How the Denver Broncos and their flexible quarterback could stop that Chiefs' dominance.
Former NFL team coach Phoebe Schecter serves as an NFL pundit and plays for Great Britain's flag football team.
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Week six of the 2025 NFL season
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We're in the sixth week of the football calendar and after last week's talk about the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles as possible championship contenders, they both surrendered their unbeaten records.
Notable in those games was the number of penalties each committed. Philadelphia did so in key moments meaning they essentially beat themselves having led by two touchdowns entering the fourth period against the Denver Broncos, who play in London this weekend.
However it was good to observe how Denver's QB Bo Nix managed to have that deficit before direct three scoring drives on three possessions during the final period, to win the victory 21-17.
Denver have the top defender in CB Pat Surtain II. They are first in goal-line defense, whereas the Eagles lead the league in red zone offence, yet the Broncos won that contest.
They executed effective strategies regarding disguised blitzes. They weren't always sending more than four defenders instead they might position two linebackers in the 'A' gap before withdrawing them and dispatch a nickel off the edge.
At the start in the campaign, we said on a program that Denver might emerge as the current year's surprise contenders. They finished the previous year strongly and did a good job in continuing that momentum.
Could Denver be this season's underdog story?
Recently acquired TE Evan Engram has stepped up significantly while new running back their rusher is a guy they believe in. He's currently 5th in the NFL in ground gains (402) as well as tied-fourth for rushing touchdowns (four).
It's impressive that the coach the Broncos' leader displays "RUSH!" prominently of his playcall sheet.
That shows how the Broncos are a team aiming to run first, since you can do a lot based on that approach. It reduces down the pass rush and keeps you in favourable situations.
This has benefited QB Bo Nix, who entered the NFL as a first-round selection in the prior draft, passing for 29 touchdown passes – just behind Justin Herbert for the rookie record (31 in 2020).
Other elite QBs possess powerful arms to throw all over, but they lack the mobility that Nix has. He has incredible arm talent, a unique trait, plus he is highly agile.
His assets are his movement, being able to throw on the run, as well as finding different arm angles to deliver the pass when he rolls out of the pocket, on rollouts. He is able to throw that layered pass across the middle and over the corner.
For a young quarterback, at 25, he's got a lot of poise in the pocket and is not really fazed by extra rushers. He tries to evade being tackled whenever possible and can pass under pressure. He has sharp intelligence and remains very decisive.
When you constantly run the ball it consumes the clock and makes the opponent to stay in play extended periods, and if you have a mobile QB the defence has to defend the area vertically and horizontally. This proves draining.
The quarterback has pushed back at Payton during games at times and I think the coach likes that attitude, seeing him as such a competitor. I think it's fun for him to coach a young quarterback who's similar to play-dough. He can really build something up the way he desires to shape him. I think it's a unique opportunity for the coach.
Payton has won a Super Bowl and now surpassed Bill Parcells for career NFL wins (173 - tied 14th overall). He's seen it all. In my opinion the achievements the Broncos are experiencing on offence is largely due to his leadership, his play-calling, his game sense – and the combination with the QB helps make him into who he is.
You wouldn't want a better guy guiding you, to assist you during difficult moments and build self-belief.
I believe in Denver's defence, in Bo Nix's tenacity and composure. Yet are they good enough to face a top squad at full strength? Since that wasn't a Super Bowl performance from Philadelphia last Sunday.
Right now, I don't think Denver are elite. They're working better than most, that's a solid position to hold the AFC West. The key is is maintain this trajectory.
They excel at leaning into their forte, which is running the ball, and this is precisely what they must do versus the Jets in London. It will likely be a Dobbins-focused game, essentially.
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 any game.
Since the league began tracking takeaways decades ago, the Jets are also the first team to go without a single takeaway in five outings, which is kind of shocking when you think that their new coach Aaron Glenn a defensive coach with another team.
The Chiefs' QB says Kansas City have 'already lost too many games' after a recent loss by the Jaguars.
After this Sunday's game, Denver face a smooth-ish schedule up to their bye (in week 12) - the Giants, the Cowboys, Houston Texans plus the Raiders prior to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Looking at the AFC West, the Chiefs hold a losing record while Denver are tied with the Los Angeles Chargers at 3-2 meaning they could challenge at leading the West.
It depends on which form Kansas City shows up they face since the Broncos {beat|def
