Kansas City vs. Denver: Complete Week 2 Preview for Broncos
The Denver Broncos opened up the season with a thrilling victory over the Indianapolis Colts and now set their sights on the first AFC West opponent they will face this year.
The game will take place from Sports Authority Field at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday.
The Broncos are off to a hot start once again, looking to establish themselves as the powerhouse team in the AFC as they strive for a return to the Super Bowl.
The Kansas City Chiefs only lost five games in the regular season last year—two of those came to Denver.
The Broncos scored 62 points in those two games and averaged 481 yards of offense. They have all the weapons to do that again.
With the rest of the AFC West all losing in Week 1, the Broncos have a chance to open an early lead in the race for division champions. After the Chiefs' loss to the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, the Broncos may be facing a team in Kansas City that is already in a must-win situation.
Let's take a more in-depth look at this matchup for the Broncos, including a recent injury report as well as key matchups to look for and more.
Broncos' Week 1 Recap
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The Denver Broncos came out firing on all cylinders in their 2014 season opener against the Indianapolis Colts, scoring the first four times they possessed the ball while building a 24-0 lead.
But just before halftime, Indianapolis quarterback Andrew Luck got his team into the end zone, scoring by calling his own number. That seemed to suggest that the Colts might have snagged some momentum heading into the locker room despite trailing by 17 points.
That turned out to be the case, as the Colts came roaring back in the second half. They cut the lead to seven points, but the Broncos were able to hold on for the win.
Despite showing a strong running game and the improved defense Denver fans have been eagerly anticipating, the Broncos displayed an offense that is going to be very hard to contain. On top of that, the Broncos walked away with a win over one of the better teams in the AFC.
Still, allowing the Colts to get back in it and threaten an overtime period can't sit well with the Broncos, so improvements need to be made.
The team needs to develop more of a killer instinct and show the ability to keep its opponent down when it has it beat.
The Broncos are a great team, but having to hold on to win games generally isn't in the makeup of a Super Bowl champion. If teams are allowed to hang around, especially during the postseason, a great team can be forgotten in the blink of an eye.
Remember the recent playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens?
News and Notes
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Julius Thomas Wins AFC Player of the Week
Peyton Manning has several great targets to throw to, and each of them is capable of having a big game. Tight end Julius Thomas was the guy Manning found most often on Sunday night.
Thomas caught seven passes for 104 yards, finding the end zone three times. All of that allowed him to be named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week.
"Broncos TE @Julius_Thomas named AFC Off POW after becoming 9th player ever (and 1st TE) w/at least 7 catches, 100 yds & 3 TDs in opener.
— Patrick Smyth (@psmyth12) September 10, 2014"
It wasn't that long ago when it looked like Thomas may not even be in Denver much longer. Now, he is among the most dominant tight ends in the league.
With three touchdowns already, Thomas has a very good chance to surpass the 12 scores he put up last season.
David Bruton Injured in Season Opener
All of the news coming out of the Broncos' Week 1 victory wasn't positive, as special teams captain David Bruton suffered what is being reported as a dislocated shoulder.
Following a kickoff in the second quarter, Bruton was shown surrounded by trainers in what appeared to be a lot of pain.
Bruton has been listed as day-to-day, but it remains to be seen if he'll miss any actual playing time. The Broncos would miss Bruton in their lineup, as he is far and away their best special teams player.
If does miss time, look for Jacob Tamme and possibly Juwan Thompson to step up and make plays on special teams.
Eric Decker No Longer Supports the Broncos
Over the past two seasons, Eric Decker enjoyed plenty of success as a member of the Denver Broncos. He caught 172 passes and scored 24 touchdowns. In addition to that, he played in a Super Bowl.
But now that he is a member of the New York Jets, Decker told ESPN New York 98.7 FM's The Michael Kay Show that he won't be cheering for his former team going forward.
"I'm rooting for the other team," said Decker.
It remains to be seen if Decker is able to enjoy the success in New York that he had in Denver, but as to him no longer rooting for the Broncos, there probably isn't anyone losing sleep over it.
Injury Report
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| David Bruton | Safety | Did Not Practice |
| Ben Garland | Guard | Did Not Practice |
| Danny Trevathan | Linebacker | Did Not Practice |
| Ryan Clady | Tackle | Full Participation in Practice |
| Nate Irving | Linebacker | Full Participation in Practice |
| Chris Harris | Cornerback | Full Participation in Practice |
| Kayvon Webster | Cornerback | Full Participation in Practice |
| Manny Ramirez | Center | Full Participation in Practice |
| DeMarcus Ware | Defensive End | Full Participation in Practice |
*All injury statuses courtesy of NFL.com
As of right now, it appears the Broncos will just be without David Bruton and Danny Trevathan as far as key contributors go for their upcoming game with Kansas City.
Brandon Marshall stepped into Trevathan's role and played very well against Indianapolis, leading the team in tackles with 10. Two of those went for a loss of yardage.
What Denver fans should be most encouraged by is the fact that Nate Irving was a full participant in practice.
Irving briefly left the game on Sunday night against Indianapolis, being helped off the field by trainers. The Broncos definitely dodged a bullet there, as linebacker is easily the thinnest position on the team.
Irving had one of the best games of his young career against the Colts as well, racking up five tackles and a sack. He showed great pursuit, attacking the middle of Indianapolis' offensive line throughout the night.
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X-Factors and Matchups to Watch
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Denver Offensive Line vs. Tamba Hali and Justin Houston
Any team that plays the Broncos knows that getting to Peyton Manning is the key to beating them. Just look at what Indianapolis and the Seattle Seahawks were able to do last year.
However, the Broncos have recently been able to handle Kansas City's pass rush, as they gave up no sacks to it in either of their meetings last season.
Still, the Chiefs have Tamba Hali and Justin Houston on the roster, two players who can get to the quarterback and wreak havoc, so Denver must be wary of them.
The Broncos didn't have Ryan Clady in either game against the Chiefs last year, though, and they still kept Manning upright. They should be able to do that again on Sunday, allowing Manning to pick the Kansas City defense apart.
If that happens, things will get ugly for the Chiefs.
Julius Thomas vs. Eric Berry
Following their game with the Broncos, Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano called Denver tight end Julius Thomas a "monster" (via ESPN.com). As far as matching up with him goes, he has a case.
Thomas is too big and strong for defensive backs and has the speed to beat most linebackers in the league. The Broncos are aware of this and will look to create mismatches with Thomas on a regular basis.
Eric Berry is one of the most athletic safeties in the NFL, and he has the physical tools to help keep Thomas in check. The question becomes if he can do it.
Manning's connection to Thomas buried the Colts early on Sunday night. The Chiefs will be desperate to make Manning look elsewhere.
Emmanuel Sanders vs. Kansas City Secondary
The Chiefs are familiar with the problems that both Julius and Demaryius Thomas present. They will do everything in their power to make someone else beat them.
That's where Emmanuel Sanders can be called on for some big plays. The Chiefs simply don't have the talent to contain all of Denver's weapons.
Sanders can exploit the middle of the Kansas City defense and turn a short catch into a huge gain. He also has the speed to get behind Ron Parker, Sean Smith or whichever cornerback the Chiefs choose to cover him with.
"Emmanuel Sanders may go for 150+ vs this group of #Chiefs corners if the pass rush is not spectacular...
— Louis Riddick (@LRiddickESPN) September 11, 2014"
In the second meeting between these teams last year, Manning threw four touchdown passes to Eric Decker. Sanders could be in line for a big day.
X-Factor Player—Rahim Moore
It's time for Rahim Moore to break out, and after collecting two interceptions off Colts quarterback Andrew Luck last week, he may do just that.
"Rahim Moore with his second pick of the night. he said his goal is to lead the league in INT's. so far so good..
— Lionel Bienvenu (@lionelbienvenu) September 8, 2014"
With guys like Aqib Talib, Chris Harris and emerging rookie Bradley Roby playing coverage on the outside, opponents may test Moore this year. He'll have many chances to break up passes and create turnovers.
Using the momentum he created against the Colts, look for Moore to have another big game that helps lead to an even bigger season for him.
Prediction
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Despite letting things get a little too close against Indianapolis, the Broncos looked great in their opener. The Chiefs, on the other, looked very poor, losing to the Tennessee Titans 26-10. This seems like an easy pick.
The 9-0 start that Kansas City jumped out to last year doesn't even seem real anymore.
The Chiefs will look to pull out all the stops against Denver, as they won't want to fall two games out of the division race already.
After missing the season opener due to suspension, wide receiver Dwayne Bowe will be back in the lineup. The team will likely look to have Jamaal Charles touch the ball more than the 11 times he did against Tennessee as well. If it wants to have any chance of winning, he'll have to.
On the other hand, the Broncos have everything in their favor. They haven't suffered any major injuries, and they're getting the Chiefs at home. The Broncos have also beaten the Chiefs four straight times.
It is a divisional matchup, and that needs to be taken into consideration. But with all the analysis of the game aside, this doesn't just seem like an easy pick. It is.
Prediction: Broncos 34, Chiefs 13
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