Arrowhead Pride
Merry Christmas, Chiefs Kingdom!
Before the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 16 road matchup with the Tennessee Titans, only three of our panelists correctly picked the Titans to win. Still, as a group, we called for Kansas City to lose 17–16. That carried 32 points of error* compared to the game’s 26–9 final score — so even though the group picked correctly, it was our second-worst prediction of the season. Arrowhead Pride’s readers, however, had a better idea of what would happen. Sixty-seven percent thought Tennessee would win — although just 9% correctly predicted the Titans’ blowout victory.
In Week 17, the Chiefs face the Denver Broncos on GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Kansas City is a 12.5-point underdog.
Let’s see what the staff — and our readers — think about the matchup.
I expect the Chiefs to show more life this week, but everyone in the organization knows what’s going on. Vacation and a fresh start are two weeks away. This is a short week. I could see Kansas City trying to spoil a rival. But in their current state, they’re too outgunned to beat a team like Denver.
Broncos 23, Chiefs 10
All season, I’ve remained optimistic about the Chiefs’ chances to pull out wins. Over and over again, I’ve been wrong. So now, one of two things is possible: I’ve given up, or I’m going for the reverse jinx. I couldn’t say which one of those is represented in this prediction.
Broncos 27, Chiefs 10
This season has unfolded in a way few anticipated — and the Chiefs’ injury list continues to grow. Entering the week with a third-string quarterback against Denver’s top-tier defense leaves Kansas City with limited avenues to compete. So for the Chiefs, the focus shifts to evaluation, giving younger players extended snaps to help clarify the offseason’s roster decisions.
Denver, meanwhile, has everything at stake. With the No. 1 seed and AFC positioning still in play, the Broncos are unlikely to manage minutes or tempo. The matchup is particularly unfavorable for Kansas City’s offense, which lacks both continuity and firepower. Against a disciplined, aggressive Denver defense, short fields and stalled drives could compound quickly.
While there are still questions about Denver’s offense and Bo Nix’s consistency, the Chiefs are unlikely to generate enough pressure or create enough disruptive plays to swing critical downs. In a game played on Christmas, effort should be present — but the talent and health gap is significant.
Broncos 27, Chiefs 9
With all of this week’s news, it doesn’t even feel like the Chiefs have a game to play. The team just needs to see what they have in some of their young guys who haven’t seen much action.
On the flip side, the Broncos are still looking to get the No. 1 seed and potentially clinch the AFC West. This game shouldn’t be close...
