The Broncos have a real shot to take down the Chiefs in Week 8, and the case starts at home. Denver enters this matchup 5-2 for the second straight year, while Kansas City is 5-1 and already has a win over the Broncos. That makes this one of the biggest home games of the Bo Nix era so far, but the Broncos have built a strong enough foundation to believe they can handle it.
The first thing working in Denver’s favor is simple: the Chiefs have not beaten the Broncos at home in the Sean Payton era. That run includes a 24-9 win in 2023, a 38-0 win in 2024, and a 22-19 win in 2025.
The 2024 result came against a Chiefs team that rested many of its starters for the playoffs, so it came under unusual circumstances, but Denver still won in 2023 and 2025 when the games were played normally. The Broncos also swept the Chiefs in 2025, which is a big reason this matchup feels different now.
Add in the fact that Denver has lost only three home games in the Nix era, and the Broncos have won 85 percent of their home games since the start of the 2024 season.
Another reason to like Denver is Jonah Coleman’s growing role in the backfield. Through three games with the Broncos, Coleman has 19 carries for 93 yards and a touchdown, along with five catches for 34 yards.
He’s averaging 4.9 yards per carry, and the Broncos’ run game has looked its best when he’s involved. That matters here because extending drives on the ground could be a major edge, especially with the Chiefs missing two cornerbacks in L’Jarius Sneed and Mansoor Delane.
Those absences could open the door for chunk plays through the air, but Coleman gives Denver a way to stay on schedule and build a more reliable offensive plan.
The third piece is the broader roster picture. The Chiefs have been dealing with cracks in the foundation for more than a year, and their 2025 season showed it with a 6-11 record and no playoff berth.
Their wide receiver play has been an issue, the tackle situation has been shaky, and the pass rush has been one of the worst in football this year. Even the secondary has leaned heavily on mid- and late-round draft picks.
Patrick Mahomes still changes the equation, but his production has dipped over the past few seasons. Denver has its own flaws, but the Broncos have done a better job building the roster, and that edge has shown up in the wins they’ve put together recently.
Talent, in this case, is on Denver’s side.
In Other News...
Broncos Have One Overlooked Edge That Could Decide Chiefs Game
Special teams rarely get the headline billing in a Broncos-Chiefs matchup, but they can swing a game that figures to be tight in the margins. Denver enters with Wil Lutz giving it steady production on field goals, and the Broncos also appear to have an edge in the kicking and field-position battle thanks to Jeremy Crawshaw and Marvin Mims Jr., two pieces that can quietly change how the game is played.
Kansas City still has leg power with Matt Araiza, but the Broncos overall profile on special teams looks cleaner heading into the showdown. If Denver can keep winning the hidden-yardage fight, it could put extra pressure on an offense that may not get many easy possessions, and it could turn one of the leagues most familiar rivalry games into a field-position contest. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Need Jaylen Waddle In Massive Chiefs Showdown
Jaylen Waddles availability has become one of the biggest subplots heading into Denvers Week 8 trip to Kansas City. The Broncos wide receiver first dealt with a chest injury in Week 6, then aggravated it in a later game, leaving him questionable for a matchup that already carries plenty of weight. Denver has every reason to want him on the field, especially with Waddle having been targeted 45 times this season and already serving as a central part of the passing game.
The timing matters even more because the Chiefs are not at full strength on defense, with several key players either ruled out or on injured reserve. If Waddle can go, he should be involved early and often as Denver tries to take advantage of the matchup and keep pace in a game that could shape the AFC West race. For now, though, the Broncos are waiting to see whether their top receiver can answer the bell. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Still Have A Real AFC West Opening Even If Sunday Hurts
The Broncos have spent the past month living with little margin for error, and Sundays Week 8 matchup carries the kind of weight that can change the shape of their season. Denver has already taken two losses since Week 4, but the broader picture still looks workable, especially with a schedule that should give Sean Paytons team chances to steady itself if it can avoid letting one setback turn into a slide.
Kansas City remains the standard in the AFC West, but the Chiefs do not have a clean path either, and that matters for a Broncos team trying to hang around in the division race. Denver has also shown under Payton that it can usually answer losses the right way, which is why this game feels less like a season-defining final judgment and more like another test of whether the Broncos can keep the door open. [Read more 🡒]