Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs Preview

The Denver Broncos finish their 2017 season against their rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs. I preview the final game of 2017 here.

Well, here we are Broncos Country. The Denver Broncos have one more game left this season. IN what has been a really horrible 2017, I am certain most fans are ready for it to be over. The only team standing in the way of the team clearing out their lockers is the Kansas City Chiefs.

For the second season in a row, the Chiefs won the AFC West. The division itself was a mess. It was supposed to be the strongest division in 2017. But with all four teams having the top four toughest schedules really showed itself.

As of right now, the Chiefs will be the only AFC West representative in the playoffs. The Los Angeles Chargers need to win and get help in order to get in. Hopefully, the Denver Broncos will have a better 2018.

Looking at this game, both teams will be starting their backup quarterbacks. Vance Joseph announced that Paxton Lynch would start on Tuesday. One day later, having been locked into the fourth seed, Andy Reid announced that Patrick Mahomes II will start in place of Alex Smith.

It will be interesting to see how the battle of first round quarterbacks goes. This will be Lynch’s last chance to prove himself to the organization. Mahomes will get to show Chiefs fans if he is the future.

I would not be surprised to see the Broncos showcase players that have not had a lot of playing time this season. Get a chance to see if they can earn a spot on the 2018 roster.

Let’s take a look at both teams and the key matchups.

Key Matchups

Paxton Lynch vs. Chiefs Defense

Patrick Mahomes II vs. Broncos Defense

What to Watch For

How will both quarterbacks perform?

Paxton Lynch is playing for his Broncos future. Patrick Mahomes II will be showcasing what he can do for the Chiefs future. How will each quarterback handle the opposing defenses? It is likely that the 2018 starter for the Broncos is not on the roster. However, Lynch will get a chance to at least make a case for himself.

How long will Andy Reid play his starters?

With the Chiefs locked into the fourth seed, he may not allow his starters to play very much. With a playoff game the following week, he wants to make sure his starters are completely healthy. This means Denver may not see a lot of Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, or Kareem Hunt in the late stages of the game.

Could this be Vance Joseph’s final game?

Rumor is swirling around that if the Broncos come out flat against the Kansas City Chiefs, John Elway will have no choice but to pull the plug on the one year head coach. We already saw Mike McCoy get fired earlier in the year. There are bound to be a lot of changes for the team this offseason. Another loss will almost ensure that a coaching change will be one of them.

Prediction

With the Denver Broncos not seeing most of the stars from Kansas City, this could be a winnable game. Kansas City has nothing to lose or gain in this matchup. The only thing they might focus on is Patrick Mahomes II and how he handles live reps.

For the Denver Broncos, a loss could really begin stirring the pot in a big way. Also, if Paxton Lynch doesn’t perform well, he could be out the door too.

With that said, I think the Broncos defense will be playing to win. This Super Bowl caliber defense wants to play for pride and to get that final win. And I think that the defense will make that play to ensure a win in a low scoring game.

Broncos 17 Chiefs 10

Next: John Elway Comments Suggest Big QB Move

Game Information

Thanks to 506 Sports for their broadcast maps every week. If you are in the orange, you will get the game this weekend.

Who: Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs

When: Sunday December 31st, 2017

Where: Sports Authority Field at Mile High

Time: 4:25 PM EST/2:25 PM MST

TV Station: CBS

Announcers: Beth Mowins, Jay Feely