Slowing down the Chiefs offense means putting the pressure on Alex Smith

With the Denver Broncos on the ropes heading into a tough Monday Night Football matchup in Arrowhead against the Kansas City Chiefs, I asked a few questions about the Chiefs with Joel Thorman of Arrowhead Pride.

Are you worried that the Chiefs have dropped two straight games?

I'm a little worried. Not so much for the regular season and what it means but what losing games like that can mean for the postseason. The Chiefs are going to go to the playoffs and face two teams as good or better than the Steelers and Raiders and if they can't beat them now ... On the other hand, it's a long season. The Chiefs are still one of the few best teams in the league. They went into New England and won already. If they can avoid a Steelers matchup in the postseason, I actually like their chances.

What is the Chiefs biggest weakness on defense?

The Chiefs have a bunch of weaknesses on defense right now. The first one is that you can run on them. The Chiefs run defense has been going downhill for a few years now and it's just not very good right now. If the Broncos stick to the run, they should be able to do some damage. The Chiefs hope the circumstances of the game (a big lead) will change that. Another weakness is that the opposing team often has a receiver go for over 100 yards. They line up opposite Marcus Peters and go against Terrance Mitchell and Phillip Gaines repeatedly until they get something.

How can the Broncos slow down the Chiefs dynamic offense?

Pressure Alex Smith. Make him uncomfortable and make him move around in the pocket so he doesn't get in a rhythm. The Broncos can do this better than most teams because their cornerbacks are so good so that's definitely a concern for me. The other thing is not falling for the misdirection. The Chiefs have benefited from blown coverages on defense and Andy Reid will try to trick you with the motions and players running through the backfield. He'll make sure you're paying attention. If you fall for that stuff or give up what you're doing on defense, the Chiefs will take advantage. I would also stop Kareem Hunt, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill while you're at it.

How long do you think Alex Smith has with the Chiefs organization?

In the middle of a year like this, I'll have to say he's with the Chiefs next year. It's a lot of money to keep him but they could do it if they absolutely wanted to. I'll say this, if Alex goes out and wins multiple playoff games or even one playoff game, it would be tough not to bring that guy back considering the lack of postseason success the Chiefs have had over the past 25 years.

What's your score prediction and why?

I'll take the Chiefs winning the game, 19-10. It will be an ugly game offensively all around. The Broncos because their offense isn't very good and the Chiefs will struggle against the Broncos defense.

This might be the toughest game the Broncos face all season.