Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs 2016: Prediction, Betting Odds For Week 16 Sunday Night Football

With just two games left in the 2016 NFL season, the Denver Broncos’ title defense is ready to come to an end. The defending champs could be eliminated from playoff contention when they visit the Kansas City Chiefs on “Sunday Night Football.”

Most of the league will play Saturday, but the Chiefs and Broncos are set for an AFC West battle on Christmas Day. Not only can Kansas City end Denver’s postseason hopes, but they can also clinch a playoff berth for the third time in four years. The Chiefs are three-point favorites, via OddsShark.

A loss for the Broncos doesn’t mean they will definitely miss the playoffs, but they would need a lot of help around the league in order to survive a defeat. Having already been eliminated from contention to win the division, Denver would need losses from the Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans on Christmas Eve to remain in the wild-card race despite a loss to Kansas City.

Starting the season with a four-game winning streak, Denver looked very much like the team that defeated the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Trevor Siemian even appeared to be an upgrade over Peyton Manning, who was one of the NFL’s worst quarterbacks in his final season.

However, it quickly became evident that the 2016 Broncos are not as good as last year’s team.

C.J. Anderson suffered a season-ending injury halfway through the season, derailing Denver’s running game. Kansas City’s biggest weakness on defense is their inability to stop the run, but the Broncos rank just 27th in yards on the ground.

Siemian has played better than some might have expected, but he needs a running game to lead a successful offense. Relying mostly on short passes, the quarterback is 23rd in both passing yards and completion percentage. The Broncos have scored just one touchdown in the last two games, and Denver hasn’t scored 30 points in a game since Week 2.

Denver’s offense almost certainly won’t get on the right track at Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chiefs’ defense has been terrific. Since allowing 27 points in the season opener, Kansas City has held opponents to less than 15 points per game at home. That includes games against the New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders, who rank second and third in scoring, respectively. Twenty teams have scored more points than the Broncos this season.

The Broncos still have one of the NFL’s best defenses, but the unit is no longer among the all-time greats because of their struggles against the run. Only three teams have given up more yards on the ground, and they’ve surrendered 316 rushing yards during their two-game losing streak.

Kansas City was defeated by the Titans at home in Week 15, but it’s a game the Chiefs should have won. They squandered a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, failing to score any points in two of their red zone opportunities.

The Chiefs needed overtime to defeat the Broncos 30-27 in Denver a few weeks ago, but they might have an easier time getting a victory against their divisional rivals this time around. With the AFC West title still in their sights, Kansas City should be able to win a low-scoring affair that finishes below the over/under of 37.5.

Prediction: Kansas City over Denver, 20-13