The Kansas City Chiefs are in the middle of their Week 10 bye, allowing them to rest up to gear up for a second-half push. It's been an up-and-down season for them thus far, and a strong showing down the stretch will help solidify the Chiefs as Super Bowl threats yet again.
Having said that, head coach Andy Reid & Co. need to play catch-up in the standings, as they're behind the Denver Broncos in the AFC West race. Unfortunately, Kansas City's job became more difficult after Thursday Night Football. The Broncos beat the Las Vegas Raiders 10-7 in a low-scoring divisional affair, putting the Chiefs' rival at 8-2 on the season.
And with the Chiefs resting this week, they won't get a chance to gain steam, meaning they'll enter Week 11 three wins behind the Broncos.
Chiefs Watched Broncos' AFC West Lead Grow on TNF
The Broncos winning on Thursday is less than ideal for a Chiefs team that lost to the Buffalo Bills last week. That loss snapped Kansas City's three-game win streak and could also play a role in seeding when January rolls around.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs and Broncos will face off twice this season. This first comes in Week 11 at Mile High, where the Broncos beat Kansas City 38-0 in their last matchup there. To add in context, though, the Chiefs rested their starters in that contest, but regardless, those kinds of games provide confidence.
And with the momentum sky high for Denver amid a seven-game win streak, the Chiefs have their hands full. To make matters worse, FanDuel Sportsbook has Denver and Kansas City tied at +130 to win the division.
The Chiefs have their work cut out for themselves with eight games left in the 2025 regular season. They include games against the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Chargers (who already beat them in Week 1). The margin for error is thin for the Chiefs going forward, especially with Denver owning a three-game lead over them.
Coming out of the bye, the Chiefs hope to have Josh Simmons and Trey Smith back in the lineup. The Broncos have one of the top defenses in the NFL, as they have a whopping 48 sacks, which is 18 more than the second-place Detroit Lions (28).
Kansas City will have two weeks to prepare, but since Denver played on a short week, they'll also have 10 days to get ready for this divisional bout. Week 11 will be a big game for both sides, but the Chiefs will need to come out ready to go with the Broncos red-hot right now.