Broncos
Broncos C Luke Wattenberg is coming off a difficult Week 4 performance, where he was penalized five times. Denver HC Sean Payton disputed some of the calls against him and thinks Wattenberg is playing well.
“I’m going to come to his defense because there were a handful… We never sent it into the league, but there were a few of them [penalties] that if you guys watched the tape, he’s been playing well,” Payton said, via BroncosWire. “There are a couple we can clean up ourselves, being downfield on a screen or whatnot, but he’s playing well.”
Chiefs
Although the Chiefs got off to a 0-2 start to the season, they have now responded with two straight wins against the Giants and Ravens. Kansas City LB Drue Tranquill feels like their tendency to get off to a slow start in games carried over from last season.
“I think the word that comes to mind, that’s come up the most in conversation is energy,” Tranquill said, via Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. “I feel like when our energy is good and our leaders are passionate, vocal and executing on a high level, it seems like we click. There were a few times last year where we started slow in the first half. They were getting out in front of us or the offense was struggling to get going. It even happened today a little. Credit to Baltimore going down to get a touchdown at the start.”
Tranquill thinks a turning point has been their pass rushers’ ability to affect the quarterback.
“I mean, defensively, in Brazil, the Chargers were having their way with us. They were just converting and out-executing us,” Tranquill said. “We didn’t put our best foot forward. That energy and relentless play from the rush results in turnovers. You see it now—we’ve had three picks the last two games. So we have to keep the energy up. It’s a long season.”
Tranquill points out that they still have a lot of room to improve as the season progresses.
“We want to play our best football come the playoffs,” said Tranquill. “Obviously, you have to win through the regular season to put yourself in that position. But if you aren’t getting better, you will get in trouble. It’s only Week 4, and I certainly think we still have plenty of room to improve in all three phases.”
Raiders
Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty has reverted to his college stance, standing upright behind the quarterback instead of keeping the usual bend seen from other running backs. It led to Jeanty recording a season-high of 138 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries.
“Sometimes, you’ve just got to prove that something can work and that’s all it is,” Jeanty said, via PFT.
Jeanty mentioned that he began lining up in his stance as a junior at Boise State, saying it makes him feel more relaxed and allows him to read defenses more easily.
“Just kind of did it,” Jeanty said. “I mean, coaches will always tell you to be kind of in more of the bent stance, but I don’t know. I just feel more comfortable that way, more relaxed. And then just reading the defense. I can’t really explain it more differently [than] that, but that’s just what I do.
Jeanty understands his stance isn’t typical for running backs, but he doesn’t see a need to change it.
“I just think it’s different,” Jeanty said. “So, a lot of times when something’s different, it doesn’t always come off to people that it could work that way. But it works, so no need to change it.”
The post AFC Notes: Ashton Jeanty, Drue Tranquill, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders appeared first on NFLTradeRumors.co.