Monday evening is gonna kick off Week 1 of the NFL season with a bang: the Kansas City Chiefs are hosting the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium for a “Monday Night Football” showdown. Kickoff is set for 7:15 p.m., so get ready. You can catch all the action nationally on ABC and ESPN. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Chiefs are starting the week as a 2.5-point favorite. That feels like a pretty tight spread for a team playing at home to open the season, especially given the recent history between these two rivals.
Last Season’s Bitter Pill for the Champs
Remember last season? It was definitely rough if you were a Chiefs fan looking at their matchups against the Broncos. Denver absolutely swept them in 2025, handing them two tough losses, even when KC was actually favored in both games. The last time these teams faced off was on Christmas Day at Arrowhead. The Chiefs were playing without their star quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, and Denver was a massive 13.5-point favorite. While Kansas City managed to cover that huge spread, Denver still pulled away in the fourth quarter from a tie game to snag a 20-13 win. That must’ve stung.
The Week 11 Upset That Started It All
And it wasn’t just the Christmas game. Earlier in 2025, back in Week 11, the Chiefs were actually four-point favorites on the road against the Broncos. But guess what? Denver took that one too, winning 22-19. So, the Broncos went into their house and beat them when they were supposed to win, and then beat them again on their home turf without Mahomes. Talk about having your number. This kind of recent history makes that 2.5-point favorite line for Week 1 feel a little… dicey, doesn’t it? You gotta wonder what’s truly in those locker rooms right now.
Early Season Form and What’s Ahead
Looking at the 2026 preseason, both teams had a bit of a mixed bag heading into the regular season. The Chiefs definitely had some struggles, getting defeated by both the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Interestingly enough, they also tied with our very own Seattle Seahawks in one of those preseason matchups. On the flip side, the Broncos showed some flashes, beating the Atlanta Falcons and the Minnesota Vikings, though they did drop a game to the Green Bay Packers. So, both squads are coming in with some questions after the exhibition games. This Monday night game isn’t just Week 1, it’s a chance for the Chiefs to try and erase the memory of last year’s sweep, or for the Broncos to keep their dominance going right out of the gate. You know it’s gonna be a battle worth watching.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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