel like you've elevated your game. Was that a motivating factor? Can you not even worry about it? And you're just focused on your job?
00;37;17;01 - 00;37;40;16
Speaker 5
You know, yeah. You know, drafting a guy, you know, in your position, first round, you know, of course you don't have that. You know that the edge you like. You you questioning yourself, you start questioning yourself. But I take it the right way. You know, I always go out there and, compete to the highest, you know, no matter who's in the room.
00;37;40;16 - 00;38;02;18
Speaker 5
But he's been a great add to the team. Man, we love JT. He's going to be a good player in this league also. But, yeah, I just I try not to worry about all the other things, man. What? I focus on what I could do and, how I can keep myself on the field. So, I definitely had a league agent camp, you know, and then into the season, man.
00;38;02;18 - 00;38;06;23
Speaker 5
But it allowed me to raise my game, so I ain't complaining about it.
00;38;06;25 - 00;38;11;15
Chris Harris Jr.
Come on back. That's a that's a setup question right there, man. Yeah, I come for.
00;38;11;16 - 00;38;32;27
Brandon Krisztal
You once in public. So it wasn't like. It wasn't like it was a gotcha. I've already asked that. Well, let me just follow up with that though, because I know talking to people in the building, they may not have had as high agreed on you after last season. They did two years ago. And in this defense, knowing how good the defense is and how good y'all were last year, would you agree that maybe last year wasn't as consistent as the year before?
00;38;33;02 - 00;38;39;19
Brandon Krisztal
And then this year, what did you do any differently that has made you play without question, your best football?
00;38;39;22 - 00;38;55;09
Speaker 5
I don't know, Matt, that, you don't have played pretty good. You know, obviously I missed, a few plays, last year, you know, I missed about four sacks last year. You know, I made up for it this year. I made a few plays in the air, stupid. You know, if you go look at the numbers.
00;38;55;09 - 00;39;14;02
Speaker 5
My numbers really didn't, you know, changed very much. But, yeah, I would say, it was a stretch that first year, 23 hours, you know, I was on fire, you know, but next year came, now people know who I am now. I just had to adjust and, find different ways to make plays.
00;39;14;04 - 00;39;33;25
Chris Harris Jr.
Right. It's harder every year. Right? Especially the old saying new routes, new things, new defenses has you have you have jets that have been at quarterback back there. Because what people don't know is that the mic you gotta communicate with everybody on the defense. And we know day system. It is player friendly. They do what he does.
00;39;33;25 - 00;39;43;07
Chris Harris Jr.
Let the nickel have control a lot. How how has that helped you and being able to, you know, elevate your play and your career so far?
00;39;43;10 - 00;40;02;06
Speaker 5
Just the playbook, man. I've been in the defense defense for three years now. So each year I feel like I've, gained more confidence and more knowledge on the defense. So it's allowed me to play a lot faster. And as far as just being a leader on the field, getting everybody in shape, man, this is something that, I always been.
00;40;02;06 - 00;40;08;22
Speaker 5
You know, I watch a lot of film. I study the game, so things like that come easy. For me.
00;40;08;24 - 00;40;29;00
Chris Harris Jr.
That's great, man. Yeah, that's one thing I do. See you doing communication motions because, there's a lot of man you got most, in a way, motion coming to you, you know, different type of, you know, alignments that you can see and stacks and bunches. People all get that in and and a lot of hell. Right. But we've done a great job.
00;40;29;03 - 00;40;48;19
Chris Harris Jr.
You may you've impressed me a lot with, your, your blitzing ability. Right. How is that? Because you then about what? Hey, you got my. You already broke the record, right? For, for the corners in Denver, right? Yeah, yeah, that record right now, you go try to go get, like, a Charles Woodson. Go try to get Rondae.
00;40;48;20 - 00;41;04;28
Chris Harris Jr.
And those guys, man. Because I think that's something you can go get, bro. You're a hell of a blitzer. I think that's some man you can go try to get. And hopefully you get some All-Pro notice this this year to me I might the start screaming that out man get my guy is, all pro for the show.
00;41;05;00 - 00;41;08;28
Chris Harris Jr.
Who are who would you say is the competition right there for you? And that's last.
00;41;09;00 - 00;41;32;14
Speaker 5
In the slot. Few guys, man. Even though he's kind of on the back end, his career, I like, a lot of Kenny Moore. Yeah, I like coop, but I got the, Eagles right now. Also, like, Jordan Lewis up down there in Jacksonville. So it's a few guys that, you know, of, been people a little bit, and I'm probably missing a few guys, but I'm kind of the guys that, follow my game.
00;41;32;14 - 00;41;40;03
Speaker 5
I do, I watch, you know, I wouldn't even say follow my game. I but I like their game, you know, I respect their game.
00;41;40;05 - 00;41;59;27
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. Well, Cooper Dejean, obviously like, Riley Moss, we know that they're. I mean, I was a white cornerback in Dallas in a pretty good league, but there aren't a lot of them in the league. And so both Riley and Cooper Dejean steps in. Has a huge Super Bowl as a rookie. So once you kind of get in that game, Max is going to be scratching and clawing with him every year for because he's just he's in a big market in Philly.
00;41;59;27 - 00;42;21;22
Brandon Krisztal
They want a Super Bowl. They're going to be good. You know kind of year in year out. He's he's obviously one you got to keep an eye on. But I'm curious about your team now because we've seen some video of Sean. You know I was there for his postgame press conference, showed it to Chris. He said the biggest thing was less about getting healthy and more about the week off to have one last game.
00;42;21;22 - 00;42;32;11
Brandon Krisztal
But how have you spent your time on the week off, knowing that obviously you're in the building doing stuff on on Friday and Saturday? As Sean told us last week when we were going to give you the break?
00;42;32;14 - 00;42;55;19
Speaker 5
Yeah. I, I took a few days off, you know, and then yesterday I went into June, this gym I have out here in, in, Parker and, got a workout in. Quick workout. Not much. Just some, you know, clean up some techniques, stuff and, strength and stuff. Some balance stuff. So, I did that yesterday, and I have another, rest day before we go back at it tomorrow.
00;42;55;19 - 00;43;14;03
Speaker 5
So, I got back on my feet. I ran a little this morning, and just, you know, just keeping that that thing going. I don't want to sit down and, you know, pop right back up. So, keeping my body going a little bit and still doing the little, mobility stuff that that I usually do throughout the week.
00;43;14;05 - 00;43;36;18
Chris Harris Jr.
This, And I want to say congrats. Two for the number one seed getting that is huge. And AFC champions right now. You got to put that little you know right there. You see that boat that border up there man. Be able to put that up there man. And so what do you see how you can become the how you can take that next step going into the playoffs?
00;43;36;18 - 00;43;46;08
Chris Harris Jr.
What do you think that y'all need to do to be able to hold this home field and to let it be known we do top defense in this playoffs?
00;43;46;10 - 00;44;02;26
Speaker 5
Really just doing what we've been doing. You know, we did one pretty good job of what we've been doing. And, with the game plan and understanding the execution. But I would say the main thing is just continue to get these turnovers, this pass game we got, to and that's something that we've been falling in on.
00;44;02;28 - 00;44;19;15
Speaker 5
As a team wanting to get that no turnovers and get the ball more to the offense. But and guys are frankly into the, into the quarterback. Guys we in the back in the locker room guys. So just need to keep doing what we're doing and clean up the small details that you know, that we need to work on.
00;44;19;15 - 00;44;29;09
Speaker 5
But this will this these extra days for right now, here to, clean up everything and just keep doing what we're doing, competing at a high level and going out there and, playing for each other.
00;44;29;11 - 00;44;51;09
Chris Harris Jr.
Yes. And my bias would, I just want to say my mindset would be just like you said, the turnovers, right? Getting those rolling and just tackling. As long as y'all have great tackling in the backfield, you get the guys. Now make these guys go 80 yards. It's going to be hard to to beat your right now just turnovers and tackling with me I know that y'all going to be able to get pressure on the quarterback.
00;44;51;11 - 00;45;01;21
Chris Harris Jr.
But if y'all can do that and raise that level to, to that next level in the playoffs now y'all I think y'all take off, man. I think I'll take up what you got back.
00;45;01;24 - 00;45;16;14
Brandon Krisztal
Well, so last year you got to play in the first playoff game that they had had since Chris and and his teammates won Super Bowl 50. And you saw a raucous environment there in Buffalo. You know it was a close game until it really got to way on that fourth down play. And then it just kind of steamrolled.
00;45;16;21 - 00;45;32;11
Brandon Krisztal
And they ran the ball really effectively obviously with James Cook. But you saw what an atmosphere on the road at a place that has a good home field advantage. How big will it be now knowing what you seen from this crowd? You've been here a few years. Sean Payton has talked about how much louder it has been of late.
00;45;32;13 - 00;45;44;26
Brandon Krisztal
When you see the Packers game, the Chiefs game, the Jags certainly at times against the Chargers. But knowing that you get to play hopefully not one but two home games before you get to go back to San Francisco where Chris won that medal.
00;45;44;29 - 00;46;01;28
Speaker 5
Yeah, man. First off I just want to thank the Broncos country man. They've been showing up for us. You know, it's been real loud. Especially on third down guys for barely, you know, get the call in there. But hey man this is getting them guys confused or is making them hard to hear. They play call and hear the cadence and stuff like that.
00;46;01;28 - 00;46;19;01
Speaker 5
But, last year, you know, it's been a minute since we've been in the playoffs. And, you know, we just wanted to be here. So now we want to take that next step and, we'll actually win in games. And, you know, and it's important to have to like you said, the home field advantage is man is going to be big for us.
00;46;19;01 - 00;46;25;25
Speaker 5
Man. We just got to, keep doing what we're doing and showing up for, Broncos Country. Just like Arizona for us.
00;46;25;28 - 00;46;42;26
Chris Harris Jr.
Oh, it's going to be hard to hear out there. Yeah. They're going to be bragging that we ain't had a playoff game in ten years. In a mile high, it's going to be rocking. I remember being an AFC Championship game. We're at that game, right? We had to go out and stand by each other to communicate.
00;46;42;28 - 00;46;59;27
Chris Harris Jr.
Right. And that's that's how I was going to be, man, for whoever pulls up, you know, that's how it's going to be. So that's something else that you got to prepare for right now. Offense doesn't have to really prepare for it because it's quiet when Bo Nix is out there. But I also as a defense, we got to communicate why are we screaming and stopping on the stairs.
00;47;00;02 - 00;47;07;16
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah. Oh that makes it hard for us. But that's that's another thing to prepare for and get ready for a man. They're going to be rowdy.
00;47;07;18 - 00;47;23;11
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. So, Jamie, I will let you roll. I'm just curious, though. Are you watching the playoffs over the weekend? Obviously. Got to be at work some on Saturday and maybe do some body work Sunday, but will you are you some of the watches football. Nick video says he doesn't really watch football like that. He's more of a film study guy.
00;47;23;11 - 00;47;41;23
Brandon Krisztal
But do you usually like because Chris watches every game and tweets about most of them and did his whole, his whole career? That's why I knew he'd have no problem making transition to this, to this side of the of the, you know, the boundary. But how do you spend your Saturday Sunday with those games in the afternoon and evening and then obviously all day Sunday?
00;47;41;25 - 00;47;57;05
Speaker 5
Yeah. Obviously, like you said, we have, you know, practice meetings, Saturday, but I'm not for sure if you watching the games, man. That's one of my favorite things to do is be home and chill on the couch or whatever, and just watch some good football. You know, it's going to be some good for is the first round of playoffs.
00;47;57;05 - 00;48;01;24
Speaker 5
So guys going to be getting there. They also know I'm be tuned to him man.
00;48;01;26 - 00;48;19;05
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. And it is a as as Joel Dreesen used to say it's extra film. You say I love when Monday Night Football film study. That was a game you always got to watch. But shoot, last time you got to chill and watch. You won the AFC West just sitting on the couch. So now you're going to you're going to win essentially a playoff round and get a Chris I didn't realize this.
00;48;19;05 - 00;48;24;25
Brandon Krisztal
Y'all get playoff checks or they get playoff checks. Now to not even play. By getting that bias you're getting a check.
00;48;24;28 - 00;48;30;17
Chris Harris Jr.
Right right right. You're going to check on the bye. No. Yeah I'm just like you hate.
00;48;30;17 - 00;48;31;18
Brandon Krisztal
To watch football.
00;48;31;23 - 00;48;32;13
Chris Harris Jr.
That's one thing.
00;48;32;13 - 00;48;36;22
Speaker 5
I was getting the guys they talk about that we get paid sitting on the couch.
00;48;36;24 - 00;48;53;27
Chris Harris Jr.
What they're like, oh, I wish we had that bad. But hey salute y'all, man. And like I said, man, take advantage this opportunity. You rarely it's hard to get that number one seed. So when you got it man made sure boys locked in and take advantage of this opportunity. And they'll get it. Man. I'm proud of you.
00;48;54;00 - 00;48;57;08
Speaker 5
Yes, sir. For sure man. Appreciate you guys for having me on the show.
00;48;57;10 - 00;49;03;11
Brandon Krisztal
Jay, thanks for joining us and we look forward to talking to you throughout what's hopefully a run to Super Bowl 60.
00;49;03;14 - 00;49;04;12
Chris Harris Jr.
Yes, sir.
00;49;04;14 - 00;49;06;02
Speaker 5
Let's do it.
00;49;06;04 - 00;49;31;09
Brandon Krisztal
All right. That's Jaquan McMillan undrafted. You know he reminds me of you in a lot of ways. But he he's a little quieter than you were. He he never shies away from talking to us. But he, he certainly has a similarity to his game. And there's a tenacity there. I imagine from the time he really got on the field two years ago, you know, three seasons ago, you you said, okay, this this guy can he can play a little bit.
00;49;31;09 - 00;49;33;14
Brandon Krisztal
Did he remind you of you from the jump?
00;49;33;17 - 00;49;55;29
Chris Harris Jr.
Oh, yeah. I mean, when you see his effort, think his tackling always stood out very early as a young player. But now you see him developing with the communication, the coverage he's getting better, making plays on the ball, because he's always been a great run defender. Screen defender. And Blitzer right now is just elevating his coverage.
00;49;56;02 - 00;50;08;03
Chris Harris Jr.
And I think that he's improving on that. And so I love his game, man. You got to have that kind of mentality as a whole. And, you know, he has.
00;50;08;05 - 00;50;18;09
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. It's funny that you talk about, sacks. Ron has 28 as, as a, corner. So he's a quarter of the way there was seven.
00;50;18;12 - 00;50;23;25
Chris Harris Jr.
Man, Randy Ryan play like 17 years, too. So yeah, it's going to be hard for him to catch him, but.
00;50;23;27 - 00;50;24;22
Brandon Krisztal
I'll be playing anything.
00;50;24;22 - 00;50;44;18
Chris Harris Jr.
Words he could get Tony Sacks, you know? I mean, this guy blitzes a lot. And now. Yeah, he's always getting home. So I think, you know, next year there's going to be a lot different, right? If they play in Jim Leonard system, which I don't know, his system, you know, hopefully similar to VJs and he could possibly get it.
00;50;44;20 - 00;51;03;11
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. And I got to think that Jim spent in the last two years, the big reason why Sean Payton not only kept him around, made him an associate head coach, because there were teams interested in last year were here and that that the Cowboys and Brian Schottenheimer down there they want to pluck from VJs tree you know and and maybe look at Jim Leonard.
00;51;03;11 - 00;51;28;12
Brandon Krisztal
So if BJ gets the job you got to think Sean is going to do all he can to make sure Jim's calling that defense and and that they're going to do all they can to keep Jim make a big part of it, even with Pat and Riley and Johnny Barron, who took it in the first round that you want on these pieces, because you got them and they're all kind of cost controlled right now, obviously not making making top dollar, but still the other three are all on rookie deals and even a restricted deal for Jay Mack in in terrible.
00;51;28;13 - 00;51;55;28
Brandon Krisztal
Okay, before we jump to the we get to the injury report and then quick predictions and thank our friends of Denver mattress. They provide us with this great new set and this awesome furniture. So make sure you seven by all the several Denver mattress locations. Final thoughts on the coaching stuff as far as who you think might end up where, and if you're John Harbaugh, we're hearing that he's not only not taking any meetings this week, a lot of people think that he might be sticking around to see, are the Packers going to make a move if they fall short?
00;51;56;01 - 00;52;13;23
Brandon Krisztal
They've actually been the seventh seed four years in a row. I didn't realize that LaFleur has been the seven seed with Aaron Rodgers now three years with love. So the are still succeeds. He would never have coach in the playoffs and wouldn't be there. But the bills do they say hey this is the end of the rope. John Harbaugh is going to have his pick of the litter.
00;52;13;25 - 00;52;31;20
Brandon Krisztal
Anything else you want to chime in on? Plus Mike McDaniel, who we know the Browns want to interview. Now we've seen that. But the Lions already called because they love him with those weapons. Baltimore with Lamar Dan Quinn. He's credited with helping save his life, firing him and making go to rehab basically. So you got DK plus Adam Peters.
00;52;31;20 - 00;52;39;02
Brandon Krisztal
He knows there he's going to have options. But final thoughts on the coaching carousel before we get to these predictions.
00;52;39;04 - 00;53;00;09
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah, I was surprised when the Dolphins didn't fire Mike and, you know, immediately. So. See him hang a day. I'm not surprised that they decided to go in a new direction. But, my, like, my top choices would be is, the Ravens off the rip. You know, you got a two time MVP.
00;53;00;11 - 00;53;20;26
Chris Harris Jr.
Then I'm looking at the Falcons. Why? Because you have some offensive weapons. Then I would say the Giants of Tennessee putting them pretty even. Right. So just it really doesn't matter with the Giants or Tennessee, you got both two young quarterbacks that you're going to have to develop there. But Falcons in the Falcons and the Ravens would be my top choices.
00;53;20;29 - 00;53;23;15
Chris Harris Jr.
And then I would go from there.
00;53;23;18 - 00;53;24;25
Brandon Krisztal
I also,
00;53;24;27 - 00;53;28;22
Chris Harris Jr.
Last choice though. Let's pick a worse choice on the list.
00;53;28;24 - 00;53;46;27
Brandon Krisztal
It feels like it's maybe the Dolphins. If you don't know what you're doing with Tua. But even if you decide to move on, you're going to have the same thing that the Broncos had with Russ 80, 90 million and dead money. And you're picking you're picking high enough that you could go get a quarterback. You're not picking that high to get one this year necessarily.
00;53;46;29 - 00;53;57;26
Brandon Krisztal
So you're signing a six year deal. And so there's that. The Cardinals only because you don't know what you do with Kyler. It feels like if you're going to rank him well the Browns with their crowds are.
00;53;57;26 - 00;53;58;20
Chris Harris Jr.
Twice.
00;53;58;22 - 00;54;16;04
Brandon Krisztal
As good as that defense is. And we love Shelby. I don't know if Shelby's back with the Browns anyway, Myles Garrett there and some other nice pieces. Denzel Ward a bunch of studs on defense, but I think the worst job is Cardinals or Browns and then Dolphins now coming up right behind him. But the Ravens is such a big gap.
00;54;16;06 - 00;54;32;00
Brandon Krisztal
Some people might say the Titans, but I think the Titans the temperatures lower in the AFC South, as long as you, piss that owner off. She's in Houston like six days a week. So, you know, what happened was Vrabel and ran Carthon got into it. Then Vrabel allegedly aggravated her by being inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame.
00;54;32;00 - 00;54;47;07
Brandon Krisztal
She didn't care about that. But he, on their Titans bye week, said, all right, we've got a game to win. Like, let's quit all the speeches. We we have a game to win. And he was the coach of the Titans. That apparently was one of the final straws. So I don't know. But I have the Titans hire because of the cap space.
00;54;47;09 - 00;55;05;29
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah the cap space is is always you know I don't really buy into it in the NFL because they can create cap space at a dinner, it seems like. But when you look at the Browns situation, you got to go back to the quarterback situation and the cap money. The sound wasn't there. It was he on that list.
00;55;06;01 - 00;55;07;28
Chris Harris Jr.
We didn't see that list there. Oh, yeah.
00;55;08;02 - 00;55;20;28
Brandon Krisztal
No, I don't know if David ever got us the quarterback cap hit money, but he's still there. He's got one more year and it's all guaranteed. So you'd be in the same boat. I think he's got one more year. You'd be in the same boat with him as you are with Tua. And so you can keep him or cut him.
00;55;21;04 - 00;55;39;05
Brandon Krisztal
You got to decide, is a newer guy you're going to give the full shout out to her and Dillon Gabriel. They're going into a full competition. We heard that Deshaun was getting close. So are you going to try to play him. You have to decide about I think you do. Yeah. And they kept the GM Andrew Berry. Well then let me ask you the question this way.
00;55;39;11 - 00;55;57;01
Brandon Krisztal
Before we move on, where does John Harbaugh end up. And you can say one of the playoff teams too, if you think it is, you know, bills, Packers. Who else could lose this weekend. So somebody said, what do you think? Who is the coach. The team that called it has a quarterback. I mean has a coach.
00;55;57;03 - 00;56;06;14
Brandon Krisztal
Like maybe it was the LA Chargers called that they want to switch Harbaugh's. But where do you think Harbaugh ends up his question one where do you think V.J. ends up as question two.
00;56;06;17 - 00;56;33;09
Chris Harris Jr.
I think Harbaugh is a good fit for New York. You know, go to the Giants a veteran coach. He'll be able to, regulate the media and be able to help, further along. Jackson. Doc. So I think the Giants is the perfect fit for him or the Falcons. For him. But, you know, he's not going to probably waste his time with the Raiders or any of those teams that are, very, have a while of rebuilding.
00;56;33;12 - 00;56;48;03
Chris Harris Jr.
I think he'll probably go to a team that, you know, the rebuild won't take too long. I think he thinks the Giants might be further along then. Then those other guy, other teams. With the way Jackson finished the year. So I think the Giants would be the best spot for him.
00;56;48;06 - 00;56;55;23
Brandon Krisztal
All right, so let's let's give Harbaugh to the Giants right now, or one of the playoff teams who don't have to spend a lot of time thinking about. Then where does Vee-Jay end up of those seven teams?
00;56;55;28 - 00;57;15;16
Chris Harris Jr.
I got the Ravens. Cardinals, like you said, those two are the easiest spots for the Ravens. Why? Because their defense is terrible. What do they need? They need a guy that can come in and, rebuild that and, be able to have a veteran coach teaming up with Lamar. That's perfect fit. The Cardinals, just because he's been there, he has success there.
00;57;15;19 - 00;57;39;00
Chris Harris Jr.
They know B.J. so the, familiarity is there. That would be the only case there, quarterback wise, I don't really believe in, bears said I think he's a solid, number two, Kyler Murray. You know, he's still up. We still don't know. Still, there are a lot of question marks for Kyler Murray. So, if I'm day, I'm doing my best to try to get this Ravens.
00;57;39;03 - 00;57;48;23
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah, I think that that is. And if I'm any coach that's probably. Okay here's Deshaun Watson 80 million against the cap next year. Well you're not cutting him then. So he's going to be there.
00;57;48;26 - 00;57;50;04
Chris Harris Jr.
He's got to start.
00;57;50;06 - 00;58;04;05
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. If he can. Yeah. If he's cleared there's your starting quarterback okay. So then that's how you go into it. He is he's your he's your starting quarterback in Cleveland. Then I get anymore him been good. And for 4 or 5 year we don't know.
00;58;04;07 - 00;58;32;19
Chris Harris Jr.
No it's not that's the worst that could have happened to the Cleveland right. All these coaches all these teams find coaches. Because you probably that is probably gonna be like three. We know three was going to be, open, but, you know, to have, you know, how many teams, seven teams, that's big. And, so now that kind of hurt Cleveland's chances of getting the best head coach at this time, right?
00;58;32;21 - 00;58;55;23
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah. I wonder if they looked at this, the coaching vacancies and, and, would they had kept Kevin Stefanski right? Because he's probably better than a lot of coaches that they're going to end up with now. Right. Because I think they're probably the lowest choice. So one of the lowest choices. So, it's it's going to be interesting to see what happens over there.
00;58;55;25 - 00;59;07;13
Brandon Krisztal
Well, then if you're Mike McDaniel, the play caller, because the Browns, you can be the head coach of the Browns. Or let's just say you're play caller for the Ravens or the commanders with Jayden Daniels and your pal DK.
00;59;07;15 - 00;59;08;10
Chris Harris Jr.
I think my.
00;59;08;12 - 00;59;15;29
Brandon Krisztal
What, the Lions or the Lions might be down. Call the Lions with those toys Jameer and Amon-ra among others. Plus the tight end.
00;59;16;02 - 00;59;19;14
Chris Harris Jr.
He'll be gone. He'll have a job immediately. Right? Yeah.
00;59;19;21 - 00;59;32;03
Brandon Krisztal
Which would you pick if Mike gets the pick. Those head coach of the Browns. Oh see for those three. And then we said we got to pick a landing spot for Vijay. Or you're saying Ravens. It's Raven. Does he end up the coach of the Ravens or. That's the best job.
00;59;32;05 - 00;59;47;12
Chris Harris Jr.
Well, for me, that's the best job. But for Mike, his best job would probably be to go develop a younger quarterback. Like, go to Tennessee. Let's see what he can look like. But if he goes with the Raiders, with Mendoza, you know, something like that.
00;59;47;15 - 00;59;50;16
Brandon Krisztal
That's a head coach. What about as a playcaller if he ends up, like.
00;59;50;16 - 01;00;08;15
Chris Harris Jr.
All right. I mean, I think he can go anywhere. You know, his play calling is is probably one of the top ten in the league. So, as a, as a I see I see him going a lot of places, you know, a lot of teams, need one. The Browns can definitely need them. The Lions, like you said they would use them.
01;00;08;18 - 01;00;14;03
Chris Harris Jr.
Even Vijay, I mean, rebate went to the Ravens. That would be perfect for Mike to go with them.
01;00;14;06 - 01;00;28;28
Brandon Krisztal
Take the head coach out of it. Say they all want him. We know the Lions. Within an hour of him getting fired, put in a call to his agent because you even have to ask the team once he's fired. So Mike gets to pick okay, and the Browns offer you the head job or nobody else offers him head job, not Tennessee.
01;00;29;02 - 01;00;57;16
Brandon Krisztal
Browns offer him a head job. Or maybe whoever Atlanta hires. So you've got those weapons. So we'll throw in there Atlanta, Detroit, Baltimore. And who was the other one that we we skipped on. But, yeah I'm not putting the car but so Detroit oh commanders. Commanders. So Jayden Daniels going into year three. So commanders Lions Falcons with whoever that coaches and and Ravens or head coach of the Browns.
01;00;57;16 - 01;01;02;14
Brandon Krisztal
But if you're Mike and you could pick what job are you picking to go try to win the super Bowl.
01;01;02;16 - 01;01;23;24
Chris Harris Jr.
I might have to go with the Lions. Yeah. So Jared Goff God knows this system is played very well in this type West coast system. With the play action under center guy that he can, he can handle everything that Mike McDaniels wants to do. So, I think the Lions would be very easy adjustment for.
01;01;23;26 - 01;01;42;08
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah, yeah, I, I tweeted it. It was the first time I ever create an eye image. I put him in a lions thing. Lions hoodie talking to Jared Goff. To me that's a no brainer. But I could see the commanders in the tie to DK tight Adam Peters. Plus you got Jayden Daniels and Debo a guy he knows is obviously there on a contract.
01;01;42;08 - 01;01;56;14
Brandon Krisztal
Plus Gary Terry so I think it's a hey, that's a good problem to have if you're Mike McDaniel and you don't ultimately get the head coaching job, he's going to be one of the highest paid OCS in in the league. All right. Before we get to our predictions here real quick, add you already made yours. So we're going to fly through it.
01;01;56;18 - 01;02;07;21
Brandon Krisztal
Let's do a quick there it is. So I did pretty good with my, I generated image talking to Goff.
01;02;07;24 - 01;02;10;12
Chris Harris Jr.
I like, hey, scary man. It's.
01;02;10;13 - 01;02;12;01
Brandon Krisztal
Oh, I know what it.
01;02;12;01 - 01;02;20;29
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah. Rock. I can we might as well just make it right at our type at right now.
01;02;21;01 - 01;02;36;24
Brandon Krisztal
The way people are doing it and asking people to modify pictures. I just wanted to see let's to see Mike McDaniel in the Lions in a Lions hoodie and hat on the sideline. Headset play sheet talking to Jared Goff. Could see it. Could see it though with the commanders just the same or the Ravens with with Lamar. That could be really.
01;02;36;29 - 01;02;51;21
Brandon Krisztal
And Derek and I could be really fun. All right. Right before we get to predictions, as we also do on Fridays, let's take a quick look at our Belen Polic injury report.
01;02;51;24 - 01;03;12;26
Brandon Krisztal
As we touched on, Broncos are healthy for the most part. But Garrett Bulls with an ankle that, activate Corinna Reid because they had to. And his 21 day window didn't necessarily mean anything other than he's active. They to cut Mercedes Lewis got one of the linemen. But so you've got Garrett. He finish a game even though his ankle was really big 14 days 1314 days.
01;03;12;26 - 01;03;20;24
Brandon Krisztal
You got to think Garrett's healthy. You mentioned Greenlaw with the hammy. Something to keep an eye on. But you got to expect him to play right.
01;03;20;27 - 01;03;38;16
Chris Harris Jr.
Greenlaw he's playing. That's why we brought him here for we didn't bring him here for the regular season. We brought him for these key games at the end. So, he better be ready to roll. And, you know, when you, when you got this opportunity is the one seed you got to play, man. So hopefully his hamstring is ready to roll and get the right treatment.
01;03;38;18 - 01;03;46;12
Chris Harris Jr.
But I believe that the Broncos should be fairly, you know, fairly healthy going into the playoffs compared to all the other teams.
01;03;46;15 - 01;04;04;12
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. And then one of the one two to keep an eye on P.J. Locke left the game with a leg injury. I don't know how severe it is or hasn't been a lot of reported that have to do an injury report, during the bye week. So we will see. I've done a little digging, but was kind of doing it during the shows and then much before this.
01;04;04;14 - 01;04;21;09
Brandon Krisztal
Obviously if he can't go, you're keeping an eye on, Devin Key, who played in this spot, plus Jay Skinner. So they have some depth there. That's where having that good quality depth. And then Jake Dobbins telling people on Sunday that he thinks he'll be back by the AFC title game. So that could be. Yeah.
01;04;21;11 - 01;04;22;24
Brandon Krisztal
It's always good to to get good news.
01;04;22;25 - 01;04;24;24
Chris Harris Jr.
He would sign with the rules on that.
01;04;24;27 - 01;04;46;26
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah he can return Luke Wattenberg can return year after miss four games. And so so you're good there either way. And I think because of the by Wattenberg maybe gets you get the exemption with the bye versus it being your team's bye I think. But, don't quote me on that. Nonetheless, Sean told us Wattenberg wasn't that hurt, but procedurally, they needed to put him there because was going to be a few weeks.
01;04;46;26 - 01;05;04;27
Brandon Krisztal
They needed the spot. And Luke for, I'm sorry, that was whatever. Alex Forsyth has played well in place of Luke Wattenberg. But we know things pop up when you don't necessarily expect them accidents or an injury. And if you need help, call my friends at Bell and Pollock. They will come up with the game plan to help you win and fight for you.
01;05;05;00 - 01;05;17;00
Brandon Krisztal
Give them a call. 303795 5900. Or quite simply, champions of the people.com.
01;05;17;02 - 01;05;20;03
Brandon Krisztal
All right. Before we get out of here, here are your picks Chris. So we're going.
01;05;20;03 - 01;05;20;29
Chris Harris Jr.
To go ahead.
01;05;21;02 - 01;05;39;07
Brandon Krisztal
I'm going to do the games in order just as they happen chronologically two NFC games on Saturday. Rams are ten and a half point favorites at the Panthers. If you want to be really funny you could go opposite of all your picks. We can isolate that like we talked about I here's me on camera picking the Jags picking.
01;05;39;09 - 01;05;45;26
Chris Harris Jr.
I was looking for my picture real quick. I was like where is my pitch? I want to make sure I'm not saying picks. Oh I don't know.
01;05;45;28 - 01;05;48;27
Brandon Krisztal
About the Rams. We'll start there. If you feel good about the Rams.
01;05;49;00 - 01;05;55;01
Chris Harris Jr.
Oh yeah I think the Ram. Yeah Rams gonna be ready to roll Matthew Stafford and be able to cover.
01;05;55;01 - 01;05;57;02
Brandon Krisztal
Ten and a half. That a big win.
01;05;57;04 - 01;06;03;25
Chris Harris Jr.
No they don't cover I don't think ten point spreads in an NFL cover like that in the playoffs.
01;06;03;28 - 01;06;27;22
Brandon Krisztal
No not the playoffs not very often okay. The other game big one. They haven't the bears haven't beaten the Packers since, maybe like one of the wars like the Korean War or something in the playoffs. In the oh, I saw I was like, man, okay. Now they don't necessarily play a lot. Packers are slight favorites despite it being in Chicago and despite the Packers losing their one and a half point favorites.
01;06;27;28 - 01;06;33;29
Brandon Krisztal
No Micah Parsons, you got the bears. I'm going to I'm going to pull the upset. I'm going to say the Packers win. You're sticking with the bears.
01;06;34;01 - 01;06;46;22
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah I'm gonna stick with the bears win. In order to win in the playoffs, you got to have all your big dogs and not have enough parts in this game. I think it's going to definitely show up with Caleb Williams with his elusiveness. He's going to be a lot more common back there.
01;06;46;24 - 01;07;04;13
Brandon Krisztal
Part of the line might be related just a few Saturdays ago, where it took an onside kick and a crazy play, to win for the bears. So maybe, maybe, you know, maybe Vegas knows what they're doing. Let's jump to Sunday again. That certainly affects the Broncos. Just because of the because of how it's all going to shake out.
01;07;04;16 - 01;07;12;18
Brandon Krisztal
Who could come here? Bills are slight favorites. One and a half at Jacksonville despite Jacksonville feeling really complete and playing good football.
01;07;12;20 - 01;07;27;29
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah I got the bills man. Just being able to ride with Josh Allen. That's all numbers. Well I'm going with Josh Allen. Their defense is okay. The Jags are really playing better as a team. But you know I'm gonna go with Superman going into this game.
01;07;28;01 - 01;07;44;25
Brandon Krisztal
All right I'll take the home field. Even though it's not much of a home field I'll take the Jags. Just to be contrarian. And because I like their their ability to maybe get after Josh Altman comfortable. Yeah. Then you go to the Niners at the defending champion Eagles. Eagles are five and a half point favorites. Niners we know are beat up in some key spots.
01;07;44;27 - 01;07;51;01
Brandon Krisztal
I don't I mean what I saw from Brock Purdy now you know see that was really good I think I'm with you I I'm going Eagles.
01;07;51;03 - 01;08;06;02
Chris Harris Jr.
Yeah. You got to go Eagles man. Defense. Carter's back. He's unstoppable. The the 40 Niners got too many big dogs out. It's going to be hard to beat the defending champs in the playoffs without all your key guys.
01;08;06;05 - 01;08;21;15
Brandon Krisztal
Yeah. And I think that's the same reason why the Sunday night game again my wife is actually going to be up for work. Because her company has a lot to do with the Patriots. The Chargers won't surprise me if they win, but I think they're so banged up that I can't pick them to win.
01;08;21;18 - 01;08;40;28
Chris Harris Jr.
And I got to travel, go to that cold that wind up there. Foxborough is different. The Chargers been in the fun in the sun. Ain't felt any winter. So I'm definitely going with New England right here. They got to do a better job of doing, you know, doing better in the regular season to stay out of that cold instead of having to go east in the playoffs.
01;08;40;28 - 01;08;46;12
Chris Harris Jr.
And, but the charges. Do you know that long flight. I don't see it happening this week.
01;08;46;15 - 01;09;03;06
Brandon Krisztal
And I'm going obviously, you got the Texans who are three point favorites at Pittsburgh, the Monday night game, if that. If the winner of that has to play the Broncos, it will definitely be Sunday because they're having a team play Monday to Saturday. I think the Steelers I think they pull another rabbit out of their not out of their hat, but out of there.
01;09;03;06 - 01;09;08;27
Brandon Krisztal
You know what. And DK Metcalf back on the field. So I'm going to go Steelers. But I wouldn't be surprised if the Texans went.
01;09;08;29 - 01;09;24;29
Chris Harris Jr.
DK again locked up by staying late last year. Bullock all those guys in the secondary, they got I see the Texans balling is going to be a party in Houston man I don't I don't see the Steelers having Aaron Rodgers going to get 12 or these guys maybe.
01;09;24;29 - 01;09;44;19
Brandon Krisztal
So it will Anderson up front obviously. Daniel Hunter among others. They are really stout on defense. And and they were one yard better than the Broncos but had almost 20 less sacks. They gave up 277. Broncos give up to 78 this year. Nonetheless really stout defense. We saw it when the Broncos played them. All right. That's going to do it for this week show.
01;09;44;22 - 01;10;03;29
Brandon Krisztal
Thank you David. Great job getting everything together. Thank you. Of course to Jaquan McMillan for joining us. Hopefully we get to talk to Jay Mack on the run to a Super Bowl. Thanks to our friends at Denver Mattress as well for helping us out. It's of course the easiest way to get the right mattress. All my mattresses are Denver mattress and yours were when you lived here.
01;10;04;01 - 01;10;12;07
Brandon Krisztal
I know that. So he's Chris Harris Jr. I'm BK. We will react to this weekend and get you ready for the divisional round next week. This has been Football Fridays.