How the Denver Broncos together with their 'play-dough' QB could halt that Kansas City Chiefs' reign.
Former NFL team coach an analyst serves as a football expert and plays for the UK's flag football team.
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- Half a dozen responses
NFL 2025 season: Week six
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We're in the sixth week of the NFL season and after recent talk about the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles being possible championship contenders, they both lost their unbeaten records.
Striking in those games was the number of infractions each committed. The Eagles committed them in key moments so they essentially beat themselves having led 17-3 going into the fourth period versus Denver, who play in London this Sunday.
However it was good to observe how Denver quarterback the rookie managed to overcome the shortfall and then lead three successful possessions on three possessions in the fourth quarter, to win the victory by four points.
Denver have the top defender with CB their star corner. They are first in goal-line defense, whereas the Eagles are number one in scoring near the end zone, yet Denver won that battle.
They executed the Eagles' number regarding disguised blitzes. They weren't always rushing extra defenders but they might plug two linebackers in the interior before drop them out and dispatch a nickel off the edge.
At the start of the season, we said on a program that Denver might emerge as this season's dark horses. They finished the previous year well then did a good job in continuing that momentum.
Are the Denver Broncos this year's dark horses?
Recently acquired tight end Evan Engram has excelled significantly while new running back their rusher is a guy they believe in. He now ranks 5th in the NFL for rushing yards (402) and tied for fourth for rushing touchdowns (4).
I love how the coach Sean Payton displays "RUSH!" at the top of his playcall sheet.
That shows that the Broncos are a team aiming to prioritize the run, since you can achieve much off the back of that. It slows down the pass rush while maintains in positive situations.
This has benefited QB the young passer, who came into the league as the 12th overall draft pick last year, passing for 29 TDs – just behind a star QB in rookie records (31 in 2020).
Josh Allen and Herbert possess powerful arms to pass anywhere, but they lack the mobility that Nix has. He has exceptional passing ability, which is different, plus he is so athletic.
His assets are his movement, being able to throw on the run, and using different arm angles to deliver the pass as he moves out of the pocket, the bootlegs. He is able to deliver that layered pass over the middle and over the corner.
As a rookie QB, at 25, he's got great poise in the pocket and is not really fazed by extra rushers. He aims to evade a sack as much as possible and is able pass under pressure. He possesses a high football IQ and is quick to decide.
If you constantly rush it eats up time and forces the defence to stay in play extended periods, and if you have an athletic quarterback the defense has to defend the field downfield and horizontally. This proves draining.
Nix has bitten back with the coach during games at times and it seems Payton appreciates that fire, that he's a fierce rival. I think it's exciting for the coach to have a rookie QB that is similar to play-dough. The coach can really develop him the way he wants to build it. I believe it's a special experience for him.
The head coach owns a championship and now surpassed a legend in all-time victories (173, tying for 14th). He has witnessed it all. In my opinion the success the Broncos are having offensively is mostly down to his leadership, his play-calling, his situational awareness – and the pairing with Nix aids shape him what he is.
There's no better a better guy in your ear, to assist you during difficult moments and boost self-belief.
I have faith in Denver's defence, in the QB's grit and calm. Yet are they strong enough to face a top squad at full strength? Since that was not championship-level play by the Eagles last Sunday.
Right now, I don't think Denver are incredible. They're working better than most, that's a solid position to be in their division. The key to do is maintain this trajectory.
They excel at leaning into their strength, which is the ground game, and that's precisely what they must do against the Jets at Tottenham. It will likely be a Dobbins-focused game, essentially.
The Jets have allowed 140 rushing yards per game (sixth worst), five rushing touchdowns this season (10th worst), and they are the sole squad without a win a game.
Since the league began tracking takeaways in 1933, this team are also the first team to go without any turnovers through five games, this is kind of shocking when you think that their new coach Aaron Glenn defensive co-ordinator at the Detroit Lions.
The Chiefs' QB says the Chiefs have 'already lost too many games' after Monday's defeat by the Jaguars.
Following this Sunday's game, the Broncos have a manageable slate up to their break (in week 12) - the New York Giants, the Cowboys, Houston Texans and Las Vegas Raiders prior to the Chiefs.
Looking at their division, the Chiefs are 2-3 and the Broncos are even with the Los Angeles Chargers at 3-2 meaning they could make a run for the top of the West.
This hinges upon which form of the Chiefs they meet because Denver {beat|def
