The Denver Broncos will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first Monday Night Football game of the season. Denver looks to continue their success after making the AFC Championship Game in 2025. Kansas City looks to bounce-back after missing the playoffs last season.

The Broncos were a relatively average offense last season, ranking 18th in points (0.362) per play. They averaged a reasonable 23.2 points per game, although they were better at home.

Denver is returning their entire offense, while adding an elite talent to the mix. Bo Nix and JK Dobbins will return from injury, while their entire receiving group returns in 2026. They also will feature the same starting offensive line as the majority of last season.

Denver traded a substantial amount for Jaylen Waddle in the offseason. Head coach Sean Payton raved about how versatile he is, and he believes he’s going to add an entirely new dimension to this offense.

The big question is how quickly can Nix get back in a groove after suffering a major injury in the AFC Divisional Round. The young quarterback looked good in his only preseason action, though, and I’m not expecting a ton of rust here.

On the other side, Kansas City lost a substantial amount of their defense in the offseason. Overall, they lost six defensive players who started double-digit games for them.

Kansas City’s lost a ton of their secondary. They traded Trent McDuffie, while Bryan Cook and Jaylen Watson left in free agency. They’ll also be without starting safety Chamarri Conner because of injury.

The Cheifs also lost Michael Danna, Leo Chenal, and Derrick Nnadi in the front seven. I’m less concerned about this for this play, as they return high-end players like Nick Bolton, Chris Jones, and George Karlaftis. I’m less concerned about this for this play, as they return high-end players like Nick Bolton, Chris Jones, and George Karlaftis.

The Broncos threw at one of the higher rates in the NFL last season, and they’re going to attack this young secondary. Kansas City will be relying on multiple rookies, which could cause issues on the backend.

We have a fully healthy Broncos offense, who is going to attack the weakest part of Kansas City’s defense. Luckily, we’re getting a relatively low number because of Denver’s struggles on the road in 2025.

Where to Bet: Denver Broncos over 20.5 team total | -120 at DraftKings Sportsbook

2026 NFL Season Betting Record: 0-2