How the Broncos together with their 'play-dough' quarterback could halt that Chiefs' dominance.
Ex Buffalo Bills assistant coach Phoebe Schecter is a football expert and plays for the UK's national squad.
- Posted
- Half a dozen responses
NFL 2025 season: Week six
Live coverage includes live text of Sunday's games on various channels, starting with Denver Broncos v New York Jets in London (from 14:00 BST). Additionally, radio commentary can be heard through select stations covering another key matchup (beginning at 9 PM BST).
We're in the sixth week in the NFL season and following last week's talk about the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles being possible championship contenders, each lost their perfect starts.
Notable in those games was the amount of infractions each committed. Philadelphia committed them in key moments meaning they essentially beat themselves having led by two touchdowns going into the final quarter against Denver, who play in London this weekend.
However it proved positive to see that Denver's QB Bo Nix was able to have that deficit and then direct three scoring drives in three attempts in the fourth quarter, to win the victory 21-17.
Denver have the top defender with cornerback Pat Surtain II. They are first in goal-line defense, while the Eagles lead the league in red zone offence, yet Denver won that contest.
They executed the Eagles' number regarding disguised blitzes. They weren't always sending more than four pass rushers instead they might position two LBs in the interior before drop them out and send a nickel off the edge.
Early on of the season, it was noted during a show that Denver might emerge as the current year's dark horses. They ended the previous year strongly and excelled of building upon that.
Could Denver be this season's dark horses?
New TE their tight end has excelled significantly while new running back JK Dobbins is a player they believe in. He now ranks fifth league-wide for rushing yards (over 400) as well as tied-fourth in rushing scores (4).
It's impressive how head coach Sean Payton displays "RUSH!" prominently of his playcall sheet.
This demonstrates that Denver are a squad that wants to run first, since you can do a lot off the back of that. It reduces opposing rushes and keeps you in favourable down and distances.
It's also benefited quarterback the young passer, who came into the league as the 12th overall draft pick in the prior draft, throwing 29 touchdown passes – just behind a star QB for the rookie record (31 back in 2020).
Other elite QBs possess the arm strength to pass all over, but they don't move the mobility that Nix has. He has exceptional arm talent, which is different, plus he is highly agile.
His strengths are his movement, the capacity to pass while moving, as well as finding different arm angles to deliver throws as he moves outside protection, the bootlegs. He can deliver that layered pass across the middle and past defenders.
As a rookie QB, aged 25, he's got a lot of poise under pressure and isn't really fazed by extra rushers. He aims to avoid a sack whenever possible and is able throw under pressure. He possesses a high football IQ and remains quick to decide.
If you constantly run the ball it consumes the clock and forces the defence to stay on the field for longer, and if you've got an athletic quarterback the defence has to defend the area downfield and horizontally. This proves draining.
Nix has bitten back at Payton during games at times and I think Payton appreciates that attitude, seeing him as a fierce rival. I think it's fun for the coach to have a rookie QB who's kind of like moldable clay. The coach can truly develop him the way he wants to build it. I believe it's a special experience for the coach.
Payton has won a Super Bowl and now surpassed Bill Parcells in all-time victories (173 - tied 14th overall). He's seen everything. In my opinion the success Denver are having on offence is largely down to his guidance, his play-calling, his game sense – and the pairing with Nix helps make 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 the Broncos' defense, in the QB's grit and calm. But are they strong enough to face an elite team at its best? Because that was not championship-level play from Philadelphia in their last game.
Right now, it's unlikely the Broncos are incredible. They're performing better than most, that's a good place to be in their division. All they need to do is maintain this trajectory.
They're really good at embracing their forte, that is running the ball, and that's exactly what they must do against the New York Jets at Tottenham. It's going to be the JK Dobbins show, in essence.
New York have allowed 140 rushing yards per game (sixth worst), five rushing touchdowns this season (10th worst), and they are the sole squad without a win a game.
Since the league started recording takeaways in 1933, the Jets are also the first team to go without a single takeaway in five outings, this is surprising considering that the head coach Aaron Glenn defensive co-ordinator at the Detroit Lions.
The Chiefs' QB says the Chiefs have 'already lost too many games' after Monday's defeat by the Jaguars.
Following the upcoming matchup, the Broncos have a manageable slate up to their bye (in week 12) - the Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans plus the Raiders prior to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Looking at the AFC West, Kansas City hold a losing record and the Broncos are even with the Los Angeles Chargers at 3-2 meaning they could challenge for the top of the West.
This hinges upon which form of the Chiefs they meet since the Broncos {beat|def
