Rick, how's it going, man? Hey, man, it's it's good man. Thanks for having me on. You know what, I am the funk master of iheard Denver, but I don't think I've ever heard that Bootsy Collins Halloween saw. Yeah, that's a new one for me.
The monster mash. Yeah, the Booty Collins version Bootsy of course, who I tailor my own style after So you know you kind of kind of can get to go with that, Rick, we got a fun game coming up Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson to miss two days of practice with the team is calling me in back issues, although we know it's it's actually a growing issue. If Lamar is hobbled in or unable to go, what does that do for your optimism that Denver can go to the East Coast.
And take another one. Yeah, it's starting to feel like Denver could be catching a break here. And I'm glad you pointed out the growing core injury, which is what was reported by insiders on Wednesday early in the day and then all of a sudden it became a back and knee injury. So I'm glad you puted that up. I was gonna ask you as our NFL Insider what
you're hearing, so thanks for clarifying that for me. I think this could turn out to be a trap game for the Ravens because of a short week playing the Bengals next Thursday. And if Lamar Jackson is seriously has a grond core injury, you know, that could be really debilitating for a running quarterback. And even if he plays hurt, I think it gives us a much better chance of winning. And and Vance Joseph said today that he's gonna play,
and I would I would guess he probably is. But if he's gonna play hurt, this is looking like the game that the Broncos could could steal from the Ravens. So nobody is expecting them to win. You know, there almost double digit uh dogs in this game. Vegas doesn't like the Broncos in this game. But the more I look at it, Ben, this looks like a game they can win with bo Nick performing the way he's been playing the last couple of weeks, if he can play up to that level again on Sunday, in the Broncos
defense plays like they've been playing all year. I think if the Broncos can score maybe twenty four to twenty seven points somewhere in there. They win this football game. So I'm feeling much much better about it.
The betting public at large feeling better as well. The Broncos line out to was plus ten and a half as of yesterday, is already back to plus eighty two and a half point swing the other directions, So the betting public feeling good about the Denver Broncos chances on the road against the Baltimore Ravens. The you know, catching teams at the right time, And I've talked about this.
I don't want to take anything away from what Denver has done, but you caught a New Orleans Saints team that's without their quarterback and five or six of their best players. You caught the Carolina Panthers, that's six of their players. Of course they weren't very talented to start with. You beat the Tampa Bay Bucks, who are missing six defensive starters when you play them. Now you're getting a Ravens team that has one defensive lineman healthy and possible
quarterback issues. Look, I'm not one to question the football gods, but it looks like we're catching all these teams at the right time.
Well, I think about time we catch a little break from the football gods. Man, it's been a tough stretch, you know, and all the injuries the Broncos typically have dealt with over the last several years, and all the problems. We don't have to go into that, but it just kind of feels different this year. It feels like this is breaking their way almost from week to week, at least lately here last five or six games, it just
feels like thinger going to Broncos direction. And like I said, if Lamar Jackson is hurt, if he's out, I think the Broncos have an excellent chance to win the game. But even him play and hurt gives them a legit it shot to win this game. They've got all kinds of other issues, injuries on both sides of the ball, their secondary, their D line, their rookie right tackle has really struggled in pass pro. So that's another thing to watch. That's another matchup to watch on Sunday. Guys like Jonathan
Cooper and Nick Bonito gets their a right tackle. I feeling pretty darn good about this game, and I never thought I would say that just a couple of days ago.
Yeah, it certainly looked like it was going to be something. You know, it certainly looked like it was going to be something of a blowout, or at least was expected to be something of a Baltimore blow out. Talking with Rick Lewis here Colorados for the Nenver Broncos, Rick, I, you knows, as we start to get into the season, Vegas doubted the Broncos. They had him a five and a half win total for the season. That looks like it's a mortal lock at this point to probably hit
the over. Bo Nicks was laughed at us. They said, the sixth quarterback taking is this guy? You've ready for the league?
Now?
He's offensive rookie the month this past month a defense that the people slept on and pointed out, you know, a training campaign. This defense is going to sneak up on people. They're not sneaking up on anybody anymore. The one of the top defenses in the league are the Denver Broncos back.
Yeah, I feel like they are. You know, I said this several weeks ago. I do feel like they turned the corner. You know. Sean Payton certainly case the culture and I do feel like they have turned the corner. Finally, and it's starting to look like bo Nicks could be their franchise quarterback. I still want to see more, but when you look at the way he's played in the last month. You just mentioned he was the NFL's Rookie
Player of the Month. He's come a long ways. That Seattle game and the Steeler game, by the way, and he just seems to be getting more comfortable, better and better. It turns out Sean Payton's a pretty damn good coach. It turns out Sean Payton maybe the quarter back whisperer that we thought he was. It's going to be a really fun game to call in to watch Sunday. And I love the fact that the Broncos are underdogs. I love the fact that nobody expects them to win. You know,
keep that chip on your shoulder man in Vegas. Vegas hasn't bought in yet. If they beat the Ravens Sunday, Vegas is going to buy in.
And that'll set up an interesting matchup at Kansas City. And then with the Falcons coming here, tough three games stretch any which way you slice it, the Broncos will take any breaks that they can get. As we look at this Ravens matchup. You know, even without you know, even if lebar Is is hobbled, you still have Derrick Henry, who's quite adept at running the football even at thirty plus years old. Now they've they've started to discover the
past game with both tight ends. They've had Zay Flowers and even Bateman going off lately. That offense looks like it's rounding into form. Who are the Broncos who they're going to have to step up in this game if they're going to.
Get to win, well, you know, they're going to really have to be a disciplined in their gas responsibility because Derrick Henry can kill you. Lamar Jackson can kill you. Derrick Henry on pace for another two thousand yard season. So everybody, the entire eleven guys on defense, you know, your interior linemen who've been playing at a really high level, your inside linebackers, your pass rush, everybody's really confident in the back end of this Broncos defense. These guys are legit.
We've been say that all year long. These guys are legit on defense. They're gonna keep them in every game. I think they'll keep them in this game. Even if Lamar Jackson plays on Sunday, they'll keep this game close enough where if they don't turn the ball over on offense and they can create a turnover at two, they got a good shot of winning this game. I'm just
feeling better and better about it. Man. I don't want to get you know, too optimistic or too far up there on that limb, But as each day goes by, I'm feeling better a better about this game.
You guys heard it here first, Rick Lewis, and take the Broncos lay twenty points. They're gonna absolutely blow out the Ravens in this one. That's Rick Lewis guarantee. By the way, you could take it up with your Colonados records there. Rick is Halloween, so I'd be remissif I to ask you what scares you about this game?
Blarrick Henry. You know, like I said, if Jackson plays, he's going to be playing hurt. Derrick Henry is a nightmare. And even at his age, with all the miles on this guy, it's hard to believe that he's still playing at this level. I mean, they're going to have to tackle well, they can't be missing tackles in this game, you know, and they have to be disciplined and if you can slow him down. I'm looking at this as a game where I think bow Knicks will be counted
on to win this game for the Broncos. On offense, the Ravens do have a stout run defense. They're horrible their past defense, their back end has been terrible, and they give up a lot of points. They give up twenty six points a game. So that's why I'm thinking if Broncos can score twenty four to twenty seven and they just slow down Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, that will be enough to win the game. I think Derek
Henry is going to be the guy. You can't let him be the game rerecord all these guys, man, they better show up. They better be ready to tackle this big dude and just slow him down. Man, if you can just keep him under one hundred yards, I think you got a pretty good shot. You know.
That would be a monumental task, but I think the Broncos are up to the challenge. Rick, looking forward to the call with you and Dave Logan on Sunday right here on KOE. I appreciate you taking the time.
Oh good man. And you know what, if anybody has someplace we could go on our off day Saturday in Baltimore, let me know. You know, I don't I'm not familiar with the city. I don't know what you're doing Baltimore for fun on an off day. We're looking at maybe one of those Russian banyas, you know, those those Russian spas. Maybe bring the whole crew.
I've heard Josh Reynolds may have some suggestions for places you can go after hours. You may not want to take those, but we'll see, Rick, I'll see if I can get those two. You appreciate your time as always.
Man. All right, man, thanks man, you have a good night. Take care. Rick Lewis