Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs are the favorites in the Chiefs vs Broncos odds

Chiefs vs Broncos Picks & Odds: KC favored in First vs Worst Clash in Denver

Two teams coming off bad beats clash Sunday as the Denver Broncos (3-9 SU, 4-8 ATS) play host to the division rival Kansas City Chiefs (9-3, 5-7) in NFL Week 14 action.

The AFC West-leading Chiefs squandered a 24-17 fourth-quarter lead in a 27-24 loss to Cincinnati that snapped the team’s five-game win streak. The Broncos, meanwhile, are last in the division and return home after failing to score a touchdown for the second time in three outings in last week’s 10-9 loss to Baltimore, extending their losing streak to four games.

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Chiefs vs Broncos Sportsbook Odds

The Chiefs have vaulted to lofty 9-point road favorites since Sportsbook as 6.5-point chalk, and the total has increased slightly to 43 after Sportsbook at 42. Sunday afternoon’s matchup marks the first of two regular-season meetings between these AFC West rivals.

Kansas City has dominated in head-to-head action, topping the Broncos in 13 straight clashes since September 2015, including seven straight wins in the Mile High City. The Chiefs have covered 10 times during their 13-0 run, but are just 2-3 against the spread in their past five vs Denver when favored by more than 7 points.

The Broncos have struggled to score when facing Kansas City in recent years, tallying 16 points or less in five of their past six dates. That lack of production has helped extend a steady run for the UNDER, which has gone 6-2 over the past eight meetings. 

Get the best Chiefs vs Broncos odds and lines available from our recommended sportsbooks for your favorite picks of the night.

  • Best Spread
    -110
    -110
    KC-8.5
    +8.5DEN
  • Best Moneyline
    -410
    +330
    KC
    DEN
  • Best Total
    -111
    -109
    Over44
    44Under

Chiefs’ Potent Offense Struggling to Slam the Door

The Chiefs’ struggles to generate offense after recess proved costly in last weekend’s loss to the Bengals. For a second straight week, quarterback Patrick Mahomes failed to connect on a scoring pass after recess, and with their fourth-quarter meltdown, the Chiefs have been outscored 31-20 in the final frame over their past four games.

The ground game has picked up some of the slack, generating three touchdown runs over the past two weeks to put the brakes on a two-game scoring drought. KC rushers have racked up an average of 143.3 yards over the past four games. Rookie running back Isiah Pacheco has embraced a bigger role, averaging 81 rushing yards in that stretch and running for scores in each of the past two weeks. 

However, maintaining that momentum will be a tall order against an impressive Broncos rush defense that has not allowed a single scoring run over its past four games and has given up just seven in total this season.

Broncos Still Haunted by Feeble Offense

The Broncos’ inability to generate consistent offense once again proved costly in last week’s loss to the Ravens. The team has buried itself deeper in the NFL team stats basement while scoring just 11.3 points per game during the current 0-4 slide, and has now mustered just 13.8 points per game so far this season.

A move to take play-calling responsibilities out of the hands of rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett has done little to turn things around for Russell Wilson, who continues to endure a brutal debut campaign in Denver. The former NFL passing touchdowns leader has found the end zone just once in his past three home appearances, and just four times over the past seven games.

Those woes are further complicated by a hamstring injury suffered by the team’s top receiver, Courtland Sutton, who was limited to just one target last weekend and whose status remains uncertain for Sunday. The silver lining for the Broncos has been a stout defense that has surrendered just one TD pass over the past two weeks and just nine total on the season, tops in the NFL. 

Chiefs: Keys to Win

After spending much of last Sunday trying to defeat the Bengals with the big play, Patrick Mahomes must return to a simpler game. That is particularly true against the Broncos, whose single greatest strength is arguably their pass defense. This squad must also avoid the fourth-quarter letdowns that have become commonplace in recent weeks.

Broncos: Keys to Win

Will this finally be the weekend that Russell Wilson regains the form that produced 40 touchdown passes in 2020? Wilson will need help from an underachieving offensive line that has allowed him to be sacked 17 times in five home games. A more efficient ground game would also pay dividends by providing Wilson with the ability to effectively eat the clock and give an overworked Denver defense a respite after averaging almost 35 minutes on the field over the past two weeks. 

NFL Computer Pick: OVER 43 Points

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Shark Bites
  • The OVER is 8-2 in Kansas City’s last 10 road games.
  • The UNDER is 11-1 in Denver’s 12 games this season.
  • Denver is 0-7 SU in its last 7 vs AFC West rivals.
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