KC Chiefs: Getting to know Denver Broncos before week 15

It’s round two for the KC Chiefs and Denver Broncos with the first round ending in a 30-6 knockout punch for the Chiefs. What should we know about the Broncos the second time around?

To find out more about the Kansas City Chiefs‘ week 15 opponent – the suddenly red hot Denver Broncos – I reached out to Sayre Bedinger of Predominantly Orange, FanSided’s Broncos site (think Arrowhead Addict, but all about the Broncos).

Sayre kindly took the time to answer my questions about this weekend’s match-up and I hope you’ll enjoy what he had to say.

So without further ado, here’s my Q&A with Sayre!

We have to start with Drew Lock, as he’s one of the hottest names in football right now. Chiefs fans know Lock well since he played at Missouri, but how do Broncos fans feel about him? Is it too soon to tell if he’ll be the answer?

Sayre: I think a lot of Broncos Country is thrilled about Drew Lock. Not everyone is ready to anoint him the savior of the franchise quite yet, but Lock has shown in two games more than really any other QB since Peyton Manning. He looks like a stud.

In my mind, it’s not too soon to tell that he’s the answer, at least the one we’re going with for the foreseeable future. John Elway has recently talked about Lock having the physical tools to be a quarterback in the NFL and that he’s proving the moment is not too big for him, speaking to his intangibles. I think he’s got what it takes for sure.

What were fans’ expectations going into this season and have those been up to par with how the season has actually gone?

Sayre: I think the most optimistic expectation was that Joe Flacco could be as good in Rich Scangarello’s offense as he was in Gary Kubiak‘s offense in 2014 when the Ravens nearly upset the Patriots in the playoffs, and Flacco was actually playing good football.

More people felt like Flacco would likely be in Denver what he was in Baltimore — bad — and that the Broncos would suffer as a result. I held out hope as the Broncos were losing close games, but it all came off the rails when the Broncos got beat by the Chiefs in week 7.

The Broncos offensive line was dreadful the last time the Chiefs and Broncos played, but it appears as though the Denver offensive line has improved since then. What changed?

Sayre: The simple (and I believe right) answer is that Joe Flacco was not only immobile back in the pocket, but he was also not seeing open receivers and taking way too much time in the pocket. The Chiefs game was a perfect example as Flacco took so many sacks beyond the three second threshold it was painful to watch.

The Broncos have had more mobile quarterbacks back there, and guys who are capable of making hot reads. It’s crazy Flacco wasn’t able to do that, but he truthfully wasn’t. Even Brandon Allen did that in the early goings, and Lock has done a good job of that as well. I also think Mike Munchak‘s coaching on the offensive line is starting to take hold. Garett Bolles has been playing better of late, and Ja’Wuan James played solid in his return from injury in the first half of the Texans game.

At 5-8, the Broncos’ chances of making the playoffs seem slim. What are the chances of this team playing spoiler the rest of the way?

Sayre: I think the chances of them playing spoiler are really strong. The Broncos have lost some really close games this year and Vic Fangio has prided himself on having the team ready to go and competitive every single week. It hasn’t always worked out that way but the Broncos are fighting and playing hard week in and week out.

The Texans found out the hard way that this team may not be as terrible as the record indicates.

Aside from Courtland Sutton and Phillip Lindsay, who has been the Broncos’ best offensive weapon this season?

Sayre: Rookie tight end Noah Fant had a dismal game the first time around vs. Kansas City, but he’s been easily the third-best threat since that game. Something really clicked for him after that game and he’s had two 100-yard performances and is coming off a stellar game vs. Houston.

Fant is having an historic season for a rookie tight end not just for the Broncos but league-wide. No rookie tight end has had two 100-yard games in a season since Jeremy Shockey in 2002, so Fant is living up to his hype as a pass catching threat.

Who is an underrated player on the Broncos defense this year?

Sayre: Do Chiefs fans know about linebacker Alexander Johnson yet? Johnson has been a breakout player for the Broncos in 2019 and is making plays all over the field. It’s been crazy to see how he’s developed so fast after three years away from the game and basically a redshirt year in 2018. He’s been a weapon in Vic Fangio’s defense not only playing sideline-to-sideline, but blitzing, in coverage, and playing between the tackles.

What do you think Denver’s record is when the season is all said and done?

Sayre: 8-8 ’til we ain’t!

What will the team look to focus on in the draft next year?

Sayre: The biggest area of need for the Broncos is a speedy receiver to pair with Courtland Sutton. We can see how that kind of playmaker is going to piece in this offense, so I would love to see in a deep receiver class the Broncos take a couple shots on that position.

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Thanks again to Sayre for taking the time to answer my questions! Be sure to check out his work over at Predominantly Orange, especially ahead of the KC Chiefs match-up with the Denver Broncos.

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