The Broncos’ remaining motivation: Finish the season Saturday by snapping a 12-game losing streak to Kansas City. The Chiefs (11-5) travel to Denver for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff playing for postseason seeding. The Broncos (7-9) will try to avoid double-digit defeats. Here are three Week 18 storylines:
1. Slowing down Chiefs
During Kansas City’s 9-1 stretch (its eight-game winning streak ended Sunday at Cincinnati), the Broncos have been the only team to slow the Chiefs down. In the last nine games, the Chiefs rank first in the NFL in wins, takeaways (21) and turnover differential (plus-13), tied for first in first-half scoring (18.4-point average), third in points per game (29.3) and fourth in yards (380.1). In their 22-9 win over the Broncos in Week 13, the Chiefs’ offense was held to one touchdown and 267 yards.
2. KC’s playoff stakes
The Chiefs (11-5) blew a 28-14 lead to Cincinnati and lost 34-31 as time expired, costing them a chance to simply win Saturday to clinch AFC home-field advantage for the third time in four years and get the lone first-round bye for the second consecutive season. If Kansas City beats the Broncos and Houston upsets Tennessee, the Chiefs will get the top seed. A Kansas City win will at least secure the No. 2 seed, which means first- and second-round home games, and a first-round match-up against a team likely from the group of Indianapolis, Las Vegas and the Chargers.
3. So long top scoring defense
The Broncos (7-9) entered Week 17 tied for the league lead in scoring defense with New England, allowing 17.3 points per game. They are now third (18.4) after losing 34-13 to the Chargers’ sixth-ranked scoring offense. The Patriots are first (16.9) after a 50-10 win over Jacksonville’s last-ranked scoring offense and Buffalo (17.4) is second after a 29-15 win over Atlanta’s 27th-ranked scoring offense. The Broncos remain on track for their best scoring defense finish since 2005 (third).
