Mile High Report
The Denver Broncos are 8-2 and sit atop of the AFC West. This weekend, they host the Kansas City Chiefs for their Week 11 gridiron matchup in a pivotal game that will have significant implications on playoff seeding and how the division winds up. Here are three players I believe need to play at a high level in order for the Broncos to come away with a victory against the Chiefs.
When the other team has a Hall of Fame bound quarterback, it’s never easy figuring out a game plan to rattle them. That’s the big test for Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph this week who will be tasked with trying to figure out how to limit Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense.
Being without Patrick Surtain II will hurt. The Chiefs have a lot of different weapons Mahomes loves to throw to. Thankfully the Broncos have the best pass rush in the National Football League and one of the best edge rushers in Nik Bonitto.
Bonitto leads the Broncos with 9.5 sacks (third best in the NFL) and also has 32 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 20 quarterback hits to go along with it. He is on pace to easily best his efforts from last season which earned him a gargantuan multi-year extension prior to the season. After going sackless against the Giants, Cowboys, and Texans, the fourth-year pro is coming off game against the Raiders where he had 1.5 sacks, 5 tackles, two tackles for loss, and 3 quarterback hits against the Raiders.
Bonitto’s get-off at the line of scrimmage is elite and his ability to disrupt plays at times seems effortless. In order to secure a much-needed win against the Chiefs, the Broncos will need him to be at his best. Keep in mind, Mahomes gets the ball out fast, has great mobility, and magician-like ability to create outside the pocket. Bonitto’s athleticism and range should certainly help limit that on Sunday.
With veteran running back J.K. Dobbins slated to miss Sunday’s gridiron affair due to a foot injury, the Broncos are losing one of their most productive players on offense. He has been a key cog in their running success on early downs and has helped craft Denver’s rushing attack to one of the best in the league.
That will put some added pressure on rookie running back RJ Harvey who is expected to see a significant increase in opportunities with Dobbins sidelined. To date, Harvey has 50 rushes for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns and 25 receptions for 175 yards and 4 touchdowns. His three-touchdown performance against the Dallas Cowboys several weeks ago was his highlight game of the season.
While he has had some big runs, this year’s second-round pick has carried the ball more than five times in just three games this season. How he performs with an increased workload will certainly be one of the biggest things to monitor this...
