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The Kansas City Chiefs have won the AFC West for nine straight seasons. The Denver Broncos are more halfway to ending that streak but can take their biggest step yet in that endeavor with a win this weekend against Patrick Mahomes & Co. in the Mile High City.

The Broncos (8-2) sit atop a highly competitive AFC West that also houses the 7-3 Chargers and the 5-4 Chiefs, but Denver is hoping their mini-bye will help to get its offense back on track. Bo Nix's offense managed a season-low 220 yards of offense in a 10-7 Week 10 "Thursday Night Football" victory over the Raiders, Denver's league-leading fourth win this season when scoring 20 points or fewer. Once again, Denver's phenomenal defense bailed out the inconsistent offense, sacking Geno Smith six times in the win.

Mahomes and the Chiefs figure to present a much more difficult challenge, especially coming off their bye. Kansas City has won three of its last four, and Rashee Rice has made a massive impact since returning from his six-game suspension, registering 233 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns in just three games. Overall, the Chiefs are fifth in offensive success rate in the NFL, and while they're only 16th in explosive play rate, it's a major improvement over last year's struggles.  

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Can the Chiefs conquer this fearsome defense? Can the Broncos get their offense on track? Here is how to watch the game, followed by betting information, keys to the game and a prediction.

Where to watch Broncos vs. Chiefs live

  • Date: Sunday, Nov. 16 | Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
  • Where: Empower Field at Mile High -- Denver, Colorado
  • TV: CBS | Stream: Paramount+
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Odds: Chiefs -3.5; O/U 44.5 (via FanDuel)

Broncos vs. Chiefs: Need to know

  • Patrick Mahomes faces NFL's best pass rush. Led by Nik Bonitto (9.5 sacks) and Jonathon Cooper (7.5), the Broncos lead the NFL with 46 sacks, 14 more than any other team. In fact, the 46 sacks are the most by any team through 10 games since the 1989 Vikings. Mahomes is usually excellent against pressure -- he leads the NFL in expected points added per play when pressured this season -- thanks to his scrambling and improvisation abilities, but the Denver defense has outstanding team speed and is very well coached, making this a terrific matchup.
  • Bo Nix and the offense need to figure it out. Nix has thrown four interceptions in his past three games and had three more potential interceptions dropped over that span, too. He is putting the ball in harm's way far too much, a tendency he has tried to balance with his aggression downfield. The Chiefs play the highest rate of press coverage in the NFL and have been very stout against the run, meaning Nix will have a heavy weight on his shoulders.
  • Late-game execution could come into play. The Broncos are 6-2 in one-score games, with the six wins tied for the most in the NFL. The Chiefs are 0-4 in one-score games this season, the worst record in the NFL, one year after going 12-0 in one-score games. Though Nix has been up-and-down, he's also shown a clutch gene leading several comebacks. We might see another down-to-the-wire contest.

Broncos vs. Chiefs pick, prediction

The Broncos defense is widely recognized as one of the league's best, but the Chiefs' unit has been excellent as well this season, stout against both the run and the pass. Andy Reid is absolutely lethal (22-4 career record) coming off a bye, and we see that continuing this week. Pick: Chiefs -3.5, Under 44.5