Broncos Can't Let Chiefs All-Pro Defender Wreck the Offense

The Denver Broncos have had issues on offense all season, but their problems on defense have overshadowed everything. One of Denver's issues has been the poor play from the interior offensive line.

Left guard Ben Powers has been inconsistent, especially in pass protection, but is coming off a terrible game as a run blocker. Center Lloyd Cushenberry III has had a few good blocks but has mainly been controlled at the line of scrimmage. In something of a surprise, third-year right guard Quinn Meinerz has been the worst of the three.

Denver's interior trio has faced tough defensive line after tough defensive line, with some of the best units in the NFL in three of its five games. Now, the Broncos must prepare to face one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL, Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro Chris Jones.

However, there is a bit of reprieve as the rest of the Chiefs' defensive line isn't great. Even so, Jones can take over a game and cover the rest of the unit's issues.

Jones held out for the first game of the season, but he got his contract re-worked and has been playing great in the four games since. He's picked up 15 total pressures, with five of them being sacks, according to Pro Football Focus.

Among all defensive linemen from Weeks 2-5, Jones is tied for the fourth most pressures. When you add the first week, which Jones sat out, he drops to being tied for 11th out of 68 players.

Three of the interior defensive linemen ahead of him, Jonathan Allen, Christian Wilkens, and Quinnen Williams, have faced the Broncos this season. The three combined for 11 total pressures, with six of them by Allen, but they all caused problems in the run game. Now Jones is up.

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There's no doubt that Jones will have a good game against the Broncos. He has faced the Broncos 13 times in his career, and while he has picked up five sacks, he's been a problem in every game. Over those 13 games, he added 49 total pressures, including five or more in a game six times.

Jones is also a high-quality run defender; that's where the Chiefs defensive line does well. He pairs with Derrick Nnadi to control the middle and open lanes for the linebackers to flow to the ball carrier with little contact.

With what Jones has done against the Broncos, it's worth reminding that he purportedly holds a grudge against the Broncos for something that happened when he came to visit the facilities before the draft. He has held onto that chip and tends to have two of the best games of his season against the Broncos.

The Broncos' interior has allowed 20 total pressures between the three blockers. As mentioned, 11 came against high-quality players, and Jones is better than all three. It would not be surprising to see Jones have a five or more pressure day, with a few sacks.

If the Broncos want to win this one, their first step is figuring out how to neutralize Jones. If they manage to do that, the Broncos must figure out how to attack a rigid coverage unit or run the ball. Then Denver's defense will have to figure out how to stop Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs' offense.

With it being a short week and the Broncos traveling to Kansas City, it doesn't bode well. Maybe the Broncos can shock everyone who tunes it, handle Jones, and break their losing streak against the Chiefs.

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