Denver, CO

Broncos at Chargers: The No Bull Review

Published

1 year ago

December 23, 2024

Press Room

The Denver Broncos lost to the Los Angeles Chargers because of two significant reasons:

Poor coaching all around from the Broncos
One-sided refereeing that favored the Chargers deeply

I’m not going to spend a ton of time on point #2 as that’s just the NFL (and our own John Holmes goes into it at a far greater depth than I am capable of). You have to deal with bad ref jobs, though it honestly puzzles me to see such favoritism paid to the lowly Chargers. At the end of the day, good teams overcome this and the Broncos didn’t play good football.

The blame for this loss lays flatly at the feet of Sean Payton and Vance Joseph. Either of them could have called a more sensible game and clinched the win for the Broncos.

Offense

I absolutely loved the run offense dialed up early and often for the Broncos. Sean Payton was rotating backs in almost every play and it kept the Chargers guessing. The play calls were creative and utilized pulling guards and superb blocking.

Unfortunately, Payton decided to abandon his run game once again as the game wore on. This really numbs the mind when you factor in how well it was working.

The other problem with the offense was Payton not forcing more downfield plays. To be fair, this could have been superb coverage by the Chargers as our viewing angle isn’t great for seeing the secondary. That being said, the Chargers were down players in their secondary and I believe good coaching could have schemed up some advantage matchups.

Also, Payton’s decisions at the end of the first half didn’t cost us the game, but make no mistake, they were bad decisions. The Broncos had all of the momentum in the game. You don’t need to try to pass for a first down. Just run the ball three times and get the half over with. I don’t blame the player from special teams for his silly penalty. I blame the head coach for putting them in that position. It was just bad situational football and it cost the team 3 points and momentum.

Quarterbacks

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Bo Nix had a pretty solid game at first glance. The problem is that his greatness was on display in the first half when the run game was potent. The second half was a different story as he kept dumping off the ball to his outlet receivers an inordinate amount of times instead of finding a way to push the ball downfield.

One of the big pluses Nix brings to the field is his ability to scramble. His second touchdown of the game was largely due to the threat he is as a runner. The defender on that side had to honor his ability to run and tried to play halfway between Nix and Burton to defend them both until help could get there. Nix made a great throw on the run for the easy touchdown.

The big area of improvement we saw for Nix in this game was his play against the blitz. He really didn’t handle it well and either didn’t have answers, or the answers he had were smothered by the opponents.

At the end of the day, Nix is still a rookie quarterback who has a lot to work on. I believe he’s nowhere near his ceiling yet. This game is in the long run going to be great for his development even if it stung a bit to lose the game.

Line

Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Denver Broncos 34-27 to win a NFL football game.

I loved seeing our line block so well early. This was one of their better run-blocking games of the season. The line is still getting some pretty silly penalties that they need to clean up.

One stand out to me was seeing us run plays while pulling Ben Powers. He made some bruising blocks on the move that were impressive.

Running Backs

Los Angeles Chargers take on Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium

Audric Estime needs to be the starting back moving forward. He should have gotten more carries in this game as he was averaging over 5 yards per carry. He runs with power and has a knack for finding creases in the defense. It was pretty obvious to me that he was out when we wanted to pass the ball. If that is because of his pass blocking, he needs to level that skill up in a hurry.

Ben Watson got a surprising number of plays in this game. I wasn’t too encouraged by them, honestly. He missed a catch late and only had an average of 2.5 yards per carry.

Receivers

It was nice to see Devaughn Vele get a touchdown catch off a really smoothly run route. I’m a fan of the young player and would have loved to see him get more targets than the measly 3 he got in the game.

Our #1 receiver on the day was Javonte Williams. He hauled in 7 catches for a whopping 29 yards. Averaging 4 yards per catch is not a winning formula.

Marvin Mimms, Jr. had an eye-popping reception as he scrambled for over 50 yards. This is another player that seems to be thriving, yet the offense doesn’t seem to find its way to him enough.

Defense

It is not new news to us that without Riley Moss, the Broncos don’t seem to be able to play man coverage well enough for Vance Joseph’s tastes. Instead, we’re playing a lot of zone coverages and getting beat often because of blown coverages.

This team needs to figure out what its identity is. I know it sounds good to hear Joseph talk about adjusting his defense to do what his players do best, but I question if that’s really what’s going on. Our inside linebackers especially were not up to the task of defending the middle against crossing routes. This weakness was abused throughout the game.

In the short term, Riley Moss getting healthy is going to be a shot in the arm for this defense. In the long term, this team needs to get more corners who can play man coverage on the outside.

Front 7

Zach Allen impressively wrecked a 3rd and 1 single-handedly. It was an example of superb timing mixed with raw power as he blasted into the backfield and got the TFL. He spent a good amount of time pressuring the pocket as he had 4 hurries in the game as well.

Justin Strnad had such a rough game this week. He badly over pursued from the edge on a run that gave up a 1st down. Later on a 3rd and 5 he was flat-footed and let the tight end cross without pursuit. He was just too slow recognizing that it was a pass. He even gave a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty by hitting a sliding Justin Herbert who had clearly given himself up. It was bone-headed and absolutely could have been avoided.

Drew Sanders had only one snap in the game and made it count. He came up the middle on a blitz that the Chargers didn’t account for and got a huge sack. Hopefully, we’ll get to see more of him in the last two weeks of the season as I feel like he’s got more ability at ILB than what we’re seeing on the field lately.

Secondary

Kris Abrams-Draine made a game-breaking interception as the Chargers were driving late in the first half. He played with technique that my boy Chris Harris Jr. would be proud of and robbed the pass by breaking underneath the route. I’ve liked what I’ve seen from the rookie. He’s got a big career ahead of himself at corner in the NFL.

Brandon Jones led the team in tackles with 10 (not necessarily what you want from a safety). He was on McConkey one of his big crossing routes and blew the coverage. It wasn’t all bad from Jones, as he did have a really big pass defense late in the game on 3rd down.

P.J. Locke just awful coverage on the outside crashes too deep and lets his receiver go over the top for an easy touchdown. Locke is one of the weakest pass-defense players in the secondary. He’s a guy that keeps everything in front of him but with too much of a cushion and it leads to him oftentimes being late to a play.

Special Teams

Tremon Smith made a huge mistake in punt return coverage that led to 3 points for the Chargers off a free kick (which hasn’t been done in decades). He has to keep himself away from the returner on a fair catch.

Final Thoughts

It is starting to look a bit ugly for the Broncos as the season winds down. Yes, they control their destiny. Win one game and they make the playoffs.

This was a rough outing, though. This team looked like the team with poor coaching going up against a very well-coached team in the Chargers. I’m seeing a bit of hubris in Sean Payton’s play-calling and game decisions that I’m not a big fan of. It isn’t enough that you act like the smartest guy on the field. It is better when you just do the smarter actions and win the friggin game.

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Denver, CO

Sean Payton Clarifies Evan Engram’s Role Entering the Draft

Published

5 hours ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

Sean Payton Clarifies Evan Engram’s Role Entering the Draft

So far, the Denver Broncos have signaled a willingness — nay, an eagerness — to run it back at tight end this offseason. It’s a curious strategy, considering how weak the tight end group was for Denver in 2025.

Evan Engram was signed last year to be the “Joker” tight end — a big slot receiving weapon to help open things up for Bo Nix in the middle of the field and down the seam. That didn’t happen.

Engram still finished third on the team in receiving behind wideouts Courtland Sutton and Troy Franklin, but it was a far cry from what fans expected to see from the two-time Pro Bowl tight end. Then there’s Adam Trautman — Denver’s in-line Y tight end — who was woefully inadequate as a blocker and offered little to Nix in the passing game.

Trautman was re-signed to a three-year deal with a raise that’ll pay him just short of $6 million per year, while both Nate Adkins and Lucas Krull were also brought back. Denver is running it back, but the draft could bring another set of hands into the mix.

Meanwhile, for those Broncos fans wondering whether Engram still fits into the Broncos’ offensive picture entering a contract year, head coach Sean Payton sure made it sound like it during his pre-draft press conference alongside GM George Paton.

“We definitely view him as a key piece,” Payton said of Engram. “Relative to Evan, he’s someone that gave us a lot of big plays a year ago, and we will continue to find ways to keep him and add to his workload.”

The Broncos didn’t have much incentive to move on from Engram after one year, considering the salary-cap ramifications of such a decision. He remains on the roster for a reason, and while Payton made Engram’s contributions sound much grander than they perhaps were, it sounds like Denver’s head coach has some unfinished business with his tight end weapon.

Payton’s Read On the 2026 Draft Class

Georgia Bulldogs tight end Oscar Delp (4) runs the ball in the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Sanford Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

As for what the draft could hold, Payton extolled the virtues of the tight end class. It sounds like tight end is front-of-brain for Denver, but Payton’s words could be a smoke screen.

“I would say this about this class in my opinion, if you are looking for a blocking ‘Y’, there are a handful available that would be targeted,” Payton said. “If you are looking for a ‘move,’ maybe a little bit undersized ‘F’, they are out there. To each his own, the different type of tight ends are available. It’s always a challenge with that position because sometimes you are projecting maybe in an offense that is playing them differently.”

The Broncos have one of the better ‘F’ tight ends in Engram, even if he’s well on the wrong side of 30. Payton and Nix can still make a lot of hay with Engram, especially with new offensive coordinator Davis Webb now calling the plays.

However, the Broncos could really (and I mean really) use an upgrade at the Y. Trautman gives them a plausible option if they had to go to war tomorrow, but he’s not a true asset, and some would argue that he’s, in fact, a blocking liability, no matter how much the Broncos try to gaslight everyone on the subject.

Potential Y TE Candidates

This draft class features some very intriguing Y candidates, including Georgia’s Oscar Delp — who could be so, so much more — Texas A&M’s Nate Boerkircher, and Ohio State’s Will Kacmarek, to name a few. After the foot injury that was discovered at the Combine back in February, Delp’s draft stock took a hit, but he resurrected it during the Georgia pro day with how he performed.

I could see Delp going in Round 2. He could be in play for Denver at No. 62 overall. The Broncos say they have “six players” they’re targeting in Round 2, but there’s no way to know if Delp is one of them.

Another guy who could grow into a Y tight end but is, for now, an F is Ohio State’s Max Klare, who’s widely viewed as the third-best player at the position in this class behind Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq and Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers. I would rank Delp as the No. 2 behind Sadiq, but because he didn’t test at the Combine, he won’t be viewed that way until perhaps a few years down the road.

Delp could be one of the biggest steals in the 2026 NFL draft. If the Broncos were to target him, he could not only offer them long-term viability to replace Trautman inside, but he’s also one heck of a receiver, which would make him a great ‘move’ tight end, like Engram.

The Takeaway

The possibilities are endless, which is part of what makes the run-up to the draft so fascinating, but also maddening. Time will tell whether the Broncos prioritize tight end in this draft, but we can all say for sure now that Engram is part of the 2026 offensive vision.

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A French Dining Destination in Cherry Creek – 303 Magazine

Published

17 hours ago

April 17, 2026

Press Room

A French Dining Destination in Cherry Creek – 303 Magazine

In the heart of Cherry Creek North, Le Bilboquet Denver has become one of the city’s most
sought-after dining destinations, where timeless Parisian elegance meets the energy of Denver’s
evolving social scene. From the moment you arrive, the experience is intentional.

The dining room hums with conversation, the bar is lively yet refined, and the patio offers one of the most coveted settings in the neighborhood, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor dining. It is a place where long lunches turn into late afternoons, and evenings unfold with a sense of effortless sophistication.
At the center of it all is the culinary program, led by Chef Sosthene Kabore.

Rooted in classic French technique, his approach brings a modern sensibility to each dish, creating a menu that feels both elevated and approachable. Signature favorites are complemented by seasonal
offerings, each thoughtfully prepared and consistently executed. The result is a dining experience
that is as much about atmosphere as it is about the food itself.

Le Bilboquet is more than a restaurant, it is a destination. A place where Denver’s business,
creative, and social communities naturally come together. Whether for a celebratory dinner, a
casual afternoon on the patio, or an evening that extends well beyond the final course, the
experience is always dynamic, always memorable.

As the city continues to grow as a hub for culture and creativity, Le Bilboquet remains at the
center of it all. Its recent partnership with Denver Fashion Week is a natural extension of that
role, reflecting the restaurant’s connection to style, energy, and the moments that bring people
together.

Located in one of Denver’s most vibrant districts, Le Bilboquet continues to define
what elevated dining looks like in the city today.

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Denver, CO

Denver police release details in deadly shooting of man with BB gun

Published

1 day ago

April 16, 2026

Press Room

Denver police release details in deadly shooting of man with BB gun

Investigators with the Denver Police Department are releasing more information about last week’s deadly shooting when a SWAT officer shot a man with a BB gun earlier this month.

On Wednesday, police shared drone and body-worn camera video from the shooting that happened in the area of South Quitman Street and West Tennessee Avenue at approximately 5 p.m. on April 7.

Denver Police

According to investigators, officers were called to a home in that area after a relative called 911 about Joseph Martinez, 58, who was allegedly walking around outside with a gun. Investigators said officers thought his weapon looked like a hunting rifle and Martinez pointed it at SWAT officers.

“There was a communication that was provided, they thought the weapon may not be a functioning or real weapon, but there was no more information, and officers were left with a weapon that looked very similar to a rifle that was pointed directly at them,” said Denver Police Cmdr. Matt Clark.

An officer fired at Martinez after investigators said he failed to comply with orders to drop his weapon. Martinez was rushed to the hospital, where he later died.

The officer who shot and killed Martinez was taken off patrol per department policy.