The NFL regular season has passed its midpoint now that the trade deadline has officially passed, with teams racing toward the playoffs in November. Week 10 matchup will feature the 5-4 Denver Broncos hit the road for a second straight week for a game against the 8-0 Kansas City Chiefs.

Sean Payton’s team is hoping to bounce back from a disastrous 41-10 loss to Baltimore Ravens last week against the Chiefs, back-to-back world champions, who remain the only undefeated team in the NFL.

Kansas City is in this AFC West contest on a short week after winning a 30-24 overtime game Monday night against the Tampa Bay Buccaneerswhose offense never had a chance to take the field in the extra frame against Patrick Mahomes.

It will also be the first time rookie quarterback Bo Nix faces division rival Denver. Payton was finally able to end the Chiefs’ previous 16-game winning streak against the Broncos in 2023. The Broncos are currently listed as heavy underdogs in another road stadium in which they haven’t won a game since 2015.

Because parity truly reigns in the NFL, there is no shortage of opportunities to upset this Sunday. Even though it will be far from easy, here are three strategic keys to victory for the Broncos to inflict their first defeat on the Chiefs this season.

This week, the Broncos traded linebacker Baron Browning for a sixth-round pick. The same day, the Broncos announced they had reached agreement on a four-year, $54 million contract with linebacker Jonathon Cooper. A strange twist of fate for the Ohio State teammates who were both drafted by the Broncos in 2021.

Fourth-year Cooper is coming off four tackles against the Ravens, but he failed to record a QB hit or sack. With a contract that includes $16.7 million in guarantees, he is credited with 35 tackles, 11 QB hits, 5.5 sacks and one forced fumble this season.

Instead of paying for past performance, the Broncos are counting on Cooper to join Mahomes, who is dealing with an ankle injury suffered in the MNF against the Bucs. Officially injured in his ankle during practice this week, Mahomes has been a full participant and will look to avoid Cooper, Nik Bonitto and Jonah Elliss.

Tampa Bay had already recorded four sacks against the three-time Super Bowl winner last week, while Kansas City’s offensive line gave up 16 sacks in just eight games. In fact, Mahomes has been sacked in almost every game this season except for Week 3. Last week was the first game all season where Mahomes didn’t throw an interception, as he is credited with 1,942 passing yards, 105 first downs, 11 touchdowns, and nine picks.

Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, who received a four-year, $96 million extension in September, will also be looking for his fourth interception of the season in a game where he will have a heavy workload. In the Chiefs’ previous games, PS2 has matched up with tight end Travis Kelce at times, but will also have to cover wideout DeAndre Hopkins, who is coming off an eight-reception, 86-yard, two-touchdown game in his debut in Kansas City.

The last time the Broncos won in Kansas City was in 2015, and we all remember it was with Peyton Manning at the helm. However, it was also the last time Denver deployed an elite pass rush and lockdown cornerback combination.

What is that old saying about history repeating itself? If the maxim holds true this week, the Broncos could be looking at a favorable and quick return on investment on Cooper and Surtain.

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The Chiefs have won six of their eight games by just one possession, indicating the Broncos will have ample opportunity to stoke the fire of the contest and hang on to their division opponent. If Denver hopes to keep pace with Kansas City in a hostile Arrowhead Stadium, it will be because Nix has led Payton’s offense through the air, but more importantly, on the ground.

The 24-year-old is the team’s second-leading rusher with just 92 yards, totaling 295 rushing yards and four touchdowns, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. Nix also leads the team with 27 first downs and is quickly gaining notoriety as a dangerous dual-threat QB.

Chiefs All-Pro CB Trent McDuffie weighed » on the talented Broncos rookie this week, saying: “He’s going to be a challenge for us. »

But as good as Nix is ​​as a runner, the Broncos’ running back room has been disappointing and inconsistent. Neither Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime or any of the Broncos RBs have recorded a 100-yard rushing game this season.

Williams’ two total touchdowns this season were both scored in a 33-10 blowout victory over the New Orleans Saintsas the veteran guard seems to get hot, then cold every week. Williams is also responsible for two fumbles this season in addition to Estime’s two fumbles in just 15 rushing attempts this season.

Typically, the offensive line would be responsible for an ineffective ground game, but aside from a terrible outing in Baltimore, Denver’s starting five performed well at the point of attack. Nix is ​​averaging 32.8 rushing yards per game, just 10 yards fewer than Williams, indicating the athletic signal-caller can produce at a higher rate with fewer opportunities than any of the running backs of the Broncos.

I’m not suggesting that Nix be turned into a read-option QB determined to be the next flash in the pan, mobile passer. I call on Bo to continue his impressive ability to throw, run and catch touchdowns, even if he has to be a ball hog.

When fantasy football pundits were freaking out about Kelce’s slow start to the regular season, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Mahomes had to roll their eyes. The 12th-year tight end currently leads Kansas City with 52 receptions for 435 yards and 24 first downs despite scoring just one.

Kelce is coming off a torrid performance on MNF where he was targeted 16 times, making 14 receptions for 100 yards. One can only hope Payton finds some inspiration or enlightenment while watching the Chiefs’ All-Pro tight end being used on film this week.

In the Week 8 win over the Carolina PanthersThe Broncos celebrated National Tight Ends Day by throwing two Nix touchdowns to Nate Adkins and Adam Trautman. Since then, Payton’s offense has been almost completely void at the tight end position, with Trautman leading the position room with just seven receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown.

The tight end position has been so underutilized that many fans felt the Broncos should have explored the trade market to look for a playmaking threat to help their budding rookie QB. A gesture that never came.

While the Bucs were without their two best players in Kansas City – receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin – quarterback Baker Mayfield managed to get strong production from tight end Cade Otton, who finished with eight receptions for 77 yards and a score.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will likely test Nix’s ability as a passer specifically on the perimeter, which could leave the middle of the field wide open for unsuspecting Broncos tight ends to move the chains. With athletic linebackers like Nick Bolton, Leo Chenal and Drue Tranquill roaming the trenches, I would expect the Chiefs defense to make the Nix disappear into daylight, leaving the door wide open for a tight screen or a control during passes. game.

Sometimes it’s best to fight fire with fire, as the Broncos tight end room should aim to do their best to emulate Kelce in front of the man himself.

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