At this point in the season, the NFL playoffs are likely out.
For the Denver Broncos but also the Carolina Panthers.
Both teams enter Sunday’s game at 4-8.
Yes, there is still a chance either team could squeak in, but the odds are very steep.
On Friday’s Broncos Country Tonight, Ryan Edwards and Benjamin Allbright asked Joe Person what are these teams playing for outside of pride? Person covers the Panthers for The Athletic. And as the guys do on Fridays, they go “behind enemy lines” to get a feel for that week’s opponent.
As Person said:
“It’s a combination of things. You’re right, this Panthers team is playing a ton of young guys. They had a game a couple of weeks ago against Detroit where they started five rookies on defense. And it’s not a total shock either. ... So some of the other young guys are playing for spots next year. And some of the older guys. I think that offseason purge last year was the start of it. I don’t think they’re going to have that much turnover every year, but Matt Rhule is still trying to figure out who he wants and who he can build around. So it’s a month-long audition for a lot of these guys.”
In terms of the Broncos, there’s one player in particular who all of Broncos Country will be watching closely. Drew Lock has a month to show why the organization should get behind him.
Speaking of which ...
Bonus listen
Our Laurie Lattimore-Volkmann joined the guys to share her thoughts on Lock, managing expectations when the Broncos had almost no offseason, and the need for continuity. Laurie is always a must-listen for Denver fans.