The Denver Broncos host the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. Earlier today, I discussed how the Broncos can earn their fourth win of the season. Now, I’ll turn my focus to three major storylines I’ll be watching closely in their Week 6 matchup versus the defending Super Bowl champions.
Can the Broncos find a weakness in the Seahawks defense?
Five weeks into the 2026 season and the Broncos are still a mess on offense. Denver was able to escape Los Angeles with a victory, yet that was mostly due to an incredible fourth quarter effort by the defense.
Yes, the offense was able to capitalize on short fields, but their drive-to-drive consistency was an absolute trainwreck.
All of Broncos Country hopes the offense can find a way to get back on track. Unfortunately, their Week 6 opponent sports one of the best defenses in the National Football League. I’m having a tough time finding a weakness for Denver to exploit, but they’ll have to find one to be victorious in primetime.
The Seahawks are fantastic across the board defensively. They have a knack forcing turnovers with 11 on the season. They are third best in the league on third down allowing less than 30-percent conversion rate. That’s an area the Broncos have struggled with all year long—exemplified by their dreadful 1-of-12 in that respect against the Chargers.
The Seahawks are giving up roughly 150 yards on the air. Given such, teams have run the ball at a high rate against them. Alas, it’s tough to establish a formidable ground attack against them. They are allowing 100 yards per game, but barely over 3.5 yards per carry.
Head Coach Sean Payton emphasized the importance of being able to run the ball to take pressure of Bo Nix and set him up for success. I have a feeling they will try to do that against Seattle. But can they grind hard enough on the ground to find a way to win? We will see of Denver’s offensive line and running backs are up to the challenge.
Will Bo Nix finally get out of his third-year slump?
One of my key points for victory earlier today was Bo Nix letting it rip. That’s a big ask of the third-year signal caller who will be one of the league’s premier passing defenses. However, the time is running out for excuses.
I’m not asking for a huge game from Nix. The odds of that happening are slim and none. As noted, the Seahawks are stopping opposing aerial attacks from launching on a weekly basis. But we have to see starting caliber play from Nix. How he is performing right now just doesn’t meet the mark.
I want to see him be decisive in the pocket. He also needs to use his legs help move the chains. I want to see some aggressiveness with down the field throws. Just because the Seahawks are good against the pass doesn’t mean he has to be hesitant to try and make a big play. Quarterbacks need splash plays to help their team win.
There are opportunities being missed every game because he isn’t pulling the trigger or letting plays develop. For whatever reason, Nix seems way too cautious out there. Has he lost his moxie and confidence? Your mileage may vary, but it sure seems like it. Can he find a way to get them back on Thursday Night Football?
How will Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph combat the Seahawks’ one-dimensional offense?
The Seahawks boast a Top 10 scoring offense. That comes as a mild surprise, especially with their ground game being an issue. In fact, that might be their biggest weakness as a team. Zach Charbonnet is still recovering from injury and is yet to play this season. He’s trying his best to get ready to play, but Mike Macdonald said it’s highly unlikely Charbonnet will be able to go. Additionally, Rookie Jadarian Price is on injured reserve.
That means Emanuel Wilson and George Holani are poised to get majority of the carries on Thursday Night Football. Neither are performing well—barely averaging over 3 yards per carry. I’d say that’s part of the reason Sam Darnold has looked a bit erratic coming back from his early Week 1 injury.
Truth be told, the Seahawks have been a one-man show on offense. Fourth-year wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been electric. The reining Offensive Player of the Year accounts for a third of their passing offense’s targets with a staggering 50 on the season. Overall, he basically has half of their passing yardage and touchdown output.
I’m thinking Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph is going to opt to have an extra man over the top to limit Smith-Njigba’s big play ability. We already know the Broncos will be without Patrick Surtain II and they may be without Riley Moss for another week in addition to safety Talanoa Hufagna.
Denver’s pass rush was able to rattle the Chargers’ banged up offensive line and limit Justin Herbert, who was without his top three receivers last Sunday. Thursday’s primetime matchup will be the complete opposite. In addition to Smith-Njigba, Joseph and his players will need to account for Rashid Shaheed and Cooper Kupp.
Shaheed has great speed and is a deep threat that will challenge the Broncos secondary. And while he may not be the player he once was, Kupp is still extremely efficient moving the chains when targeted. I’ll be keeping a close eye on how Denver’s hampered secondary performs against the Seahawks’ passing attack.
