How these Broncos together with the malleable quarterback can halt the Chiefs' dominance.
Former NFL team coach an analyst serves as a football expert and represents the UK's national squad.
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NFL 2025 season: Week six
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We're in the sixth week in the NFL season and following recent talk regarding the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles being a potential Super Bowl match-up, each surrendered their perfect starts.
Striking in those games were the amount of infractions both committed. Philadelphia did so in key moments meaning they essentially beat themselves having led by two touchdowns going into the fourth period against Denver, set to play overseas this weekend.
But it proved good to see how Denver's QB the rookie managed to have the shortfall and then direct three successful possessions on three possessions in the fourth quarter, to win the victory 21-17.
Denver have the top defender in CB their star corner. They rank first in goal-line defense, while the Eagles are number one in scoring near the end zone, and the Broncos prevailed in that contest.
They executed effective strategies in terms of simulated pressure. They weren't always rushing extra defenders instead they might plug two linebackers in the interior then drop them out and dispatch a slot defender off the edge.
Early on in the campaign, it was noted on a program that the Broncos could be this season's surprise contenders. They ended the previous year well and did a good job of building upon that.
Could Denver be this year's dark horses?
New tight end Evan Engram has excelled big while new RB their rusher is a guy they believe in. He now ranks fifth league-wide in ground gains (over 400) and tied for fourth in rushing scores (four).
It's impressive that the coach Sean Payton has "RUSH!" prominently of his playcall sheet.
This demonstrates how Denver are a team that wants to run first, because one can do a lot off the back of that. It slows opposing rushes while maintains in favourable situations.
This has helped quarterback Bo Nix, who came into the league as a first-round selection last year, passing for 29 TDs – second only to a star QB in rookie records (31 back in 2020).
Josh Allen and Herbert possess powerful arms to throw all over, but they lack in the same way as Nix. He has incredible arm talent, a unique trait, plus he is highly agile.
His assets are his mobility, being able to pass while moving, as well as using different arm angles to make the pass when he rolls outside protection, on rollouts. He is able to throw precision throws over the middle and over the corner.
For a young quarterback, aged 25, he displays great composure in the pocket and is not bothered by the blitz. He tries to avoid a sack as much as possible and can throw in tight spots. He has sharp intelligence and is quick to decide.
If you constantly rush it eats up time and makes the defence to stay in play for longer, and if you've got a mobile QB the defence has to defend the area downfield side to side. It can be draining.
The quarterback has bitten back at Payton on the sideline at times and it seems the coach likes that fire, seeing him as a fierce rival. In my view it's exciting for the coach to have a rookie QB who's kind of like moldable clay. He can truly develop him the way he wants to build it. I believe it's a unique opportunity for him.
Payton owns a championship and now surpassed Bill Parcells in all-time victories (173 - tied 14th overall). He has witnessed everything. In my opinion the achievements the Broncos are experiencing offensively is largely due to his leadership, his schemes, his situational awareness – and the pairing with the QB aids make him what he is.
You wouldn't want a better guy guiding you, to help 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 good enough to go against an elite team at its best? Since that was not championship-level play by the Eagles last Sunday.
Currently, I don't think the Broncos are elite. They're working better than most, which is a solid position to hold their division. All they need to do is maintain this trajectory.
They excel at embracing their strength, which is the ground game, and this is precisely what they must do against the Jets in London. It's going to be a Dobbins-focused game, essentially.
New York have allowed 140 rushing yards each contest (among the worst), five ground scores so far (10th worst), and they're the only team yet to win any game.
Since the NFL began tracking takeaways decades ago, the Jets are the first team to be without a single takeaway through five games, which is kind of shocking when you think that the head coach was previously defensive co-ordinator at the Detroit Lions.
Patrick Mahomes stated Kansas City are off to a poor start after Monday's defeat to Jacksonville.
After this Sunday's game, the Broncos face a smooth-ish schedule up to their break (in week twelve) - the Giants, the Cowboys, Houston Texans and the Raiders prior to the Kansas City Chiefs.
In their division, the Chiefs hold a losing record while Denver are tied with the Los Angeles Chargers on 3-2 so they could challenge for the top of the West.
It depends upon what version of the Chiefs they face since Denver {beat|def
