Ultimat Fan: Broncos have to be disciplined

A win is not out of the question, even in super enemy territory. But the Broncos can’t have mistakes.

Week 10 is going to be another doozy, ultimate fans! But you already knew that.

Two weeks in a row, this developing Broncos team has to take on a formidable opponent that by every measure should beat us.

But even though the Broncos succumbed to a stronger opponent last week, this week’s longtime Broncos fan but rookie UFGer believes Denver has much more to offer their AFC West rival. But it will take an A-game from literally every guy on the team.

Thankfully, WarpathU, chosen for his fantasy football team name, has brought his A-game, giving so much insight into this matchup, I’m hoping Sean Payton sees this post…or at the very least has some advisors saying the same!

Let’s do this…

Week 10: Broncos at Chiefs

MHR – The Baltimore game was fairly predictable – they were coming off a surprising loss and definitely had a lot of offensive weapons that proved too much for our defense. What were your takeaways from that game?
WarpathU: Ugh. Just bad form all around. That was a tough game to watch as I felt there were a number of missed opportunities that could have kept the game much closer. Clearly, the King is a mismatch for most teams, so I wasn’t entirely surprised by that. Zay Flowers running wild was gut wrenching to watch as I felt our secondary would have held up better. I think the 4th down play calls were more than suspect. That type of play calling won’t work in KC this weekend.

MHR – Broncos face a familiar foe this week in the Chiefs. Although the Chiefs have future Hall of Famer Patrick Mahomes, they have mostly been winning by defense this season. How does the Broncos’ young offense survive this one?
WarpathU: To survive their matchup with the Chiefs, the Broncos will need a disciplined approach that minimizes mistakes and hopefully capitalizes on opportunities created by the defense. Limiting turnovers will be critical, as Kansas City’s defense has been exceptional in forcing mistakes and pressuring quarterbacks. Establishing a run game early (pound the rock with Estime!) to control the clock, keeping Patrick Mahomes off the field while wearing down the Chiefs’ defense. We can’t give Mahomes a short field like we did last week against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. Hopefully we don’t have to beat the officiating on the field as well (we see you Jawaan Taylor!)

MHR – The lack of standout wide receivers was very apparent last week (especially after seeing how the Bengals were able to pick apart a rather weak Ravens secondary last night). How does the Broncos’ offense overcome that to get by the Chiefs in a way they couldn’t even do against the Ravens?
WarpathU: The Broncos WR play is such a frustrating part of this offense to watch week after week. No quick fixes for this group. Establishing the run game is where it needs to start, allowing Denver to control the clock and set up play-action opportunities that create separation for this group. A couple of jump ball catches to Sutton would be nice to see!

MHR – Payton indicated more Audric Estime this weekend. How do you feel about that? How do you think the three RBs could hold up against the Chiefs – McLaughlin, Williams and Estime?
WarpathU: Personally, I would love to see them feed the rock to Estime from the get go. I was watching some of his highlights from his time at Notre Dame – great vision and tough to bring down! Sprinkle in some McLaughlin as a change of pace back and then bring Williams in to spell Esitme from time to time. Rotating all three backs could help us control the pace, maintain a fresh backfield and hopefully wear down that KC defense over four quarters.

MHR – About every week Bo Nix is asked what it feels like to play against legends like Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes. Obviously it’s way too early, but I’m going to ask anyway…do you think Nix has the potential to be “one of those guys” a few years from now?
WarpathU: Bo Nix has definitely shown promising qualities that suggest he could develop into our franchise quarterback. I believe those 61 games in college really developed his leadership skills, which really stand out out to me. Nix also brings mobility and creativity, two key traits we see in quarterbacks like Mahomes and Jackson. While he still needs to prove he can consistently perform at a high level against elite competition, his poise under pressure and growth as a decision-maker bode well for his future with the Broncos. While it’s way too early for me or anyone else to declare Nix a future legend, he has the raw tools and mentality that, with the right development, could lead him to a career that puts him in the conversation with top quarterbacks a few years down the line.

MHR – Broncos’ O-line has had its ups and downs this season and has faced some tough defensive linemen, but now they get Chris Jones. How do you expect the line to fare against Jones and the Chiefs D-line?
WarpathU: Not well. Like every NFL offensive line, the Broncos’ offensive line will have its hands full with Chris Jones. The guy is built to disrupt. Denver’s line will need to play with discipline and communicate well to handle Jones’ constant movement along the line. I would expect the Broncos to use double-teams on Jones when possible, particularly on passing downs, to keep him from collapsing the pocket. Additionally, the Broncos could employ a quick-passing strategy to minimize Jones’ impact by getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hands fast (easier said then done).The running backs and tight ends may also be called on to chip Jones and offer added protection. If Denver’s O-line can at least contain Jones and avoid letting him disrupt the rhythm of the offense, it could open up more opportunities for both the run and pass game. It is going to take a nearly flawless effort from the entire line to keep Jones and the Chiefs’ D-line in check for four quarters. Good luck!

MHR – Patrick Mahomes only has 11 touchdowns and 9 interceptions and is averaging 50 yards less per game than his career average and his QBR is more than 10 points lower. He is taking more sacks than usual and there haven’t been as many explosive plays down the field. Can the Broncos’ defense take advantage of this “weaker” Mahomes this weekend?
WarpathU: The Broncos’ defense has a good opportunity to capitalize on Mahomes’ recent dip in production and bum ankle, but it will require disciplined play and tight coverage. Mahomes’ lower touchdown count, higher interception rate, and drop in explosive plays suggest that Kansas City’s offense is still finding its rhythm but we all know what they are capable of on any given Sunday.

If Denver’s defense can generate consistent pressure—especially by collapsing the pocket and preventing Mahomes from extending plays outside—it could force him into quick, uncomfortable decisions. Hit him, and then keep hitting him – like we used to do to Tom Brady. Mahomes is taking more sacks, so aggressive pass-rushing will be key, ideally forcing him into situations where he has to throw under duress.

Denver’s best chance will be to play tight, aggressive coverage, disrupting the Chiefs’ timing and taking away Mahomes’ usual big-play options. We can’t afford to have Kelce running wild in the secondary! If they can frustrate Mahomes early and often and force Kansas City into difficult third downs, the Broncos’ defense could take advantage of Mahomes’ current struggles and keep the game close.

MHR – The Chiefs looked to be a little weak at wide receiver after the injuries to JuJu Smith-Schuster and Rashee Rice, but they added DeAndre Hopkins and he made a big splash on Monday Night Football. The Broncos’ secondary has seen some better days but Surtain is fully healthy and PJ Locke is likely to be back. Can they stop Hopkins and Worthy?
WarpathU: So glad that Locke is back in the lineup! Devon Key was tough to watch last weekend! The addition of DeAndre Hopkins gives the Chiefs a new dimension in their passing game, especially with Rashee Rice out, and he showed on Monday Night Football that he can still be a threat. Hopkins’ presence, combined with the emerging speed of Xavier Worthy, will test the Broncos’ secondary for sure. Hopefully, with Patrick Surtain fully locking down his side of the field and PJ Locke back in the lineup, Denver has a better chance of containing the Chiefs.

MHR – If the secondary can do that, Mahomes is a little easier to get to but still hard to contain. How do Jonathon Cooper and Nik Bonitto take him down?
WarpathU: As I mentioned earlier, hit him and hit him again! We all know Mahomes is a master at extending plays outside the pocket, so Cooper and Bonitto can’t afford to overcommit or give him clear escape lanes. Instead, they should focus on collapsing the pocket with controlled aggression, closing in from the edges while maintaining inside leverage to prevent Mahomes from rolling out easily. If Cooper and Bonitto can apply consistent pressure while maintaining containment, they might be able to disrupt Mahomes’ timing, force some hurried throws, and possibly even secure a few crucial sacks. It’s a tall order, but disciplined edge play and consistent pressure will be their best strategy to bring Mahomes down.

MHR – Travis Kelce always seems to be good and he has always been the Broncos’ nemesis. Can our linebackers handle him better this time around or will he continue to get the better of us?
WarpathU: I just read his stat line against us from the previous 19 games – 116 catches for 1,472 yards. The dude has been a nightmare for our secondary. It really is going to require us to disrupt his timing with Mahomes throughout the game.

MHR – Kareem Hunt is having a bit of a revival back in KC. Can the Broncos’ run defense – which has been strong – keep him from being a threat? Last week Sean Payton admitted with the Ravens they had to make a choice which threat to go after. Broncos took away the ground game at first, but …
Warpath U: Clearly we couldn’t contain the King last weekend, but I feel like we will have a better shot at keeping Hunt in check on Sunday. Less than 100 yards rushing sounds doable. Don’t make me eat my words! Tackling him will be a good place to start.

MHR – Last week’s loss was a blowout and it kinda brought Broncos Country back to earth about the potential this year. But if the Broncos can pull out a win this weekend – or even make it competitive – what does that tell us about this team?
WarpathU: Any savvy Broncos fan understands that we are a work in progress. We have seen glimpses of what this team can be and a win in KC would track nicely and keep us in the playoff conversation. If we can pull off this win I think it would do wonders for the psyche of this team! Personally, I think we are a year out from being back in the playoff picture, but I would love to be wrong.

Predictions

Stats for BO NIX? 225 yard passing/60 yards rushing – 2 TDs (1 pass/1 run)

Stats for each Broncos RB? Estime 14/80/1 TD Willams 10/45 McLaughlin 5/20

Number of yards receiving/TDs for the receivers? Frankin 60 yards/1 TD; Sutton 75 yards; Mimms 90 yards; Nix 0 yards

Longest FG for Lutz? 48

Number of sacks to Patrick Mahomes? 4

Number of times Mahomes escapes a sack? 5

Broncos player with the most tackles? Brandon Jones

Who gets the first sack of the game for the Broncos? Bonitto

Who gets any sacks? Bonitto

How many INTs/FF/FR for the Chiefs D? No more than 2, please and thank you!

How many penalties between the two teams? 18 penalties (3 false starts for Juwaan Taylor)

Final Score? Broncos 24, Chiefs 20

The Favorites

Favorite Broncos win ever? I scalped a ticket to the Broncos vs Jets 1999 AFC Championship game and sat amongst the Jets faithful. Best win ever!

Favorite Peyton Manning win? The 7 touchdown game against the Ravens.

Favorite win by John Elway? “The Drive”

Team you love to beat the most in the AFC West? Raiders

Coach you despise most in the NFL? Patriots

Team you hate to lose to the most in the rest of the AFC (outside AFC West)? Steelers

NFC team you could cheer for in the Super Bowl? 49ers

NFC team you’d want to face more than any other in the Super Bowl? Cowboys (my wife is a Cowboys fan 🙂

Toughest game left on the schedule after the Chiefs? Bengals

Favorite Broncos player on the current roster? Surtain

Favorite Broncos player of all time not named John Elway? Steve Atwater

Favorite new guy/rookie on the team? Jonah Elliss

Food/Snack you have to eat on game day? Smash burger

Favorite game analyst/commentator? Al Michaels

How did you become a Broncos fan?

Born into it. Born in Boulder and lived in Denver on and off as a kid. My father owned a restaurant with Craig Morton down in Cherry Creek back in the day and was just a big part of my life growing up.