The Broncos can put themselves in prime position in the division on Sunday, but the road to that outcome runs through two problems that are very much their own.
A win over the Chiefs would push Denver to 6-2 and Kansas City to 5-2, especially with the Seahawks having already handed the Chiefs a loss last week. The schedule also helps the Broncos’ case: Kansas City already took its bye, while Denver’s bye doesn’t arrive until Week 10. That means the Broncos would not only move into the top spot, they’d do it with the calendar tilting a little more their way.
Still, none of that matters if Denver doesn’t clean up the two biggest matchups in front of it.
The first centers on Bo Nix and whether he can bring the same aggressive version of himself that showed up in Arizona. Last week, Nix answered a confidence question with a 62-yard touchdown run, a 52-yard screen-pass touchdown and a handful of other explosive plays. This week, the challenge is different: he has to find the balance and consistency that have been missing for much of the season.
His ball placement and pocket presence remain issues, and those problems may not disappear anytime soon. That means Denver needs the right version of his aggressiveness - not reckless, but decisive. He has to spread the ball around more, take what the defense gives him and still be willing to take calculated shots downfield when they’re there.
The Broncos do not want Nix slipping back into the cautious shell he showed in Weeks 4-6. Week 6, to be fair, was shaped as much by the Seahawks’ defense as by his own hesitation, but the Chiefs have left the door open. They rank 21st in explosive pass-play rate allowed and 28th over the last four games, which gives Nix little excuse if he plays timidly.
Denver needs that aggression to show up in both phases. Nix has to carry one strong performance into the next, even if the stat line looks different from week to week.
The key is balance: more distribution, fewer favorites among his receivers, and continued hunting for explosive plays without becoming careless. He improved on that front against the Cardinals, and the Broncos need that trend to stick.
The other matchup is far simpler and far more physical: the Broncos have to tackle Kenneth Walker.
There is no single player-on-player battle more important than Denver’s collective work against Walker. In Week 1, the Broncos’ missed-tackle rate was 29.8%, which was 25% worse than the historically bad 70-point game against the Miami Dolphins in 2023. Denver also gave up 247 yards after missed tackles, while Walker racked up 108 yards after contact, or 4.7 yards after contact per carry.
That cannot happen again if the Broncos want a realistic shot. Yes, Denver has usually done a good job limiting Patrick Mahomes, especially at Mile High, but letting Walker control the game would make everything harder.
The concern goes beyond one game, too. Denver has been allowing too many explosive runs, including over the last four games, and that stretch does not even include Walker’s Week 1 damage.
The tackling has been part of the problem, but not all of it. The Broncos have had real consistency issues stopping the run.
So this isn’t just about standings. It’s about pride, too. For Vance Joseph’s defense, Sunday is a gut-check game.
In Other News...
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Jonathan Taylor is the name that naturally jumps to the front of the conversation, especially with Indianapolis looking like a team in transition. The Colts have already moved on from other key pieces, which only adds to the sense that they could listen on more talent if the price is right. Denver does not need another theoretical fix at running back, it needs a difference-maker, and this is the kind of situation that could force the front office to act before the market gets away from it. [Read more 🡒]
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Broncos Enter Chiefs Rematch With A Few Big Questions Still Lingering
The Broncos head into their Chiefs rematch trying to clean up the details that cost them in the first meeting, with tackling near the top of the list and Bo Nixs status still part of the conversation as the week unfolds. There is also a clearer sense that Denver is getting healthier in the secondary, which matters against a Kansas City offense that can punish even small mistakes.
Pat Surtain IIs return from an ankle injury would be a major boost for a defense that needs its best cover man on the field, especially with Talanoa Hufanga still sidelined by the same issue. On the other side of the ball, rookie running back Jonah Coleman has given Sean Payton another piece to work with after showing burst against Arizona, and the Broncos may lean on him more if they want a steadier answer in a game that already carries plenty of pressure. [Read more 🡒]