Five players to watch Broncos vs Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes, Chris Jones, Russel Wilson

t’s been a rough ride for the Broncos through the first five games of the season, and it’s only going to get tougher for Sean Payton’s team as they visit the defending champion, Kansas City Chiefs, on Thursday Night. When Sean Payton signed on in the Mile High City, everyone thought that Broncos era of embarrassment was over. That has proved anything but true.

They head to Arrowhead on Thursday night for an AFC West battle with the Kansas City Chiefs who have not only dominated the division, but have been the reference setters in the conference for the last half decade. They return home looking to keep their four game winning streak alive, but know that it won’t be as easy as it looks on paper against a desperate division rival.

Patrick Mahomes

Mahomes always brings his patented brand of magic on a week to week basis, but he is particularly irresistible when under the bright lights. A couple weeks ago against the Jets, he was less than stellar, but he will be back on the national stage again on Thursday. The Broncos defense had better brace itself. Mahomes is 6th in the league with 10 passing TDs, and has thrown just 4 INTs, less than one a game. Denver’s D is giving up 263 yards a game, which is fourth worst in the league.

Isaiah Pacheco

The second year running back is finding his stride as the Chiefs starter, although he has had just one 100+ yard game so far. He is a shifty, but punishing runner that can dance past you or truck his way through you. His best game came on Sunday night against the Jets when he went for 115 yards and a 48 yard TD. The recipe for success for the Chiefs has been different this year than years past. Their defense is a difference maker, and they run the ball more than ever, especially protecting a lead late in games. I have a feeling Pacheco is going to have a big game against the Broncos soft defense.

Russell Wilson

The Broncos first five games have been an absolute disaster. It’s not just that they are losing, they are losing ugly. And loses like the one in Miami or the one last week at the hands of the Jets is creating a tension between Russell Wilson and his head coach Sean Payton. While there have been mistakes, and plays that the QB would love to take back, you can’t blame all of the Broncos’ misery on the No. 3′s shoulders. Wilson has 11 TD passes which puts him in a tie for second with Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Fields. He also has just 2 INTs which is best among the Top 5 QBs in the league. Those numbers haven’t translated into wins, and if the Broncos are going to get their second win of the season, Wilson is going to have to be spectacular.

Chris Jones

After sitting out the first game of the season because of a contract dispute, Chris Jones is back on the D Line for the Chiefs. KC’s defense has looked like a different unit since his return, and he will no doubt be causing plenty of pressure for Russ Wilson on Thursday night. He was a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year last season after a fantastic campaign, and will be gunning for the award this year. He didn’t get the long term deal he was hoping for during his holdout, but he did get a one year deal laced with incentives. Some of those incentives are statically based, like getting 10 sacks will get him $1.25 million, while others are achievement based. If he win Defensive Player of the Year and the Chiefs win the Super Bowl he gets an extra $2 million. There’s no better place to prove you worth than a game that everyone will be watching.

Jerry Jeudy

Russell Wilson has a pretty deep receiving corp, which can be a good thing and a bad thing. He is spreading the ball around to his top three receivers, but he has yet to find someone to rely on when the game is on the line. Jeudy hasn’t quite been the player he was expected to be coming out of the University of Alabama. He has yet to have a thousand yard season, and is still working on his chemistry with Russell Wilson. The pair have yet to connect for a TD and the fourth year pass catcher needs to be more of a presence on the offensive end, especially if the defense is going to make winning games so difficult for the Broncos.