How these Broncos and their malleable quarterback could stop the Kansas City Chiefs' dominance.
Ex NFL team coach an analyst serves as an NFL pundit and represents the UK's national squad.
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Week six of the 2025 NFL season
Live coverage includes live text of the weekend matchups via various channels, starting with Denver Broncos v New York Jets at Tottenham (from 14:00 BST). Additionally, audio coverage is available on designated networks covering a separate game (from 21:00 BST).
It's week six in the football calendar , after last week's talk regarding the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles being a potential Super Bowl match-up, each lost their unbeaten records.
Notable in those games were the amount of infractions both committed. The Eagles committed them in key moments meaning they kind of beat themselves having led 17-3 going into the fourth period versus the Denver Broncos, who play in London this weekend.
But it was good to see how Denver's QB Bo Nix managed to have that deficit and then direct three successful possessions on three possessions during the final period, securing the victory by four points.
Denver boast the top defender in cornerback Pat Surtain II. They rank first in red zone defence, while the Eagles lead the league in scoring near the end zone, yet Denver prevailed in that contest.
They executed effective strategies regarding simulated pressure. They weren't always sending extra defenders instead they might plug two linebackers in the interior then drop them out and send a slot defender from the outside.
At the start in the campaign, we said during a show how the Broncos might emerge as this season's dark horses. They finished last season well then excelled of building upon that.
Are the Denver Broncos this season's underdog story?
New tight end Evan Engram has stepped up significantly and new RB their rusher is a player the team trusts. He now ranks 5th league-wide in ground gains (402) as well as tied for fourth in rushing scores (four).
It's impressive that head coach the Broncos' leader displays "RUN IT!" prominently of his playcall sheet.
This demonstrates how Denver represent a squad that wants to run first, because one can do a lot based on that approach. It reduces opposing rushes while keeps you in favourable down and distances.
This has benefited quarterback the young passer, who came into the league as the 12th overall draft pick in the prior draft, throwing 29 touchdown passes – just behind Justin Herbert for the rookie record (31 back in 2020).
Other elite QBs possess powerful arms to throw anywhere, but they lack the mobility as Nix. He boasts exceptional arm talent, a unique trait, and he is highly agile.
His assets are his mobility, being able to pass while moving, and finding varied release points to deliver the pass when he rolls out of the pocket, the bootlegs. He is able to deliver precision throws over the middle or over the corner.
For a young quarterback, at 25, he displays a lot of poise in the pocket and isn't really fazed by extra rushers. He aims to avoid being tackled as much as possible and can throw in tight spots. He possesses sharp intelligence and remains quick to decide.
If you consistently run the ball it eats up time and makes the defence to be on the field for longer, and when you have a mobile QB the defence has to defend the field downfield and horizontally. It can be draining.
Nix has pushed back at Payton on the sideline at times and it seems Payton appreciates that fire, that he's a fierce rival. I think it's fun for the coach to coach a young quarterback that is similar to play-dough. The coach can really develop him the way he desires to shape him. I believe it's a unique opportunity for the coach.
The head coach has won a Super Bowl and has surpassed a legend in all-time victories (173 - tied 14th overall). He has witnessed everything. I think the success the Broncos are experiencing on offence is mostly due to his leadership, his schemes, his situational awareness – and the pairing with the QB helps make him into who he is.
There's no better a more qualified person guiding you, to help you during some of the tougher situations and build self-belief.
I believe in Denver's defence, in the QB's grit and calm. Yet are they good enough to go against a top squad at full strength? Since that wasn't championship-level play by the Eagles in their last game.
Right now, I don't think Denver are incredible. They're working better than most, that's a good place to be in the AFC West. All they need to do is maintain this trajectory.
They're really good at embracing their forte, that is the ground game, and this is precisely what they must do versus the Jets in London. It will likely be the JK Dobbins show, in essence.
New York have surrendered 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 NFL began tracking takeaways decades ago, this team are the first team to be without a single takeaway through five games, which is surprising when you think that their new coach was previously defensive co-ordinator with another team.
The Chiefs' QB says the Chiefs have 'already lost too many games' after Monday's defeat by the Jaguars.
Following the upcoming matchup, Denver face a manageable slate up to their break (in week 12) - the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, the Texans and the Raiders before the Chiefs.
Looking at the AFC West, Kansas City hold a losing record and the Broncos are even with the Chargers on 3-2 so they could challenge for the top of the division.
It depends upon which form Kansas City shows up they meet because Denver {beat|def
