The Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs square off in one of the most anticipated Week 8 matchups on Sunday. Nearing the halfway point of the regular season, this rivalry battle will have significant implications in a tough AFC playoff race.
It’s certainly a winnable game for the Broncos who are riding the highs of a three-game winning streak. However, they’ll need to play much better this time around in one particular area to have a shot at notching their sixth victory of the season—stopping the run.
In the Broncos’ Week 1 loss to the Chiefs on Monday Night Football, their defensive performance was disastrous. They failed to contain running back Kenneth Walker who had one of the best games of his career in his debut for Kansas City. Last year’s Super Bowl MVP scampered for 173 rushing yards with 1 touchdown. He added three receptions for 18 receiving yards and a score through the air.
As Denver finalizes their preparations for their biggest game of the season, they know that limiting Walker’s impact is going to be an absolute must to achieve victory. Yesterday after practice, Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph
“Absolutely, he’s going to make guys miss. No different than a scrambling quarterback, you can contain a guy for 20-30 plays, but it’s going to be two players where he gets out. So we need hats to the ball,” stated Joseph.
“That’s where the effort part comes in. He’s going to make guys miss. It’s going to be some misses, but the effort to the ball to limit the big plays is key playing this back.”
Walker has proven to be one of the most explosive playmakers in the NFL this season. He boasts four multi-touchdown performances and four games with at least 135 all-purpose yards. In six matchups, he touts 817 yards from scrimmage and is on pace to shatter career best marks in virtually every category.
In 2024 and 2025, the Broncos’ defense ranked Top 5 in most metrics against the run. This season, they have taken drastic step back. They’ve allowed more explosive plays than usual, the fifth-most yards, and nearly 4.6 yards per carry to the opposition.
Missed tackles have been a common issue throughout the season and a primary culprit in their regression. That was quite evident in Denver’s Week 1 loss to Kansas City. The Broncos’ defense posted an alarming 30-percent missed tackle rate in primetime. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, that outing allowed the most yards on missed tackles in NFL history, as well as the third-most missed tackles ever recorded in a game with 28.
Whether it’s poor technique or bad angles, those woes can’t rear their heads on Sunday if Denver wants to beat their long-time rival. Denver’s defense has played well in their current three-game winning streak. On Sunday, every player needs to execute at a high level from the trenches all the way back to the secondary.
There is no doubt Walker has been on a tear to start the season. At times, he has looked superhuman on the gridiron. Nevertheless, the Seattle Seahawks were able to stop him in his tracks last weekend. Can the Broncos do the same? We’re fixing to find out.
