Do the Broncos finally have what they need to slow down Travis Kelce?

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Outside of Patrick Mahomes, no one has been harder for the Denver Broncos to stop since Super Bowl 50 than Travis Kelce.

Since the Broncos’ dominance over the entire AFC West ended when Peyton Manning retired after the 2015 season, Kelce and the Chiefs have feasted on the Broncos.

In the nine games Kelce has played after Denver’s historic Super Bowl 50 run, the physically imposing tight end has averaged over seven catches and over 100 receiving yards per game against the Broncos. Tyreek Hill has had Denver’s number too, but to a drastically lesser degree as he has only averaged four receptions per game and 52 receiving yards in that same time period.

Thanks in large part to Kelce, the Chiefs haven’t lost to the Broncos since midway through the 2015 season.

That’s why there is, and always has been, a major emphasis on slowing No. 87 down. Vic Fangio said it’ll be a “combination” of players and position groups in order to do that on Sunday when the Broncos go into Arrowhead Stadium.

“When you get a tight end that’s a really good receiver like he is, everybody automatically thinks, well you got to put a DB on him. Well, they can out muscle the DBs too. He’s 260 pounds. So you have to battle that part of it,” Fangio explained. “And then, you put a linebacker on him, you’ve got to battle that this guy is really nifty and a good receiver. What compounds it is the karma him and Mahomes have together. So, it’s just got to be a mix of guys.”

Enter the AFC Defensive Player of the Week, Pat Surtain.

The 6-foot-2, 202-pound first-round pick has the best size, speed and coverage abilities to matchup with Kelce of any of Denver’s defensive backs. Surtain is tied with Justin Simmons as the biggest defensive back on the team, the rookie is the fastest of the group and he’s proved in the first 11 games of his career to be the best cover corner on the team as well.

On Wednesday, Fangio admitted Surtain could be used to help slow down the All-Pro tight end on Sunday Night Football.

“I think that would be a fun matchup for sure,” Surtain said with a smile, adding he hopes to be lined up against Kelce.

“I think just minimizing his big-play potential,” Surtain added, explaining what the keys are to slowing Kelce down. “Rerouting him, throwing the timing off with him and the quarterback. Putting hands on him early.”

In his most recent game, No. 2 corralled two interceptions. His first, he took away a Chargers touchdown by “baiting” Justin Herbert to throw his way in the end zone. Surtain took his second interception to the house for six.

That sensational performance was enough for him to be just the fourth rookie in franchise history to be named AFC Defensive Player of the Week, joining Dre’Mont Jones, D.J. Williams and Von Miller.

The soft-spoken and even-keeled rookie is ready for an even greater task on Sunday.

“I think using my speed and my length would be an advantage to me,” Surtain stated, opening up about how he specifically can matchup against Kelce. “Putting hands on him early. Reading his routes and stuff like that. I think that would help going into this game.”

On Monday, Vic Fangio stated if the Broncos were to redo the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, they wouldn’t change a thing. Pat Surtain would be their pick at No. 9.

After being named AFC Defensive Player of the Week just 11 games into his career, it’s clear Pat Surtain has to be used to help slow down the Chiefs’ most dangerous weapon.