Sixteen seasons and counting. That's the amount of time the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs have jointly controlled the AFC West.
The Chiefs started the run in 2010, with the Broncos winning the division from 2011 to 2015 and again last season. In between, the Chiefs won nine straight AFC West titles from 2016 to 2024, with quarterback Patrick Mahomes leading the way for most of them. This season looks to continue the trend, as the 5-1 Chiefs and 5-2 Broncos have once again separated themselves from the Las Vegas Raiders and the winless Los Angeles Chargers.
So as the Chiefs and Broncos get set for their second regular-season meeting Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS), AFC West supremacy seems to be on the line yet again. The Chiefs won the first meeting 31-10 in a Week 1 rout. So, Sunday's rematch will either place the Chiefs on the inside lane with a 1ý-game lead and the head-to-head tiebreaker, or give Denver a half-game lead going into the back half of the season.
"They're a great team, are at the top of the league again," Broncos tackle Mike McGlinchey said. "And they've been the litmus test since I've been in the NFL. A great challenge for us. And I'm super excited for it."
ESPN Chiefs reporter Nate Taylor and ESPN Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold break down the matchup below.
Jump to:
Ramifications: Chiefs | Broncos
Walker vs. Broncos' run defense
Nix vs. Chiefs' pass rush
Chiefs WRs vs. Broncos DBs
X factors | How each team will win
How important is winning this game in each team's quest for the AFC West title?
A win Sunday will give the Chiefs a commanding lead in the race for the division before the halfway point of the season. Getting a leg up opening night was critical for the Chiefs, and this rematch is even more important if Kansas City wants to win the division and host a playoff game.
The Chiefs want to demonstrate that last season was a blip in their dynastic run, and a victory over the Broncos could further prove their point. Kansas City could use the cushion over Denver in the standings, too. The Chiefs' schedule ramps up in the second half of the season, with opponents such as the Bills, Rams, Bengals, 49ers and Patriots looming. -- Taylor
Tiebreakers will matter if the Broncos want to make the playoffs, much less win the division, so a split with the Chiefs would go a long way to help. That split could be a boost to Denver, especially if it can get improved play from the offense and quarterback Bo Nix. After an extremely tough opening stretch of the season, the Broncos' schedule eases up after Sunday, with games against the Raiders (twice), Jets, Dolphins and Chargers. -- Legwold
Can the Chiefs depend on Kenneth Walker III as they did in the first meeting?
The Chiefs should believe they can have similar success with Walker. Although he was held to 36 rushing yards in the Week 7 loss to the Seahawks, the Chiefs should still lean on him to power their offense. A positive for their rushing attack is the expected return of right tackle Jaylon Moore, who missed last week's game while in the NFL's concussion protocol, and receiver Rashee Rice, who missed the past two games because of a strained right hamstring.
One of Walker's strengths this season has been making defenders miss. Tackling has been a struggle for the Broncos at times this season, including in the opener, so the Chiefs should feed Walker to test them.
"Kenneth is a special player, and he makes a lot of big plays happen," Mahomes said Wednesday. "We're not going to stop trying to run the ball. But if they're going to put so many resources into stopping him, and playing a shell over the top, we have to be able to hit them in that intermediate area and then guys have to be able to run after the catch and break tackles." -- Taylor
Has the Broncos' tackling gotten better since their struggles in Arrowhead?
It couldn't have been much worse after they missed an astounding 19 tackles in the season-opening loss to the Chiefs. And though the Broncos' defenders kept saying it was "easy to fix," citing it as a question of technique and/or "want to", it took them some time. They had eight missed tackles against the Jacksonville Jaguars in a Week 2 win, but have since reduced the missed tackles for the most part.
The Broncos had quality tackling outings against the 49ers, Seahawks and last weekend against the Cardinals, with a choppy nine-missed-tackle effort against the Chargers mixed in. As for Sunday, more than five missed tackles could spell trouble against Walker & Co.
"It's easy to sit here looking back on it and say, 'We sucked, we gave up 31 points' and all that,'" Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton said this week. "You have to go back and build off the good, too. ... It wasn't who we are. There was plays in that game that showed who we are. ... Just [need to find] those plays." -- Legwold
Is Bo Nix fixed after faring well against the Cardinals?
Nix and coach Sean Payton likely felt some relief and an injection of confidence after Nix showed more assertiveness with some throws, along with a 62-yard touchdown run that was the longest in his career and the longest scoring run for a QB in Broncos history, against Arizona. But an overly positive assessment would be a little naive.
Nix is still 26th in QBR (45.2), 30th in completion percentage over expectation (minus-4.1%) and 31st in air yards per attempt (5.9). And if wideout Jaylen Waddle misses Sunday's game because of a chest injury he suffered in Arizona, an offense that already struggles to create explosive plays (28th in plays of 20 or more yards) will have to dig even deeper.
"We're close, but I don't feel like we're really dominating or scratching the surface of what we can be," Nix said. "But we are doing what we're supposed to do to win the games. ... I do think we're leaving some things out there, as far as penalties and third downs, and it starts with me." -- Legwold
The Chiefs' pass rush has struggled since the opener. What's been the biggest issue?
One of the biggest problems is the lack of productivity from All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, who has struggled to beat double-teams at the rate he has in the past. Jones has recorded only a half-sack this season. Edge rusher George Karlaftis has generated consistent pressure, but he has recorded only one sack.
Too often opposing quarterbacks have escaped the Chiefs' pressure. The lone defender who has quickly gotten to the quarterback is rookie edge R Mason Thomas. Even so, he also has just one sack this season. -- Taylor
With all their injuries at receiver, where will big plays come from in the Chiefs' passing game?
The safe answer based on the past two games is tight end Travis Kelce, who, at age 37, is still Mahomes' most reliable pass catcher. The Chiefs are optimistic that Rice, who was hurt in Week 4, can be effective against the Broncos' zone coverage. But without receiver Tyquan Thornton, who is recovering from a dislocated left ankle, the Chiefs haven't produced deep completions.
Xavier Worthy is still an option on deep throws, but he has only one reception in which the ball traveled more than 20 yards downfield. Rookie receiver Cyrus Allen should get more opportunities as the Chiefs continue to try to incrementally increase his development. "He'll get a little bit more [snaps] this week," coach Andy Reid said of Allen on Wednesday.-- Taylor
How is Denver's secondary looking? Will Pat Surtain II or Talanoa Hufanga be back?
There was plenty of hand-wringing when the Broncos used a first-round pick on cornerback Jahdae Barron in the 2025 draft to improve what was already a good, deep secondary. But it has helped the Broncos have more versatility to deal with defensive back injuries better than most teams. His development, along with emerging third-year cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine and slot corner Ja'Quan McMillian's ascension to becoming one of the best nickel corners in the league, has helped the Broncos go 7-0 in games Surtain hasn't played the past three seasons.
"That's pretty impressive,'' Payton said. "You're just thankful for the depth."
Surtain, who has missed the past three games because of an ankle injury, is expected to play Sunday if he gets through another practice week. Hufanga, who has a right ankle injury, is still a question to play at safety Sunday. -- Legwold
Who will be the X factor for each team in this game?
The Chiefs expect this game to be close, which means they'll need a strong performance from kicker Harrison Butker. The veteran is on the hot seat, too, especially after Kansas City signed veteran kicker Justin Tucker to their practice squad Wednesday. Butker missed two field goal attempts in last week's loss and has struggled since the start of last season, having missed 15 total kicks (field goals and extra point attempts) during that stretch. An early miss from Butker could force Reid to be more aggressive in keeping the offense on the field on fourth down.
"Right now, his technique is off a bit," Reid said of Butker. "It's not as consistent as he wants it." -- Taylor
Sunday could be the big unveiling of rookie running back Jonah Coleman, and this is what Payton had to say about him this week: "Got to get him more touches -- definitely." He arrived as a fourth-round pick with some optimistic fanfare because of his physicality. Coleman missed four games because of an ankle injury, but his return Sunday in Arizona provided another glimpse at what he could mean to an offense that needs a boost.
If Coleman had enough carries to qualify, his 4.9 yards per carry would be tied for eighth in the league, and his percentage of carries for 10-plus yards (21.1% of his 19 carries) is currently best among RBs with at least 15 carries. His body of work is still small, but is expected to get bigger given Payton said, "The touches he had were explosive." -- Legwold
The Broncos will win if ...
Walker doesn't get anywhere close to the 23 carries for 173 rushing yards and a 60-yard touchdown he had in Week 1. The Broncos' defense has been relatively successful against Mahomes since Vance Joseph became defensive coordinator in 2023 (five TDs, five interceptions, 14 sacks in five games). But if Kansas City pairs a two-TD game from Mahomes with another big night from Walker, the Chiefs could repeat the Week 1 rout. -- Legwold
The Chiefs will win if ...
They hit and sack Nix often. Though Walker was the headliner in Week 1, the Chiefs' defense dominated the Broncos' offense by making Nix constantly uncomfortable in the pocket, leading to two turnovers from Denver's quarterback. Whether it's through blitzes or a four-man rush, the Chiefs need to repeat that performance. The Chiefs have been opportunistic this season on turnover-worthy plays, generating 10 takeaways. By limiting big gains and harassing Nix, the Chiefs' defense should give Walker and Mahomes the means to control the tempo. -- Taylor