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The Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs will do battle for the 127th time this Thursday. Entering this first meeting of the year, the Chiefs lead the all-time series 71-55. Of course, recent history has not been too kind to the Broncos in this division rivalry. More on that later. Plus, what does history tell us about this matchup of particular head coaches?
There are a handful of key headlines and recent trends to monitor entering this contest. Kansas City sits atop the AFC West at 4-1, having won four games in a row. Meanwhile, Denver is just 1-4. The Broncos are currently in last place in the AFC West. Can they play spoiler on the road against the Chiefs during a short week?
What are the most intriguing headlines or trends to monitor entering Chiefs vs Broncos? Let’s kick it off.
One-Sided Rivalry
It has probably been stated heavily in just the first couple of days of this week. Certainly, this is on the top of the mind of Broncos fans, management, coaches and players. But for those that have been living under a rock, this AFC West division rivalry has been completely one-sided in recent years. Entering Thursday night, the Chiefs have won 15 straight head-to-head matchups over the Broncos. Denver has not defeated Kansas City since September 2015. Believe it or not, that was also a Thursday night game at Arrowhead Stadium. Peyton Manning was still the Broncos quarterback.
There have been some closer Chiefs victories in this stretch. There have also been some embarrassingly ugly losses for the Broncos, in which they were dominated by Kansas City. We know that the Chiefs are not necessarily firing on all cylinders. Yet, the way in which this team can control division games, especially at home, may get KC in an early groove. Time will tell on that front. Will the Chiefs make it 16 wins in a row against the Broncos?
Reid Vs Payton
Both Andy Reid and Sean Payton have had strong careers as NFL head coaches. Reid has more accolades of the two. And while Payton may not be enjoying himself right now, his run in New Orleans was easily the best stretch in the history of the Saints.
It may shock some people to look at some head-to-head numbers between Reid and Payton. All-time, Payton is 5-3 against Reid head-to-head. When both were coaching in the NFC with the Eagles and the Saints, respectively, Payton held an incredible 5-1 advantage over Reid. But since Reid has become Chiefs head coach, he is 2-0 against Payton.
Of course, this will be the first time where the pair of head coaches will meet as division rivals. Both leaders are used to having a short week by now. Though, there is always a sense of anxiousness when your team is playing on just a few days of rest. Which head coach will start the game with the more successful script?
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What Is Kelce’s Status?
We will get the final injury designation for Thursday’s game later today. But obviously, the status of Travis Kelce is vital to this week’s contest. He suffered an ankle injury last Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. It looked pretty ugly and worrisome at first. But in the end, Kelce returned in the second half and even caught a touchdown pass to give the Chiefs a late boost in their victory over Minnesota.
His mix of toughness and leadership means just as much to the Chiefs as his route running does. Kansas City did not practice on Monday. But in an estimated injury report, the team listed him as someone who did not practice, if there was an actual practice. He was then limited in practice on Tuesday, an improvement from Monday’s estimation.
With the inconsistency of the Chiefs wide receivers, Kelce is just as much of a go-to target for Patrick Mahomes as he has ever been. The career numbers of this quarterback-tight end duo against the Broncos is also something to marvel at. In 11 games against Denver, Mahomes has thrown for 2,959 passing yards, has tallied 18 touchdown passes and has a completion percentage of 66 percent. Elsewhere, Kelce has played 17 games against the Broncos in his career. He has registered 101 catches, 1,290 receiving yards, 12.8 yards per reception and six receiving touchdowns. Will the tight end be active on Thursday night with little-to-no restrictions?
Can Wilson Find Momentum?
Russell Wilson has not opened the season with tremendous results. His pass attempts have not consistently tested opponents down the field. While that can work for some offenses and some quarterbacks, Wilson looks extremely uncomfortable and handcuffed at times. But if we are being honest, the offensive struggles are not all on him so far this season. He has not been as horrific as last season, either.
Denver has allowed 15 sacks already this season. One of those last week led to a strip sack in a tight loss to the New York Jets. Early on, the Broncos have been one of the worst offensive lines in the league. On the other hand, Wilson has had some ugly turnovers. Denver has eight total giveaways already. Six of those are fumbles lost.
Wilson will be facing a Chiefs secondary that has been playing lights out so far. Kansas City has yet to allow more than 21 points to any team this season. From just the defensive side of the ball, the Chiefs have not allowed more than 20 points to opposing offenses. Will Wilson and the Broncos offense be able to buck that trend?
Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis throughout this week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.
– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.