The Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos will take the field for their second rivalry showdown in the 2026 NFL regular season this afternoon at Empower Field.

While the Chiefs escaped with a win in their last meeting with Denver, the Broncos may have what it takes to earn their sixth win of the year—and the top spot in the AFC West standings—with a Week 8 win.

Take a look at our staff predictions for Kansas City's matchup against Denver:

Ed Easton Jr.'s prediction

The Kansas City Chiefs suffered their first loss of the season last week and need a big win to solidify their spot atop the AFC West. The road matchup with the Denver Broncos will have many eyes on whether the 2026 Chiefs can overcome an early-season stumble.

The offense will need to develop an effective strategy to get the passing game on track. Patrick Mahomes rarely has consecutive poor performances, and Kenneth Walker is ready to prove doubters wrong after a subpar showing against his former team.

Defensively, the strategy that succeeded in Week 1 against Denver needs reworking and implementation to pressure Bo Nix again. The Chiefs' defense secured 4 sacks and forced turnovers at Arrowhead Stadium and is still seeking the same results on the road. The practice squad signing of Justin Tucker should motivate Harrison Butker, who needs a perfect outing in Week 8.

Sam Teets' prediction

The Chiefs dominated Bo Nix and the Broncos in Week 1. Denver improved over the past several weeks but still ranks 30th in yards per game and 25th in points per game. However, the Broncos defeated a Seahawks squad that recently ended Kansas City’s undefeated season. This remains a complex divisional matchup, even if the Chiefs possess a significant advantage on paper.

Denver’s defense is one of the league’s stingiest units, only allowing 20.1 points per game. Fortunately for Kenneth Walker, the Broncos allow 133.3 rushing yards per game. Andy Reid and Eric Bieniemy need to find some creative answers in the run game to attack Denver’s defensive front while avoiding the struggles Seattle’s defense caused last week.

Assuming one or both of Mansoor Delane and L'Jarius Sneed are available on Sunday, the Chiefs possess a strong advantage against Denver’s offense. Despite Sean Payton taking over playcalling duties, the Broncos’ offense remains anemic. The Chiefs must take advantage of Nix’s struggles and Denver’s injured backfield to ease the pressure on Patrick Mahomes and Walker.

Jon Ediger's prediction

The Kansas City Chiefs will look to recover from last week's brutal loss to the Seattle Seahawks on 'Sunday Night Football.'

Week 7 made it clear that running back Kenneth Walker, not quarterback Patrick Mahomes, is the key to the Chiefs' offense this season. The Seahawks' defense stuffed Walker from the start, which shut down any meaningful passing attack. The reigning Super Bowl MVP should have an easier time this week against the Broncos' front seven. If Walker can keep establishing the run as he has through the season’s first five games, Mahomes will have plenty of chances to air it out.

Kansas City's secondary struggled last week, allowing quarterback Sam Darnold to throw for over 250 yards. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has always made lemonade from limes with the depth in his defensive backfields, but this season might be a little different for the four-time Super Bowl champion. The Chiefs' secondary must figure out how to replace defensive backs Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson, and fast.

John Dillon's prediction

Kansas City is reeling after its Week 7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, so the Chiefs will need to earn their sixth win of the year against Denver to get back on track. The previous meeting of these teams — which ended in a 31-10 victory for Kansas City in Week 1 — proved that the Chiefs have what it takes to defeat the reigning AFC West champions, but I'm not sure that head coach Andy Reid will be able to make lightning strike twice.

Injuries to defensive backs Mansoor Delane and L'Jarius Sneed will keep Kansas City on its back foot against Bo Nix and the Broncos, and despite the return of star pass-catcher Rashee Rice, the Chiefs seem likely to fall flat against Denver's outstanding defense.

While I would like to predict that Kansas City will win this game, my gut tells me that it will likely result in a loss. This matchup will serve as a much-needed wake-up call for the Chiefs' front office ahead of the NFL's November 10 trade deadline.