The Kansas City Chiefs will face the Denver Broncos on Thursday night in a matchup where the team hopes to earn its fifth straight win against a division rival in primetime. Kansas City is riding high after a close victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5, while Denver is currently tied for the second-worst record in the NFL.
As such, the Chiefs are heavily favored in this matchup, though their recent struggles on offense may keep the final score a bit closer than some might expect.
One thing is certain, despite the disparity in these teams’ fortunes to this point in the 2023 season: Denver expects to give Kansas City a run for their money in this Week 6 tilt, and any team can win in the modern NFL.
We sat down with Jon Heath of Broncos Wire to preview this divisional matchup and gained valuable insight into Denver’s situation.
Check out Heath’s responses to our questions below to see his perspective ahead of Thursday night’s game:
What in the world is going on in Denver? Just how bad is it from ground (or, I guess, Mile High) level?
The defense is the primary reason for alarm. The offense is averaging 24.2 points per game, which ranks 10th in the NFL, just one spot behind KC (25.6 PPG). Denver’s defense, meanwhile, is allowing 36.2 points per game, dead last in the league. Even if you toss out the 70-point disaster in Miami as an outlier, the defense is still the worst in the NFL.
With Justin Simmons now healthy again, the secondary has improved, but the Broncos are allowing 187.6 rushing yards per game (also last in the NFL). QB Russell Wilson is having a bounce-back season under new head coach Sean Payton, but Denver’s offense can’t keep up with teams when their defense is being run off the field.
Will Sean Payton get the axe this season if the losing continues?
Probably not. The team’s new ownership group traded a first-round pick to the Saints in exchange for Payton’s rights this offseason. After giving up draft capital to acquire him, the Broncos seem unlikely to move on from Payton quickly. Denver will give him time to rebuild the roster he inherited. If anyone’s on the hot seat, it’s probably GM George Paton, who acquired most of the players who are struggling on defense.
The Broncos always seem to have these star running backs that come out of nowhere... Who is that guy for them currently?
Jaleel McLaughlin holds the NCAA’s all-time record for rushing yards, but it flew under the radar because he played at lower levels (DII and FCS). He’s undersized (5-7, 187 pounds), which partially explains why he went undrafted in April, but McLaughlin is a speedy back with big-play potential on every touch. Payton had success with Darren Sproles in the past and while McLaughlin might not become that level of player, he fits a similar prototype and role in Payton’s offense.
Are there any guys on this team that Denver will keep through their next rebuild?
What is your prediction for this game? Who wins and why?
The NFL can be weird sometimes. The Broncos are 1-4 and the Chiefs are 4-1 and Denver hasn’t beaten KC in 15 straight games. So, of course, the Chiefs will obviously win on Thursday night. But division games can be random, so pundits shouldn’t write off Denver too quickly. The Broncos will probably keep it closer than some fans expect, but it would be outlandish to pick anyone other than Kansas City to win. Chiefs 31, Broncos 27.
