How the Broncos together with the flexible quarterback could stop that Chiefs' reign.
Ex Buffalo Bills assistant coach Phoebe Schecter serves as an NFL pundit who also plays for the UK's flag football team.
- Published
- Half a dozen responses
NFL 2025 season: Week six
Live coverage includes text commentary for the weekend matchups via multiple platforms, starting with the Broncos-Jets clash in London (from 14:00 BST). Also, audio coverage can be heard on select stations covering a separate game (from 21:00 BST).
It's week six in the NFL season and following recent discussion about the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles as a potential Super Bowl match-up, each surrendered their unbeaten records.
Notable in those games was the amount of infractions each committed. The Eagles did so in key moments meaning they kind of defeated themselves after leading 17-3 entering the final quarter against the Denver Broncos, set to play in London this Sunday.
However it was good to see that Denver's QB Bo Nix was able to overcome that deficit before direct three successful possessions on three possessions in the fourth quarter, securing the victory by four points.
The Broncos have the defensive player of the year in cornerback Pat Surtain II. They are first in red zone defence, while Philadelphia are number one in red zone offence, yet the Broncos prevailed in that battle.
They executed effective strategies in terms of simulated pressure. They weren't always rushing more than four defenders but they could position two LBs in the interior before drop them out and dispatch a nickel off the edge.
At the start in the campaign, we said on a program how the Broncos might emerge as the current year's surprise contenders. They ended the previous year well then excelled of building upon that.
Could Denver be this year's underdog story?
New tight end Evan Engram has stepped up significantly and new running back JK Dobbins is a guy they believe in. He's currently fifth in the NFL for rushing yards (402) and tied for fourth in rushing scores (4).
I love how the coach Sean Payton displays "RUN IT!" at the top of his playcall sheet.
That shows that the Broncos represent a team aiming to prioritize the run, since one can achieve much off the back of that. It reduces opposing rushes and maintains in favourable situations.
It's also benefited QB the young passer, who came the NFL as the 12th overall draft pick in the prior draft, passing for 29 touchdown passes – just behind Justin Herbert for the rookie record (31 in 2020).
Josh Allen and Herbert possess powerful arms to throw anywhere, but they don't move the mobility that Nix has. He has exceptional arm talent, a unique trait, plus he is so athletic.
His strengths are his mobility, the capacity to pass on the run, and using varied release points to make the pass when he rolls outside protection, on rollouts. He is able to deliver precision throws over the middle and over the corner.
For a young quarterback, aged 25, he's got great poise in the pocket and is not really fazed by the blitz. He aims to evade a sack as much as possible and is able throw under pressure. He possesses sharp intelligence and is very decisive.
When you constantly run the ball it consumes time and forces the defence to stay on the field extended periods, and when you have an athletic quarterback the defence must cover the area vertically and horizontally. It can be draining.
The quarterback has bitten back at Payton during games sometimes and it seems the coach appreciates that attitude, seeing him as such a competitor. I think it's fun for the coach to have a rookie QB that is kind of like moldable clay. He can truly develop him the way he desires to shape him. I think it's a unique opportunity for the coach.
The head coach owns a Super Bowl and has passed a legend for career NFL wins (173, tying for 14th). He's seen everything. In my opinion the achievements the Broncos are having on offence is mostly down to his guidance, his schemes, his situational awareness – and the combination with Nix helps make him into who he is.
There's no better a better guy in your ear, to assist you through difficult moments and boost self-belief.
I have faith in the Broncos' defense, in Bo Nix's tenacity and composure. Yet is the team strong enough to face a top squad at its best? Because that wasn't championship-level play by the Eagles in their last game.
Currently, I don't think the Broncos are elite. They're performing better than most, which is a solid position to be in their division. The key to do to continue this path.
They're really good at leaning into their forte, that is the ground game, and that's precisely what they must do against the Jets in London. It's going to be a Dobbins-focused game, essentially.
The Jets have allowed 140 rushing yards each contest (among the worst), five rushing touchdowns this season (in the bottom ten), and they are the only team yet to win any game.
Ever since the NFL began tracking takeaways in 1933, the Jets are also the inaugural squad to go without a single takeaway through five games, this is kind of shocking considering that their new coach Aaron Glenn a defensive coach with another team.
The Chiefs' QB stated the Chiefs are off to a poor start after a recent loss by the Jaguars.
Following this Sunday's game, the Broncos face a smooth-ish schedule up to their break (in week 12) - the New York Giants, the Cowboys, Houston Texans plus the Raiders prior to the Chiefs.
Looking at their division, Kansas City hold a losing record while Denver are even with the Chargers at 3-2 so they could make a run at leading the West.
This hinges on what version of the Chiefs they face since Denver {beat|def
