Late December has arrived and the Kansas City Chiefs are playing out the string while the Denver Broncos are focused on grabbing the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
It is a major change of the script as the Broncos look to protect their AFC West lead when they visit the Chiefs on Thursday for a Christmas night kickoff.
Denver (12-3) holds a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Chargers in the division race and is tied with the New England Patriots for the top record in the conference. The Broncos hold the tiebreaker edge over New England.
Denver is coming off a 34-20 loss to the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday that halted an 11-game winning streak. If the Broncos lose again Thursday, then the Week 18 battle with the host Chargers will be for the AFC West crown.
“Every one of these players understands the significance of where we’re at with two games left in the season,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said Tuesday.
Denver has its sights on sweeping the Chiefs (6-9) for the first time since 2014, and the players are aware a stumble could be disastrous.
“You’ve just got to keep winning,” Broncos quarterback Bo Nix said. “Whatever it takes to win the game. Doesn’t really, at this point, matter what it looks like. All the cool, flashy stuff can have already happened. Now, it’s just who’s got more points.”
The Broncos beat the Chiefs 22-19 on Nov. 16 when Wil Lutz kicked the winning 35-yard field goal as time expired. Denver has won three of the teams’ past four meetings after the Chiefs won 16 straight in the series.
Kansas City limps into the rematch with six losses in the past seven games and with its streak of consecutive seasons reaching the playoffs over at 10.
Patrick Mahomes sustained a season-ending ACL tear in his left knee during a 16-13 loss to the visiting Chargers on Dec. 14. Then last week, Gardner Minshew (lower leg) sustained his own season-ending injury in a 26-9 road loss against the Tennessee Titans.
That leaves Chris Oladokun as a first-time starter against Denver. He finished the game against the Titans and completed 11 of 16 passes for 111 yards.
“There’s always something to clean up,” Oladokun said. “But for a first outing, I felt really proud of myself.”
Oladokun, 28, has been in the Chiefs’ organization since 2022, when he was signed to the practice squad. He had appeared in just one game prior to replacing Minshew, and he had never thrown an NFL pass.
“There’s a little more electricity because I’m the guy actually going through it,” Oladokun said of leading the offense in practice.
The Chiefs signed quarterback Shane Buechele off the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad on Monday to be the backup. Buchele was in the Kansas City organization in 2021-22.
While Oladokun relishes the opportunity, the contest could be star tight end Travis Kelce’s final home game.
Kelce, 36, is weighing retirement for the second straight campaign.
“I don’t know if it is or not,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said of the possibility of Kelce playing his farewell home game. “His numbers and personality and the person, I think, speak for themselves.”
Kelce was named to his 11th Pro Bowl on Tuesday. He has 68 receptions for 803 yards and five touchdowns this season.
Kelce made nine receptions for 91 yards and a score in the first matchup against the Broncos.
Denver ranks fifth in scoring defense (19.7 points per game) and fourth in total defense (291.6 yards per game).
Three Denver defenders — cornerback Pat Surtain II, linebacker Nik Bonitto and defensive end Zach Allen — were selected to the Pro Bowl.
Kansas City receivers Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton both have concussions and didn’t practice on Monday and Tuesday. Cornerbacks Trent McDuffie (knee) and Jaylen Watson (groin) also missed those two sessions.
Four Broncos haven’t practiced this week through Tuesday: receiver Pat Bryant (concussion), tight end Nate Adkins (knee), center Luke Wattenberg (shoulder) and linebacker Dre Greenlaw (hamstring).
