Denver Broncos Welcome Kansas City Chiefs In Battle For AFC West Crown

The Denver Broncos held on to beat the San Diego Chargers 28-10 in Week 10 action. In the coming weeks, Denver twice faces its most challenging successful opponent yet in the Kansas City Chiefs.

With the loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Week 7, the Broncos put aside the internal pressure of maintaining an undefeated season and can focus on how to win football games. The results have been a 45-21 stomping of the Washington Redskins and the effective if not exciting win over the Chargers on either side of the bye week. In the Chiefs, the Broncos look to take the AFC West crown away from an undefeated team that has yet to face any real challenges.

Peyton Manning’s Denver Broncos are about to change that.

But with Manning hobbled by the aggravation of his high ankle sprain, he will be limited in practice but still expected to start for the Broncos at home. An injured Manning for the Broncos is better than a perfectly healthy version of most NFL quarterbacks, but the Chiefs bring with them the NFL’s 6th-ranked passing defense. Kansas City is also packing a pair of QB-killers: Justin Houston and Tamba Hali, part of the league’s only linebacker corps with two members ranked in the top 5 for sacks. Houston is tied for third with 11 while Hali is tied for fifth with 9, a major concern for a Denver Broncos offensive line that needs to keep an already-injured Peyton Manning protected in the pocket.

If the Denver Broncos can protect their quarterback, the Chiefs shouldn’t be much of a threat. Kansas City is at its best on the ground and the Broncos have the 4th-best run defense around. Of the Chiefs’ nine different opponents, not one of them has a winning record. When it comes to offensive production, Chiefs QB Alex Smith has been out-performed by opposing quarterbacks on more than one occasion this year and their offense hasn’t scored even half as many points from scrimmage as the high-powered Broncos attack. Kansas City’s 23 total touch downs, on all sides of the ball, is less than 70 percent of Denver’s receiving TD tally and less than half of the Broncos’ 48 total

How will the Denver Broncos fare in Week 11 action? Can Denver lock up two wins against Kansas City and take the AFC West? Will Peyton Manning be able to stay healthy for the Denver Broncos’ playoff run?