An all-AFC West affair kicks off Week 7 of the NFL regular season when the Denver Broncos host the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday Night Football.
The Chiefs lead the division with a 4-2 record, while the Broncos are third are 2-4 but the standings don't tell the full story as of the two teams it is Denver who arguably arrives into the game in a more buoyant mood.
After losing the first four games of the season, the Broncos have put together a two-game winning run, winning 20-13 in Los Angeles against the Chargers in Week 5 and beating the Tennessee Titans 16-0 at home on Sunday.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, jumped out of the blocks to a 4-0 start but back-to-back home losses against the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texans have significantly slowed down their momentum.
Kansas still tops the division but its status as the heir apparent to the New England Patriots in the AFC is no longer unquestionable, with the Texans and the Baltimore Ravens also at 4-2.
The defeats to the Colts and the Texans—both teams the Chiefs could feasibly play in the playoffs—exposed Kansas's ongoing struggles against the run. The Chiefs gave up 180 rushing yards against Indianapolis and 192 yards on the ground against Houston and are allowing 406 total yards and 24 points per game on average.
Kansas City's defensive limitations put unnecessary pressure on the shoulder of Patrick Mahomes and a high-octane offense which is repeatedly asked to bail the team out.
The reigning MVP threw for three touchdown passes against Houston on Sunday but passed for just 41 yards in the second half—the lowest total of any half he has played since entering the NFL.
Mahomes has been dealing with an ankle injury he suffered in the Chiefs' opening win against Jacksonville in the opening game of the season, which he looked to aggravate against the Colts and then again against the Texans.
Managing Mahomes' fitness is crucial for the Chiefs, who don't have a bye until Week 12 and host the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings in consecutive weeks after their trip to Denver.
The good news for Kansas is that three of their four wins this season have come on the road and that they haven't lost to Denver in seven games.
Optimism, however, is growing in the Mile High City after the Broncos won a second consecutive game on Sunday, shutting down Tennessee and allowing just 204 yards.
For the first time since September 1984, Denver recorded seven sacks and three interceptions and its defense continued to show signs of improvement.
There won't be many bigger tests of its progress than a game against the Chiefs and Mahomes.
Here's all you need to know ahead of Thursday.
When and where is the game?
The Denver Broncos host the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, on Thursday, October 17.
Kick-off is scheduled for 8:20 p.m. ET.
TV coverage
The game will be nationally broadcast by the NFL Network, FOX Sports and Amazon Prime Video.
Live stream
A live stream will be available via NFL Network online and on connected devices, as well as Amazon Prime Video and FOX Sports' digital platforms.
Form
The Chiefs are on a two-game running streak after losing to the Indianapolis Colts and the Houston Texas at home in consecutive weeks, while the Broncos have won the last two straight after losing their first four games.
Series record
The Chiefs lead the all-time series 63-54 and have won the last seven meetings between the two. Last season, Kansas won 27-23 in Denver at the beginning of October and backed up the result with a 30-23 at home less than four weeks later.
Odds
According to Oddschecker, the Chiefs are 3.5-point favorite and are even odds to win and cover the spread, while the Broncos are 77/50 underdogs. The over/under bar in terms of points scored is set at 49.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he was a news and business reporter at International Business Times UK. Dan has also written for The Guardian and The Observer.
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