KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Fresh off a beatdown at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks, the Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) don’t have much time to lick their wounds.
Head coach Andy Reid and his squad are headed back on the road this weekend for an AFC West test against the Denver Broncos (5-2).
Denver has won three consecutive games after a slow start and a change of offensive play-callers. Still, the Broncos offense remains in the bottom third of the league, averaging 20.6 points per game.
Kansas City’s offense is coming off one of the worst performances of the Patrick Mahomes era. The Chiefs failed to reach the red zone and tied a career-low in points scored for a Mahomes start in last week’s 20-3 loss to the Seahawks.
Sunday will have a significant impact on the AFC West race. With the Chargers winless and Raiders on a 4-game losing streak, Kansas City and Denver figure to be the only divisional contenders.
With a win Sunday, Kansas City would be 1.5 games up on the Broncos in the win-loss column and possess a sweep of the season series. A loss would put Denver half a game up on Kansas City and keep the division race open.
Ahead of kickoffs, KCTV sports director Marleah Campbell, sports reporters Mark Poulose and Katie Maher, and digital content producer Gabe Swartz gathered to share their thoughts on five questions leading up to the game in this week’s KCTV Sports Huddle.
What needs to happen Sunday for you to be able to dismiss the Seahawks game as an outlier?
Marleah Campbell: This may be vague, but it’s for the offense to get back on track. Between Kenneth Walker being held to nearly 100 yards under his average in Seattle, to the Chiefs failing to reach the redzone (a Mahomes era first), to going 3-for-11 on third down — it was an uncharacteristically bad day for the Chiefs’ offense against the Seahawks. The question now: was that a one-time fluke, or are Kansas City’s weak spots starting to catch up to them with more games on tape? I think it’s the former, but I’ll feel a lot better after seeing that group find their footing Sunday.
Mark Poulose: They need to win. The Chiefs looked inept against the defending Super Bowl champs. You can make the argument that the Chiefs haven’t beaten a single good team this year, outside of their Week 1 win against Denver. Beat a good team for the second time, then last week is not an aberration. Lose again, and the questions linger. Are the Chiefs a paper tiger? We’ll find out.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tries to pass under pressure from Seattle Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu (7) during the second half of an NFL football game in Seattle, Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)(Lindsey Wasson | AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Katie Maher: The Chiefs need to get back to the redzone, capitalize on those opportunities, pressure the quarterback, and miss fewer kicks. Most of all – even if they lose – they need to not leave Mile High Stadium embarrassed. You can avoid embarrassment by simply being competitive and keeping things close. They were embarrassed in Seattle, and being embarrassed on the road two weeks in a row is not how the Chiefs continue their “we’re back” parade.
Gabe Swartz: Successful offense needs to be able to happen without Patrick Mahomes being asked to consistently make plays out of structure. With all the talk offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy had Thursday about the Chiefs getting their butts kicked, you’d hope the offensive line shows up with the necessary fight to bring some physicality in the run game, make life easier on Kenneth Walker — and in turn Mahomes — and get the Chiefs offense on track.
Based on the Chiefs and Broncos Week 1 matchup, what do you see as repeatable for Kansas City and what will they have to do differently to get another win?
Campbell: The Broncos are going to be more prepared for Kenneth Walker than they were back on Sept. 14. That said, the Chiefs’ receiver corps was pretty ineffective that night. Taking some of the pressure off of having to have a 150+ yard night by A) creating options for Mahomes and B) catching the ball will be key Sunday. As far as what’s repeatable, I think this Chiefs defense has a big opportunity to make Bo Nix’s afternoon miserable Sunday. See question No. 3!
Poulose: I’m not sure any of it is repeatable. It will be a whole new ballgame. The Chiefs need to establish the run for their offense to operate in its current form. On defense, they will also need to prepare for a much more accomplished offensive play-caller in Sean Payton. They’re also going to need Harrison Butker to make kicks. All three phases need to be at their best for the Chiefs to leave Mile High with a win.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III (9) leaps into the end zone for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos during the second half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Monday, Sept. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)(Reed Hoffmann | AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)
Maher: I see another opportunity for Kenneth Walker to have a big game, especially after his first poor performance of the season. He put the league on notice with his Week 1 performance, and while the Broncos are a better team than they were then, they rank 28th in the NFL in run defense, allowing an average of 133 yards per game. That feels like a feast for K9. But this time around, Denver’s offensive line ranks fifth in the NFL, so the Kansas City defense won’t have as easy of a time sacking Bo Nix as they did in the initial matchup.
Swartz: The lack of rushing success that Denver’s offense had (15 carries for 61 yards) is repeatable for Kansas City. Generally, the Chiefs defense held up decently against the run even last week when they had a negative game script going against them with Seattle leading for the vast majority of the game. To Marleah’s point about the offense, they’ll have to have more success through the air with their wide receivers. You can get away with your leading wide receiver having 19 yards receiving at home against a good team. Last week showed you can’t do the same thing on the road against a quality opponent and expect to win.
What version of Bo Nix do you expect Sunday?
Campbell: I’m going to go ahead and assume the 73 rushing yards last week for Nix was the exception, not the new norm. He had 37 combined in the six games prior and 62 of them against the Cardinals came on one run. The Chiefs’ defense held Denver to 173 total yards of offense and forced two Nix turnovers Week 1 — I expect Spags to turn up the pressure again in Week 8.
Poulose: The check down king. Bo Nix will never be a prolific downfield passer, but if he can keep the offense on-schedule, Denver will have chance to win this game. I also expect him to use his legs more effectively than he did in Week 1.
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) attempts a pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)(Charlie Riedel | AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Maher: I expect a better version than Week 1 because he has his home crowd this time, and Sean Payton calling plays changes a lot for this offense. But at the end of the day – if it comes down to quarterback play, the Chiefs have the FAR better quarterback. Defensively, Spags’ unit should be itching to get the sour taste out of their mouths left in there from their performance in Seattle. As divisional opponents, they understand how to get the best of Nix, and I think that’ll show on Sunday.
Swartz: The version that Ryan Fitzpatrick called disrespectful to the quarterback position is not the version I expect to see Sunday, though it would be amusing to see the Chiefs defense play well enough to force Nix into a performance similar to his second half against the Seahawks two weeks ago. Still, we’ve seen time and time again Nix doesn’t have to play well at home for the Broncos to have a chance.
Which matchup are you focused on for the second matchup between these teams in 2026?
Campbell: Broncos defensive end Jonathan Cooper coming back is definitely a gamechanger. Even without him, the Broncos are tied for the most sacks in the NFL this season with 21. Patrick Mahomes was pressured on 19 of his 36 dropbacks in Seattle, good for the fourth-highest pressure rate he’s faced in his career. It’ll be a big day for the Chiefs’ offensive line to keep Mahomes clean and give him time to make plays.
Poulose: Chiefs o-line vs the Broncos d-line. Denver is currently tied for 1st in the league in sacks and they just added Jonathan Cooper back to the mix. The Chiefs’ offensive line needs to keep Patrick Mahomes upright and protected to have a chance to win the game.
Maher: The Chiefs’ offensive line vs. the Broncos defensive line. Can they A) pave the way for Walker once again… and can they B) protect Mahomes from a rapidly heating up Denver pass rush. This game’s biggest deciding factor will be who wins the battles in the trenches.
Swartz: Chiefs pass catchers vs. Broncos secondary. The 2024 AP Defensive Player of the Year, Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, has been a full participant as he returns from an ankle injury that’s sidelined him since Week 4. With Surtain coming back and Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice expecting to be back in the fold, those two’s respective units will play a large role in determining whether Patrick Mahomes can move to 7-2 in his career in Denver.
Who wins and what’s the final score?
Campbell: Chiefs 21, Broncos 17
Poulose: Broncos 20, Chiefs 17
Maher: Chiefs 19, Broncos 17
Swartz: Chiefs 23, Broncos 19
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