°Âłó±đ˛Ô:ĚýMonday, 6:15 p.m.

°Âłó±đ°ů±đ:ĚýEmpower Field at Mile High

°ŐłŐ/°ů˛ą»ĺľ±´Ç:ĚýABC, 850 AM/94.1 FM

Broncos-Bengals series: Denver is 22-12 against Cincinnati. The Bengals, though, pulled out a 30-24 overtime win in one of the most thrilling games on last year’s schedule after head coach Sean Payton opted to play for OT following a late Denver scoring drive rather than hunt for a game-winning two-point conversion.

In the spotlight: Pat Surtain II and the Broncos will face a J.B. under center. Not the one they’re used to.

In January 2022, the prelude to his year-long sabbatical before becoming a Bronco, head coach Sean Payton made clear to Peter King that he quite liked a certain Bengals quarterback nearly as much as Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes.

“I love Joe Burrow,” Payton told King. “I just trust the other guys to run it better. But that¶¶Ňőap like, I like vanilla and pistachio, you like butter pecan. All good choices.”

If Burrow is butter pecan ice cream, then what’s Jake Browning? Plain yogurt?

The Broncos are well-acquainted with Burrow by now, and not in a good way. The Pro Bowl QB torched them in last year’s December overtime loss. But Burrow is sidelined for weeks after toe surgery, and the Broncos will see Browning in his stead on Monday night, a longtime backup who capably filled in for Burrow over seven starts in 2023.

Through two games, Browning’s been one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL, with the second-worst QB rating (67.1) in the league among qualified quarterbacks. He made enough plays in relief of Burrow in Week 2 to crunch out a win over Jacksonville. He threw two picks in Week 3 as the Bengals got crushed 48-10 by Minnesota.

Still, take Cincinnati’s passing game for granted at your own risk. Last year’s December matchup tanked the Broncos fanbase’s perception of CB2 Riley Moss, after Bengals No. 2 wideout Tee Higgins went off for 11 catches, 131 yards and three touchdowns. And Ja’Marr Chase, the league’s No. 1 WR in perception and payday, just caught 14 balls for 165 yards against the Jaguars in Week 2.

The guy delivering the ball to Chase and Higgins, though, is substantially different and changes the Bengals’ high-powered attack. The two wideouts landed a combined $276 million in extension money this offseason, but they caught a combined six passes for 65 yards against the Vikings.

“We couldn’t find a great rhythm to be able to get those guys the ball enough,” Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said Monday.

The question, now, is how the Bengals try to get those guys in rhythm against the Broncos and reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Pat Surtain II. A dissection of Burrow and Browning’s attempts in 2025 reveals two slightly different approaches: Browning has thrown substantially more over the middle (37.3% of his attempts) than Burrow (19.4%), as the Bengals have taken fewer shots to the sideline with their backup quarterback.

Chase has played a decent percentage more in the slot across the past two games than he did in Week 1 with Burrow, too. The Bengals could line him up there more frequently against the Broncos to try to get him away from Surtain and get some easier underneath looks for Browning.

This will be another statement game for Moss, too. He’ll undoubtedly find himself lined up opposite Higgins often on Monday, and Cincinnati can’t afford to only send two targets for a second straight week to a receiver worth nearly $30 million a year.

Who has the edge?

When Broncos run: The Bengals run defense has been just fine this year, ranking near the middle of the pack in effectiveness through three games. Second-round pick Demetrius Knight is a promising inside linebacker. His LB mate Logan Wilson is a steady veteran. But Broncos RB J.K. Dobbins is rolling right now, tied for eighth in the NFL in yards per carry, and is currently the steadiest part of an unsteady Denver attack. Edge: Broncos

When Bengals run: Jake Browning for Joe Burrow is actually ´Ú˛ą°ůĚýfrom the Bengals’ biggest problem on offense right now. Through three games, starting RB Chase Brown has 47 carries for … 93 yards. As a team, Cincinnati’s currently dead last in the NFL at a revolting 2.4 yards per carry. The Broncos run defense has been gashed up the middle at times the last two weeks, but the Bengals haven’t shown an ability to challenge anyone on the ground. Edge: Broncos

When Broncos pass: Here’s where things get tricky. Bo Nix has been the worst starting quarterback in the NFL when under duress — at least, by the numbers — through three games this season. The Bengals, however, blitz less often than any other team in the league and largely rely on nickel-heavy schemes. Cincinnati hasn’t allowed a single deep completion (over 20 yards) to any team. The Bengals also give up the most yardage on intermediate throws (between 10-19 yards) in the league. Nix, on the flip side, currently has the worst rating in the league on intermediate throws among 31 qualified NFL quarterbacks. Fascinating! Edge: Even.

When Bengals pass: Jake Browning currently stands alone in leading the NFL in picks with five, and has thrown 47 fewer passes than any of the guys who’ve thrown four. Edge: Broncos

Special teams: Bengals punter Ryan Rehkow is leading the NFL in yards per punt through three games, but kicker Evan McPherson struggled at times last year, finishing 6 of 12 on kicks longer than 40 yards. The Bengals also haven’t shown much in the return game. Edge: Broncos

°ä´Ç˛ął¦łóľ±˛Ô˛µ:ĚýDenver committed 10 penalties against the Chargers last week, several of which were back-breaking or momentum-shifting. You’re not in a great place with discipline if you’re drawing flags for offensive offsides and neutral-zone infractions on punt defense. But the Bengals have a horrid ground game and couldn’t feed the ball consistently to their two best playmakers against the Vikings, and got walloped for it. Sean Payton’s game-calling was decidedly above-average last week, too. Edge: Broncos

Tale of the tape

By the numbers

22%: Percentage of red-zone snaps against the Bengals’ defense that have gone for a touchdown in 2025.

1: Fourth-quarter carries Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins got in last week’s loss to the Chargers.

6.1%:ĚýPercentage of snaps the Bengals stack the box (eight or more defenders), second-lowest in the NFL.

6.7:ĚýYards per catch for Marvin Mims Jr. this year, down from last year’s mark of 12.9.

50%:ĚýBengals WR Tee Higgins’ catch rate, down from 67% in 2024.

21: Quarterback pressures by Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto, the highest in the NFL through three games.

X-factors

Broncos: WR Marvin Mims Jr. Where has Mims’ long-awaited breakout been in Year 3? The multidimensional receiver has caught just six passes through three games and has taken just a handful of snaps in the backfield, after emerging as a hybrid weapon in Sean Payton’s offense last year. Denver could use another passing-game threat to take the pressure off Bo Nix, and Mims’ coming-out party last year came against the Bengals: eight catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns in December.

Bengals: S Jordan Battle. After the Chargers’ Derwin James Jr. was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his work against the Broncos, Denver faces another highly productive and versatile safety in Battle. The Alabama product has two picks and leads the Bengals with 23 tackles entering Monday night’s matchup. This Cincinnati defense has been mediocre overall, but Battle offers legit playmaking potential from the secondary.

Post predictions

Parker Gabriel, Broncos beat writer: Broncos 28, Bengals 13.

Wins and losses are all that matter in the NFL. But early in the season, that measuring stick can be a noisy one. Cincinnati is 2-1, but is also quite bad by almost every metric. The Broncos are 1-2, and while their warts are obvious, they’re also in many ways a pretty good team. If Joe Burrow were playing, this could have shaped up to be a barnburner a la December along the Ohio River. Instead, this lines up well for Sean Payton’s team to get in rhythm offensively and take the ball away defensively.

Luca Evans, Broncos beat writer: Broncos 31, Bengals 10.

This Cincinnati team is ˛ú˛ą»ĺĚýright now — just look at the tale of the tape above. They can’t run well. They can’t pass well. They don’t rush the passer well, or much at all. In a primetime game at home, this is the perfect environment for Sean Payton’s group to round into form and for quarterback Bo Nix to quiet an increasingly loud group of doubters. Expecting a blowout.

Troy Renck, columnist: Broncos 30, Bengals 18.

The Broncos offense doesn’t do anything particularly well. And the Bengals are just unwell. The health of Joe Burrow has again jeopardized a season because the Bengals refuse to invest in a line to protect him. So, the Broncos get a get-right game. Their frothing defense is ready to show it can finish against Jake Browning. Only Akili Smith would have been a better matchup. This sets up as a night for the Broncos to figure out who they are offensively — feed J.K. Dobbins — while sacking Browning repeatedly.

Sean Keeler, columnist: Broncos 27, Bengals 17.

The Burrow Bowl is now The Burro Bowl, as both QB1s in this game have played like donkeys as of late. (So much for Monday Night Football marketing.) At least Cincy’s bringing old pals Dalton Risner, Noah Fant and Samaje Perine back to town, so that’s fun. Watching this secondary try to cover Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins won’t be. Fortunately, the Bengals rank sixth among NFL offenses in sack rate allowed, which means a lovely night of watching Nik Bonitto turning Empower Field into Casa Bonitto again.

Keeler: Pretty sure he will. Harvey’s the option with younger legs, less mileage, faster acceleration off the snap and more of a workhorse build. The burst is real. The cuts are clean. But No. 37’s tendency to bounce outside could get problematic. That was one of the knocks on Harvey coming out of UCF, and it popped up again at Santa Clara. RJ could beat 85-90% of Power 4 college linebackers to the “D” gap, turn on a dime and zoom to daylight. That daylight is fleeting against NFL defenders, especially ones that can close. Harvey’s bouncing might turn into a nice run of explosion plays. It might also lead to some second- and third-down distances that Payton’s going to loathe.

Renck: Payton has said it will be obvious to everyone how the depth chart will fall based on practices and exhibitions. What the 49ers game screamed is that the coach is trying to accelerate Harvey’s learning curve. He was featured on outside run plays and showed the ability to turn the corner. He will learn that he must put his foot in the ground, and get north and south through the middle of the line more often. Harvey, 24, received seven carries. Dobbins, 26, got none. My guess is that Dobbins will be the feature back in either Thursday’s joint practice against the Cardinals or on Saturday night. If not, then it will be a clear sign that Dobbins is being typecast as a third-down back.

Keeler: True enough. But when something works, why fight it? Per ProFootballReference.com, Dobbins has . That might not scream “Samaje Perine.” But it’s a safer bet on a critical conversion than a rookie who’s still learning on the job. Harvey has the toolbox to be whatever you want him to be. Me? I want a veteran as third-down security to start the season.

Renck: Dobbins has a history of being deadly in September, averaging 5.72 yards. Payton knows a fast start is the fast track to a division title. So, I am not selling stock on Dobbins. The Broncos ranked 25th in yards after contact last season, spoiling the work of a Broncos’ offensive line that was first in run block win rate. Dobbins can bring physicality early, before ceding carries to Harvey as the season progresses. It conjures memories of Payton’s first season in New Orleans in 2006 when Deuce McAllister ran for 1,057 yards on 244 carries and rookie Reggie Bush added 565 on 155. 

Keeler: The question is: If all other things are equal, who’s going to be Payton’s Deuce and who’s going to be his Bush? My money’s on true 1A/1B time-share that’s going to infuriate a lot of fantasy football wonks early on while Sunshine Sean rides the hot hand. I’d still wager on Harvey — if he’s healthy — getting the bulk of the work down the stretch. And on first down.

He was not pieced together like Frankenstein, before being let loose into the Dove Valley meadow to wreak havoc on the NFL. Payton finds the implication insulting. Which is fascinating.

Payton likes Peyton and Paton, but definitely Payton. And the narrative that Nix only blossomed because he went to the right team with the right scheme makes the coach look better.

And Payton is having none of it.

He wanted Nix more than anyone. And didn’t give a (bleep) what others thought of him taking Nix as the sixth quarterback in the first round. He had a vision for the player, and it resulted in one of the best rookie quarterback seasons of all time.

But he wants everyone to know that he wasn’t working with bald tires and spare parts. He loves Nix, believes he will be a in the next two years.

Excuse me, what?

Did Payton max out another gift card on Starbucks lattes?

In recent conversations with national writers at The Athletic, Sports Illustrated and Yahoo Sports, Payton sounded like someone who sees Nix rising to the same level as current NFL royalty Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes.

Two weeks into training camp makes the mind wander. It’s hard to understand what is real and what is heat stroke. But Payton keeps doubling down on his quarterback. And I love it.

Don’t completely buy it, but I love it, nonetheless.

This tells me Payton believes his offense is about to go off because of a trustworthy running game and upgraded tight end.

Here’s the thing about Nix: He is better than you think. And way better than what draftniks predicted. Had Payton listened to the criticism, he would have thought Nix’s floor was the sewer and his ceiling the manhole cover.

Nix delivered 34 total touchdowns last season — 29 passing, four rushing, one receiving. He plays bigger than listed. Runs faster than expected. And is alarmingly accurate, demonstrating precision even with only one weapon (Courtland Sutton) that you wanted on your fantasy league team.

One season is a small sample size, but it says Nix is good.

No, he is not Andrew Luck, capable of overcoming an empty roster and front office dysfunction. Or John Elway, the greatest college prospect ever.

But the Broncos can win big because of Nix, not despite him. Payton knows this. He also knows something else, a secret that will become obvious after the season’s first month: The Broncos will be balanced.

When most men fall in love, they buy a diamond. Payton got Nix a run game and Evan Engram.

Saddle up, ¶¶Ňőapountry.

Payton has gone from founder to the most vocal member of the Bo-lievers fan club. He recognizes his unteachable traits — avoiding sacks, natural leader — and how they will be amplified with more talent around him.

Drew Brees, shoulder injury notwithstanding, was a solid NFL quarterback before he joined Payton in New Orleans. He became a Hall of Famer when surrounded by Deuce McAllister, Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram, Marques Colston, Michael Thomas and Jeremy Shockey.

Payton closes his eyes and sees not what Nix is, but what he will become. Nix has already proven he can elevate a team. Now, J.K. Dobbins, R.J. Harvey and Engram will lift him. Mark it down, Payton will have his first 100-yard rusher with the Broncos, a drought that currently sits at 35 games and counting.

Play-action strikes? Bootlegs? RPOs that lead to chunk plays with his legs? They will all be at Nix’s disposal. Payton cringes at the mention of a sophomore slump, that defenses will figure out Nix. It’s because of his talent — and the fact that Nix will not be operating the 2024 offense.

Run the ball and win in the middle of the field with a tight end. That was missing last season. And when it happens — only injuries will prevent it — Nix will be a top-15 quarterback after this year, and move into the top 10 following the 2026 season.

Nix’s first season underscored what separates young quarterbacks: His ability to process information quickly. In Nix’s first practices, Samaje Perine said Nix reminded him of Burrow with his knowledge of the playbook. Mike McGlinchey praised his humble confidence and ability to stay on time and on target.

It is hard to turn quarterbacks into computer chips in the NFL. There is an inherent either-you’ve-got-it-or-you-don’t quality when it comes to vision and decision-making. Nix has it.

Had the Broncos beaten the Chiefs in Kansas City or upset Cincinnati on national TV in overtime, Nix would be viewed closer to Jayden Daniels. Instead, he fires a few interceptions in practice, and here come the haters, dropping comparisons to former Seahawks QB Rick Mirer.

Nix has made some poor throws in training camp. There are times it looks like he knows the answer to the equation and forgets to show his work. This should disappear when facing the Niners in joint practice Thursday, instead of the Broncos’ top-ranked defense.

Nix did everything right this offseason — from his workouts to hanging out with Brees to accelerate his mental growth.

He is a special player who will have a special season. And if you don’t believe it, just ask Sean Payton.

When he signed with the Broncos as a free agent in 2023, of course, the money mattered. But the coach, not the Brink’s truck backing into his bank account, made the difference.

“I played for Kyle (Shanahan), one of the best. And I know how hard it is when that guy isn’t right. I have heard that a lot from my buddies who signed with us (in San Francisco), and guys when I first got here,” McGlinchey told The Denver Post.

“As an NFL football player, your life can be really miserable if you have an idiot for a head coach. I made sure that I wasn’t going to turn my career over to just anyone. I wanted to compete at the highest level. And Sean (Payton) was the deciding factor.”

As he shielded his 6-foot-8, 315-pound frame from the bright sun Thursday, McGlinchey explained how he trusted Payton’s vision, his belief, his conviction. But it also took blind faith that Payton was as good at identifying a franchise quarterback as he was at coaching one.

The selection of Bo Nix changed everything.

Last April, Nix startled veteran running back Samaje Perine with how well he knew the playbook. McGlinchey felt like the kid was straight out of central casting.

“We were all seeing and saying the same things,” McGlinchey said.

Watching Payton run practice and Nix run the offense at OTAs, it continues to validate McGlinchey’s decision to come to Denver. The culture has changed. The nonsense has vanished. The losers are absent. The compass is pointing straight north after a 10-win season, something felt in the huddle and on every snap with Nix.

“The confidence, the competitiveness, the willingness to get after Sean at times, this is Bo’s team. He knows that. Everybody knows that,” McGlinchey said. “And it’s really cool to see him manage expectations. He doesn’t give a (bleep). He has such a talent of blocking out anything that doesn’t matter to him. I think that’s what separates the great ones: simplifying your life to make sure that everything is going towards one goal. The way he has looked the last two weeks, this kid is on his way to really taking off.”

This is why McGlinchey came to a franchise enduring “pretty dark times.” He wanted to be part of the renovation. But nobody is putting away the hard hats and hammers after ending the eight-year postseason drought last winter. Not after getting smoked by the Bills. Not after lacking balance offensively.

There remains plenty of room for improvement. The Broncos must run the ball better after former starter Javonte Williams led the team in rushing with 513 yards.

“Our running game can take that next step, and we need it to. We understand that in order to be as dominant as we want to be, you have to be able to control the ball on the ground, especially with the defense that we have,” McGlinchey said. “If you can run the ball, you can control the clock, control the sticks. It makes it really hard for the opponent to gain traction.”

In his third season in Denver, McGlinchey has become a cornerstone of an offensive line that is central to the Broncos graduating from relevant to a legitimate threat to Kansas City’s nine-year run of AFC West dominance. All the starters and every backup returned. It is allowing the group to make progress, to spend more time on how to block rather than who to block. There are also a few new wrinkles, including the sprinkling in of outside zone run blocking principles.

“I have never been in a situation like this with this much continuity,” said McGlinchey, who is entering his eighth season. “We have the right guys. And everybody is here to do the right things.”

The truth is, you haven’t always liked McGlinchey as the right tackle, citing penalties. You still might not like him, bothered by his salary. Some of you may never like him. But the Broncos need him.

The Broncos’ surprise success was also McGlinchey’s. He delivered arguably his best season in 2024 despite missing four games with a knee injury, demonstrating consistency in the run and pass game while allowing only three sacks. When he was younger, McGlinchey obsessed over personal honors like the Pro Bowl. His mindset has shifted.

“It’s not about the accolades. They would be nice, but that is out of my control,” McGlinchey said. “I think there is so much more for me to accomplish in this league. It’s about me being my best for my team.”

McGlinchey’s chest puffs out when he talks about the Broncos, about the grunts up front. Both were panned before his arrival. Now, the Broncos no longer look like a giraffe on roller skates. This is a team, three years in the making. A team that is coming.

It is not yet a stampede. But the object in the rearview mirror is much closer than it appears.

“To go from where we were two years ago to where we are now, we all take pride in that, and in making sure our program never steps back to that again. It is so much fun. We are ready to be on the big stage of the NFL,” McGlinchey said. “We are on the right track. Guys are believing. Being able to consistently execute in the biggest moments is the next part of it.”

Broncos fans became acquainted with Perine in 2023 as the veteran running back who turned into a favorite third-down target and a two-minute weapon for Russell Wilson. He figured he could fill a similar role for Bo Nix, who piqued his interest in OTAs.

As Perine stood on the Superdome field during Monday’s media night, he reflected on where he is and where he’s been. Cut by the Broncos on Aug. 26 after the team drafted Audric Estime, Perine now serves as a critical reserve for a Kansas City Chiefs squad trying to become the first Super Bowl team to three-peat.

“It really came down to that first conversation with coach (Andy) Reid. He told me he had been watching me through the years, that he would love for me to come here. It really didn’t take much, you know,” Perine said. “I have been on the other side of what they have been able to do the last few years. I knew wherever I went I could contribute something. I am so lucky to have ended up here.”

Only 29, Perine has the face of a respected elder. Despite joining the Chiefs two weeks before the season and three days after the Broncos cut him, he has found a niche on the field and in the locker room.

“He is a selfless player. He’s here to win. To see how he prepares throughout the week, the way he takes this game so seriously, it¶¶Ňőap phenomenal to have a guy like that in our building,” Chiefs center Creed Humphrey said. “He’s someone I got to watch at OU (Oklahoma). Just hearing the stories of him in college and now having him as a teammate, I have a ton of respect for him.”

Perine rushed for 92 yards on 20 carries. He also caught 28 passes for 322 yards. None was bigger than in the AFC Championship game. Needing a first down to seal the victory, Perine lined up in the backfield behind quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He had played nine snaps before this play, touching the ball on exactly zero of them.

On third-and-9 from Buffalo’s 35-yard line, Perine sneaked out into the flat and took a short pass for a 17-yard gain, securing the Chiefs’ fifth Super Bowl berth in the past six seasons.

“That play says a lot about him. He waited until his number was called and was ready,” running back Kareem Hunt said. “He brings a toughness, an attitude. He is a guy who is going to pick up every blitz and make a big play when given the chance.”

While the volume rose during training camp that the Broncos were going younger at running back, Perine tuned out the noise. He hoped he was safe. And besides he was really looking forward to playing with Bo Nix.

“He’s very mature. I haven’t been around that many rookie quarterbacks, but he and Joe Burrow, as far as maturity, are in the same group. Bo came into OTAs with a good grasp on the playbook and all the terminology. He was ready to go,” said Perine of Nix, who won the starting job and threw for 29 touchdowns. “I think if you were inside that building when he first got there, his success was not a surprise. He came in laser-focused. I think he’s just going to keep getting better.”

Perine hopes the same applies to his career. Getting released stung, but it led him back to the sport¶¶Ňőap biggest stage. As a member of the Bengals, he lost Super Bowl 56 to the Rams.

This time he is on the favorite, something he doesn’t take for granted.

“You never know what can happen in this league. When I was with Denver, I kept pushing. It was all I could do. I didn’t read too much into the offseason and draft and all that. It was out of my control,” Perine said. “But to be here with a chance to win a ring, it would mean everything. Just everything. You dream of moments like this.”

When: Sunday, 2:25 p.m. MT

Where: Empower Field at Mile High

Radio/TV: 850 AM, 94.1 FM/CBS

Broncos-Chiefs series: Denver is 55-73 in 128 regular-season games dating back to 1960; the Broncos lost 16-14 in the last meeting, on Nov. 10 on the road, and have dropped eight of the last nine games against Kansas City.

In the spotlight: Broncos prepare for Chiefs backup QB Carson Wentz

The Broncos don’t care if Carson Wentz has fallen from grace. Or if the veteran quarterback has started only eight games in the last three seasons.

With a trip to the playoffs hanging in the balance on Sunday, Denver is locked in on trying to stop Wentz, who will be starting in place of star quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the regular-season finale. Coach Andy Reid’s decision to play Wentz came after the Chiefs locked up the top seed in the AFC and wanted to rest Mahomes and other key pieces before the playoffs.

“He’s in this league for a reason. He’s big, and he’s strong. He was a first-round draft pick,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said. “It¶¶Ňőap the player, but it¶¶Ňőap also everything around it and understanding what they’re trying to do.”

The last time Wentz started a game was in Week 18 of the 2023 season. He threw for 163 yards, two touchdowns and an interception to lead the Rams to a 21-20 victory over the 49ers, who primarily played backups in the second half.

At one point, Wentz was considered one of the best quarterbacks in the league. The 2016 second-overall pick played five seasons in Philadelphia, where he finished third in the MVP voting during a stellar 2017 campaign. He totaled 3,296 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 13 games but missed the Eagles’ Super Bowl run due to injury.

In 2021, Wentz was traded to the Colts for a pair of draft picks. He guided the Colts to a 9-8 record while throwing for 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his lone season in Indianapolis. His last run as a full-time starter came in 2022 with Washington. As the Commanders signal-caller, he battled injuries and turnover issues. The former North Dakota State standout had nine interceptions in eight games (seven starts).

Kansas City is Wentz’s fourth team in four years. Still, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph showed nothing but respect for Wentz’s talent in the lead-up to Sunday’s game.

“He’s a high pick for a reason,” Joseph said. “He’s been a winner. He’s talented, so we have to respect this guy. The trend in the league right now is quarterbacks making a resurgence. I mean, he wants that too.”

Joseph was referring to quarterbacks like the Vikings’ Sam Darnold, a first-round pick who emerged as a quality starter after being a backup in San Francisco last year. With Wentz given the opportunity to be a starter again, Joseph anticipates him giving it his all.

“He’s gonna play his best football,” Joseph said. “It won’t be easy.”

Who has the edge?

When Broncos run

Javonte Williams didn’t have a carry last week against the Bengals while Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime received the majority of the workload. Although McLaughlin has shown some positive signs in recent weeks, the overall inconsistency of the group, mixed with Payton’s tendency to abandon the run at times, remains concerning. The Chiefs have allowed 4.2 yards per carry this season. They’ve also given up only 39 rushing attempts of 10-plus yards — fourth-lowest in the league, according to NFL’s Next Gen Stats. Edge: Broncos

When Broncos pass

Bo Nix has thrown for at least 200 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in six games this season — tied with C.J. Stroud in 2023 and Justin Herbert in 2020 for the most such games by a rookie since at least 1950, according to Next Gen Stats. Chiefs star defensive tackle Chris Jones and edge rusher George Karlaftis won’t be playing, which is a bonus for Denver. Edge: Broncos

When Chiefs run

With Chiefs running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt sidelined, Kansas City will rely on Carson Steele (48 carries, 158 yards) and former Bronco Samaje Perine (19 carries, 91 yards) in the run game. Denver’s run defense has taken a step back lately, allowing at least 100 yards in three straight games. However, the unit should be able to handle the Chiefs’ third- and fourth-string running backs. Edge: Broncos

When Chiefs pass

Kansas City has allowed 75 pressures in the last five games. Meanwhile, the Broncos are coming off a seven-sack game against the Bengals. It was the fifth time this season Denver recorded five-plus sacks in a game. Defensive end Zach Allen has a pressure rate of 11.3%. Edge: Broncos

Special teams

Marvin Mims Jr. on Thursday was named to his second Pro Bowl as a returner, and rightfully so. He has averaged 15.7 yards on 26 punt return attempts this season. Last week marked just the second time Riley Dixon didn’t down a punt inside the 20-yard line this season. Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker is 2 for 4 on field goal attempts of 50-plus yards. Edge: Broncos

Coaching

No matter who the Chiefs have playing on Sunday, Andy Reid is still one of the best coaches in the game. He and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo are going to call a competitive game. They are not going to let Denver walk over them. But Sean Payton isn’t too shabby himself. And he’ll be starting his 1s against many of the Chiefs’ 2s and 3s. Edge: Chiefs

Tale of the tape

(Click here to view chart in mobile.)

By the numbers

17: Receiving yards Broncos WR Courtland Sutton needs to reach 1,000 for the season.

21:ĚýPressures generated by Broncos DL Zach Allen in under 2.5 seconds.

92.8:ĚýPasser rating allowed by Denver’s defense in man coverage.

44.5%: Broncos QB Bo Nix’s completion percentage when under pressure.

5.6:ĚýYards per carry for Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin on inside runs.

Bet on it

Courtland Sutton over 5.5 receptions: Sutton has at least five receptions in four of Denver’s last five games. He has been Bo Nix’s go-to target throughout the season. In the Broncos’ most important game of the year, expect Nix to rely on Sutton heavily in the passing game.

Broncos score touchdown on first drive (+255): The Broncos’ backs are against the wall. They know a postseason berth is at stake and will not waste time on Sunday. Denver will try to establish momentum from the jump and take the Chiefs out of the game as quickly as possible.

Post predictions

Parker Gabriel, beat writer: Broncos 20, Chiefs 17

Maybe it’ll end up being smooth sailing for Denver. The status as a big home favorite will make for a festive Week 18 and a cathartic end to the playoff drought. But it’s hard to imagine Kansas City, the longtime divisional big brother, rolling over and letting it happen that easily. Even with Patrick Mahomes in a ball cap. Even with other key players only watching. Coach Andy Reid and DC Steve Spagnuolo don’t have to take the week off. Still, Denver makes good on chance No. 3 and punches its ticket.

Ryan McFadden, beat writer:  Broncos 26, Chiefs 17

Third time’s the charm, right? Denver has shown it can beat the Chiefs. A blocked field goal attempt at Arrowhead took away the Broncos’ chance of pulling their biggest upset of the season. On Sunday, however, the Broncos will be playing against a bunch of the Chiefs’ backups. The game will be closer than expected, but the Broncos should take care of business in front of their home crowd. If not, they never deserved to be in the playoffs to begin with.

Troy Renck, columnist: Broncos 22, Chiefs 19

The K.C. bench would like nothing more than to send the Broncos to the beach. But without Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, Travis Kelce and Trent McDuffie, the Chiefs are not upsetting the Broncos. Sean Payton will find himself in rhythm with the run game — meaning Bo Nix is a big part of it on RPOs — as the Broncos advance to the playoffs with a white-knuckle win.

Matt Schubert, sports editor: Broncos 25, Chiefs 14

As much as Kansas City might like to spoil the Broncos’ parade to the playoffs, every decision its coaching staff has made leading into this one indicates just how little they actually care. It’s hard to beat a team with that sort of posture, especially one as motivated as the Broncos playing in front of a frothing-at-the-mouth home crowd. The postseason drought ends Sunday, with a trip to sunny Buffalo a fitting reward after the debacle that was the last two weeks.

It barely registered, but maybe it had been building for some time. Weeks, even.

On Wil Lutz’s extra point, Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal bull-rushed off the left side of the Broncos’ protection and knocked Alex Forsyth down to his back.

No problem, though. Lutz’s kick sailed through the uprights to give Denver a 14-3 lead.

Chenal, though, knew he was on to something.

After the game, he said, “I don’t want to point out anything specific, but each week as the game goes along, it¶¶Ňőap more of a feel thing. Are they blocking high or are they giving help to our best get-off guy, (safety) Justin Reid? A lot of times they’ll go out there and leave openings up the middle.”

Chenal was more direct with Pro Football Talk, reportedly telling the outlet Forsyth was “light on his toes” and that he thought a bull rush would work.

The Chiefs had an idea beforehand, though, that the left side of Denver’s line might be susceptible.

“We did,” Kansas City coach Andy Reid said, “but it¶¶Ňőap also something that we work on like crazy, so it normally doesn’t work quite like that. But that one, we had a couple of different guys. (Defensive lineman George Karlaftis) was in there, too, I believe. I haven’t had a chance to look at the replay, but it looked like we had a couple different guys in there.”

They did, and it¶¶Ňőap not the first time for the Broncos’ left side.

In a review of the Broncos’ 40 combined field goal attempts (21) and extra points (19) so far in 2024, The Post found 22 instances of players getting knocked over backward.

The distribution of those among the Broncos’ front probably served as a blinking red light.

Of those 22, Forsyth had been the guy knocked over 15 times. Add in two for Matt Peart, and 77.3% of the knock-downs came from the Broncos’ left side. Alex Palczewski had three and Calvin Throckmorton one on the right side and long-snapper Mitchell Fraboni went backward once.

“When something like that happens — it could be a trick play or whatever — it’s pretty common for the team that had success with it to say, ‘Hey, we saw (something).’ And credit them for that,” Payton said Monday. “They exploited something we thought was fixed and stronger and yet not enough. I read all the comments afterward. It’s tough to lose a game that way.

“This isn’t on the player. This is on all of us. This is on us as coaches. We’ve got to continue to look at, are we big enough stature-wise for that? And understanding how the rush was coming. It’s disappointing.”

Getting knocked over by a rusher isn’t necessarily the end of the world on the field goal unit. Rush enough guys or overload a side and you might get somebody to the ground. The unit doesn’t have to hold up for very long.

That doesn’t mean that all of those kicks were close to being blocked, but bull-rushing Forsyth had become a frequent practice by opponents. He was knocked down on two extra points against New Orleans, all four extra points against Carolina, the lone extra point against Baltimore, the second extra point against Kansas City and both field goal attempts. That¶¶Ňőap 10 of Denver’s past 17 kicks.

Another trend in the pressures the Broncos gave up: The 15 from Forsyth and four combined from Palczewski and Throckmorton came from the same spot on either side of the line — third out from the center.

From Fraboni out to the left, the Broncos align Quinn Meinerz, Mike McGlinchey and then Forsyth. To the right from Fraboni: Ben Powers, Garett Bolles and then Throckmorton (or Palczewksi when Throckmorton was inactive). Tackle Peart and tight end Lucas Krull are on the flanks and will sometimes trade sides depending on where the Broncos think the rush will come from.

Forsyth is easy to blame, and he’s been knocked over a lot, but the Broncos coaching staff could have made a change. In each game there’s at least one offensive lineman active who’s not in on the field goal unit. That was Payton’s point Monday.

“When we see a corner that feels like he’s jumping on an out-and-up, we feel like he’s back on his heels,” Payton said. “They felt like they had an indication relative to how his weight was balanced. All of that is game planning, scouting and then it’s us coaching and self-scouting, but again, it’s nothing new.”

This time, it just cost a much higher price than the first nine games.

One small thing I liked: Rookie wide receiver Devaughn Vele has become a third-down weapon for rookie quarterback Bo Nix.

Since Vele, a seventh-round pick out of Utah, returned to the active roster in Week 6, Nix has targeted him eight times on third and fourth downs. Vele’s got catches and conversions on all eight for 107 yards and a touchdown.

He converted three more Sunday against the Chiefs, including his first career touchdown.

Vele’s stat line Sunday (four catches for 39 yards) and for the season (22 catches on 27 targets for 215 yards) won’t draw a lot of attention, but context shows his growing importance to Denver’s offense.

One small thing I didn’t like: Courtland Sutton’s been really good the past three weeks, but his sequence at the end of the first half Sunday hurt.

Nix had just completed a 13-yarder to Vele on third-and-1 to get Denver to the KC 37-yard line and the outskirts of field goal range and went to the line to spike the ball with 15 seconds left in the half.

Sutton, though, lined up in the neutral zone. The penalty pushed the Broncos back to the 42-yard line.

On the next snap, Nix started to his right and came back to his left for Sutton on an in-cut. The ball was out ahead of Sutton, but he had a chance to catch it around the 25-yard line. It¶¶Ňőap one the veteran and top receiving threat for Denver has to find a way to haul in.

Denver had to settle for a low-probability 60-yard attempt from Lutz that came up well short. A chance to extend the lead from 14-10, missed by that much.

Sutton, though, has picked up the pace considerably in the past three weeks. In that span, he’s got 21 catches (30 targets) for 292 yards and a touchdown. In the Broncos’ first seven games, Sutton had 21 catches (47 targets) for 277 and two TDs.

One trend to watch: Nik Bonitto is on a heater.

The Broncos’ third-year outside linebacker wreaked havoc against Kansas City. He logged a season-high six pressures on Mahomes, according to Next Gen Stats. The Chiefs simply had no answer for him off Mahomes’ left side, especially after an injury forced rookie Kingsley Suamataia into the game.

Bonitto finished with one sack but it easily could have been more. He had one wiped off the board by a defensive penalty in the second quarter. He also had Mahomes in his grasp twice only to have the QB escape for an incompletion and a Houdini-esque 35-yard completion to running back Samaje Perine.

Bonitto’s been playing at a high level for a while now, too.

Sunday was the fourth straight game he logged a pressure rate of 20% or better. In Denver’s first six games, his best mark was 17.4% against Tampa Bay in Week 3. For context on the current run, of 29 players with 30 or more pressures so far this season, only three have a season-long pressure rate at 20% or better: Houston’s Danielle Hunter (21.8%) Cleveland’s Myles Garrett (21.5%) and Rams rookie Jared Verse (20%).

Bonitto’s at 15.8% for the season, but in the past month he’s looked like one of the most disruptive rushers in the NFL.

Good-on-bad matchups often determine the outcome of games.

If the Broncos are to run their winning streak to four games Sunday by beating the Los Angeles Chargers, they’re likely going to have to notch a win or two in an area where they’ll be big underdogs: The offensive red zone.

Denver through five weeks is tied for 27th in the NFL with a 43.8% red zone touchdown rate, though they’ve been on a bit of an upswing recently. That¶¶Ňőap perhaps not a big surprise with a rookie quarterback in Bo Nix. Life comes at you fast in pro football and even faster when the field gets compressed.

The Broncos have been perfectly average in reaching the red zone. Their 16 trips are tied for 14th and the average number of red zone appearances per team so far is 15.6.

Denver, though, has only converted seven times on those chances, hence the lowly conversion rate and ranking.

The numbers have been on the climb in recent weeks. Since starting 1 of 7 over the first two weeks — including a pair of brutal interceptions thrown by Nix — the Broncos have gone 6 of 9 over their three-game winning streak.

Continuing that momentum Sunday against the Chargers is no easy task, considering L.A. has allowed just nine red zone trips to opponents in four games this year and surrendered just three touchdowns.

“We go through the numbers and they’re near the top of the league,” head coach Sean Payton said Friday. “Now, it¶¶Ňőap four weeks in. The one thing they’ve been really good at is they haven’t defended a lot of trips into the red zone, so there’s a start. The film this week, you’re going to the preseason, you’re going (back) because of that.

“That¶¶Ňőap pretty impressive.”

One peculiarity for Denver is the red zone production of its running back tandem. Javonte Williams has surged overall the past two weeks, but he does not have a touchdown yet on the year. He’s a powerful runner and he’s 221 pounds, but he’s not been a particularly good goal-line back throughout his career.

Jaleel McLaughlin, on the other hand, is 190 pounds soaking wet. But he has generated a pair of touchdowns in the red zone early this season — one rushing, one receiving — that perhaps no other player on the roster would have been able to get across the goal line.

“He’s got good contact balance for his size,” Payton said. “… He’s got good vision and some backs are just harder to lay your pads on than others. In other words, he gets tackled but he might just get quartered. He’s got good vision, very good feet and there’s some strength in how he runs.”

Overall, Williams has nine carries for 17 yards in the red zone plus one catch for 11.

McLaughlin has four carries for 6 yards plus one catch for 4, but two of those five touches have finished in the end zone.

Of Denver’s four rushing touchdowns on the season, it¶¶Ňőap been Nix who’s accounted for three of them.

The Broncos are coming off one of their best red zone performances in recent seasons in a 34-18 win against the Raiders. They converted all three of their goal-to-go tries, marking their first perfect outing with three or more chances since 2022 and their first against a division foe since a win against the Chargers in 2021.

However, this L.A. group has allowed two rushing touchdowns this season — a 5-yard run by Pittsburgh quarterback Justin Fields and a 2-yard run by Kansas City running back Samaje Perine — and Denver will be playing this weekend with its No.3  right tackle Matt Peart and backup center Alex Forsyth after back-up right tackle Alex Palczewski (ankle) and center Luke Wattenberg (ankle) were ruled out.

“Just have to know what¶¶Ňőap important in this game and how to win this game,” Payton said.

Keeler: Ramsay? Sunshine Sean’s been as chummy as Bobby Flay lately, my friend. Mind you, he also hasn’t lost a game in eight and a half months, so let’s see what happens once the seas get choppy. That said, Payton’s a high-floor coach with a resume that doesn’t do tank jobs. I believe in the back of the baseball card. Or football card, in this case. Which is why I believe Payton cajoles, twists and drags this roster to seven wins — at the worst.

Renck: Maybe I spent too much time in the sun this weekend, leaving me with fever dreams of adequacy, but I believe the Broncos trip the over. My prediction before camp was six victories with a wink, wink. Now? Give me six with conviction. Bo Nix might as well be Bo the Builder as the Broncos’ construction project takes shape. I think the Broncos were better after the cuts. Losing Tim Patrick hurts, but it means more targets for Courtland Sutton, and Jaleel McLaughlin will emerge as the third-down back to replace Samaje Perine. It¶¶Ňőap not like they broke up Don “Air” Coryell’s 1970s Chargers. Denver has plenty of weapons to flirt with mediocrity.

°­±đ±đ±ô±đ°ů:ĚýPerine is a good pro who became surplus to requirements the minute Payton fell in love with Audric Estime as the “thunder” to McLaughlin’s “lightning.” I’m still not convinced this is a better receiving corps without Tim Patrick, though — largely because a passing game without proven home-run threats needs all the good-hands dudes it can muster. We’re going to see a lot of dinking and dunking by Nix to keep drives alive, and a healthy Patrick has a history of keeping the chains moving. As the Motor City is about to find out.

Renck: I am a realist, not an optimist. If the Broncos get off to a slow start — entirely possible with so many young players on the two-deep depth chart — they will not recover. Not this year. All of their first eight games are winnable, and they must beat Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Carolina. That means if they post victories in two of the following three home games over the final nine — Atlanta, Cleveland, Indianapolis — they will experience the joy of six. This Broncos team fascinates me because the franchise finally has a proven coach, who has never won fewer than seven games in 16 previous seasons, a young quarterback and a clear direction.

Keeler: It’s The Bo Show, for better or worse. But really? It’s The Sean Show. Last fall was the great experiment to see how well Russell Wilson fit Payton’s system, and it turned into an 18-week tug-of-war. The coach won. This offense is being hammered and molded entirely in his image now, and the locker room’s following suit. Which is how he likes it. Dove Valley’s basically Saints North. Payton’s New Orleans rosters never found themselves landing below the seven-win mark. The Bayou Broncos won’t, either.

Christian Braun didn’t hurt anyone or anything, let alone Russell Westbrook’s ego, by keeping his No. 0 jersey with the Nuggets. Hey, the kids up in the Grading The Week offices respect Beastbrook’s NBA resume as much as anybody. But they also believe in squatter’s rights.

Especially when said squatter played a key role in a city’s only (to date) NBA title. And is slated to slide, in theory, into an even bigger role starting this fall.

As to who’s wearing No. 0 (Braun) or No. 4 (Westbrook), who really cares? Yes, one of the NBA’s unwritten rules is that younger players or “role” players will defer on things such as uniform numbers to incoming veteran stars. (Sometimes thanks to a healthy check finding its way from the veteran star to his younger teammate.)

But you know what GTW loves about a non-story? How Westbrook went out of his way to make sure it never really became one in the first place.

Westbrook making his “0” issue a zero story — A

After Xwitter started throwing shade at Braun for his alleged disrespect, Westbrook did the bigger thing by calling his own number and throwing a blanket over the whole darned thing.

The veteran guard, who inked a two-year, $6.8-million contract with the Nuggets this offseason,

“Let’s please leave our young star alone … (Braun) and I never discussed him passing along the number 0. I didn’t want, inquire, or request the number 0 because I chose to mark this new change with a ‘new’ number …

“The excitement of the new season has already begun, and unfortunately I know that means the offload of many false stories. Not today! CB and I are locked in and ready to get thongs rockin’ in the Mile High City!”

That’s a veteran move right there. A classy one, too.

Ex-Broncos landing on their feet — C

Samaje Perine and Tim Patrick, if healthy, are almost certainly headed to the playoffs this winter. Too bad it won’t be with the Broncos.

Team GTW enjoyed having both guys around the Mile High City, truth be told, and the kids in the cubicles were rooting hard to see the Nix-to-Patrick connection that took flight during the preseason flourish against some real-life, real-speed defenses come September.

Alas, it’s not to be. The Broncos announced earlier this past week that they were looking to move both Patrick, who was playing in August games for the first time in three years after two major surgeries, and Perine, a veteran third-down, block-and-catch specialist out of the backfield. Finding no takers on the trade market, the pair were released.

And very quickly snapped up. Patrick is reportedly hooked on with the Lions, the NFC North’s new money. Perine? That one kind of hurts. While the success of Jaleel McLaughlin and drafting of Audric Estime made the 28-year-old veteran slightly redundant in a deep Broncos running back room, Perine could well have the last laugh here. The 28-year-old former Oklahoma star hooked on with the Chiefs, giving Patrick Mahomes and the reigning Super Bowl champs another viable weapon to work with.

The GTW crew understands that Broncos coach Sean Payton is under a cap crunch because of the Russell Wilson divorce. And that Payton likes a young roster that he can mold in his image, free from the culture of losing that’s permeated Dove Valley for the last five or six years. It’s usually a compliment when other teams think enough of your castoffs to snap them up quickly. But at the same time, why does it feel as if these two cuts in particular could come back and bite somebody on the backside?