The Kansas City Chiefs can learn a thing or two from the Denver Broncos about bouncing back from a humbling loss. The Broncos shook off their ugly loss to the St. Louis Rams in Week 11 and announced their return to form by taking care of the Miami Dolphins the following week. The Chiefs had their own embarrassing defeat when they were whipped last Thursday by a then winless Oakland Raiders team.
Will the Chiefs tie Denver atop the AFC West? Or will the Broncos create some more breathing room by hurdling Kansas City?
You can also check out our complete previews of Seahawks vs. 49ers here and of Patriots vs. Packers here.
[sc:Football ]
Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs Preview and Prediction
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City
When: Sunday, November 30, 8:30 PM ET
Line: Denver Broncos (-1.5) at Kansas City Chiefs (+1.5); total: 50.0 – see all NFL lines
Betting on the Denver Broncos
A week after losing a good chunk of their dignity by suffering a 22-7 loss to the St. Louis Rams, the Broncos returned to the win column in style, defeating the Miami Dolphins at home on Sunday, 39-36.
[sc:NFL240banner ]The Broncos’ offensive line that was pelted nonstop with criticisms after a bad outing against St. Louis showed they’re way more than what their critics call them when they repeatedly provided Denver’s backfield with clean running routes against Miami. As a result, the Broncos were able to run for a season-high 201 yards. Led by C.J. Anderson (167 rushing yards and a touchdown), the Broncos tore apart Miami’s defense that previously allowed just 94.5 yards on the ground per game.
With the offensive line back in top form, Anderson and the rest of the Broncos’ backfield could be in line to produce monster numbers again when they face Kansas City’s defense against the rush that lets opposing teams rack up an average of 129.4 rushing yards per game. But then again, the Broncos remain a pass heavy team so long as Peyton Manning is under the center.
Manning was another beneficiary of the offensive line’s great performance as the quarterback was only sacked once and had his way against the Dolphins, throwing for 257 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Kansas City does have a pass defense that is nothing to scoff at, but a quarterback of Manning’s capability can find cracks in it, especially if Denver’s backfield takes a lot of the Chiefs’ attention on defense.
The Broncos are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 games as the road team.
The Oakland Raiders’ losing binge has got to end at some point. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, it came at their own expense. Kansas City instantly became a trivia answer on Sunday when the team suffered a 24-20 loss to the Raiders, who snapped a 16-game winless streak.
The Chiefs were doomed in that game because their offense that was supposed to overwhelm Oakland from the get-go arrived late. The Chiefs scored just three points in the first half before turning the heat on in the second half, where they scored 17 points. They even successfully grabbed the lead in the last period until Derek Carr threw a touchdown pass to James Jones with under two minutes left in the clock.
Alex Smith led the comeback of the Chiefs in the second half, where he threw for 186 yards and two touchdowns. Jamaal Charles, meanwhile, rushed for just 80 yards against the Raiders after putting up 159 versus the Seattle Seahawks in Week 11. Smith and Charles got some help, though, from Travis Kelce and Dwayne Bowe, who had 67 and 42 receiving yards, respectively.
Charles needs all the help he can have on offense next Sunday, as he’ll be up against a Denver team that’s been among the best in stopping opposing teams’ rushing game. The Broncos are second in the league in rushing yards allowed per game with an average of 75.5. The Chiefs, however, may be getting a break as Denver is currently dealing with injuries to some of its key defensive players like cornerback Aqib Talib and linebacker Brandon Marshall.
On defense, the Chiefs are No.1 in the NFL when it comes to limiting their opponents’ passing yards (198.9 per game). Justin Houston, Dontari Poe, and Allen Bailey are the Chiefs’ top pass rushers with 13, 5, and 4 sacks, respectively.
The Chiefs are 4-0 SU/ATS in their last four home games.
