NFL Game Of The Week: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs

The Broncos head to Arrowhead Stadium Sunday looking to get their first win in Kansas City since 2015, but they'll have to beat a Chiefs team that has turned their season around with four straight wins. Denver has won three of four after dropping four straight in October. Both teams have struggled with consistency this season but have clawed their way above .500 and are very much in the playoff hunt. 

The Broncos racked up 147 yards on the ground and intercepted Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert twice, both at the hands of rookie Patrick Surtain, in a 28-13 win on Sunday. Denver QB Teddy Bridgewater suffered a leg injury on a sack in the first quarter, but eventually returned, and finished 11-of-18 for 129 yards and a TD. He remains questionable for Sunday. 

Bridgewater has completed 233-of-339 passes this season for 2,518 yards and 15 touchdowns with five interceptions. His 68.7 completion percentage is good for sixth in the league, but Denver has had problems protecting their eight-year quarterback and putting points on the board. They are 21st in points per game (20.2) and Bridgewater as been sacked 27 times, tied for fifth-most in the league. 

Tim Patrick (30 REC, 549 YDS, 4 TDS) leads the team in touchdown receptions, while Cortland Sutton (45 REC, 634 YDS, 2 TDS) leads the team in overall catches. Bridgewater also has tight end Noah Fant (45 REC, 391 YDS, 3 TDS) and wideout Jerry Jeudy (24 REC, 253 YDS) as receiving weapons. Jeudy suffered and ankle injury in the season opener and only retuned at the end of October. He should figure to be a bigger part of Denver's offense following a rookie season in which he had 52 catches. Denver is averaging just 9.9 yards per completion (25th) and 223.7 yards per game though the air (21st). 

Denver's struggles in the passing game have been alleviated to an extent by running back Melvin Gordon, who has put up solid numbers on the ground (135 ATT, 605 YDS, 5 TDS). Rookie Javonte Williams (117 ATT, 568 YDS, 2 TDS) has also made an impact and is averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Denver is averaging 114.7 rushing yards per game, good for 14th in the league. 

The Broncos defense surrendered 25.5 points per game during their four-game losing streak, but have returned to form and are holding opponents to 222.4 yards per game though the air (10th) 106.6 rushing yards per game (12th) and 17.8 points per game, third in the league behind only the Bills and New England. The Broncos have 27 sacks, seventh-most in the league. 

Safety Kareem Jackson leads the team in tackles with 66 (47 solo). Safety Justin Simons 66 (TOT) leads the team with four interceptions and Patrick Surtain has three interceptions on the year, including a pick-six against the Chargers on Sunday in which he was clocked at 22.07 mph on 70-yard trip to the end zone. This is the fastest a defensive back has been clocked in five years and nearly earned Surtain a speeding ticket. 

Kansas City has won four straight since losing 27-3 to the Titans on 10/24. Remember when everyone thought Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs had lost a step? The stats say otherwise. Mahomes is fifth in the league with 3,200 passing yards, and has thrown 25 touchdowns, good for third. The Chiefs are averaging 290.1 yards per game though the air (4th), are ninth in the league with a 25.5 points per game, and their 401.2 yards per game of total offense are second only to Dallas. This is still an offense to be feared. 

Tyreek Hill (84 REC, 932 YDS, 8TDS) leads the Chiefs in touchdown receptions and receiving yards. Travis Kelce (67 REC, 821 YDS, 5 TDS), Mecole Hardman (42 REC, 424 YDS, 1 TD) and Byron Pringle (23 REC, 338 YDS, 3 TDS) are just a few of the other targets Mahomes has at his disposal. KC's third-year QB has thrown at least one touchdown to nine different Chiefs this season and continues to enjoy chemistry with Kelce, who's 821 receiving yards are the most amongst league tight ends. One area of concern remains: interceptions. Mahomes has 11 through 11 games, following a season in which he only threw six. The Broncos secondary will look to take advantage of this turnover prone Chiefs offense.

Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire returned on 11/21 for this first time since sustaining a knee injury in Week 5, rushing 12 times for 63 yards and a touchdown in the KC's win over Dallas. His return should bolster a Chiefs ground attack that is 16th in the league averaging 111.9 yards per game.  

Linebacker Nick Bolton leads the Chiefs with 79 tackles (50 solo), while Tyrann Mathieu, Willie Gay and L'Jarius Sneed each have a team-leading two sacks. KC is 15th in rushing yards allowed (111.6) and have struggled even more against the pass, giving up an average of 252.7 yards per game though the air (24th). They are tied for 29th in team sacks (19) and are giving up 22.7 points per game. 

Things have improved greatly however during their four-game wining streak. During that stretch the Chiefs have held opponents to an average of 11.7 points per game, giving up just seven to Green bay and nine to Dallas. KC picked off Dak Prescott twice and held the Cowboys out of the end zone in their win on 11/21. 

Prediction

Denver has lost 11 straight games to the Chiefs, but this years team is underrated with a tough defense that can potentially take advantage of a Chiefs team still working out its offensive kinks. I still like Kansas City and their improving defense in a close one. 

Chiefs 25-Broncos 21