WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Notes, Quotes

The Sports Xchange

October 25, 2018 at 12:12 am.

–The Broncos’ secondary has been tested all season and is going to be challenged against Kansas City’s talented receivers. Having cornerback Adam Jones practicing after missing time with a thigh injury will help, but if safety Darian Stewart’s neck injury keeps him out of the game, Denver will be thin back there. Not giving Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes too much time to dissect the coverage will help. Rookie linebacker Bradley Chubb has found another level and provides a good counter to All-Pro linebacker Von Miller.

“We’ve just got to go out there and just do our job,” Chubb said. “Whatever the team needs us to do, whether it be the outside linebacking group, the D-line group, whatever, we’ve just got to do our jobs, go out there and dominate.”

–Denver’s top offensive rookie trio, running backs Phillip Lindsay and Royce Freeman, along with wide receiver Courtland Sutton, have combined for 1,131 yards from scrimmage in 2018 with that total representing the fifth-most yards by a rookie trio through seven games since the 1970 NFL merger.

–Outside linebacker Von Miller’s 91 sacks leads the NFL since he entered the league in 2011. He has 11.5 sacks in 15 games against Kansas City.

BY THE NUMBERS: The Broncos won Super Bowl 50 with defense, but it is no longer that dominant unit that shut down Tom Brady and Cam Newton on the way to the championship. Denver ranks 22nd in total yards allowed and 31st in stopping the run. That could be troublesome against Kansas City’s No. 2 offense in terms of total yards. While the Chiefs are more potent through the air, ranking fifth with 313.1 yards passing per game, Kareem Hunt is the reigning rushing champion and quarterback Patrick Mahomes can tuck it and run when his receivers are covered. Denver will need to use a balanced attack with Case Keenum finding open receivers and using the running game to keep Kansas City’s defense honest. The Chiefs’ defense ranks last in yards allowed with 3,048 given up this season so Denver will have opportunities to attack, especially with linebacker Justin Houston out with a hamstring injury. “We’ve got to go out and make the plays,” receiver Emmanuel Sanders said. “I just think overall as a team, we’re growing. That’s going to happen. This is Case’s first year in the system and our first year with Case, so obviously as the days go on, as the games go on, we’re going to get better and better.”

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