Chiefs trail Broncos 74-59 in all-time series as Mahomes faces Nix

The Chiefs lead the all-time series against the Broncos by a margin of 74 wins to 59, a record that will be challenged Sunday afternoon in Denver.

The AFC West standings hinge on the outcome of this contest. Kansas City sits at 5-1 after falling to the Seattle Seahawks 20-3 last weekend. The Broncos hold a 5-2 record following a 30-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals.

Quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Bo Nix return to the field dealing with the physical toll of major injuries sustained earlier in the year.

Mahomes tore his left knee in December. He has now played two consecutive games without throwing a touchdown pass, a first for his career. His rushing average has dropped to 3.7 yards per attempt, the lowest mark since he became the starting quarterback in 2018.

Nix broke his right ankle during the playoffs. He is currently completing 59.2% of his passes, the lowest rate of his three-year career. His rushing production is on pace for 267 yards, down from his previous average of 393 yards per season.

The Broncos found their footing after a 31-10 loss to Kansas City in the season opener. Nix scored on a 62-yard run in the win over Arizona, a play that restored team confidence.

Chiefs coach Sean Payton noted that Travis Kelce remains effective at age 37. Kelce is averaging 14.3 yards per catch, the best figure of his 14-year career. Payton stated, "The things that sometimes are hard to teach, he’s got.. He’s still sudden out of the break point."

The Broncos defense led by Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto has maintained its performance despite injuries to Patrick Surtain II, Talanoa Hufanga, and Riley Moss. The unit has recorded multiple sacks in 20 consecutive home games, the fourth-longest streak in NFL history.

Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton said the Broncos have adjusted their strategy. "I think Bo Nix has done a good job of using his feet, getting the ball to his ball catchers, trusting his O-line, sticking with the run game," Bolton said.

The game airs on CBS at 4:25 p.m. EST. The Chiefs are favored by 1.5 points. Sean Payton will coach in his 300th NFL game Sunday. A win would make him the sixth-fastest coach to reach 200 victories. Kenneth Walker III of the Chiefs is averaging 117 rushing yards per game.