The Drive

Latest Episodes:

The Drive | Hour 2 | 09.01.26 Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil continue their conversation on CSU Football, and Zach shares his pick for who will be the starting quarterback for the Rams this season. We pivot to the Broncos and take a deep dive into Bo Nix, as he was left off ESPN's top 100 players in the NFL list. Is this more disrespect, or do we overrate Nix here in Denver? Are the guys fans of the Broncos starting their season on Monday Night Football, with the whole country watching? What players that got cut and are on the Broncos' practice squad have the biggest chance to make an impact for the Broncos this season? Today's "Three Count" includes who has and has not returned to practice for the Broncos this week, the Rockies getting robbed on a potential walk-off home run in last night's thrilling game, and Kroenke Sports and Entertainment acquiring the Los Angeles Angels. We react to Joe Sakic's comments on Cale Makar's contract extension and balancing the roster moving forward with the salary cap steadily going up.

The Drive | Hour 1 | 09.01.26 Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross-talking with Dover and Cecil. The guys discuss Kroenke Sports and Entertainment purchasing the Los Angeles Angels and why the Nuggets had to shed salary by not paying Peyton Watson, but can afford to buy a baseball team. Zach and Phil break down Sean Payton as he is on the brink of history this season with the Broncos. Will Payton finish this season in the top-10 for all-time NFL coaching wins? If he coaches throughout his recent contract extension, where could he rank among the best coaches of all time? We preview the Colorado and Georgia Tech season opener this Thursday. Will CU be able to run the ball this season in a way they haven't been able to under Deion Sanders? We pivot to CSU as they open up the season hosting Wyoming in the "Border War".

The Drive | Hour 4 | 08.31.26 Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil take a deep dive into the Broncos as they cut down their roster to 53 guys over the weekend. Who was the biggest surprise cut for the guys? What do the guys make of the Broncos cutting Justin Joly? Could Joly have been the Broncos' tight end of the future if he didn't burn bridges in the building? Should Jaleel McLaughlin have made the final roster over Tyler Badie? We react to Marvin Mims getting injured again in Friday's final preseason game, after missing much of training camp with a lower-body injury. Is there an added urgency for the Broncos to go out and win a Super Bowl now, as they are the 4^th oldest team in the NFL now? We wrap up the show recapping the day in Denver sports, which includes Jonathon Cooper being placed on the Commissioner's exempt list and more.

The Drive | Hour 3 | 08.31.26 Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil react to Marvin Mims getting injured again, after missing much of training camp with a lower-body injury. Zach shares why he's anxious about Mims as he heads into a contract season in which his offensive role shrunk during the offseason and he might not be available to start the season. We hear from Sean Payton on the Broncos roster after they whittled it down to 53 guys. Is this roster in a better position than it was a year ago? What do the guys make of the Broncos practice squad? Were we surprised that former 3rd-round pick Drew Sanders was cut? We dive into the latest with Jonathon Cooper, as he was placed on the Commissioner's exempt list and has a trial set for November. We hear from George Paton on the situation and the replacements for Cooper while he misses time. Could Cooper cause a distraction for the Broncos this season? We react to Cale Makar's historic NHL contract extension. We hear from Makar on signing an 8-year contract instead of going for a shorter 4-year deal. Does Makar's new deal add pressure for him to be even better moving forward?

The Drive | Hour 2 | 08.31.26 Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil continue their conversation on the Avalanche and failing to meet expectations last postseason. We pivot to the Broncos and break down the cuts they made over the weekend. What do the guys make of the Broncos cutting Justin Joly and Red Murdock? Could Joly have been the Broncos' tight end of the future if he didn't burn bridges in the building? Should Jaleel McLaughlin have made the final roster over Tyler Badie? Today's "Three Count" features Peyton Watson's comments on Michael Porter Jr's podcast following his absence in the playoffs, reacting to Week 0 in college football, and reacting to how empty USC's stadium was when hosting San Jose State. With the Broncos being one of the oldest teams in the NFL, we debate if there is an added level of urgency to win a Super Bowl now.

The Drive | Hour 1 | 08.31.26 Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil cross-talking with Dover and Cecil. The guys discuss "cut down" day in the NFL, and Phil shares his personal experiences from making the Broncos as an undrafted free agent to getting cut with the Colts as a veteran. Zach and Phil recap the Broncos' three preseason games now that preseason is in the books. What were the guys' biggest takeaways from Friday and all three games? What did the guys make of Justin Joly getting cut after an 88-yard touchdown during Friday's game? We review the latest with Jonathon Cooper, as he was placed on the Commissioner's exempt list. We hear from George Paton on the situation and the replacements for Cooper while he misses time. Will Petersen joins the show live after being down at Cale Makar's press conference following his historic contract extension with the Avalanche.

The Drive | Hour 4 | 08.28.26 Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

In hour 4 of The Drive, Zach and Phil continue to break down the Cale Makar contract extension. How will Makar's contract impact how the Avs construct their roster moving forward? Did Joe Sakic's job just get harder with all the money going towards Makar, MacKinnon, and Necas? We pivot to the Broncos and preview their third and final preseason game tonight. What do the guys make of the list of guys that will and won't play tonight? We hear from Vance Joseph on what he's seeing from Que Robinson in year 2. Who needs to play well tonight to make the Broncos' 53-man roster? Could recent draft picks like Red Murdock or Justin Joly be in jeopardy of being cut? We wrap up the show previewing the Week 0 slate in college football and revisiting Cale Makar's record-breaking contract extension with the Avs.

The Drive | Hour 3 | 08.28.26 Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

In hour 3 of The Drive, Zach and Phil preview the Broncos' final preseason game, and we debate what the defensive side of the ball will look like. We speculate why the Broncos are playing Jonathan Cooper but not many of the other starters on defense. Could Cooper start the season on the Commissioner's exempt list? Who are the guys expecting to make the Broncos' final 53-man roster? Zach, Phil, and the guys compete in our weekly trivia competition against the morning show. We review the Morning Show's gripe with one of our questions and try to beat their 2-2 performance from earlier today. We pivot to the Avalanche as Cale Makar signed an NHL record-breaking contract extension for 8 years. Could Makar's huge contract upset the "cap culture" within the Avalanche locker room?

The Drive | Hour 2 | 08.28.26 Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

In hour 2 of The Drive, Zach and Phil take a deep dive into the Broncos as they get set for their third and final preseason game tonight. With Bo Nix not playing, what is the biggest storyline heading into the game? With roster cut day around the corner, we project what the Broncos' 53-man roster will look like. Will the Broncos keep all three quarterbacks? Will the Broncos keep a 4^th running back as insurance for JK Dobbins' injury history? How many offensive linemen will they keep? Our 9News Broncos insider Mike Klis joins the show to discuss his projections for the 53-man roster, the latest with the Jonathan Cooper legal situation, and much more. Today's "Three Count" features Cale Makar's historic contract extension with the Avalanche, the Avs cap table moving forward, and how Nathan MacKinnon will feel about Makar making so much more money than him. How will Makar's contract impact how the Avs construct their roster moving forward? How have the expectations for Makar changed?

The Drive | Hour 1 | 08.28.26 Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

Hour 1 of The Drive kicks off with Zach and Phil live from Murphey Creek Golf Course. The guys discuss the Broncos' upcoming third and final preseason game. Will Sean Payton rest most of his starters tonight? What are the Broncos getting from playing Evan Engram more than most of the other starters? Will JK Dobbins go into the season without a rushing attempt in a preseason game? Zach and Phil debate if Marvin Mims will play tonight as he returned to practice this week. Has Sean Payton treated this team too soft this training camp? With cut day coming, who on the roster is it "now or never" for? What position rooms are too full? We react to the latest with Deion Sanders and him having to testify directly following the Buffs game in Georgia. Will this cause a distraction to the team or coaching staff?

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