Kansas City yielded an AFC-low 281 points last season and received a boost with the return of linebacker Derrick Johnson, who registered a team-high eight tackles in his first game back after suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon.
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After Sunday’s game the headlines being bantered around suggest – Is Peyton Manning done? The first Sunday of the season saw the Chiefs dominate the Houston Texans in a 27-20 win that wasn’t even competitive until the fourth quarter.
Mathis got a late start with Denver because he was released during the summer in a contract dispute with the Philadelphia Eagles, despite his status as a Pro Bowl selection after each of the previous two seasons and recognition as an All-Pro in 2013. Instead of practicing against Manning and the high-flying 18th Airborne every day at Dove Valley, the Broncos defense is working against an offense that more accurately portrays the next opponent. Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware create huge quarterback problems at the line of scrimmage, so the Chiefs are in for quiet a task up front.
The Broncos aren’t preparing to move on from Manning, not right now.
Beyond that, Talib’s play really emphasized how the Broncos are built this season. In the receiving end, Emmanuel Sanders had 65 yards in 12 receptions while Demaryius Thomas added 60 yards in seven receptions. Running back C.J. Anderson plans on playing against the Chiefs on Thursday. The Chiefs should beat the Broncos. The Chiefs didn’t have a single touchdown grab by a wide receiver last season, but that should change with Jeremy Maclin now on the roster.
The Broncos are working through a ton of change offensively, and working new players into the lineup and trying to make it all mesh together in one fell swoop.
Travis Kelce had a huge Week 1 performance. “Thank goodness because I can’t imagine what it would have been like had we lost the game”, Manning said.
Kansas City racked up five sacks in Week 1 and had the fifth-most sacks in the league a year ago , fuelled by Justin Houston’s 22.0.
“[Mark] Kiszla also – Kislza’s got gout for sure”, Manning said. Another important factor will be time of possession.
After Manning apparently leaned in for “an awkward guy hug” he left Ms Barnett Bollig with a quiet message: “Keep fighting, Kari”. Coverage of the Broncos and Chiefs game airs on CBS and NFL Network with kickoff at 8:25 pm ET. If you missed the game, it’s basically a miracle that Manning lived to see halftime. The Broncos hope to continue their dominance over their division rival this Thursday night at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs are looking poised to take the AFC West crown.
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Fourteen times, Manning has faced the Chiefs.
