How the Denver Broncos together with the 'play-dough' quarterback could halt the Chiefs' dominance.
Ex Buffalo Bills assistant coach an analyst serves as a football expert and plays for the UK's flag football team.
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- Half a dozen responses
NFL 2025 season: Week six
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We're in the sixth week in the NFL season and following recent discussion regarding the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles being a potential Super Bowl match-up, they both lost their unbeaten records.
Notable in those games was the amount of penalties both conceded. Philadelphia committed them at crucial times so they kind of beat themselves after leading 17-3 entering the fourth period against Denver, who play overseas this weekend.
However it was positive to observe that Denver's QB Bo Nix was able to overcome the shortfall before direct three successful possessions in three attempts in the fourth quarter, securing the game by four points.
Denver boast the defensive player of the year in CB Pat Surtain II. They rank number one in goal-line defense, while Philadelphia lead the league in red zone offence, and the Broncos prevailed in that battle.
They executed the Eagles' number in terms of disguised blitzes. They did not always sending extra pass rushers instead they might position two linebackers in the 'A' gap then drop them out and dispatch a slot defender from the outside.
Early on in the campaign, we said on a program that Denver might emerge as this season's surprise contenders. They ended last season well and excelled of building upon that.
Could Denver be this year's dark horses?
Recently acquired TE their tight end has stepped up significantly while new running back JK Dobbins is a player they believe in. He now ranks 5th league-wide for rushing yards (over 400) as well as tied for fourth in rushing scores (4).
I love that the coach the Broncos' leader has "RUN IT!" at the top of his playcall sheet.
This demonstrates that Denver are a team aiming to prioritize the run, since one can achieve much based on that approach. It reduces down the pass rush and maintains in positive down and distances.
This has helped quarterback Bo Nix, who entered the NFL as a first-round selection last year, throwing 29 TDs – second only to a star QB in rookie records (31 in 2020).
Other elite QBs have powerful arms to pass all over, but they lack in the same way as Nix. He has incredible passing ability, a unique trait, and he's highly agile.
His strengths include his movement, the capacity to throw while moving, as well as finding varied release points to make the pass as he moves out of the pocket, on rollouts. He is able to deliver that layered pass across the middle or past defenders.
As a rookie QB, at 25, he's got great poise under pressure and is not really fazed by extra rushers. He aims to evade a sack as much as possible and can throw in tight spots. He has sharp intelligence and remains very decisive.
If you consistently run the ball it eats up time and makes the opponent to stay on the field extended periods, and if you've got an athletic quarterback the defence must defend the area vertically side to side. This proves exhausting.
Nix has bitten back at Payton on the sideline at times and I think Payton appreciates that attitude, that he's a fierce rival. In my view it's exciting for him to have a young quarterback that is similar to moldable clay. The coach can truly develop him the way he desires to build it. I think it's a special experience for the coach.
The head coach owns a Super Bowl and has surpassed Bill Parcells for career NFL wins (173, tying for 14th). He has witnessed it all. In my opinion the success the Broncos are having offensively is largely down to his guidance, his play-calling, his game sense – and the pairing with Nix aids shape him what he is.
You wouldn't want a more qualified person in your ear, to assist you during some of the tougher situations and build self-belief.
I have faith in Denver's defence, in Bo Nix's tenacity and composure. Yet is the team strong enough to go against a top squad at its best? Since that was not a Super Bowl performance by the Eagles in their last game.
Currently, it's unlikely Denver are elite. They're performing better than most, that's a good place to be in the AFC West. All they need is to continue this trajectory.
They excel at leaning into their strength, which is running the ball, and that's exactly what they should do versus the New York Jets at Tottenham. It will likely be the JK Dobbins show, in essence.
The Jets have allowed 140 yards on the ground each contest (among the worst), five rushing touchdowns this season (10th worst), and they are the sole squad without a win any game.
Ever since the NFL began tracking takeaways in 1933, the Jets are also the inaugural squad to go without any turnovers through five games, which is kind of shocking when you think that their new coach was previously defensive co-ordinator at the Detroit Lions.
The Chiefs' QB stated the Chiefs are off to a poor start following a recent loss by the Jaguars.
Following this Sunday's game, Denver have a smooth-ish schedule up to their break (in week twelve) - the New York Giants, the Cowboys, Houston Texans and Las Vegas Raiders prior to the Chiefs.
Looking at their division, the Chiefs are 2-3 while Denver are even with the Los Angeles Chargers on 3-2 meaning they could make a run at leading the division.
This hinges on which form Kansas City shows up they face since the Broncos {beat|def