Broncos (5-8) at Chiefs (9-4)
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri TV: CBS
Danny Sheridan’s line: by 111⁄2
Broncos’ keys to victory: Get the run game going against the Chiefs’ defense. The blueprint to beating Kansas City is out there. The Chiefs can be beaten via a ballcontrol offense and keeping the ball out of QB Patrick Mahomes’ hands. The Broncos’ offense is built for that kind of game with RBs Philip Lindsay and Royce Freeman, but the play of QB Drew Lock in the Week 14 upset of the Texans at Houston (22-for-27, 309 yards, three touchdowns) gave Denver another dimension.
Chiefs’ keys to victory: Make Denver rookie Lock feel the pressure. Lock looks like the Broncos’ quarterback of the future. The Chiefs will need to dial up their pass rush and make sure he doesn’t get comfortable in Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs sacked Tom Brady three times in Kansas City’s big win over the New England Patriots in Week 14. The Chiefs’ offense looked sharp against the Pats, but the condition of Mahomes’ throwing hand was a concern.
Matchup to watch: Broncos LB Von Miller vs. Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz. This is a matchup that we are blessed to watch twice a year. You get one of the most dominant pass rushers in the NFL going up against the best right tackle in the league. It’s a heavyweight fight, and so far Schwartz has had the advantage. That can change with each matchup, though.
Who wins? The Broncos are proving to be formidable in the latter half of the season. But they’re not complete enough to defeat the Chiefs at Arrowhead.
Chiefs, 30-24
Chiefs
Broncos schedule
L ...... atOakland ...... 24-16 L ......... Chicago ......... 16-14 L .... at Green Bay .... 27-16 L ..... Jacksonville ..... 26-24 W . at L.A. Chargers . 20-13 W ....... Tennessee ....... 16-0 L ....... Kansas City ....... 30-6 L ... at Indianapolis ... 15-13 W ...... Cleveland ...... 24-19
BYE
L .... atMinnesota .... 27-23 L ......... at Buffalo ......... 20-3 W ... L.A. Chargers ... 23-20 W ..... atHouston ..... 38-34 Dec. 15 .. at Kansas City .. 1 Dec. 22 ..... Detroit ..... 4:05 Dec. 29 .... Oakland .... 4:25
Chiefs schedule
W .. at Jacksonville .. 40-26 W ....... at Oakland ....... 28-10 W ........ Baltimore ........ 33-28 W ....... at Detroit ....... 34-30 L ...... Indianapolis ...... 19-13 L ........ Houston ........ 31-24 W ........ at Denver ........ 30-6 L ....... Green Bay ....... 31-24 W ...... Minnesota ...... 26-23 L .... at Tennessee .... 35-32 W at Chargers (Mex) 24-17
BYE
W ......... Oakland ......... 40-9 W . at New England . 23-16 Dec.15 ........ Denver ........ 1 Dec. 22 .. at Chicago .. 8:20 Dec. 29 .. L.A. Chargers .. 1