The Kansas City Chiefs are headed into Denver with a lot riding on Sunday’s matchup, and the path to a win runs through a handful of key questions.
This is the biggest game of the Chiefs’ season so far, and the stakes are obvious. Kansas City sits at 5-1, Denver is right behind at 5-2, and a victory would give the Chiefs a firm grip on the AFC West. It would also set them up nicely before a stretch that includes the New York Jets, Atlanta Falcons and Arizona Cardinals, three games that look far more manageable before the schedule tightens again.
That urgency is part of what gives this rivalry its bite. Jeff Legwold and Nate Taylor of ESPN pointed out that the AFC West has flipped between the Broncos and Chiefs for more than a decade, with Denver owning the division from 2011-15 before Kansas City took over from 2016-24.
One of the biggest questions centers on whether the Chiefs can count on Kenneth Walker III to be a difference-maker again. Taylor’s answer was “yes,” and there’s plenty of reason for Kansas City to believe it can recreate the kind of production it got in Week 1, when Walker ran for 178 yards in the Chiefs’ 31-10 rout.
But there’s a catch: Denver’s tackling was awful in that game, and it’s tough to picture that kind of breakdown repeating. Patrick Mahomes also noted that if the Broncos load up to stop Walker, the Chiefs can attack the intermediate part of the field.
The pass rush is another area under the microscope. The simplest answer to whether Kansas City can finally get that group going is “Chris Jones.”
So far, Jones has been barely noticeable, while George Karlaftis has played well but has only one sack. R Mason Thomas has helped create pressure, but he also has just one sack.
Kansas City’s receiver injuries make the big-play question even trickier. Taylor pointed to tight end Travis Kelce as the safest answer, though Kelce was hurt against the Los Angeles Chargers and was not sharp against the Seahawks. The more obvious explosive option would be Xavier Worthy, but he was hardly a factor in Seattle, finishing with just 11 yards on three catches Sunday night.
The final question is who becomes the X-factor for Kansas City.
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Chiefs Kicking Pressure Just Put Harrison Butker In The Spotlight
Harrison Butker has spent the week under a brighter spotlight than usual, but the veteran kicker responded in practice with a clean showing during a windy session. The Chiefs have been looking for steadier footing at the position after recent struggles, and Butker remains the preferred option as Kansas City turns its attention to an upcoming game against the Broncos.
The added pressure has only intensified since the Chiefs brought in Justin Tucker on the practice squad, giving the team another accomplished leg in the building and another voice in the mix. Both kickers have offered advice aimed at helping Butker sharpen things up, and for now the job still belongs to the player Kansas City trusts most when the game is on the line. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Trade Buzz Builds Around A Familiar Fix At Receiver
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For the Chiefs, the fit is easy to understand. They know Brown, they know what he can do when healthy, and they have a history of turning to players who already understand the system. The question is whether Philadelphia decides to move him at all, and if it does, how much of a return it would take to make a deal worth doing for a receiver whose recent production has been muted. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Secondary Keeps Raising One Chris Roland-Wallace Question
The Chiefs have gotten solid work from outside corners Mansoor Delane and Nohl Williams, but the broader picture in the secondary still feels unsettled. With inconsistent play showing up around them, Kansas City has been leaning on a mix of veterans and rotating pieces, and Chris Roland-Wallace keeps standing out as one of the steadier options in the group.
What makes his role so intriguing is that he has shown the kind of reliability and versatility that usually earns more trust, not less. Even with other defensive backs getting more run, Roland-Wallace has remained in the background, which leaves a pretty obvious question for a defense still looking for more consistency: how much more can the Chiefs afford to leave on the table with him? [Read more 🡒]