The Kansas City Chiefs are starting out the 2026 season in fitting style with a chance to squash the confidence of the Denver Broncos. Rival Head coach Sean Payton hasn't won many fans in KC over since he took the job. He can be, at times, arrogant and show a level of disrespect when you consider the dominance of the Chiefs during the Patrick Mahomes era.
Prior to last season, the Chiefs had ruled the AFC West and won 13 of their 15 games against the Broncos when Mahomes was in the lineup. But every year and every game is different. So whether or not 2025 was an outlier of a poor season for Kansas City will be determined by where they end up at the end of the 2026 campaign.
With that said, the Week 1 matchup doesn't come without a fair amount of pressure on the Chiefs. Denver is coming off an AFC West division title and has a dangerous level of confidence the Chiefs cannot afford to let grow. Even with Mahomes coming off a torn ACL, opening night needs to be KC's best punch and set up a hot start to the 2026 season. One that will cement the team as clear contenders and wipe away the frustrations of last season.
After playing the Broncos, the Chiefs are scheduled to take on the Colts, Dolphins, and Raiders. To be completely forward, the Chiefs should win all three of those matchups rather convincingly. It would launch Kansas City to a commanding 4-0 record, with a game already up on the Broncos heading into their Week 5 bye.
Chiefs must send a message to the Broncos' surge early in Week 1
It isn't just the opportunity to get off to a hot start, but to prove that last season was an outlier in every way. Beating the Broncos in Week 1 with a new-look roster changes the confidence level of the organization and leaves the Chiefs in an undeniably great position moving into the season. Losing the first game not only invites all of the pressures of a season ago, but leaves real questions about where the Chiefs now stand in a division they have previously ruled.
What may bring some comfort to Chiefs fans is that Denver, and for that matter, the entire league, hasn't seen what this Mahomes-led offense can put on the field with a running back of Kenneth Walker's caliber. The reigning Super Bowl MVP could really put some shock on the faces of many teams if he gets off to a hot start.
No matter the answer, the Chiefs must find a way to put this game away and send a strong message to the West and the rest of the AFC. Their demise has been greatly overstated, and proof of this starts in Week 1 against the hated division rival.
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