Ways these Denver Broncos and the malleable QB could stop the Chiefs' dominance.
Ex Buffalo Bills coach Phoebe Schecter serves as an NFL pundit and represents Great Britain's national squad.
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Week six of the 2025 NFL season
Live coverage includes text commentary of Sunday's games via various channels, starting with the Broncos-Jets clash in London (from 14:00 BST). Also, radio commentary can be heard through select stations covering a separate game (from 21:00 BST).
We're in the sixth week of the football calendar and after last week's discussion about two top teams as possible championship contenders, each lost their perfect starts.
Notable in those games were the amount of infractions both conceded. Philadelphia committed them at crucial times so they essentially defeated themselves after leading by two touchdowns entering the final quarter versus the Denver Broncos, set to play in London this Sunday.
However it was good to observe that Denver's QB the rookie managed to overcome the shortfall before direct three scoring drives on three possessions in the fourth quarter, to win the game 21-17.
Denver boast the top defender in cornerback Pat Surtain II. They rank first in goal-line defense, while the Eagles are number one in red zone offence, and Denver won that contest.
They had the Eagles' number regarding disguised blitzes. They weren't always rushing extra pass rushers instead they might position two LBs in the interior before withdrawing them and send a slot defender off the edge.
Early on of the season, it was noted during a show how the Broncos might emerge as the current year's dark horses. They finished last season strongly then excelled in continuing that momentum.
Could Denver be this year's underdog story?
Recently acquired tight end Evan Engram has stepped up big while recent running back JK Dobbins is a player they believe in. He now ranks 5th league-wide in ground gains (over 400) and tied for fourth for rushing touchdowns (four).
It's impressive how head coach Sean Payton has "RUSH!" prominently on his call sheet.
This demonstrates that the Broncos are a squad that wants to prioritize the run, because you can achieve much off the back of that. It slows opposing rushes and keeps you in positive down and distances.
It's also benefited quarterback the young passer, who entered the NFL as a first-round selection last year, passing for 29 touchdown passes – just behind Justin Herbert for the rookie record (31 back in 2020).
Other elite QBs possess powerful arms to pass anywhere, but they lack the mobility as Nix. He boasts incredible passing ability, which is different, plus he's so athletic.
His strengths include his movement, the capacity to pass on the run, and finding varied release points to make the pass as he moves outside protection, the bootlegs. He can deliver that layered pass over the middle or over the corner.
As a rookie QB, at 25, he's got great poise under pressure and isn't really fazed by the blitz. He tries to avoid a sack as much as possible and can throw under pressure. He has a high football IQ and remains quick to decide.
If you consistently rush it consumes the clock and makes the opponent to be in play for longer, and when you've got an athletic quarterback the defense has to cover the field downfield side to side. It can be draining.
The quarterback has bitten back at Payton on the sideline at times and I think the coach likes that fire, that he's a fierce rival. In my view it's exciting for the coach to coach a rookie QB who's similar to play-dough. The coach can really build something up how he wants to shape him. I think it's a special experience for the coach.
The head coach owns a Super Bowl and now passed a legend in all-time victories (173 - tied 14th overall). He has witnessed it all. In my opinion the achievements the Broncos are experiencing on offence is largely down to his leadership, his schemes, his game sense – and the combination with Nix aids make him into who he is.
There's no better a better guy in your ear, to help you during some of the tougher situations and build self-belief.
I believe in the Broncos' defense, in Bo Nix's tenacity and composure. But is the team strong enough to go against an elite team at full strength? Since that was not a Super Bowl performance from Philadelphia last Sunday.
Currently, it's unlikely Denver are incredible. They're working above average, that's a good place to be in their division. All they need to do is maintain this trajectory.
They excel at embracing their strength, that is the ground game, and that's precisely what they must do against the Jets in London. It will likely be the JK Dobbins show, in essence.
The Jets have allowed 140 rushing yards per game (among the worst), five ground scores this season (in the bottom ten), and they're the only team yet to win a game.
Since the NFL started recording turnovers decades ago, this team are the first team to be without any turnovers through five games, this is surprising when you think that their new coach was previously a defensive coach at the Detroit Lions.
Patrick Mahomes says the Chiefs have 'already lost too many games' after Monday's defeat by the Jaguars.
Following the upcoming matchup, the Broncos face a smooth-ish schedule up to their break (in week twelve) - the Giants, the Cowboys, the Texans plus the Raiders before the Chiefs.
In the AFC West, the Chiefs hold a losing record while Denver are tied with the Los Angeles Chargers on 3-2 so they could make a run for the top of the division.
This hinges upon which form Kansas City shows up they face since Denver {beat|def
