NFL’s Week 1 only has one game left on the schedule: the “Monday Night Football” matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium.
There has been plenty to take away from the first Sunday of the season: Buffalo Bills’ quarterback Josh Allen looks as unstoppable (and fortunate) as ever, the Cincinnati Bengals may have a defense for once and the Los Angeles Chargers lost to the Arizona Cardinals at home by multiple scores. Take away from that what you will.
Yet, the
biggest storyline of the NFL season surrounds the team that will host the last game of the week, according to NFL Hall of Famer and FOX Sports analyst Charles Woodson.
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The latest Kansas City Chiefs news
Why Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs’ Response To Disappointing 2025 Is Top Storyline In 2026 | FOX Sports
“Last year, we were deprived in the playoffs of seeing the best of the best,” Woodson said. “Patrick Mahomes has been Superman. Over the last 10 years, this Kansas City Chiefs team has been to five Super Bowls, and they won three of them. This past year, he had his first major injury where he had to miss significant time.
“So, I want to know how that affects him mentally, because he’s had to carry this team rushing the football over this 10-year span. Over this 10-year span, they’ve only had one 1,000-yard rusher, and that was back in 2017.”
Chiefs vs. Broncos: 9 things to watch in Monday night season opener | KMBC 9
2. Bo Nix is back, too
Mahomes isn’t the only quarterback returning from injury. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is also returning from a serious injury.
Nix broke his ankle during Denver’s 2025 playoff run and missed the AFC Championship Game.
He had an impressive season before the injury and delivered in key moments, including leading Denver to a late victory over Mahomes and the Chiefs last November.
Five Things to Watch on Monday, Broncos vs. Chiefs | The Mothership
2. Kansas City will aim to flip the script on its one-possession struggles from a season ago.
The Chiefs and Broncos experienced the two polar opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to one-possession games in 2025.
Denver was a record-matching 11-2 in those contests last year, tying the 2022 Vikings and the 2024 Chiefs for the most one-score wins in a single season in NFL history. Kansas City, meanwhile, went just 1-9 in one-possession games after winning a league-record 17 consecutive one-score games prior to last season.
In other words, both the Chiefs and Broncos were in virtually every game each team played last season. The difference truly game down to the fact that Denver made the handful of plays necessary to come out on top in nearly every close game that it played while Kansas City consistently came up just short.
Broncos vs. Chiefs Monday Night Football betting odds, picks and predictions: Best bets, player props | Yahoo! Sports
Player props
RB Brashard Smith over 12.5 rushing + receiving yards
Through thick-and-thin last season, Brashard Smith was a pet props project of ours over at THE WINDOW, as a quasi-gadget player out of the Chiefs’ backfield, capable of turning a few touches into big plays.
Before Mahomes’ injury, Smith had at least three touches in a six-of-seven game stretch. In this second season, more should be on Smith’s plate for an offense that he was added to late in the 2025 draft because it has lacked explosiveness.
Chiefs Confidence Meter: How I Feel About the Team Against Broncos in Week 1 | Sports Illustrated
The X-factor to monitor in Week 1 is wide receiver Jaylen Waddle. An offseason trade pickup from the Miami Dolphins, the speedy wideout is a constant threat to stretch the field and might be precisely what the Broncos were missing. The 2025 Broncos sat 22nd leaguewide with a 7.5-yard average depth of target.
In a sport that revolves around generating explosive plays — particularly in the passing game — Waddle entering the fold is a noteworthy development. First-round corner Mansoor Delane and company need to be on the lookout.
‘Everybody’s fired up’: Chiefs fans gather ahead of season opener against Broncos | KCTV 5
Joy said Monday’s game will be his 250th consecutive Chiefs home game.
Joy said the streak started as a personal goal.
“It was just a goal. One day I said I wonder how many games I’ve been to. And I was at 173 so I said I’m gonna go for 200. Then I hit 200, so I said let’s do 250. But you know I’m getting tired. I don’t know if I’m gonna make 300, but I’ll try. But, that counts Germany, that counts London. Those were all home games. All the COVID games, I mean I never called in sick,” Joy said.
Around the NFL
Bears’ offense makes statement with ‘amazing’ 59-point opener | ESPN
The Bears walked away from their opener with a historic 59-37 win over the Carolina Panthers, one that saw them score the fourth-most points in a game in franchise history (Chicago began its 107th season Sunday) and saw the teams combine for 96 points, most ever in a season opener.
Following the win, Johnson doubled down on his aspirations for the offense.
“That will always be the goal,” he said. “We want to be the highest scoring, we want to have the most wins, we want to win Super Bowls. That’s what we do. We didn’t get into this profession trying to be mediocre or average.”
NFL teams on pace for highest scoring Week 1 since 1970 merger | The Athletic
But even though Bears-Panthers might go down as Week 1’s most memorable shootout, scoreboards were lighting up around the country. In total, 10 teams scored 30-plus points, tied for the third-most such teams in Week 1, behind only 1986 (12 teams) and 2002 (11).
Ravens RB Derrick Henry passes Marcus Allen for third on all-time rushing TD list | NFL.com
“Love Marcus Allen,” Henry said after the game. “He’s a great dude, and for my name to be mentioned over his is an honor. I’m very grateful.”
Henry now has 125 career scores on the ground — two ahead of Hall of Famer Marcus Allen (123).
His record-breaking score came in vintage Henry fashion as he rumbled through the Colts defense for an explosive 32-yard TD to contribute to a 31-point first half for first-year coach Jesse Minter.
Saints-Lions included controversial reversal of strip-sack-score | Pro Football Talk
“If the defender contacts the passer prior to the passer starting the throwing motion, then it can be ruled as a backward pass. Because Goff already started his throwing motion and then the defender contacted him, it is therefore a forward pass.”
Butterworth explained that the “determining factor” is whether the passer begins his throwing motion before contact from the defender. “The throwing motion starts as he begins to bring the ball up as a part of his windup and then the defender’s contact made the pass go backwards,” Butterworth said.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
Chiefs-Broncos Week 1 final injury report: Chris Jones has clear status
Defensive tackle Chris Jones (Calf) did not participate in Saturday’s practice after a limited practice on Friday, but will be good to go with no game status. Head coach Andy Reid said keeping Jones out of practice was “precautionary.”
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