On Thursday’s episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” analyst Dan Orlovsky reiterated that the Denver Broncos remain the team to beat in the AFC West.
Denver sits at 7-2, while the Kansas City Chiefs are just 5-4 despite being led out by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who has 2,349 passing yards (third in the NFL), 17 passing touchdowns (tied for third), and a 74.4 QBR (fourth) this season.
The Chiefs have struggled to close tight games and haven’t gotten consistent pressure on opponents, two areas of the game that Denver has had success in, which Orlovsky was quick to point out on Thursday.
“I think the one thing that differentiates these teams right now is that the Broncos absolutely get after the quarterback. They have 40 sacks, which leads the NFL. The other thing is this, Bo Nix doesn’t get sacked… They only have nine sacks given up this year. That’s a 31 sack differential, which leads the NFL.”
“I’d also say this. Denver has found ways, a little bit like last year, to win the close games this year. Kansas City hasn’t. And Patrick (Mahomes) has talked about that even himself,” Orlovsky added. “They find ways to win close games. They can create explosive plays on the offensive side. Their quarterback doesn’t get sacked a lot. And they have a defense that hunts other teams’ quarterbacks. That’s a recipe to win divisions.”
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The Broncos currently sit atop the division and boast one of the best defenses in football, ranking third in total yards allowed (279.9 per game) and fourth in points allowed (18.4 per game).
To Orlovsky’s point, they also lead the NFL in sacks at 40 (the next closest is the Detroit Lions at 28) and QB knockdowns (38), and rank second in QB pressures (100) and passing touchdowns allowed (eight).
Offensively, second-year QB Bo Nix has made plays through the air and on the ground, throwing for 1,976 passing yards (10th), 17 passing touchdowns (tied for third), and just six interceptions, along with 207 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.
He has also absorbed just nine sacks all year, tied for the lowest of any starting QB alongside the Seattle Seahawks’ Sam Darnold.
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Kansas City’s identity over the past two seasons was its uncanny ability to win one-possession games. This year, however, that trend has reversed, with all four of their defeats being decided by seven points or less.
This includes recent losses to the Buffalo Bills (28-21) in Week 9 and the Jacksonville Jaguars (31-28) in Week 5.
In a competitive division where margins are thin, these close games are what typically become the difference makers.
Orlovsky’s comments come just ahead of the Chiefs vs. Broncos Week 11 clash at Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday, Nov. 16, a game that will likely prove to be crucial for playoff seeding.
