KC Chiefs: Five pass rushing units Patrick Mahomes should fear in 2019

Weeks 7 & 15: Denver Broncos

Here’s a bit of random information:

The Denver Broncos have missed the playoffs in three straight seasons. In the franchise’s history, which began in 1960, the Broncos have missed the playoffs in at least four straight seasons on only two occasions: 2006-2009 and 1960-1976.

I bring that up because the Broncos are going to rely on their defense in 2019 to get them back to the postseason. That was evident when czar John Elway replaced head coach Vance Joseph with yet another defensive-minded head coach in Vic Fangio, and when the team opted for Joe Flacco as the new starting quarterback.

To help improve the defense, Elway threw money at the secondary, inking cornerbacks Bryce Callahan and Kareem Jackson to multi-year deals. Then he selected two defensive ends in the middle part of the draft, nabbing Ohio State’s Dre’Mont Jones in the third and Oregon’s Justin Hollins in the fifth. For these moves, as well as other pieces added to the offense, I previously gave the Broncos an “A-” for their offseason.

Outside of drafting Jones and Collins and allowing Shane Ray to walk in free agency, the Broncos didn’t alter their pass rush. In 2018, the Broncos collected 44 sacks, which ranked tied for eighth in the NFL. Among teams the Chiefs face in 2019, that ranks tied for third. The Broncos racked up another 94 quarterback hits, which tied for 11th in the league.