On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs face the Denver Broncos. We welcome Ian St. Clair of Mile High Report — our sister SBNation site covering the Broncos — for Five Questions with the Enemy.
1. After the Broncos finally ended the streak the last time these teams met, how does Chiefs week feel different?
It’s kind of a mixed bag, especially coming off a 41-10 whopping by the Baltimore Ravens. When the schedule was released, Broncos fans knew this two-game stretch was going to be really difficult. And that is still the case. This Sunday against the Chiefs is going to be incredibly tough for Denver. Kansas City is still unbeaten, has the best quarterback in football on an offense that just got better with the addition of DeAndre Hopkins and has a legitimate defense. Broncos’ fans are grateful the streak ended the last time these two teams played, but know the chances of doubling up this week are small. Plus, Denver never plays well in Arrowhead — especially in November and December.
2. Advanced analytics had been high on Denver’s defense before last week’s performance against the Ravens. Who are they, really? What do they truly do well, and what was a mirage based on soft opponents?
The Broncos’ defense is still one of the best in football. That performance against the Ravens was not indicative of how good the unit is — or even Denver, for that matter. Baltimore is just really good on offense — and will only get better — especially with Derrick Henry playing and running the ball as he is. Prior to last Sunday, the Broncos defense did just about everything well. They’re near the top of the league in pressure rate. The defense is near the top of the league in sacks. And the defense does so with multiple players. The secondary is considered one of the better units in the NFL, led by the best cornerback in football in Pat Surtain II. To me, the mirage was against the Ravens. I think the defense will be motivated to show the outing against Baltimore was an outlier. The Broncos only have one win against Mahomes and Kansas City, but the defense consistently finds a way to make it difficult. That will happen again on Sunday.
3. How much confidence is there that Bo Nix is finally Denver’s long-term answer at quarterback?
Even in the loss to the Ravens, there were more signs that Nix is the guy. The confidence in him grows week-to-week — and not just from the fans. You see it in Sean Payton and Nix’s teammates. Nix still has his rookie moments where he misses some “easy” throws and gets happy feet. But you can also see the game start to slow down for him. What would really help Nix is to have some playmakers he could throw the ball to instead of guys like Lil’Jordan Humphrey. No disrespect to Humphrey, but he’s a No. 4 or No. 5 receiver who is the No. 2 in Denver right now. Entering Week 10, Broncos fans are confident the franchise has its quarterback.
4. Assuming Nix is the man for the time being, what do you see Denver doing roster-wise this offseason to maximize his skills?
I just touched on it, but getting playmakers at receiver, tight end, and even running back. After this season, Denver will have close to $80 million in cap space, and Broncos owner Greg Penner has shown he’s not afraid to throw his Wal Mart money around. I would expect Payton, George Paton and Penner to be very aggressive come free agency — and not just on offense. The Broncos will look to improve wherever and however they can, as long as it makes sense and makes the team betterx.
5. How do you predict this one plays out?
I see a defensive battle between two really good defenses in a game that remains close throughout. The difference is Mahomes. He always seems to find a way to put the Chiefs over the top, whether it’s a late drive or a key play. Mahomes does it again this Sunday. Kansas City wins 24-21.
Be sure to check out the answers I gave to their questions by clicking here.
