Broncos

Broncos HC Sean Payton didn’t minimize the importance of losing G Ben Powers for an extended period of time.

“With a starting player, there’s always a — it’s never any good, but the next guy’s up and we’ll get ready to play him,’‘ Payton said, via ESPN.

Broncos OL Matt Peart figures to start in Powers’ absence, but Payton was non-committal when asked who would fill the role.

“We know exactly what we’re getting [in Peart], we’ll see how we handle it,” Payton said. 

• When discussing coordinators who are raising their head coaching stock, Dan Graziano of ESPN writes that Broncos DC Vance Joseph is someone he’s hearing about.
• Mike Klis notes that Broncos OLB Jonah Elliss has been ruled out for Week 6 due to ribs and shoulder injuries. 

Chiefs

Despite Chiefs K Harrison Butker‘s early struggles this season, HC Andy Reid isn’t worried and expects him to get back on track as he keeps working through it. 

“Like any golfer — you guys have all golfed — sometimes you’re hitting it good and other times you’re off, but you work through it and you keep swinging, man, and he’ll do that,” Reid said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “He’s a talented kid, mentally tough… I’m not really worried about him.”

Raiders

The Raiders have gotten off to a rough start, partially due to offensive struggles where they have turned it over and failed to get a consistent run game going. Las Vegas HC Pete Carroll emphasized their need to run the ball better and implied OC Chip Kelly needs to do a better job putting first-round RB Ashton Jeanty in positions to succeed. 

“We have to run the football better, more,” Carroll said. “And we’re going to continue to work at it and see if we can’t continue to bring it to life. The running game has looked well in order right now, we need to get more of them. That’s part of it. That’s just mixing football. That’s how you do it. We don’t ever want to rely on the quarterback has to do the whole show, sitting in the shotgun, throw the football. Never coach that way. So we have to mix our stuff so we can use our play action game.”

“I was pleased with how we saw Ashton come to life on the edge. He made some nice plays and stretched the defense and put some threat on them with that. And we’ve got to make sure that we’re calling all the best stuff in the situations. He’s not calling the plays. We’ve got to call them and we’ve got to make sure and get him in the right spots and give him the best chance to stay out of harm’s way. Part of that is really controlling the game with what we do in front in the running game.”

• Jeremy Fowler says to keep an eye on WR Jakobi Meyers as a potential trade candidate prior to the deadline.
• Raiders S Tristin McCollum was fined $5,722 for the roughing the kicker penalty that ended Colts K Spencer Shrader‘s season.

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