Chiefs versus Broncos Does This Game Still Mean Something?

The Kansas City Chiefs will be going on the road for their final regular-season game of the NFL season. KC will head to Denver, Colorado, to play on Empower Field inside Mile High Stadium. The game is on Saturday, December 8th at 3:30 P.M. CT and will be aired on ABC/ESPN.

KC is coming off a tough loss in Cincinnati as the Bengals won the game in the last seconds, 34-31. Many events led up to that last-second win, but the game has passed, and for Kansas City, the focus is on the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have been eliminated from the playoffs and have a 7-9 record. Why does this game still have meaning for the Chiefs?

Playoff Scenario for the Kansas City Chiefs

I recently wrote an article on why the Chiefs will play an AFC West opponent in the opening rounds of the AFC playoffs. In that article, I talked about the Tennessee Titans eclipsing Kansas City for the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC. Fast forward to this week of football, and the Titans, are scheduled to play the Houston Texans. The question becomes, what does this have to do with Kansas City? If the Titans fall to the Texans, and the Chiefs secure a victory over the Broncos, KC would retain the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC again.

Why the Kansas City Chiefs Must Win against the Denver Broncos

Another reason KC must secure a win against the Broncos is the Cincinnati Bengals, the Buffalo Bills, and the New England Patriots all have a 10-6 record. If Kansas City loses to the Broncos, the Chiefs could have the same record as those teams listed, assuming they all win this week. KC has lost to the Bengals and the Bills, allowing them to pass the Chiefs, causing Kansas City to fall in the AFC playoff picture to potentially No. 4. Granted, the Chiefs are in the playoffs no matter the circumstances, but the home-field advantage is significant at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Kansas City Chiefs Are Playing an Injured Denver Broncos Team

The Broncos are severely banged up, and many of their top-tier players have ended up on the injured reserve. Recently Denver placed guard Dalton Risner, safety Kareem Jackson, quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, on the injured reserve list. Others have already been deemed out in the Week 18 matchup. KC could go in and run up the score allowing starters to rest and giving the second team more reps. Former Lee Summit, Missouri standout quarterback Drew Lock looks to lead the Broncos’ offense. Lock has completed 55-out-of-87 passes for 625 yards in the season. He has also thrown two touchdowns and two interceptions.

In the end, the hope is that Kansas City avoids injuries and come up with the victory as they prepare for the playoffs.