Conquering Mount Lombardi, Airplane Rules & Broncos Grief with Brandon Perna

0:00Oh my goodness, what happened? We're less than a week away from NFL kickoff. I mean, the regular season, and we still have a lot of hash left to settle. We're going to head west times two. Yes, we have to figure out who from the AFC and NFC west are going to make it up and through the regular season and on to mountain party. And who will be banished over to the don't matter horn. 10-day tonies in to help us figure all that out. And from the Colorado region of football America, one of our favorite brand in Perna is going to join us to let us know how life's been since the Jared Stidham game. A mile high, still licking his wounds, I imagine. Either way, let's start the show. Yes, hi, and hello, my fellow football Americans. And welcome to Football America. We're presented as ever by our pals over at Draft King Sports. Now in all 50 states in these United States,

1:02Upfoot Ball America, be a deer, download, subscribe, feel, spread the good word, unless you hate the show, then let all your enemies know about it and make it their problem. Either way, I am in Miami, and I'm wearing, as you may notice, this is a huge shirt you always do. Not to say, no, I call it my go-to shirt, buddy, Bidowski. I don't like to slap in the face. This is my favorite shirt. I think it looks best on me. Do you agree? By the way, who is a guy dressed? You're a grown man, allegedly. Yes. I mean, that's debatable. I mean, you're a little, you're a little Florida Gators ball cap and starter jacket and you're coming at me. My Gator shirt, my Gator necklace. Just be glad I didn't wear my orange and blue shoes today, Dave, or my orange and blue socks, because I was considering doing that. I'm sure your significant other is happy. I figured that was giving out all the money. I figured that was one too many. Yeah. Also, as I mentioned at the top, we've got our pal, 10-day Tony in here with us, a pleasure to see you, Tony.

2:03Always a pleasure, boys. There's Gino behind the glass along with our pal Jason running things. Brandon Pern is going to join us momentarily here. What do you think, fellas? Do we just get right to the mountain and not mess around here? I do want to say, I'm going to mess around, very cool. I'm not messing around. How about this? I'm flying in a couple of days ago and they've already said we're going into our final descent. Flight attendance, take your seats and everything. All your laptops have to go away. And then a few minutes later, we're about 10 minutes from landing. The update from the flight deck, we've just heard from Air Traffic Control. The Miami Airport is closed. Closed? You can close an airport? I didn't know that was a thing. Closed? What the hell? What do we do? Grass stops are the worst. And you know what else is, it's, I can't stand, like I get a little nervous on airplanes, so I can't stand flight announcements because that makes me think that something is going wrong with the airplane. I was on a flight this past weekend as well,

3:05coming back from New York. There were so many announcements for such pointless things to announce, like, you know, I've never heard this one before. The crew is going to be coming through the cabin. So please make sure you remain in your seats as if people don't usually scoop by the crew and do the credit card thing now. Oh, I'm the credit card constantly for that. About right before the initial descent, but there were like seven announcements in the midst of this flight that was a little bit turbulent. And I'm like, I don't need all these announcements. But are you nervous guy on the plane? Who would have been? You know, the plane starts bouncing around in the air, man. You know, a plane has never crashed because of, yeah, I know. Then I remind myself, I'm like, this thing's not just gonna fly. Tony, how would you have handled this situation? I'm a man of peace, you know? I don't want trouble. But I had the whole road of myself, the rare gift from the skyguards. I had the whole row for a cross country flight, no less. Now I'm not one to lounge about lays all the way across the seats, but either way, I felt like it was in the lap of luxury until halfway through the flight.

4:05Now this didn't wasn't right out of you know, what wasn't like is this seat available when we were tech halfway through. We're probably over Texas somewhere. And a 65-ish-year-old cat without asking, just plops himself down in the aisle seat. How's that? What did you do? Did he take out his phone? Did he take out a magazine? Had a phone. Had a phone out didn't make eye contact with me, which I think was the bare minimum. To move by him. Yeah. Shouldn't he have said, like, I know he knows that I know that I don't own the airplane. Yeah. Nevertheless, I was there first, and he knew that he was stepping on my figurative toes a little bit. Do I, should he have at least said, like, can I, you mind if I said here, rather than just presumptuously plopping his big button, the chair? There is a couple of schools of thought, right? If I go in and I ask you first, there's a chance that you may say, no, you know, somebody's in the bathroom, then I have the embarrassment of, oh, wait, maybe somebody's here. But if I was further back on the plane and I've been hawking where you're sitting, and I'm like, I see this guy, he's just lounging the lapillagery.

5:06Let me go over there because I'm in this tight, sweaty, three-person chair here, like, I want to go sit in the lapillagery too, right? Now I go over there. I don't make contact with you because what I'm focused on is the aisle seat because it seems to me like you were in the window. I used to be an aisle guy, but I learned. Well, the aisle used to be better because you're in my head, like, you're the person in control of your half row. Right. Because you are the gatekeeper when people want to go to the bathroom. But guess what? As it turns out, you don't get to dictate, you're not allowed to go to the bathroom right now. For a middle seat and window seat. You have to get out of their way. And also you dictate the window by sitting on the window, which is a huge thing because if you're in a place where the window is back. You don't want the light coming from the window, but there's a person sitting on the window. I don't mind saying, can you load that? I don't mind. See, I'm not, that's fine. I take control of the sky. I take control of the sky. Well, I'm in control. I don't have to assert anything. I have the window seat, air go. I have the privilege of the up and down plastic thing, whether shade in the window.

6:08That's a great point by you, buddy. And the other thing I've learned in life is, if you're not very big, buddy, so maybe you don't struggle with this. But that cart will hitch you sometime. I'll catch you. You'll get a random elbow sticking out there and it suddenly is victimized by that cart. And it is a metal cart. It is a metal cart. I don't know where they do. Were they produced it? You could send that thing to war. And it'll come back completely. Right. And now when it's time for me to make water from the window, you got to clear. Get out of the way. Guy who just sat down in Texas, you have to get up. And guess what? I'm gonna say it now. I'm gonna admit it because I'm a man of peace and I wouldn't have done this face to face. But I took an unnecessary pee. Just saying, just to let him know that. Just to let him know that. What you did here is wrong. I had to go through you and I should have had to go through you. That's right. Any conversation back and forth or when you came back? Zero. Didn't even look at him. Zero. The worst behavior on a plane is wearing flip flops, right? Oh, well, I'm not.

7:08It's both feet on a plane. I don't need men's feet exposed in any situation. I don't think we really talk enough about the way we all are willing to just adjust expectation and reaction to people walking around without their shirt. They're better. When you go to the beach, people are basically you're seeing them in their underpants. But you're like, oh, well, no, we're at the beach. What are they supposed to do? But in any other circumstance, you'd be like, what the hell? This person's a how almost nude and we're looking at it. But at the beach, you just have to sign off on that. Makes me uncomfortable, the older I get. I don't know why we're not doing something. You want to go back to the full trousers? Like that's what I'm supposed to do. Like the stripe, like seersucker, maybe suits in a stripe shirt, and like an upside down floppy hat inside out. All right, here we go. Now, Gino, hello to you back there and it's episode number 80 and I've been remiss in not addressing this earlier. We must honor the episode number by naming the player

8:08who wore that uniform number best 80 go. Who's got the answer for us here? Finally into some wide receiver numbers here, guys. We've been in the dark ages. We've been in the doldrums of offensive and defensive lineman forever, it seems. But now we've reached some of the greatest numbers ever. Jerry Rice, Steve Largent is in here. Chris Carter is in here. I mean, there's gotta be some more 80s that I'm not thinking of, right? My favorite was Jim Smith, who was the third receiver for the late 70 Steelers, who then would have become a star when Lin Swan retired, but Jim Smith was offered more money. I think it was by the Birmingham stallions and he departed for the USFL. Are there any non-wide receivers in here? I mean, I know once upon a time this used to be kind of a defensive lineman, Esk number. The branch from the Patriots wore number 80, right? No, not that, no, Troy Brown. I'm thinking of, you said branch, that's why I'm saying D on. I, I, I, I think he was 81. 81 sounds right. I was a Bruce War 80. Who was it going? Who was it going? Hall of Famer.

9:09Chris Collins, worth Gator and Cincinnati Van Gogh. Oh, I was gonna say Donald Driver. Donald Driver. And, and who was the other, oh, and Greg Jennings. Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, what a pairing for you. For the backers back in the day. My guy James Jones. George, I know that was he. George, I know that was he. Seven, right? No, he was 87, yeah. But not a Hall of Famer. No. All right, let's do it here before we get Perne and, when, when Bernad, Perne does show up, Gina, please have him join the conversation. It is time to return to Mount Lombardi. One last visit we have covered. Um, six of the eight divisions so far. Now it is time to turn our gaze to the West. I'm gonna have some surprises here, Dave. I wasn't here for the South last week. So I'm gonna have to find out along with a lot of people. Oh, the South. What's going on? What are your thoughts on the South? Where I imagine you have the Texans pretty high. Imagine you've got the Jags somewhere on there. Excited to find out what's been going on in Mount Lombardi. We will start on the AFC side of things. We already know the Texans have claimed the top spot.

10:11The bills are the two seeds since he's won the North. And therefore are your four seed? Ooh, you have the Texans. The three spot is available. The Ravens are right behind the Bungles. As your five seed, Jags have claimed the seventh. That means the sixth remains available. Two spots, four AFC West teams to get them. Let's start things off with the Las Vegas Raiders, Fernando and Kirk and Tom and Clint and Max, who I believe is still there. I'm very confident. Yes, you're still there. I'm very confident. Mendoza is going to be a high-end QB ultimately. And not just because I went to IU. I think he's going to, he, he, I'm not saying he's going to have a Brady career who would make such a prediction. But I do think he's cut from that cloth in terms of skill set and beyond. And Kubi acts a great hire to develop him. The O'Line was fixed up a bit this off season. And the D's now got Quitte Pay and the Kobe Dean and Quay Walker and Teran Johnson to go along with Crosby, who Buddy says is still a race.

11:11He's still there. I can confirm. And apparently happy. Apparently wants to be there. Their problem is, is the division there, and, and, and not just because of that. They have the seventh toughest wreck schedule in the whole league. So Las Vegas Raiders, let's learn your fate to the playoffs. No. Down to Bummer Hill. Bummer Hill. I'm going to pick the Raiders. Go to the playoffs, Tony. I would never. I like, I like Fernando. I, the preseason, I don't want to say worried me, but it gave me pause for a second. I'm like, oh, he looked a little skittish. He looked a little hesitant on some throws and, and some blitzes and stuff. It just looked a little odd. I like them long term. I think they got to get a better receiver outside. I love Brock Bowers, but I think they need an A1. Guy for, for Fernando, but I think the arrow is going to be pointing up on Vegas. This schedule is tough, Dave. I'm looking at it here. You've got the NFC West Seattle San Francisco. You've got New Orleans on here. Los Angeles on here. The bills are on here. The Patriots are on here. The Chiefs, of course, are on here twice.

12:12This is a brutal schedule, man, for a team, a young team that made some nice additions. I like what you were saying, some of the ads they made to the team. And I do like Fernando as well. I'm really high on him. Don't know when or if we'll see him this year, but there's going to be a lot of going pains for him in the city. Well, certainly going to see him. They just are the opening slate after Miami is real rough. Really, really. Kind of makes sense on that level to spare the kid, throw Kirk to the wolves and then throw Fernando in around weeks. Six, seven, eight. Yeah. Exactly. Next up, the L.A. Chargers, who, as you know, if you've listened to me for any amount of time, amount of time, you know, they are what the football equivalent for me of my holy grail. I keep picking them to beat the Chiefs and all the rest of it. And as you know, I'm bullish on Jim Harbock. Every head coaching stop has seen his teams take off in year two. Save L.A. they made the playoffs a year ago. But I read Shirted that Chargers team a year ago because so much of what Harbock does is built around the O-line and both his tackles were out last year.

13:14They have beefed up on the interior and both those tackles should be back. Now with Mike McDaniel running the offense, I think Herbert still has a level yet to unlock. I think we will see that he'll need to do that because the defense is probably going to dip a bit. Jesse Menter had it as a top five unit a year ago. He now resides in the Mid Atlantic region, a football America. What's it all mean? It's time to find out L.A. Chargers. Oh, like that. Wow. I like that. The Chargers are your three C in the AFC. Buddy, how say you now Dave? I know you're very high on the Chargers because earlier this all season you picked them to go to the Super Bowl and an all L.A. Super Bowl. I did. So are you sticking with that? I'm allowed to amend that and I still have time before the regular season kicks off. Let me just say this about the Chargers. This eight game stretch from week three to week 10 with a buy and week seven included at Buffalo at Seattle home to Denver at KC at the Rams home to Houston at Baltimore.

14:23That is and that's going to be to find their season right there. That stretch might be the toughest stretch we talked about the bill schedule. That might be the toughest stretch any team will face in this season. If they can get through that let's say five and three you're looking at a really positive season for the Chargers this year. Tony, I think I'm ready to declare today noting that you have the Chargers winning the division right there the third seed. I think we are looking at a MVP season from Justin Herbert. It's going to put up some big numbers. I think this is the year that things were going to be twice. I didn't know where that was going to be. I didn't know that was going to go. Finally, I picked the Holy Grail. I found it. It was a carpenters cup. Dave Damish, didn't have jewels on it. Not the fancy man. No. Didn't have gold. Didn't have any of that stuff. You will have chosen. Exactly right. He chose the one that was that was flamboyant.

15:24That was beautiful. No, Jesus was a carpenter. Humble cup. Now we look at Justin Herbert. He's got all these things but I think the key is going to be Mike McDaniel. What is he going to be able to do running the ball on his scheme? Omarian Hampton, I think, is going to go crazy this year but that's going to open up the back end. Lad Mcconkey, QJ over the top. I think Herbert has an incredible year to like the year one and year two Herbert numbers that we saw 30 plus touchdowns. 4K plus yards. I think we are going to see that in that offense and I think they are going to whip up on everybody in the division. I would like to see them go six and two in that stretch. I think they go six and two there are a super bowl defensively defensively. I think they're going to have some some issues but I think offensively they're going to be able to score enough to outscore other teams. Right. Things have changed since last season. They are going to have to shoot it out a little bit more. Mentor worked some magic with the pieces he had there. Can they find a pass rush all the rest of that? I think the X factor that you mentioned, I agree about Hampton having a big sophomore year.

16:25It feels like Lad Mcconkey has to be more what he was in his rookie. Yes. I mean a lot of people are pointing that out but I guess the question is do you anticipate that Tony? Yeah. And I you think Lad Mcconkey looks more like he did two years. Yeah, because I think they're trying to get him in space and Mike McDaniel does space better than anybody else as far as quick hitters. As far as all right, let's get the ball out. Let's get our guys in space to be able to create yards after catch. I think Lad is an absolute yak demon and we're going to see a lot of that. You know, a lot of screens, a lot of crossers, a lot of zone busters to be able to get him in space and go. I when I think of Jim Harbaugh, the hyper specific thing I think about his team's doing or the Niners doing at the height of their powers when they were making the Super Bowl run and all of that was they would. They would beat the crap out of you with Frank or over and over. They would bludgeon you with that and then have Vernon Davis work the seam and there was just nothing you could do as a defense. We only only have 11 guys out here. We can't take away everything you want to do. I think David and Joku fits that role.

17:25I like that. I had a lot of that. We've got two guys, two of Ronde Gatson Jr. Also another guy that is very formidable up the seam as a vertical threat. All right. One spot left, but we have two teams who will claim that playoff spot on Alombardi. Does it belong to the chiefs? You may recall they missed the playoffs a year ago and my home's had knee surgery. If you haven't seen him lately Travis Kelsey is doing his impression of Islander Doctor Maroea or a Marlon Brando. What I'm saying is he's fat. Yeah. Got it. Got you there. For the franchise's credit, KC seemed to grasp the need for an overhaul and now they're one of the youngest teams in the league. They added the best runner Mahomes has ever played with in Ken Walker. But the schedule's a brute. It's fifth toughest in the league. And at least at the moment, and I do think it's a legit factor as a part of any team that is in the midst of a dynastic run, is the mystique is at least a little diminished. You are making mistakes likely in 2026 that you were making in 2024 when you looked across the field and on the other sideline.

18:31There was Andy Reed and Patrick Mahomes. That can cause you to see ghosts. I don't know that they have that working as much as they used to in Arrowhead. So to the mountain we go, let's find out Kansas City Chiefs playoff bound. Oh, Oh, Tony explain. I actually love this pick. I actually love this pick and the reason why is, and this may be, Sacrilegious to say, I really want to see, I think Patrick Mahomes is at a career crossroads right now, because I think he's had an incredible first part of his career. We saw the same thing happen with Brady, right? It's torn to the sea. And career man. Now we're looking at all right. Can he can he rebound reinvent himself in a way that he was so great with off platform throws with the timing going on. It's like, all right, I need to get out of here. I need to make something. It's Tyree killed down there. All right. I'm going to find him and make these incredible plays that are off script. Now you can't really be off script.

19:31Does he trust his knee enough? Are the weapons enough for him to play off script? Two high safety shells. That's completely nullified what he wants to do down the field. I think we're going to see a huge hear from Ken Walker. I think they're going to want to feed him, get him touched as close to the line of scrimmage. But I'm worried. There's only a handful of guys. And I did the research last night because I was thinking about this. And I wanted to bring this to football America. The thing that intrigues me is the, just from a fantasy perspective, the Ken Walker thing, everybody assumes that he is going to. Super high on him. Yeah. I don't know. I think he's a stay away in fantasy. Really? I just don't know how he integrates exactly into this offense. I think they're going to try to lean on him. I think they want to try to. Yeah. We forget what it's like when my home's in this team kind of has a go-to guy in the backfield. I think it just brings a dynamic that they've needed for so long. Somebody that can take the pressure off my home. It's a fascinating thing. This deep into the run that the chiefs have had that they now have. Right. Finally running. Right.

20:31Exactly. They had cream hunt for that one game against the Patriots where he had like 200 totally yards and like four touchdowns of real like, oh my god, they have it. And then obviously you know the rest of the time. The cream was able to do. He was able to bring down that show, which is what you're going to want to, uh, Ken Walker to do. Ken Walker starts calling you for 10 yards of carry. All of a sudden you got, you can't get to say he's going to hide. You got to go say he's going to hide. Somebody in the box. And that side of the field becomes exposed. So do they have the burners for that? We'll find out. I see no. I see that, uh, that our guy Brandon Perna is in the waiting room. So let him in here because we have the Denver Broncos. I want to hear what, wait, I want to read what Tony was going to say. Oh, I'm sorry. Two seconds that I want to get perns. I thought it's on this too. I did the research on quarterbacks coming back from an ACL tear and what they did in that following season. Only a handful of guys since 2000 have come back to throw 30 touchdowns and throw over 4k yards. We're looking at Carson Palmer. We're looking at guys like, uh, who was it? Rivers do it. Rivers did it. He actually paid the 20 CL in the playoffs. And I came and fixed it. Came back that same year through for 30 someone touchdowns. Um, there's a bunch of really good names there. But it's like, is my home's ready to take that step with those weapons?

21:33I don't know if he's got 30 in, you know, 30 and 4k in Cyrus Allen, Rishi Rice and Travis Kels. You want to talk about a tough stretch? This close to the season. They've got three straight road games starting on Thanksgiving night in Buffalo, where it's Buffalo, the Rams Cincinnati all on the road. They come host to come home to host the Patriots on Monday night. Then they have the Niners at home and then they go to the chargers. That's another brutal stretch on the schedule there where that's going to define their season. And it's the very end of the season. They finish at the end with the Raiders, but those are five of their last six games or something like that. I'll tell you, if you look on draft Kings and you look at the season win total and, you know, uh, odds to get to the Super Bowl and all of that, you're reminded, oh, yeah, the Chiefs play off relevant. Right. And it suddenly occurred to me. Are you really putting the KC Chiefs out of the playoffs for two straight years? The answer is yes, yes, I am.

22:33And that's because of the course of the court. Don't cut it before the Chiron risk. Well, I hear you, but I have to put the Denver Broncos in there. And that leads me to this our guy from the Colorado region of football, America. A great star in the digital space on YouTube. I think he has 47 million subscribers on there, something like that. From that's good sports, our guy Brandon Perna. How are you, fellow? What's the latest? Um, it's, it's actually 147 million subscribers. So I'll congratulate you. Just get the numbers, the numbers correct to start. And I agree. I am also keeping the Chiefs out of the playoffs as well. Two years in a row. I have good news for you, Perna. You've joined at the big moment here. Sit back for one second here as we make the case for the Denver Broncos. Yes, obviously they're going to claim the six seed as mountain party lays out there. Maybe not 14 wins again, but they're loaded more loaded than last year with the huge. If under discussed edition of Jalen Waddle can't wait to get Perna's thoughts on his ad.

23:37I know everybody likes to talk about how bonics limits them. But the other side of the coin is he's just going into his third year. Who's the say he's not going to be better glass F full bottom line Denver has the fewest holes in the division. A dominant defense and an Alito line and Sean Payton. Let's see him. Let's fulfill their destiny on the mountain top. There they are. Congratulations to the seven teams in the AFC for scaling mountain. Lombardi best wishes come January. Let's enjoy the next 17 weeks. Oh, I was excited for football. But now I'm really, really excited because Yeager Meister is on board. Yeager Meister knows being a football fan comes with some unwritten rules. Never admit your lactose intolerant and green Bay. Never mentioned 28 to three in Atlanta. Never leave a folding table unattended in Buffalo. And the most important rule of all always serve Yeager Meister ice cold on game day. Zero degrees Fahrenheit drinking cold or don't drink it at all.

24:39Yeager Meister damn that's cold drink responsibly. Drink responsibly Yeager Meister liquor 35% alcohol by volume imported by masked Yeager Meister US white planes New York. Doing nights with him up late watching sports highlights him back at the studio early in the next morning. I expect to be tired but dragging all day irritated by everything and still not being able to sleep. Come on man, that doesn't make sense. That's why I started taking more as men. It's designed to support healthy testosterone production while helping your body manage cortisol levels. Since adding into my routine I've noticed steadier energy, better sleep, and less of that completely drained feeling. No weird stimulants or synthetic hormones it's made in the USA and third party tested. Well limited time football american listeners give 50% off for life. Plus free shipping and three free gifts at minngodomars.com. As minngodomars.com for 50% off and three free gifts when you check out.

25:39And after you purchase they will ask you what you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them football american sent you. And before we do that let's enjoy some time with our guy Perna. How are you man? How's the last six months treated you since what happened? The events of the AFC title game against them patriots? Yeah I think I think I'm good now. I think I'm over it. I think how long did it take? It's probably one of the weirdest experiences to go through as a fan. Players have they've been injured in the playoffs before but to win a game in overtime against the bills to feel like our team has arrived and then to only be able to enjoy that victory for I think it was like 20 minutes before the news came out that Bonaix broke.

26:41Is that even the way I'm just trying to replay it now as you're describing it? I almost feel like we knew the knee was injured. Yeah it was right after you guys and fans we did it. I can't believe the bills lost. I can't believe they knocked out the doubt. I'm just trying to do the chronology of because yeah I did feel like immediately after before they were off the field. Oh yeah Bonaix is done. Demonstating knee injury. Well he broke his ankle right? He was we saw him like wincing a little bit on the on the sideline but there was there was he did a full post game interview on the field. So when Sean came to the podium and said Nick's broke his ankle and he was done for the season and people started like tagging me I literally thought I was getting duped by like a fake shelter account and I double and then triple checked it and then watch the press conference so. It was it was it was strange to only enjoy that for that short period of time and the way I have coped with it is is saying that.

27:54Had Denver went to the Super Bowl it was just the Seahawks year there's probably nothing any team could do to stop Seattle if they got to the Super Bowl. And it wouldn't have worked out in the long run so now I'm just I'm geared up and I'm going to assume this is this is their season to what choice do you have but I mean you watch like the lions finally they're about to fulfill their destiny and then the ball bounces off of the DB and in the brand and I you can. The and Dan Campbell and the broadcast booth and everybody else well actually not Dan Campbell is credit is like this may be this may be as high as we ever get here the broadcasters because they have to pretend they're great empaths declare like no nothing to worry about they'll be back. I don't know the lines are ever getting back and that's what you have to face right now were you able though two weeks later to watch the Super Bowl or could you not stomach it. No I really wanted Seattle to just beat the breaks off the Patriots and they did so I felt vindicated and I didn't even hate the Patriots I was just mad that the broncos had to play them without their starting quarterback and they lost by three points in a game where the second half of the game was a blizzard and we had one of the worst snow droughts of the last.

29:17Century here in Colorado and one of the few times that snowed this this winner was in the second half of that game so I think we're I was just bitter for a lot of reasons and wanted the Patriots to lose so I did enjoy that Super Bowl. Yeah that's right you did have a rooting interest as a church you wanted to see the team that beat you delivered some pain in their direction. Yeah man that thing that I think we try to with our fellow fans of a team we try to make ourselves feel better by being like everyone knows our starting quarterback was hurt and history will remember that only in your corner of history no one nobody's doing that for the Patriots right now right the Patriots we all kind of think trick he played but we all kind of think he was hurt nobody's doing that for them they got out of all the time I'm like yeah but you know Alan Henderson was hurt in 1992 other who's your for what it was. Nobody cares about that nobody cares about the fab five and you and see that's what we're focused on anyway perna I don't know if you and I have had this conversation before but you're you're the closest person I have in my life to Denver fandom answer this one for me our Denver teams under achievers because we hear a lot about much is Tom Brady was a sixth round pick in Ryan Fitzpatrick went to Harvard and so on.

30:36You can you can never watch a team that involves a Denver based team without the mention mentioning the thin air and the advantage that gives if it is such an advantage shouldn't the nuggets win every game they ever play in Denver shouldn't the Broncos be have an extra touchdown attached to their side when they're making the spread for the game what what goes on here with the with the is it is it myth more than reality or is it in fact an actual advantage for the game. I think it's it's not a myth but I think if you are a professional athlete who is in peak cardio condition I don't think it's as big a deal as we would like to to make it to be I think your average person when they when they come into Denver they'll feel it there there is you know an adjustment to to altitude but I've never heard it brought up that way.

31:36I didn't know you're going with it with the altitude angle. Josh and you know they all think they they've squandered this this great advantage for at least they well right they've squandered it and the meantime the visitors have squandered they excuse if everybody can give Jesus credit for victories shouldn't Josh Allen is the podium after the game you like what do you want me to do is the thin air. You know what I'm saying there that's what made the whole life humble the day I can't hold on to the ball is securely with the thin air I threw a an interception that was definitely an interception yeah thin air it's also a huge disadvantage for one of the teams that plays in Colorado like the Rockies have never been good because they've never been able to have a good picture in their entire existence because. Wow ahead and it's a launching pad it's ultimately a huge disadvantage for the Rockies at the very least it feels like a huge advantage Tony you can attest as a heat fan the heat every time they go into Denver it's for some reason on the second night of a back to back and we get our asses kicked every time so it feels like you say they should never lose at home it feels like the nuggets do never lose at home well person talking about peak athletic condition but then I look at you.

32:48Yeah, how's he just said. Hey, Perna as a Broncos fan were you happy for Travis and Taylor this summer? Yes, I'm very happy. I hope you know I hope the more in love Travis is the the worst he he plays football like what what does he have to prove you know if he's happy in life and in marriage. I don't think he needs to put in the extra effort on the field anymore so yeah I'm happy for him. I think the more you learn about the wedding that the like Adam Sandler officiated it like that's kind of crazy seems more like a spectacle than a true wedding but I don't know maybe I'm just jealous that Adam Sandler didn't do my wedding. And did did Travis extended invite the Perna or no no no that's a real slap in the just ghost is completely. Hey, I assume you would involve the Broncos in this on some level so let's leave them out of this best uniform match up in the AFC West without the Broncos as an option.

33:58Oh, without Denver I think that it's Raiders Chargers. I would go cheese Raiders. I've always said it's diminished because it's now under a dome instead of out on the old baseball field at the big A. I mean up in up in Oakland in the East Bay. Love that dirt in field. But yeah, I think it's I think it's chiefs in the red pants at the Raiders but hard to argue with put put in the Chargers. The Gators this year debuting a blue helmet orange jersey look for the first time and it looks kind of like what kind of like the Broncos throwback look which everybody in Denver wants. I want to ask you this brand everybody wants them to go back to that throwback look full time right like that's one of the best looks in the league. Yeah, I don't understand why they they tease us with it. It seemed like such an easy decision to make but you know I think when you rebrand or redo your your jerseys there they're maximizing what they can sell but any like any time anybody posts just a photo of those those uniforms.

35:06It doesn't even matter if it's coming from like a Broncos fan just the reception to it is unanimously positive. I think you could probably make the case like the AFC West all together has pretty strong uniforms like I hate the chiefs like with a passion but I don't hate their uniforms and the Raiders like they've never really even had to change their uniforms ever and it's always just kind of been like a standard or a classic so is the if the West. Sorry, go ahead Brandon. No, he's about Pern is exactly right. Yes, the AFC West in fact I had this conversation six months ago was my fellow dripped Riller Mike Ryan the AFC West has the best is the best division for uniforms in foot. Are they the sneakiest also historic division like we talk a lot about the NSC North the rivalries and the AFC like you like I think everybody with the AFC West like no people people swoon over the AFL and the West and the shootouts. Yeah, I guess so. Go ahead now per and I here's your opportunity I just made a case for them making the playoffs I had them at the sixth seed with the chargers taking the division I want you though right now to make the case for the Broncos making a Super Bowl run this year wherever they're going to finish is wherever they finish in the standings but do you see them fulfilling your dream of getting to the Super Bowl here and why.

36:29Yeah, I like it will be my dream fulfilled again. I think like if you're talking about the chargers there already battling one of the the issues that sort of derailed them last year and that's injuries to the interior of their offensive line. There are injuries were on the you know the tackles last year but the interior of their line was really bad and they lose they lost their center they have some other injuries going on there so. I would like to be higher on the chargers but I think that's going to be a real problem so I say the chargers are going to underperform a little bit with Denver I think they they brought back pretty much everybody their big loss was John Franklin Myers and that that was a he was a very good. Player on the defensive line but that's not like an impossible guy to replace other than that everybody's coming back. I like the consistency they add Jalen Waddle who's just the the kind of receiver that they have not had in their offense for years.

37:32So I think that's going to open up things. Do you feel like that was when they get Waddle it falls on the on the calendar in a place that I feel like there are some self identifying football fans that maybe don't even know Jalen Waddle is on the Denver Broncos it was sort of so under the radar I think this is a huge element to sprinkle into the AF to the AFC Super Bowl chase here right or am I overstating it. No they needed they needed a more explosive player in the receiving game and Troy Franklin was was kind of that guy but him and him and Bownick's one they kind of have like consistency issues where I feel like they're not always on the same page Franklin would drop some passes or that's kind of the guy bow would overthrow at times. Pat Bryant was was kind of emerging as the number two target last year and then he got hurt late in the season with like a lingering hamstring issue.

38:32But yeah Waddle was signed right after that first major wave of free agency and I remember it because I made video about how the Broncos did absolutely nothing like nothing in free agency and I think like an hour later they signed Jalen Waddle. But yeah that was that was a big get for them and I think Broncos fans are excited about Pat Bryant in year two. Running back Jonah Coleman kind of being added to the mix with J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey if Dobbins can stay healthy that's always the big if with him then like I feel very good about the running back room. And I think that the real difference though is Davis Webb is going to be calling place for the offense versus Sean Peyton and I think that's kind of a change they needed to make and I think a lot of Broncos fans are curious to see how long Sean Peyton lets that happen but and I wasn't sold that that he would he would stick to this plan but I heard him in an interview saying like he doesn't believe he's as good of a play caller now as he was.

39:37When he was younger which if you know Sean Peyton that feels like a very big. But I like Davis Webb and their his relationship with Bonaix and I think that's going to be the biggest difference that actually kind of makes their offense a little bit more dynamic or consistent. And you know I think it's overstated that Sean Peyton is hiding Bonaix I do the bigger question is is he in full health and ready to roll the first portion of the season you know glass that full like I said 10 minutes ago that for all the negativity thrown at this guy is learning at the knee still of Sean Peyton year three has I would say a better than 50 50 chance of him being a better version than what we saw of him before he had the injury. If the Broncos don't win the aFC West Operna who does. God I mean it's it's probably the chiefs if the Broncos don't win it. I would like to I would like to double down and follow you with with the chargers because I'm a big Mike McDaniel supporter I think like I want to see him succeed specifically because he's from he's from the Denver area he grew up a Broncos fan he was.

40:53Broca's ball boy so you know what we're all rooting for him but it'll probably be the chiefs it be the most bizarre thing that could happen would be the Raiders winning winning the West and if you look at last year there's got to be at least one team out there that that flips like we saw it with the Patriots they went all the way the Super Bowl of course but they were what a four win team the year before I don't think it can happen with the Raiders but I would almost be rooting for it to be the Raiders winning. The division if not the Broncos yeah it's almost cousins is starting all season doing well yeah but the and the Patriots didn't have to overcome three presumably good teams to make the run that they made it's funny you always hear about like oh he grew up a fan of the arch rival and then they're always like I really want to beat the archer I want to beat the team my boy had well you want to beat the team that you run it for your whole life once I want to hear them say like yeah maybe I threw that in her section maybe wasn't an accident I'm not going to see them do good look all my all my family was in the stands cheer that's also a weird move when you get drafted by the arch rival and it's like yeah my dad still rooting for the other team like what the hell man I think it's okay to root for your dad's rooting for the other team no it's not all right if you're Augusty stop playing you are not in the Vell team you buy room was root for them or you're a bad parent pern away what what if he's doing it while you're while they're not playing that team

42:21I mean I guess you can have two teams but when they play head to head you root for your child for Christ yeah you got to root for the kid although I do kind of have a weird level of respect for the dad team ahead of his kid and I was just going to bring the team before you return to the NFL so we could say maybe the emotional damage was limited so the kids can be fine the dad can still be be weird about it. All right last thing pern before you go I like to ask everybody here right in front of the season to start consider you can go you can go cheap you can go jets and browns if you want to take the low hanging fruit or you can go bold here I want you to tell me two teams that are not going to be in the playoffs in 2026. Oh two teams that won't be like I said you can go you can go cardinals if you want to do that no that's not going to be memorable. That's the easy way out. Yeah I think like we're I'm working on like an episode about like the Cardinals the dolphins the browns and the jets and just like how bad each of those teams are.

43:29So that's like way too easy yeah let me let me look through okay I think I think one team let me go let me go I like it look like it I'm going to be the one right now the green Bay Packers. Oh that's fun that's fun the green Bay Packers. We know you know Mike is Mike has got to get right it's going to be a little bit before he gets back they lost Jeff Hathley who was a defensive coordinator Packers fans love he saved their defense that's a big change for him. I'm waiting for Josh Jacobs to have to sit down for some stretch to. Yeah exactly he's I mean he's on the exempt list so who knows how long he'll be out I think kind of an easy one is saying the commanders won't be in there again and we're all very high on the commanders. I work so yeah I'll go commanders and Packers Packers is a fun one I like that a Super Bowl 32 rematch but they're not going to be in the playoffs so there will be no rematch between the Packers.

44:38I didn't even go Steelers I could have went Steelers you could have tried to hurt my feelings if you wanted to but I appreciate that you didn't do that. Perna give my best to our pal Will who helps make that's great sports dynamite stuff and kudos to you your hair and mustache combo has never looked better. And I mean yeah I would just say nothing but no no no looks good and then the salt and peppers coming in real nice on you. Yeah people remind me that in every video like dear God you're getting so great thank you you've been doing this for a minute like we always talk about anytime we connect. I first came to know of you 15 years ago when you you would not just you would berate me like why NFL network if you have damage check you can certainly make room for me and then all his fans would jump on him like who is this perna cat that he has this many people that he's in command of that he's not going to be a good guy. And that he has that these attack dogs I'm impressed by.

45:40Just like look there's a funny guy on the NFL network like I could do that let me do that too. And now look at this for it right and the circles now complete and and you're thriving like a few others are in the YouTube space the digital space that's good sports. Brandon perna support him always nice to support good people doing anything in that perna is one of the good ones thanks for the time palying best to your Bronx this year. Thank you thanks for having me Dave good luck this season. Thank you thank you. There he goes the great brand and perna everybody and let's just keep this train moving here and get right back to mountain party the NFC side of things. This is where it gets fun Dave. I mean it's always fun but this is where it really gets brand to be a good brother years by the way Dave. Yeah that's kind of see that yeah see that being a slap his face. All right let me get to to my teams here. I have some thoughts on each of these teams.

46:41Oh yes Arizona we have to talk about. Oh we do do we have to well the team that was in a contract dispute with Jacobi percent this is all season. I think it's because I have bad news for the Arizona Cardinals. You're a great resource for fantasy football drafts but in that division you've got zero shot of making the playoffs in fact I regret to inform you. You're banished for 2026 to the don't matter. Oh that's brutal. There you go air is that what he Johnson. He's on the don't matter. Yeah he's the face of the shot Watson hugging Jimmy Haslam there the browns. He used the old dolphins logo. The tightness and now the Cardinals. Let's move along chin up Cardinals. Those all white get up to you have are very strong now among the teams who do matter the LA Rams who I should point out are good at climbing mountains. That's a factor here on mountain body range. You know that's what they do with themselves. And that is merely the tip of this iceberg. Let me go all the way in here easy to make the case for four points from the Super Bowl last year with the NFL's number one offense.

47:47They've still got league MVP Stafford. Nuku and Adams then they added two time all pro Trent McDuffie and his old pal Jalen Watson and raining defense of MVP miles Garrett. And now Aaron Donald and be sure you're looking at the whole defense of front because Braden Fiske and Brian Byron Young who had 12 sex and Kobe Turner had seven last year. So they are loaded up Aaron Donald is officially a luxury item. My big concern the lack of depth at receiver Devon De Adams is old and Pukin Nuku is coming off and all time weirdo off season. So if he gets hurt I mean yikes. They'll figure it out at Sean McVeigh. I get it but the QB is not a spring chicken himself. He also had a bad back a year ago and they can get better over the last 365 days. Yeah, but then he won an MVP in between there. All right, but he's still got a bum back. I do though ultimately I like him better. Top to bottom when I compare him with Seattle and San Francisco. Seattle's great, but they lost Clint Kubiak and Kenneth Walker San Francisco might bounce back defensively with both in Warner healthy.

48:53But the offensive line is sketchy even by shanny standards. Enough to talk about it Rams. Are you on mountain party? Here we go LA Rams. Everybody's picked to be have to be at the top. Here come the Rams up. And away number one. See, they did it. I was real close. I was real close to rolling with another team in that slot. Ultimately though, it's the depth because the thing people the cynics who are trying to take down the Rams in their brain at least are saying, they are old. And I made the point about Pukin, Naku and they really would be jammed up if he got hurt. I don't buy Adams is still being Devonthay Adams as a if Naku went down wouldn't be like, you just you just bump up Adams. I don't think that would work Tony. It was a 34 year old man. I agree, but I think they're you're also downplaying their tight ends. I like Terence Ferguson a lot as a vertical threat. Like I think there's pieces they could put in place. If you lose Naku is probably a one or one B of the best receivers in football right now.

49:57I think undoubtedly. But if they keep everybody healthy, it's basically Rams versus the field. You feel good about the Rams, right? That's right. You can draw me into the cynicism. Like I just said, I almost went with another team to win this division. First of all, like I say, Donald's a luxury item because they are loaded up on the defensive front. They did not need to get him and they did not need to get miles Garrett. If you get one or the other of those guys there in good shape, but to your point, it's very easy to make you know, to make the point that I and a lot of people make is what the teams that are healthiest, the good rosters that are the healthiest once you get to January are the teams that are going to make the run. But what if they are healthy? What are you really going to do if you're playing the Los Angeles Rams if Garrett and Donald and those other studs are all out there? It's going to be an unmanageable situation. There's not an offensive line out there that's going to be able to stop that pass rush for four quarters. So you better, you better jump on them real fast out of the gate or I don't know how you are going to beat the Rams.

51:01If those guys are all healthy, a big spot. If there's one thing that can prevent them from having home field throughout the playoffs and getting the number one seed in the NFC, this stretch after the buy to finish the season. Green Bay, Kansas City at San Francisco, Dallas at Seattle at Tampa home to Seattle to finish this regular season. I can make a case that a lot of those teams, I feel like are dust at that point in the season. That could be it. That can't be a point could be right by the end of that season. Yeah, yeah, San Francisco with Seattle. I think it's a dust already. Yeah, I know you do. I'm off the San Francisco 49ers. I know they're coming up on Mountland Barney here or maybe not. Oh, let's find out about it right now. I think it's a great place to end our campaign, our journey, our Odyssey up Mount Lombardi with just one spot left. Let's do it with the 21st century's best NFC rivalry side by side. The San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle sea hawks. You are both in the barrel. There they both go spinning spinning.

52:02Oh, we're all on the same page about the Niners here, Dave. The sea hawks are in. Let's talk about them on the one hand now over on Bummer Hill are the Niners winners of 12 games last year. Now back, Bosa, Warner and George Kittle, old pal Dre law back, Dre Green law back in the fold. They've added Mike Evans. Oh, so they keep herdy, CMC Trent Williams and Shanny. Then we've got the reigning champions, the darlings of hard knocks. It's the sea hawks. It might be unsatisfying to hear, but kind of the opposite of what you were just saying, their Tony. I think that this hash that we're debating feverishly here in early September won't really start to be settled until the holiday season. Literally Christmas day, primetime game between the hawks and the Rams. Oh, the game. We'll learn a ton about the hawks in the month of October when the hawks go three straight primetime games, a trip a mile high being one of those games.

53:05By the way, the Rams have to make that same trip to Denver, so no advantage either way there. It feels almost like a hot take to say the hawks are going to be right there with the Rams. And that's the team I almost took. I am putting the sea hawks in there as a wild card just behind the Rams and the Niners just barely falling away. Tony, your final thoughts on mountain bird worried about the loss of Clint Kubiak for the Seattle Seahawks offense. That to me is one of the biggest things I think running backs are replaceable. Ken Walker obviously the super one VP, but I think price is going to be a decent fill in. Charbonne is going to come back at some point. I think he's starting on pup to start the season. But Kubiak was the thing that kind of held everything together. We looked at Sam Darnell. We were like, OK, Koc had him. He was all right. He was OK. And then obviously becomes a super rule champion. And then the JSN, one of the best receives in football. But like Kubiak is the glue that makes everything stick without him. How are we going to see this offense play out? Well, my pushback to that is and it's sort of anecdotal or maybe it's just something that I believe is true.

54:10And there isn't any evidence to support it. But my head, this is the reality. And I guess it's supported recently by what happened to the Eagles after they made it to the Super Bowl, both their coordinators leave. And they have a kind of a down year, but they didn't really come apart of your recall until December. And that's just one example. I think that when you lose, and by the way, you heard me, I'm on the chargers as well. Despite losing their difference making play call around the defense with Minter, I think that loss doesn't really start to hit until the season wears on. I mean, I think there's muscle memory or whatever you would call it from what you were doing. If you're not completely departing from the philosophy of that play collar, I don't think it really sets in until deep in that first season away from the guy. So I think that the Seahawks are going to be relevant. And right there, I do think, come play off time. That's the factor. And that's why the chargers don't go to the Super Bowl either is because they don't have that difference maker making the play call. It's basically equating it to our script in the first 15. That's right.

55:10Once we get the first 15 out of the way, we got to get creative here because they know we're running. Now when you get to November, it's like, we kind of used all of our stuff that was pre-packaged that we were really working on. Now we got to get creative with stuff that we had the creative mind and he left. So like, how do we how do we fill this in with the Rams on the schedule with the 49ers with all these teams that they're going to be playing? I think they play the Patriot. They play the Patriot. So open up the season like there's there's a lot of games that they'll have that muscle memory, but now getting into the creative part of the season, where are you going to be? Well, what's crazy is I that that game on the week one schedule. If the Patriots beat the Seahawks, that will flip a lot of the things that we've been talking about here with Mountain Barney. Both of those teams and pretty much both conferences because if the Patriots are going to be a factor on the AFC side, that'll shake things up considerably as well. All right, listen, Tony, we've appreciated you joining us pretty much all the way here as we've been going up Mountain Barney, buddy, great insight from you along the way too. Tony, don't be a stranger. The season's about to kick off. We need you.

56:10Whatever you need me more than ever. Let's keep on yapping about the great game of football. We made it everybody. Everybody keeps saying it, but we really did make it. But there's the college football this weekend, Dave. A lot of it before we check out, buddy, go ahead. Tell us your favorite game. Really excited about Ole Miss and Louisville on Sunday night. I think this is going to be a great matchup. Huge playoff implications here because Louisville, they kind of rebuilt their entire roster, but that's been Jeff Brom's thing. And they were really sneaky good last year. If they can improve this year, if they can have it all right in the first week of the season against a tough Ole Miss team, Pete Golding, I know he won two playoff games. Let's see him do it over a full season. Well, listen, really excited about this game. This is a very fun week one game right off the side. I'd be worried about it, Johnny SEC outfit. Because for real, there ain't that many good teams in the SEC this year. And Ole Miss is supposed to be one of them. So if they lose, the Louisville. It's going to get interesting. They've threw up the Ole Miss SEC case for we need to have half the teams in the playoff every year.

57:12They haven't won a national championship in four years. Yes, I heard about it. So the big 10s won the last three. Certainly the big 10 is the big dog in the In College Football right now. But that opening night matchup. And of course, can't wait to watch my gators. Hopefully the Keynes lose on Friday night. That was really funny. One exciting bit of programming before we get out. It won't be this coming Monday happy Labor Day. I don't celebrate Labor Day. I'm not the dupe of a man. I'm not going to of the man celebrate work. Labor Day. It's a day that honors work. Fair. I'm not doing it. I'll be working, but we can't do a show. Because all these suckers are like, oh, we got the day off. Yeah, to celebrate the man. Yeah, go celebrate Dan Levitard. I ain't celebrating the man. I'm not dancing. Not some mindless fool. Anyhow, enjoy your Labor Day, I guess. But then after that, then it's on. And we're going to be talking about football. And the week after that Monday the 14th, we go live 12 30 p.m.

58:12Every Monday right after the Dan Levitard show. All through the season, we're going to be coming out you live. I think that'll really capture the good vibes coming off. Sunday, Tony, we expect you to be in here. I'll be in here every Monday if you want me to. Awesome. Great stuff. We'll be back with more stuff for you. And as always on the YouTube page football America with the exclamation point is where you find that. Some fantasy tips on there for you currently a great episode with Jessica Smetana from last week. Check it all out, subscribe, spread the good word. And we'll talk to you on the other side of the football weekend. Until then, thanks so much my fellow football Americans. It's been a thin slice of heaven.