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Denver Broncos were just a field goal away from ending the Chiefs’ perfect record this season. Sean Payton had his team set up in a way that the Chiefs couldn’t have expected. Kansas City was all set to witness their team’s first loss of the season. However, the reigning Super Bowl Champions yet again managed to turn it around at the last second. But the Broncos may have left a blueprint that other teams could exploit against the Chiefs in the coming weeks.

Poised to face the Bills on the road, the Chiefs might have to look out for Payton’s tactics to be reiterated in Buffalo, as per former Broncos legend

Mark Schlereth. Opening up on his thoughts in his Stinkin Truth Podcast about the Broncos defensive masterclass. Schlereth discussed a potential blueprint that could do the trick for the Bills on Sunday, “I don’t know if the Bills can take from that and execute. We’ll see, but that was something the Broncos did really well against Kansas City to really slow that offense down.”

Well, the blueprint Schlereth is referring to was the pressure Broncos’ defense kept on putting Patrick Mahomes in.

“It was probably the first time I’ve actually seen Patrick Mahomes get so sped up in the pocket that there was a couple of throws that he could have made that would have been touchdown throws where he got off that read because he felt that pressure.” Looking back at the game itself, the Chiefs’ pass protection didn’t have any answer to the Broncos’ defensive line.

They allowed 12 pressures while witnessing Mahomes get sacked 4 times.

Denver’s D-line, led by Zach Allen, Jonathan Cooper, Nik Bonitto and John Franklin-Myers, each came away with a sack on Sunday. They didn’t let Mahomes find his targets on time, as he only threw one TD to his bestie, Travis Kelce. Even their running game didn’t offer any respite, as Kareem Hunt’s longest rush went for just 10 yards. His 14 rushing attempts brought him just 35 yards, thereby condemning the Chiefs to rely upon their kicker, Harrison Butker.

Without his two field goals in the second half, the Chiefs wouldn’t have managed to make it 9-0 for the season. However, slated to take on the Bills, who are 8-2 themselves, Butker won’t be playing any part. As he heads into the injury reserves with a knee problem.

Harrison Butker’s injury raises questions on the Chiefs ability to continue their unbeaten run

Already dealing with multiple injuries in key positions, the Chiefs will now have to make it through the following weeks without their starting kicker. Butker, who is 18-of-20 for field goal attempts this year, heads to the injury reserves, as per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He is set to undergo an arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, thereby sidelining him for the next four weeks.

This led the Chiefs to go ahead and sign Jets kicker Spencer Shrader from their practice squads. “Kid’s got a lot of talent. He’s a young guy and it’s shown that he has a really good leg. He showed it in his college tape, and he showed it in his preseason stuff,” as per Jets special teams coach Brant Boyer. Well, joining the Chiefs would mean he will have massive shoes to fill in. As Butker remains the Chiefs’ most accurate kicker, with an 89.2% success rate.

It remains to be seen whether Shrader will be able to help the Chiefs the way Butker was doing before getting injured. Although there would be doubts, Andy Reid and Mahomes would surely help Shrader settle quickly in Chiefs Kingdom. Taking on the Bills in Buffalo might just pose the biggest challenge for the Chiefs this season. It would be a testament to their winning mentality as they aim to remain unbeaten next week.