The NFL season is officially underway this week, but Kansas City Chiefs fans will have to wait longer than anyone else for football to start on Monday. The Chiefs are looking to start the season strong, bouncing back from the franchise's worst season in over a decade. Now, after an eventful offseason, the Chiefs are preparing to take on a division rival in a game that already feels so important.
Kansas City enters this game with major questions after inconsistencies in 2025 and injuries already affecting the team's Week 1 plans. Facing Denver, a team that dethroned the Chiefs in the AFC West last season and finished 14-3, the Chiefs' coaching staff knows it needs the team clicking. So what can the Chiefs do to give themselves an advantage to start the season on Monday?
Run the ball early and often behind Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey
The first point may feel obvious, but it is something the Chiefs did not do nearly enough in 2025. The run game was a big focus for Kansas City in the offseason, and their prized free-agent pickup was Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker. Trey Smith and Creed Humphrey make for one of the best interior run-blocking duos in football, and the Chiefs should rely on them heavily early in the season. Patrick Mahomes has never had a 1,000-yard running back, and now, going into 2026, it has never felt more important to get him some help on the ground.
The Chiefs need to establish the run to start the season, and the first reason is simple. Patrick Mahomes is coming off the worst injury of his football career, and taking some of the pressure off him feels incredibly important. The Chiefs also have a new left tackle in Kahlil Benson, who will need to get comfortable in his NFL debut. There is no better way to do that than to start with the run game and disarm some of the Broncos' lethal pass rush.
Sometimes I just get bored and type “Kenneth Walker” into the search bar to feel something.. pic.twitter.com/FidQxf7TqD
— Price Carter (@priceacarter) July 20, 2026
Go after Riley Moss
The Broncos may have the best cornerback in football in Patrick Surtain, and it will be hard for the Chiefs (or anyone) to find much success separating against him. On the other hand, Riley Moss struggled in 2025, especially with underneath routes in front of him. The Broncos run an aggressive defense with a lot of man-to-man coverage. Moss often gives too much cushion in man coverage to avoid getting burned deep, and Chiefs receivers like Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton could take advantage of that play style early in the game.
A lot of man coverage with a spy on Bo Nix late in the game
The Chiefs' defensive backfield was completely overhauled this season, and while they have a lot of new faces on defense, the secondary unit is still incredibly strong. Mansoor Delane, L'Jarius Sneed, and Nohl Williams make up one of the best man-to-man coverage units in football, and Spagnuolo should not be afraid to trust his corners early in the game.
The primary concern for the Chiefs in man coverage is Bo Nix escaping and making plays with his legs. When all of your defensive backs turn their heads to cover their men, it leaves a lot of room for the quarterback to make plays. If Nix burns the Chiefs with this early in the game, using Nick Bolton or Felix Anudike-Uzomah as a spy could be effective in containing him.
good player this Mansoor Delane pic.twitter.com/FsQ1XjhxcJ
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) August 29, 2026
Use stunts on the left side to generate quick pass rush
The Broncos have a strong offensive line, and they do a good job of keeping Bo Nix clean in the pocket and forcing teams to drop into coverage. Ben Powers, the Broncos' left guard, is likely the weak spot on the Broncos' line, and on film, his biggest struggles come against stunt rushes from stronger defensive ends. With Chris Jones slightly banged up, it could be better for the Chiefs to line him up over Powers and allow him to get upfield with an overlap from a defensive end like George Karlaftis.
The Chiefs have used stunts effectively in the past, and against the Broncos, they could be significantly more effective than usual. A stunt rush on the left side would also allow other rushers like Peter Woods or R. Mason Thomas to work against one-on-one blocks. If the Chiefs use these stunts effectively, they will get early interior pressure and prevent Nix from getting comfortable early in the game.
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