The NFL regular season has passed its midway point with the official passing of the trade deadline, when teams compete for a playoff berth in November. Going forward 5-4 in the match of the 10th week Denver Broncos We hit the road for the second week in a row for an 8-0 win. Kansas City Chiefs.

Sean Payton’s team hopes to bounce back from disastrous 41-10 defeat Baltimore Ravens Last week against the back-to-back World Champion Chiefs, the NFL’s only undefeated team.

Kansas City entered AFC West contention on a short week by winning a 30-24 overtime game on Monday night. Tampa Bay PiratesHis offense against Patrick Mahomes didn’t have the opportunity to get on the field in the extra frame.

This will also be rookie point guard Bo Nix’s first stint against Denver’s division rival. Payton was finally able to break the Chiefs’ previous 16-game winning streak against the Broncos in 2023. The Broncos are currently listed as heavy underdogs at another road stadium where they haven’t won a game since 2015.

There are plenty of opportunities for a big upset this Sunday, as parity truly reigns in the NFL. Although it won’t be easy, there are three strategic keys to victory as the Broncos hand the Chiefs their first loss this season.

This week, the Broncos traded linebacker Baron Browning for a sixth-round draft pick. That same day, the Broncos announced they had agreed to terms with offensive lineman Jonathon Cooper on a four-year, $54 million contract. It’s a strange twist of fate for the Ohio State teammates, who were both drafted by the Broncos in 2021.

The fourth-year Cooper had a quadruple performance against the Ravens but failed to record a QB hit or sack. On a contract that includes $16.7 million in guarantees, he is credited with 35 tackles, 11 QB hits, 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble this season.

Rather than pay the price for past performances, the Broncos are counting on Cooper to get to Mahomes, who is dealing with an ankle injury against the Bucs on MNF. Mahomes, who officially suffered an ankle injury in practice this week, is on the full roster and will try to stay away from Cooper, Nik Bonitto and Jonah Elliss.

Tampa Bay previously recorded four sacks last week against the three-time Super Bowl-winning QB, while Kansas City’s offensive line has surrendered 16 sacks in just eight games. In fact, Mahomes has been sacked in almost every game this season except Week 3. Last week was the first game this season in which Mahomes did not have an interception; because he made 1,942 passes, 105 first points and 11 goals. and nine selections.

Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II was awarded a four-year, $96 million extension in September and will be looking for his fourth interception of the season in a game in which he will carry a heavy workload. In previous Chiefs games, PS2 has occasionally drawn coverage against tight end Travis Kelce, but he will also have to cover DeAndre Hopkins, who is coming off an eight-reception, 86-yard, two-touchdown game in his Kansas City debut.

The last time the Broncos won in Kansas City was 2015, and we all remember that was with Peyton Manning in charge. But that was also the last time Denver implemented its elite combination of passing offense and lockdown cornerbacks.

What’s that old saying about history repeating itself? If that maxim holds true this week, the Broncos could be looking for a positive, early return on investment from Cooper and Surtain.

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The Chiefs won six of eight games with one possession; This suggests the Broncos will have plenty of opportunities to fuel their competitive fire and hang with their division rivals. If Denver hopes to keep up with Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium, it will have to be because Nix leads Payton’s offense through the air, but more importantly, on the ground.

The 24-year-old is the team’s second-leading rusher by just 92 yards, averaging 5.1 yards per carry for 295 total yards and four touchdowns. Nix also leads the team with 27 first downs on the ground and is quickly gaining a reputation as a dangerous, dual-threat QB.

Chiefs All-Pro CB Trent McDuffie weighed “It’s going to be tough for us,” the Broncos’ talented rookie said this week.

But as good a runner as Nix was, the Broncos’ running back room was disappointing and inconsistent. Neither Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime nor any Broncos RB have recorded a 100-yard receiving game this season.

Both of Williams’ goals this season came in a stunning 33-10 victory. New Orleans SaintsThe veteran’s back seems to warm up, then cool down, each week. Williams is also responsible for Estime’s two steals this season, in addition to his two tackles on just 15 rushing attempts on the season.

Typically the offensive line takes the blame for an ineffective ground game, but other than a terrible play in Baltimore, Denver’s starting five did a good job at the point of attack. Nix is ​​averaging 32.8 rushing yards per game, just 10 yards less than Williams, suggesting the athletic signal-caller can produce at a higher rate with fewer opportunities than the Broncos’ running backs.

I’m not suggesting Nix be turned into a read option QB determined to be the next flashy, mobile passer. I urge Bo to continue his impressive ability to throw, run and catch goals, even if he needs to dribble.

While fantasy football pundits were panning over Kelce’s slow start to the regular season, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Mahomes had to roll their eyes. The 12th-year tight end currently leads Kansas City with 52 receptions for 435 yards and 24 first downs despite just one touchdown.

Kelce is coming off a scorching performance in MNF, where he was targeted 16 times and had 14 receptions for 100 yards. We can only hope Payton finds some inspiration or enlightenment this week as he watches the Chiefs’ All-Pro end get used on film.

In the week 8 win Carolina PanthersThe Broncos celebrated National Tight End Day when Nix threw a pair of touchdown passes to Nate Adkins and Adam Trautman. Since then, Payton’s offense has become almost completely null and void at the tight end position; Trautman led the possession room with just seven receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown.

The tight end position was so underutilized that many fans thought the Broncos should explore the trade market in search of a playmaking threat to help the budding rookie QB. A move that never came.

While the Bucs were without two of their best players in Kansas City (receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin), quarterback Baker Mayfield was able to get a ton of production from Cade Otton, who finished with eight receptions for 77 yards and a score.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will likely test Nix’s pass-rushing ability, especially on the perimeter, which could leave the middle of the field wide open for an unsuspecting Broncos tight end to move the chains. With athletic linebackers like Nick Bolton, Leo Chenal and Drue Tranquill roaming the trenches, I would expect the Chiefs defense to take the living daylights out of Nix and leave the door wide open for a tight end screen or pass control. game.

Sometimes it’s best to fight fire with fire, as the Broncos’ tight end should aim to fake Kelce to do their best in front of the man.

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