Denver Broncos: Chiefs severely short-handed for Thursday

The Denver Broncos are catching the Kansas City Chiefs at a time when injuries have really piled up in a significant way.

The Denver Broncos are catching the Kansas City Chiefs on a short week at possibly the best time, or worst time if you’re a Chiefs fan.

Injuries are the worst and you hate to see any player in the NFL struggling with the physical effects of the game, but it’s the same for every team.

Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the injuries at key positions and to key players have piled up ahead of their road matchup against the Broncos. This is not exactly the list of players the Chiefs want to be without when they are traveling to take on the Broncos on a short week after already losing two straight games and the Broncos winning their first two games of the season.

Missing for the Chiefs on Thursday night are:

• DL Chris Jones
• WR Sammy Watkins
• LT Eric Fisher
• CB Kendall Fuller
• OG Andrew Wylie

For those not overly familiar with the Chiefs’ roster, that means they will be without:

• Their best defensive player (Jones)
• Their second-best receiver
• Their second-best OL and starting LT
• Their best cornerback
• Their starting left guard

The Broncos, on the other hand, have just one player listed as “OUT” for Thursday’s game, and it’s not a surprise (CB Bryce Callahan). They have just one other player listed as questionable in tackle Ja’Wuan James, whose presence in the lineup would be a nice added bonus.

This is a pretty crazy development for the Broncos, who are trying to get back into the AFC West race and trying to beat the Chiefs for the first time since week two of the 2015 season.

Kansas City has owned the AFC West the past few seasons following Peyton Manning’s retirement as the Broncos have attempted re-loading, re-building, or whatever John Elway wants to call it.

The Chiefs still have the MVP Patrick Mahomes out there starting at quarterback, but Mahomes hasn’t looked himself in recent weeks dealing with an ankle injury.

Even if he’s not at 100 percent, Mahomes is going to be a load for the Broncos to have to deal with, and the Chiefs’ roster is still full of guys who can make plays and execute their offense, including tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

The Chiefs are still going to give the Broncos a significant fight on Thursday night, but they are down some serious talent in the injury department.

This game will go a long way toward determining what the Broncos do the rest of this season in terms of buying (staying put?) or selling at the trade deadline and possibly just competing for a playoff spot in general.