Broncos Face Chiefs on Christmas with AFC West Title on the Line
The Denver Broncos face the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas night with the opportunity to secure the AFC West title and No. 1 seed, while the Chiefs, without Patrick Mahomes, aim to upset their rival's championship hopes.
The Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs take the field for a Week 17 showdown on Christmas night, with starkly different stakes hanging in the balance.
Denver's 12-3 record puts them in control of their destiny. A win combined with a Patriots loss and setbacks or ties from the Chargers, Bills, and Jaguars would secure the AFC West title and the No. 1 seed. More directly: a Broncos victory paired with a Chargers loss or tie locks up the division outright.
Bo Nix and the Broncos know exactly what they're playing for. The timing couldn't be more fitting—championship football on Christmas.
The Chiefs, meanwhile, limp in at 6-9, playing out the string without Patrick Mahomes, who suffered a torn ACL. Kansas City will spend the holiday without its franchise quarterback, dealing what feels like coal in their stocking.
But Andy Reid's squad still represents danger. Playing at Arrowhead, the Chiefs retain the ability to sabotage Denver's championship aspirations and send the Broncos home with nothing to show for their efforts. In division rivalries, records matter far less than the willingness to inflict damage—especially when one team has everything to play for and the other has nothing left to lose.
