The losing streak will end in 2022

The Denver Broncos have not beaten the Kansas City Chiefs since September 17th, 2015. That thirteen game losing streak to a division opponent is the worst in the league and one of the reasons why the Broncos have the third worst intra-divisional record over the last six seasons and the Chiefs have the best.

The only team with a divisional losing streak that is close is the Jets. They have lost their last twelve games against the Patriots. The last time they beat the Patriots was December 27th, 2015.

Why am I so confident that the Broncos will finally, beat KC this season? Because Russell Wilson will be playing quarterback for Denver. During his time as the starting QB for the Seahawks, they had a record of 35-24-1 against the NFC West. That included a 16-4 record against the 49ers, an 11-8-1 record against the Cardinals and an 8-12 record against the Rams. Despite having a losing record against the Rams, there were only three seasons in which they lost twice to them over the past ten seasons (2015, 2018 and 2021). That first Rams loss in 2021 is the game where Wilson hurt his thumb and Geno Smith had to play the rest of the game.

If you look at the other two divisional opponents, you find that Seahawks never lost both games to the Cardinals or the 49ers in any year 2012-2021.

The teams in your division know you best, because they play you twice a year (sometimes three times if you meet in the playoffs), so those defenses should have the best idea of how to stop your offense (and your QB). During his career Russell Wilson has a passer rating of 101.8, but his passer rating against teams in the NFC West is a little below that.

passer rating vs 49ers - 100.2

vs Cardinals - 96.7

vs Rams - 92.4

The team that Wilson has had the most trouble with during his career is the Packers. They are the only team against which he has a passer rating in the 70s (74.1). Only two NFL teams have kept him to a passer rating below 90: the Raiders (89.8) and the Giants (88.6).

For reference, the quarterbacks for the Broncos 2016-2021 have a combined passer rating of 80.9. That includes a combined passer rating of 70.0 against the Chiefs. Over the last six seasons Bronco passers have completed 55.8 percent of their passes for eleven touchdowns and fifteen interceptions against KC. Bronco QBs have also been sacked 37 times in those 12 games.

If we beat the Chiefs twice during the 2022, I don’t see how we would miss the playoffs. Despite not making the Super Bowl for the 2021 season, the Chiefs are still arguably the best team in the AFC.