DENVER --When the Chiefs visited Sports Authority Field at Mile High last year, they roared into the game refreshed after a bye, capitalized off Peyton Manning's struggles because of a foot injury, and pounced. By the time the Broncos finally scored to avert what would have been their first shutout loss since 1992, the Chiefs had 29 points on the scoreboard and Broncos fans were headed for the exits early.
Two weeks earlier, the Broncos hosted the undefeated Green Bay Packers when they came off their bye. They responded with their most complete performance of the season, a 29-10 dismantling that stamped themselves as bona-fide contenders for the Super Bowl they would win three months later.
The bye can regenerate a team. It has done so many times for the Broncos, who have a 21-6 record after byes -- including a 15-3 mark at home -- and it can do so again for a team that will have their entire season-opening defense from Weeks 1 and 2 intact and available for the first time since then.
Injuries robbed the Broncos of OLB DeMarcus Ware, CB Aqib Talib, ILB Brandon Marshall and DE Derek Wolfe at various points in the last eight games. Now, with Talib and Wolfe set to come back from their recent injuries, the band is back together -- and their collective return could help the Broncos avoid the most common bugaboo of the post-bye team: rust.
"Them being out and now that excitement coming back, it helped us from a defensive standpoint and an offensive standpoint," Ware said. "It's been really good and guys are ready, so there's no rust at all."
Being fresh has helped the Broncos in the past. But Sunday's game will be decided by other factors, as well.
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- PROTECT THE FOOTBALL**
The Chiefs are 18-4 in their last 22 games, including postseason, since a 1-5 start to open the 2015 campaign. The biggest reason why? Takeaways. Kansas City averages a league-best 2.32 takeaways per game, with an NFL-best 35 interceptions.
"The difference between good secondaries and great secondaries [is that] great secondaries, when they get their hands on the ball, they make you pay," Head Coach Gary Kubiak said. "Good secondaries knock balls down and you go to the next play. Well, this team makes you pay."
The Chiefs also avoid giveaways; only eight teams have fewer turnovers than Kansas City's 10.
"They're a very good football team and they don't beat themselves," Kubiak said.
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- CONTAIN TRAVIS KELCE**
Kelce leads the Chiefs in receptions (49) and receiving yardage (574).
But it's not simply the numbers for Kelce. Rather, it's how he accomplishes them -- by lining up everywhere: inside, outside, in the slot, at H-back. Defending the Chiefs' emerging tight end is a team task, because at any point, coverage responsibilities for Kelce could belong to Brandon Marshall, Todd Davis, Corey Nelson, T.J. Ward, Darian Stewart, Will Parks, Justin Simmons, Aqib Talib, Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby ... and even Von Miller.
"He's like their No. 1 guy. He's the guy that they go to," Ware said. "He's the quarterback's escape [valve]. Making big plays, he's playing really well and he's what's making that offense run. They're running the ball really well, but their passing game -- he's a key component in that."
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- FINISH THE JOB IN THE FOURTH QUARTER**
The Broncos remain the league's best fourth-quarter team, with a plus-76 scoring margin (116-40) that is 27 points better than the next-best team ... Kansas City. A pair of comebacks from 14- and 17-point fourth-quarter deficits to the Chargers and Panthers provided most of the fuel for Kansas City's plus-49 point differential.
This is typical for the Chiefs under Andy Reid -- and, in fact, the plus-49 margin is only the third-best fourth-quarter margin in Reid's four seasons as Kansas City's head coach; they had plus-57 and plus-58 fourth-quarter margins in their first 10 games of the 2013 and 2014 seasons. All three of those recent figures are the Chiefs' best through 10 games since the AFL-NFL merger.
Most of the Chiefs' late-game dominance comes from their defense; only the Arizona Cardinals have allowed fewer fourth-quarter points so far this season than the Chiefs, with 37. Kansas City's 86 fourth-quarter points rank seventh in the league.
If the Broncos are to come away with a win on Sunday night, they may need to gain the advantage in these five matchups. (Photos by AP).
The Broncos stayed away from Peters in the first game, as quarterback Trevor Siemian targeted receivers he covered just three times. But Siemian still found ways to get Sanders involved as he recorded a 368-yard performance with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Sanders wound up with a team-high 162 yards, seven receptions and a touchdown.
Miller had perhaps his most-productive game of the season when the Broncos saw the Chiefs in November. He got to Smith for three sacks and four tackles for loss. He also made an impact in the run game, as he recorded nine solo tackles. Smith didn't put together his finest performance against the Broncos — he finished 26-of-44 for 220 yards and a touchdown — but he didn't turn the ball over. If Miller can force him into a bad decision or knock the ball out, the Broncos' chances at a win will skyrocket.
Houston had a dominant performance in his first game against the Broncos as he recorded three sacks and five tackles for loss. Though he lined up against the Broncos' right tackle for most of the previous contest, left tackle Russell Okung will need to handle his business when he's up against the talented pass rusher.
There may not be a player more dangerous in all of the NFL than Tyreek Hill. The rookie scored a rushing, receiving and punt return touchdown against the Broncos the last time the two teams met, and the Broncos will be focused on keeping the ball out of his hands this time around. If he does get the ball on a kickoff or punt return, Kayvon Webster may have the best chance of bringing him down. Webster may be the Broncos' most-exceptional special teams player, and he tends to make at least one big tackle per game. He'll need to keep Hill out of open space to ensure the Broncos don't wind up in another hole.
As T.J. Ward works his way back from concussion protocol, Darian Stewart may find himself with a larger role in containing tight end Travis Kelce. The Chiefs' big target in the middle of the field ended up with eight receptions for 101 yards, including a big catch and run at the end of overtime that put the Chiefs in field-goal range. Stewart missed a tackle on that play and will try to hold Kelce more in check during this week's matchup.
