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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- **Travis Kelce is a tight end in name only.
Kansas City's leader in receptions is as likely to make plays from the backfield and the 'X' or 'Z' receiver positions as he is from a traditional tight-end alignment.
"He is a route-running tight end and he runs routes like a receiver," Defensive Coordinator Joe Woods said.
It was from one of the outside spots that Kelce scored on an 80-yard touchdown reception against the Broncos last Dec. 25, turning a bubble-screen reception that began one yard behind the line of scrimmage into an untouched sprint down the right sideline.
Kelce racked up 261 yards on 19 receptions against the Broncos last year, breaking 100 yards in both of the Chiefs' games against Denver. His eight 100-yard games over the last two seasons are the most in the NFL, matched by Atlanta's Julio Jones, Indianapolis' T.Y. Hilton and Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown. No other tight end has more than four 100-yard games in the last two seasons.
"He's definitely one of the best tight ends -- top two, top three," safety Will Parks said. "It's going to be a big challenge.
"Last year it was kind of rough, being a rookie going up against a savvy vet like that [who's] crafty and can get open in short spaces, is able to use his body better than anybody."
Because Kelce's route-running resembles that of a receiver and his build is that of a classic tight end, he is one of the most nightmarish individual matchups in the NFL.
"Most corners are too small, linebackers can't run with him and safeties are sometimes not big enough," Head Coach Vance Joseph said. "He is definitely a special talent when it comes to catching the football."
Joseph said he plans to use "multiple guys" to defend Kelce; safeties, linebackers and cornerbacks will likely all play a role. But given the threat posed by running back Kareem Hunt and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, the Broncos cannot overcommit resources to Kelce.
"The thing when you play teams that have talent at multiple positions, you have to pick and choose what you're going to do," Woods said. "If you turn all of your attention to one guy, now you have two or three other guys that are one-on-one or you create holes in you defense if you're not as stout versus the run.
"We have to be very careful in terms of what we're going to do. We do have a plan multiple ways in terms of trying to take care of him if he becomes an issue. He may have a few catches -- we just can't let him have a big one."
Defending Kelce won't just be about using multiple players, but also various tactics counter the Chiefs' success getting Kelce open.
"Last year, they had a good plan for us. They knew we manned up a lot, so they did a lot of pick routes, which caused him to get open," Parks said. There were a lot of things that they did, and kudos to them for scheming us.
"But it's a new year, same group but new mentality. We're going to go out there and get the job done."
Can Chris Harris Jr. and the Broncos' defense slow down Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill? That will be just one battle to watch Monday night. (Photos: AP)
Through seven games, Tyreek Hill has nearly matched his receiving output from the entire 2016 season. But his 515 receiving yards and three touchdowns only partially reveal the kind of weapon Hill has been for the Chiefs in 2017. He's turned in receiving scores of 75 yards and 64 yards, and he's also added an 82-yard punt return. For the Broncos to stop him, they first must make quarterback Alex Smith target him. It's perhaps a backward way of thinking, but for Chris Harris Jr. and Denver to effectively neutralize Hill, they must ensure Smith throws him the ball down the field, rather than on short crossing patterns that allow him to get in space. To do that, the Broncos must get an early lead so that the Chiefs feel pressured to open up the offense. If Denver can't do that, the Chiefs can slowly feed Hill the ball in easy, low-pressure situations until he busts one for a big gain. Should the Broncos get the Chiefs out of their comfort zone, however, Harris and Denver should have some room with which to work. That, in turn, should lead to big plays for the Broncos' defense — and that's the first step toward a win.
As if the Chiefs didn't have enough weapons, Kareem Hunt came along to give Kansas City one of the league's most-potent rushing attacks. The rookie out of Toledo leads the NFL with 717 rushing yards and provides the Chiefs with yet another dynamic threat. Perhaps even more impressive? Since his first carry of the season, Hunt hasn't lost a fumble. Those first-play jitters amounted to Kansas City's only turnover of the year, as Hunt has been sure-handed since. Linebacker Brandon Marshall, who leads the Broncos in tackles, will try to limit Hunt's yardage and change those turnover numbers. Two years ago, Marshall forced a huge fumble in Kansas City that directly led to a Broncos victory. Should he do so again, he would not only give the Broncos their first fumble recovery of the season — he would put Denver in a much better position to win.
Trevor Siemian's play over the Broncos' two-game losing skid has left something to be desired, and he would be the first person to tell you that. In losses to the Giants and Chargers, Siemian has completed 63.5 percent of his passes, but he's thrown just one touchdown to three interceptions during that stretch, and he was also strip-sacked against Los Angeles. "We have to play better. I have to play better. Everybody knows that," Siemian said Wednesday. Veteran Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson will try to prevent that from happening. The 13-year veteran hasn't racked up the same number of tackles as he has in past years, but he remains an emotional and mental leader of the defense in the absence of safety Eric Berry. Should he and the Chiefs find a way to stymie Siemian, the Broncos will be hard pressed to win in Kansas City. The matchup doesn't solely rest on Siemian's shoulders, but there's no question the Broncos' quarterback must be better if Denver wants to win in a hostile environment.
Travis Kelce isn't quite on pace for his All-Pro totals from a season ago, but the 6-foot-5, 255-pound tight end is still a matchup nightmare for nearly every team he goes up against. He's averaging 11.4 yards per catch and has scored three touchdowns on the season. What makes Kelce even more dangerous is that he's often used as a decoy, as teams must account for him at all times. Whether he's lined up out wide, in the backfield or as an in-line tight end, he could almost always be an option in one of Andy Reid's notoriously creative plays. And when he does get the ball, he's hard to take down. Against the Broncos last season, Kelce caught a short pass and took it 80 yards as Denver failed to tackle him. He's also potent as a blocker; He shoved Darian Stewart to the ground in the teams' last meeting to free Tyreek Hill for another long touchdown. The Broncos, who have somewhat struggled covering tight ends in recent weeks, will likely look to Justin Simmons to carry the majority of the load. Simmons picked off an Alex Smith pass in Kansas City last year, and he'll be looking to do the same when Smith targets Kelce this week. But nothing will come easy this week for the second-year player growing into his role as a starter. After two losses, he'll be faced with one of the best tight ends he'll see all year.
Regardless of whether Emmanuel Sanders returns from an ankle injury Monday night, the Broncos will be counting on Demaryius Thomas to provide explosive plays against the league's fifth-worst passing defense on a per-game basis. However, the man who will try to defend him on most plays is better than those numbers show. Interceptions may not come as easily to Marcus Peters as they did in his first season, but he's still a guy who can pick off any pass thrown his way if he's in position. Thomas must be his usual bruising self outside of the numbers against the smaller cornerback, and if he can be successful creating separation, he could be due for a big game and an effort that could lead to victory.
