Chiefs (

24.75) at
Broncos (

20.75)

Game Overview ::

By Mike johnson >>

• Denver has an opportunity to essentially knock the Chiefs out of contention for the AFC West crown with a win this week.
• The Broncos are likely to be without RB J.K. Dobbins, which should leave explosive rookie RJ Harvey in a featured role.
• Denver expects the return of WR Marvin Mims Jr. from his two week absence with a concussion and will look to get Courtland Sutton back on track.
• The Chiefs have averaged 29 points per game since WR Rashee Rice returned from his six-game suspension.
• Kansas City RB Isiah Pacheco missed practice with his sprained MCL once again on Wednesday, likely leaving Kareem Hunt in the primary running back role.

JM’S JOURNAL ::

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How kansas City Will Try To Win ::

The Chiefs offense is in a spot this week that shouldn’t be too tough to figure out. They are the highest pass rate team in the NFL and have Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. They are playing without their top running back (Isiah Pacheco) and facing the third ranked DVOA run defense in the league. Their opponent is also very good against the pass, but will likely be without their best cover corner (Patrick Surtain II) or he will be playing injured. Denver’s pass rush is also very good, but Mahomes is elite at extending plays and avoiding pressure which in many ways should negate that problem – especially if Surtain is out. All signs here point to a game where the Chiefs put the ball in Mahomes hands and trust him to get them where they need to be.

As for how they attack through the air, WR Rashee Rice has been dominant since returning from suspension with a 25% target share and some rushing usage. Rice moves all over the formation and is a chess piece for head coach Andy Reid that is a key to unlocking the rest of the offense. Rice and Xavier Worthy have been playing over 80% of the snaps in recent weeks and Worthy is the big play threat who Mahomes will almost certainly be attacking downfield in this one especially if Surtain is out. Worthy was added to the injury report Thursday with an ankle issue, so his status is worth monitoring. Behind those two, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, and Marquise Brown all rotate into the game and seem to have specific roles. None are likely to see enough volume to meaningfully change the outlook of this one, although Thornton’s role could grow if Worthy’s ankle issue is more serious than we are currently aware of. Tight end Travis Kelce has actually been playing quite well and been fairly consistent, even if the production is not what we have been accustomed to throughout his career. Kelce has over 60 receiving yards in four of his last five games and does not have a multi-touchdown game yet this season – something that he seems destined for before all is said and done. Kelce played his two highest snap counts of the season in the Chiefs last two games before their bye and should be rested and ready for another big workload in this borderline must-win game.

How denver Will Try To Win ::