Rival AFC West Matchup Looms For Denver – Must Win?

The Denver Broncos currently sit at 8-2 and in sole possession of first place in the AFC West. They have seven games left to play, and plenty of time left in the regular season for pretty much anything to happen.

The Kansas City Chiefs come to Denver this Sunday. So why does this weekend feel like a "must win" game for them? Because it is.

Technically, of course, it is not. Statistically speaking, they could lose several more and still make the playoffs. But if they want the respect of the league, their fan base and especially anyone who watched last week's Thursday night game vs. Las Vegas, they had better win this weekend.

Many around the league claim that the Broncos' record is not reflective of what kind of team they are, saying that those eight wins have come against weaker opponents and that the team isn't as good as they think they are.

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They say that Bo Nix has regressed as a quarterback in his sophomore NFL year, and that Sean Payton is getting frustrated by the fact it takes the offense so long to get anything going so he's contemplating moving on. Or they criticize Payton's play calling.

People say that while the defense is really good, they're not the best in the NFL, but THEY are the reason the team is 8-2 and that there's no way the team can stand up to a good team like Kansas City.

First things first: the defense is definitely the reason the Broncos are 8-2. They've won those games by keeping things close enough for Denver to rally back to win.

But here's some other points to consider. The only two Broncos losses have been by a combined four points, both of those games on literally the last play. Yes, they have won most of those eight games by one score or less, but good teams find a way to win even when they're not playing that impressive. That alone could validate the argument that the team is better than a lot of people say.

But Bo Nix. He misses throws, he looks nervous, he's not a good quarterback. That's been the narrative.

I disagree. Is he one of the best in the NFL - right now? No, of course now. But does he possess those traits to become that? You could make the case if you dig deep.

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This season, he's currently tied for the 4th QB in touchdown passes, with another three rushing TD's. The last two seasons combined, he's been one of the most productive QB's in the league.

He takes among the fewest sacks in the league, shows relatively good decision making when plays break down and makes magic happen with his legs in ways many other QB's cannot.

And he makes plays when they matter most - in the 4th Quarter. When they need him to step up to win the game, time and again this season he's done just that.

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The rest will come. Long as they're winning, patience is the key. An 8-2 record is an 8-2 record is credit is due.

But if they lose this weekend, haters will say they've proven themselves as frauds. Time will tell if the haters are right. Here's hoping they're wrong.