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Chiefs at Broncos: Denver tests Mahomes after Kansas City's first loss

The Broncos bring a three-game winning streak into a divisional meeting. Bo Nix has given their offense a lift, while the Chiefs must recover the possessions and points that disappeared against Seattle.

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Exterior of the Broncos’ Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, photographed in 2022.
The exterior of Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High in a 2022 photograph. File photo. © Troutfarm27 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0; archivo)

Kansas City opened 5-0, then lost 20-3 in Seattle. Denver, now 5-2, has won three straight. Their AFC West meeting comes with a question for each quarterback. Patrick Mahomes needs to revive an offense that managed only eight possessions against the Seahawks; Bo Nix faces a team that beat the Broncos 31-10 in their season opener.

  • Competition: 2026 NFL regular season, Week 8; AFC West matchup.
  • Matchup: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos.
  • Venue: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado.
  • Kickoff: Sunday, November 1, 2:25 p.m. MST in Denver; 21:25 UTC.

Kansas City's Seattle defeat was also a shortage of opportunities

The Chiefs reached Seahawks territory on each of their first three drives without turning those trips into the points they needed. On defense, they allowed 11 conversions from 16 third downs, including five on third-and-nine or longer. Seattle kept the ball for nearly 36 minutes. Kansas City recorded only eight offensive drives all night, one of them a brief possession after an interception. Mahomes and his teammates were inefficient, but they also had little time to repair the damage.

Andy Reid accepted responsibility for a game in which the offense, defense and special teams all struggled. Kenneth Walker III can help the Chiefs avoid obvious passing situations: Denver's official preview credited him with an average of 116.8 rushing yards per game entering the week. Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice have no game injury designations. Reid expects Rice back after two missed games, although the receiver's actual contribution will only be known on Sunday.

Nix has improved Denver's options, even as injuries complicate the plan

Denver gained 377 net yards and scored 30 points in its Week 7 win over Arizona. Nix supplied a 62-yard touchdown run, and the Broncos finished with a season-high 159 rushing yards. That was a different offensive display from the opening-week loss in Kansas City. The defense also made four red-zone stops against the Cardinals, limiting scoring even when Arizona moved the ball.

Home form adds to the challenge for the Chiefs. Denver is 3-0 at Empower Field this season and, according to the club, 11-1 in regular-season home games since the beginning of 2025. The record cannot decide Sunday's result, but Kansas City will have to solve its third-down problems in a stadium where the Broncos have repeatedly made opponents work for points.

Denver's defensive front and secondary have unsettled personnel questions. Pat Surtain II practiced fully on all three days and has no game injury designation; the Broncos expect him back after the ankle injury he suffered in Week 4. Zach Allen and Brandon Jones are questionable, while Talanoa Hufanga is out. On offense, Jaylen Waddle and tackle Garett Bolles are questionable and running back RJ Harvey has been ruled out.

Availability after the final Friday, October 30 reports

Kansas City Chiefs

  • Omarr Norman-Lott: out with a knee injury.
  • Mansoor Delane: questionable with a shoulder injury.
  • L'Jarius Sneed: questionable with a knee injury.
  • R Mason Thomas: questionable because of a personal matter, rather than an injury.
  • Rashee Rice: no game injury designation; he practiced fully Friday and Reid expects him back. Sunday's roster decision will confirm his participation.
  • Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce: no game injury designation. Both appeared in the week's practice reports.

Denver Broncos

  • RJ Harvey: out with a knee injury.
  • Talanoa Hufanga: out with an ankle injury.
  • Zach Allen: questionable with a hamstring injury.
  • Garett Bolles: questionable with a hip injury.
  • Brandon Jones: questionable with a hamstring injury.
  • Jaylen Waddle: questionable with a chest injury.
  • Pat Surtain II: no game injury designation after three full practices. Denver expects him back; his actual role has yet to be seen.

Waddle's and Bolles' statuses affect both Nix's targets and his protection. At the other end, two questionable Kansas City cornerbacks could alter the matchups against Denver's receivers. Friday's designations separate confirmed absences from possibilities; they do not constitute a starting lineup.

Where each offense could find an edge

The Chiefs' first test comes on early downs. If Walker gains ground, Mahomes will have more choices than long, predictable passes. If Denver contains the run and forces extended third downs, Seattle's pattern could return. Surtain's expected availability strengthens the home coverage, although Denver will still need pressure that does not leave easy throws underneath.

Nix faces a defense that surrendered too many third downs last week. His long run against Arizona showed he can produce a big play on the ground; Kansas City cannot chase him at the cost of opening space behind its linebackers. Questions at cornerback could give Courtland Sutton and, if available, Waddle chances to separate. The scale of that advantage depends on Sunday's active roster.

How to watch Chiefs at Broncos

  • Venue: Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado.
  • Kickoff: Sunday, November 1, 2:25 p.m. MST in Denver.

United States

  • Time: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EST / 1:25 p.m. PST.
  • TV: CBS in markets assigned this game; KCTV5 carries it in Kansas City. Availability depends on the local affiliate.
  • Streaming: Paramount+ where the viewer's local CBS station carries the game; NFL+ on eligible in-market mobile devices. NFL Sunday Ticket covers out-of-market Sunday games, subject to restrictions.

United Kingdom

  • Time: Sunday, 9:25 p.m. GMT.
  • TV and streaming: Sky Sports+ lists the matchup live from 9:15 p.m., ten minutes before kickoff. Sky also lists part of the game on Sky Sports Main Event, without promising that the whole game will be shown there.

Australia

  • Time: Monday, November 2, 8:25 a.m. AEDT in Sydney; 7:25 a.m. AEST in Brisbane. TV and streaming: no game-specific Australian operator schedule has been confirmed.

Denver can turn its recent form into a divisional win. Kansas City's response requires more than a higher points total: it must reclaim the possessions lost in Seattle and get its defense off the field on third down.