Denver Broncos @ Kansas City Chiefs - A Primer

 
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One of five 3-0 teams in the NFL, the Denver Broncos will put their undefeated record on the line this week when they face the Kansas City Chiefs (0-3) on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. CDT, and the game will be broadcast on CBS by Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf.

Denver improved to 3-0 for the first time in five seasons after its 34-32 home win against New Orleans last week. The Broncos took a 21-3 lead early in the second quarter and held on for the win after making several key fourth-quarter defensive stops, including a deflected pass on a potential game-tying two-point conversion attempt and a third-and-1 with the Saints driving for a go-ahead score.

The Broncos face a Chiefs team that lost 38-14 to the Falcons on the road last week. Kansas City has started three different quarterbacks in each of its first three games, becoming the fourth team since the 1970 NFL merger (non-strike seasons only) with that distinction.

Last year, the Broncos swept their two-game season series against the Chiefs with wins of 27-11 (Nov. 11) and 41-7 (Dec. 9). Denver enters Sunday's game looking for its first three-game regular-season winning streak against the Chiefs since 1991-92 and can win consecutive regular-season games at Arrowhead Stadium for the first time since 1976-79 (4 gms.).

Through their first three games of the season, the Broncos have held the lead 88.2 percent of the time (158:43-of-180:00) and have not trailed for 97.8 percent of the time (176:02-of-180:00). Fast starts have been key to Denver's 3-0 record with its +36 (72-36) first-half point differential leading the NFL.

Offensively, the Broncos lead the league in scoring (38.0 ppg.) and touchdowns (14) while ranking second in the NFL in yardage (432.0 ypg.). Denver's 114 points through three games are a club record and equal the mark posted in that period by New England last season when the Patriots set an NFL-record with 589 points for the year.

Quarterback Jay Cutler is second in the league in passing yards (914) while Brandon Marshall leads all NFL wide receivers with 24 catches and can set a club record with his fourth consecutive 100-yard receiving game this week. Denver Head Coach Mike Shanahan enters Sunday's game with an opportunity to earn his 150th career victory - His overall career record stands at 149-95 (.611).

PREVIOUS 5 MEETINGS

at DENVER 41, KANSAS CITY 7 (Dec. 9, 2007)
Denver sweeps its season series with Kansas City with a 41-7 win at INVESCO Field at Mile High... The Broncos' 169 rushing yards in the first half mark their highest half rushing total since they had 180 rushing yards in the second half against Indianapolis on Oct. 29, 2006... CB Champ Bailey's interception tied him with Steve Atwater for eighth place in team history in career interceptions with 24...The Chiefs post 17 rushes for 16 yards, marking a 0.94 per carry average that was the third lowest ever by a Broncos opponent...Broncos QB Jay Cutler posts a career-best 141.0 rating (20-of-27, 244, 4 TDs) as he throws a personal-best four touchdown passes...WR Brandon Marshall (10-115, 2 TDs) reaches the 1,000-yard receiving mark (1,029) for the first time in his career, giving Denver its 27th such output in club history... RB Selvin Young (17-156) records a career high with 156 rushing yards (second 100-yard game as a professional).

DENVER 27, at KANSAS CITY 11 (Nov. 11, 2007)
The Broncos' victory marks their first win at Arrowhead Stadium since their 37-34 overtime win on Oct. 20, 2002... Denver's win also snaps a nine-game streak in which the home team won in the Broncos-Chiefs series (longest such streak in club history vs. an opponent)... Denver RB Selvin Young records the first 100-yard rushing game of his career with 109 yards on 20 carries (5.5 avg.) with one score, becoming the first Bronco to reach 100 rushing yards at Kansas City since 2002... The Broncos post a +3 turnover ratio and have four takeaways, including a 17-yard fumble return for a touchdown by LB Nate Webster that puts Denver ahead 20-8 early in the third quarter... Broncos K Jason Elam connects on a 50-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter that is the 37th 50+yard field goal of his career... Denver limits Kansas City to no touchdowns in two red zone appearances, 67 yards on 22 rushes (3.0 avg.) and no touchdowns for the afternoon (3 field goals, 1 safety).

at KANSAS CITY 19, DENVER 10 (Nov. 23, 2006)
Appearing on the NFL Network's first-ever live game broadcast, the Broncos' four-game road winning streak is snapped with their Thanksgiving Day loss in Kansas City... The Chiefs take a 10-0 lead late in the second quarter before Jason Elam's 31-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining in the second quarter sends Denver into halftime trailing 10-3... After the Broncos trim Kansas City's lead to 13-10 in the third quarter, the Chiefs score the game's final points on two field goals... The Broncos limit Kansas City to only one touchdown in five red zone appearances... Broncos WR Javon Walker catches a game-high six passes for 55 yards... Broncos CB Darrent Williams intercepts a pass for the second consecutive
game... The Chiefs outrush the Broncos 223-38 yards.

at DENVER 9, KANSAS CITY 6 OT (Sept. 17, 2006)
Denver defeats the Chiefs on Jason Elam's 39-yard field goal in overtime... Elam's field goal in overtime is the 20th career gamewinning or game-saving field goal of his career... The Broncos trail 6-0 at halftime and 6-3 in the fourth quarter before QB Jake Plummer helps Denver tie the score by engineering a 14-play, 76-yard drive that culminated in an Elam field goal... The Broncos hold Kansas City to no touchdowns in two red zone possessions...Broncos Head Coach Mike Shanahan improves to 11-1 (.917) in home openers as Denver's head coach (1995-Pres.).

at KANSAS CITY 31, DENVER 27 (Dec. 4, 2005)
Denver takes a 27-24 lead with 13:31 left to play on a 40-yard field goal by Jason Elam, but Chiefs RB Larry Johnson scores the game-winning touchdown with 9:58 to play... Elam becomes only the second player in NFL history to score in 200 consecutive games with two field goals and three extra points... Broncos RB Mike Anderson posts the longest reception of his career by turning a short screen pass into a 66-yard touchdown... The Broncos limit the Chiefs' Dante Hall to two punt returns for 10 yards.