Denver Broncos: 3 Keys to a Win vs the Kansas City Chiefs
Chad Kelly we hardly knew ye.
We’ve all heard about the Halloween party. We have heard about Chad Kelly’s actions including his arrest and subsequent release from the team. It’s a messy situation for the Broncos as the young QB’s issues came on the heels of a player function. It’s created unfair scrutiny of the function, a themed party that Denver players have participated in for years.
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The other players in attendance had to spend part of their weeks defending the party, their costumes or their tolerance of Kelly’s actions. It’s been a silly and unnecessary distraction in the biggest week of the season so far.
Locals concerned over the nature of the party or the costumes players chose aren’t at issue, though their concern is misplaced. The problem is an emotionally fragile Broncos team having to endure more questions even after their most complete and dominant game of the season.
Yes, the Cardinals are awful but the Broncos defense played with an edge that has been absent and the offense was inventive and mostly mistake-free. This is after John Elway called the Denver defense soft and Case Keenum can’t have been deaf to the calls for Kelly.
Add Vance Joseph‘s uncertain coaching status (Did I see Mike Shanahan at a Nuggets game?) and the Broncos have had controversy up to their ears in the first half of the season. What should’ve been a week of solid prep after a decisive victory was to some degree derailed by more controversy. Denver has to put that behind them and maintain their emotional discipline. As we mentioned above it’s critical when the teams meet.
After all of the psychology plays out, it’s still players making plays that decides football games and there is no bigger matchup on Sunday than the Broncos pass rush versus Kareem Hunt and Patrick Mahomes.