Arrowhead Pride
The (6-9) Kansas City Chiefs are officially out of playoff contention after a 26-9 road loss to the Tennessee Titans, a defeat that underscored how far the team had slipped before entering the season’s final stretch.
On Christmas night, Kansas City will host the (12-3) Denver Broncos, who are fighting for the AFC’s top seed. They are coming off a 34-20 home loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars — their first defeat since September. Denver will need a win to stay ahead of the surging New England Patriots in the conference standings.
The Broncos already beat Kansas City earlier this season, escaping with a 22-19 victory in a game that carried far greater implications than this Christmas Day rematch.
Here are five things to watch.
Speculation has lingered for weeks about whether tight end Travis Kelce is nearing the end of his career — but with the postseason off the table and one home game remaining, the sense of finality feels stronger. At 36, Kelce remains one of the most accomplished postseason performers in league history, trailing only Hall of Famer Jerry Rice in playoff receiving production.
Whether Kelce ultimately retires or returns, the expectation is that he will approach the game with urgency. If the offense can reach the red zone, getting the ball to Kelce — by any means necessary — should be a priority.
After quarterback Gardner Minshew exited last week’s game with a knee injury, Chris Oladokun stepped in for him, logging his second career appearance and a career-high snap count. Prior to this season, Oladokun had played only in last season’s blowout loss to Denver, where he recorded just five rushing yards in a handful of snaps.
Against Tennessee, Oladokun completed 11 passes for 111 yards and used his mobility to help move the offense — even as protection issues persisted.
An undrafted free agent out of South Dakota State in 2022, Oladokun briefly spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers before landing on Kansas City’s practice squad — where he has remained ever since.
Now, after earning two Super Bowl rings as a practice-squad contributor, Oladokun is set to make his first career start.
It will be worth watching how head coach Andy Reid adjusts the game plan — particularly whether he leans into a mobility-focused approach reminiscent of Alex Smith-era offenses.
Last week, we were focused on how much playing time that rookies Brashard Smith and Jalen Royals would receive — and the answer was: very little. Wide receiver Royals logged five snaps, while running back Smith played eight. Smith caught one pass for four yards, while Royals was not targeted.
Instead, head coach Andy Reid leaned heavily on veterans, with wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster playing 93% of the offensive snaps and running back Isiah Pacheco logging 72%.
Given that usage, Royals could see an expanded role this week. Smith, meanwhile, could serve as a valuable checkdown option...
