Broncos vs. Chiefs: Five keys

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published September 25, 2008 at 7:28 p.m.
Updated September 25, 2008 at 7:40 p.m.

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Photo by Dick Whipple © Associated Press

Larry Johnson is the Chiefs' big threat to eat up minutes on the clock and move the ball against the Broncos.

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1. Jump early. The Chiefs are young and struggling. The Broncos will have a much easier time if they play with an edge right out of the locker room. Chiefs coach Herm Edwards openly has expressed concerns about his team's confidence, so the Broncos shouldn't let them settle in.

2. Close it up. When Chiefs running back Larry Johnson has it going, he slashes through the middle of the defense and overpowers defensive backs on the way to big plays. The Broncos need to keep him hemmed in and picking along the line of scrimmage because he is Kansas City's chief threat to eat up minutes on the clock and move the ball.

3. Power up. The Broncos defense has spent much of the past two games just hanging on. The Chiefs don't have the firepower of the Saints or Chargers, so the Broncos will have a chance to steady themselves some if they stick to business.

4. Grind it. The days are coming in the season when the weather or circumstances simply aren't going to let the Broncos throw the ball as much as they'd like. The Chiefs are 31st in the league in run defense, so the Broncos could pound it some.

5. Watch their strut. The Broncos are feeling pretty good about themselves, and rightly so. But they've brought plenty of teams to Arrowhead Stadium that were more talented than the one they were going to play and still went home with a loss. If they really have bigger things on their mind than some September wins, then this is a good time to show it.

• September 25, 2008

  8:04 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  No worries, Jeff. Denver won't look ahead. Divisional game. Too important to take lightly. Win this and we are looking strong.

• September 25, 2008

  8:17 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  SteveC writes:

  Jump early? They do that in every game and then sit back and let the other team back in. How about jump early and then go for the throat for a change?

• September 25, 2008

  9:28 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  SteveC, with KC's poor offense, that's what should happen.

• September 26, 2008

  9:45 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  TXBRONC writes:

  SteveC I think that's what Legwold is getting at, Denver not only needs get up on them early but also to put them away so that their biggest weapon is (Johnson) is rendered ineffective.

• September 26, 2008

  12:24 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  R8R_H8R writes:

  3 events have me believing this group on Defense is completely inept:
  
  1)
  Around about Game 4 last year, Bates, fielding endless questions about the terrible Defense, proclaimed, "I've never had a group of guys have such a hard time Learning". PUblicly! he said that Publicly!
  
  
  2) Pre-Season this year:
  
  The players repeatedly made the comment, "This is so much Better. We're going back to basics. It's simple. We Don't have to Think. We can just play ball."
  
  
  3) After week 3:
  
  
  "It's not that we Can't make plays. We're just out of position. It's a Communication issue."
  
  
  
  
  What happened to easy? They said it is a Simple Scheme. After week 2 and week 3, they admitted they were routinely out of position. These guys get paid more than most of us could ever Dream of, even the NFL League Minimum is $400,00?
  
  And still, this group of guys seems completely inept. Completely unable to LEARN ANYTHING AT ALL.

• September 26, 2008

  1:17 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  kmeissner writes:

  R8R_H8R didn't i just read this post in another story here? Get a life. If you don't like the team, don't watch.

  Go BRONCOS!!!

• September 26, 2008

  1:55 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Dynamicdave writes:

  kmeissner, R8R_H8R is just one who likes to write in and razz. Kind of like a tick on a hound. Pay it no mind. Eventially it will die and fall off (not literally). He's not a Broncos fan so his opinion (which is ALWAYS negative) is worthless. Kind of like when RickyLee writes in and can only muster "go Chargers", or "go Raiders", or whoever it is that the Broncos play. They just like to be the flies at a barbecue....Pests. Just verbally swat them then move on with your meal.

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