How these Denver Broncos together with the malleable quarterback could halt the Kansas City Chiefs' dominance.
Ex Buffalo Bills assistant coach an analyst is a football expert who also represents the UK's national squad.
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Week six of the 2025 NFL season
Real-time updates features text commentary for Sunday's games via various channels, starting with the Broncos-Jets clash in London (kicking off at 2 PM BST). Also, audio coverage is available on select stations for another key matchup (beginning at 9 PM BST).
It's week six in the football calendar and following last week's talk about the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles being possible championship contenders, each surrendered their unbeaten records.
Notable in those games were the number of infractions both conceded. The Eagles did so in key moments meaning they kind of beat themselves having led by two touchdowns going into the fourth period versus Denver, set to play in London this weekend.
However it proved good to see that Denver quarterback the rookie was able to have the shortfall and then direct three scoring drives on three possessions during the final period, securing the victory 21-17.
The Broncos have the top defender with CB Pat Surtain II. They rank first in red zone defence, whereas Philadelphia are number one in red zone offence, yet the Broncos prevailed in that contest.
They executed the Eagles' number in terms of simulated pressure. They weren't always rushing extra defenders but they might position two LBs in the 'A' gap then withdrawing them and send a slot defender from the outside.
Early on in the campaign, we said on a program how Denver might emerge as the current year's dark horses. They finished the previous year strongly then excelled in continuing that momentum.
Could Denver be this year's underdog story?
Recently acquired tight end their tight end has excelled significantly and recent running back their rusher is a player they believe in. He now ranks fifth league-wide for rushing yards (over 400) and tied-fourth for rushing touchdowns (four).
It's impressive that head coach the Broncos' leader displays "RUN IT!" prominently of his playcall sheet.
That shows how Denver represent a team that wants to prioritize the run, since you can achieve much off the back of that. It reduces opposing rushes and keeps you in positive situations.
This has helped QB the young passer, who entered the NFL as a first-round selection last year, passing for 29 TDs – just behind Justin Herbert in rookie records (31 in 2020).
Other elite QBs have powerful arms to pass all over, but they don't move in the same way as Nix. He has exceptional arm talent, which is different, plus he's so athletic.
His strengths are his mobility, the capacity to pass while moving, as well as using varied release points 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 past defenders.
As a rookie QB, aged 25, he's got great poise in the pocket and is not bothered by extra rushers. He aims to evade a sack as much as possible and is able pass in tight spots. He possesses a high football IQ and is quick to decide.
When you consistently rush it consumes time and forces the opponent to be on the field for longer, and when you've got an athletic quarterback the defence must cover the area downfield and horizontally. This proves draining.
The quarterback has bitten back with the coach on the sideline sometimes and it seems Payton appreciates that fire, seeing him as such a competitor. I think it's exciting for the coach to have a young quarterback who's kind of like play-dough. He can truly develop him the way he wants to shape him. I believe it's a unique opportunity for him.
The head coach owns a championship and has surpassed Bill Parcells for career NFL wins (173 - tied 14th overall). He has witnessed it all. In my opinion the success the Broncos are having offensively is mostly down to his guidance, his schemes, his game sense – and the pairing with the QB aids shape him what he is.
You wouldn't want a better guy in your ear, to assist you through some of the tougher situations and build self-belief.
I believe in Denver's defence, in the QB's grit and calm. Yet is the team strong enough to go against an elite team at its best? Because that wasn't championship-level play from Philadelphia last Sunday.
Currently, I don't think the Broncos are elite. They're performing better than most, that's a good place to be in the AFC West. The key is to continue this path.
They're really good at leaning into their strength, which is running the ball, and that's exactly what they must do against the Jets at Tottenham. It will likely be the JK Dobbins show, in essence.
New York have surrendered 140 yards on the ground per game (among the worst), five rushing touchdowns so far (in the bottom ten), and they are the sole squad yet to win a game.
Since the league started recording takeaways decades ago, the Jets are also the inaugural squad to go without any turnovers in five outings, which is surprising when you think that their new coach was previously a defensive coach with another team.
The Chiefs' QB says Kansas City are off to a poor start after Monday's defeat by the Jaguars.
After this Sunday's game, the Broncos face a smooth-ish schedule until their break (in week twelve) - the Giants, the Cowboys, Houston Texans plus Las Vegas Raiders before the Chiefs.
Looking at their division, the Chiefs are 2-3 and the Broncos are even with the Chargers on 3-2 so they could challenge at leading the West.
This hinges upon which form of the Chiefs they face since the Broncos {beat|def
