Thursday Night Football Week 2: TV Schedule, Live Stream for Broncos vs. Chiefs

The AFC West takes center stage for the Week 2 edition of Thursday Night Football when Alex Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs play host to Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.

Both teams enter the critical early-season showdown without a loss. Denver got by at home against Baltimore in Week 1, while Kansas City hit the road to Houston to steal one of the opening week's most impressive victories.

In a historical sense, this one belongs to the Broncos. Manning is 13-1 against the Chiefs, and the last time he lost to the team was back in 2004.

Then again, with Manning in his twilight and the Chiefs hoping to take the proverbial next step to contending status, a changing of the guard may be in order. Below, let's take a look at everything to know about the divisional showdown.

Viewing Info

When: Thursday, September 17, 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Television: CBS, NFL Network

Live Stream: NFL Game Pass

Tickets: ScoreBig.com

Betting Lines (via Odds Shark):

• Over/Under: 41.5

• Spread: Kansas City (-3)

Team Injury Reports

Player	Position	Status
Peyton Manning	QB	Probable
Demaryius Thomas	WR	Probable
C.J. Anderson	RB	Questionable

Player	Position	Status
Albert Wilson	WR	Probable
Tamba Hali	LB	Probable
Travis Kelce	TE	Probable
Jeremy Maclin	WR	Probable

Injury reports via ESPN.

Ushering in a New Era?

Are the days of Manning lasering the ball around the field like a surgeon over? Are the Chiefs ready to steal the crown from a declining legend?

So the overreactions go on this short turnaround for the Broncos. It's almost as if the team didn't beat Baltimore in Week 1. The reactions center on Manning's play, where he went 24-of-40 for 175 yards with an interception that went back for a touchdown.

It's true—the Broncos relied on strong defense to get a win. The Von Miller-led unit picked off Joe Flacco twice and held Justin Forsett to 43 rushing yards. Aqib Talib and Darian Stewart made critical late interceptions.

For Manning, though, it doesn't make sense to judge the offense after one game.

"Everybody's looking for these summaries of our offense and our team after Week 1. I just don't think you're able to do that," Manning said, per ESPN.com. "We're a work in progress."

It might be best to hold off on the notion the Broncos are a different team under the guidance of first-year coach Gary Kubiak. Week 1 reactions might be the product of a clash with a solid Ravens team.

What should worry the Broncos is the balance the Chiefs display. New era or not, the Denver defense will have to come up with big plays to stop Jamaal Charles and Co., and Manning will need to be cool under fire with Tamba Hali and others looking to take him down.

Two games will prove a much better sample size.

Combating the Not-So-Obvious

One would think the main point the Chiefs have to worry about going into Thursday's showdown would be the Denver offense.

Manning is still Manning, and Demaryius Thomas can house a reception from any spot on the field, as can Emmanuel Sanders.

Instead, the Chiefs sound focused on the Denver defense. Kansas City coach Andy Reid stressed the hurdle the Denver defense represents, per BJ Kissel of KCChiefs.com.

"That defense is one of the best in the league," Reid said. "I think it will play out that way by the end of the year. They're fast at all positions and they have an aggressive approach. Wade [Phillips] does a nice job with them now and as Foxy (John Fox) did with them before."

It's hard to argue the point. The Broncos have built strong reinforcements around Manning. Miller and DeMarcus Ware create a formidable rush, Danny Trevathan and the linebackers play disciplined football and Talib, Stewart, T.J. Ward and others form a strong secondary.

Smith is an efficient passer, going 22-of-33 last week with three scores. Only suffering two sacks against a J.J. Watt-led defense on the road looks like a win, but there's little time for celebration going into this one on a short turnaround.

So while many may focus on how the Kansas City defense plays Thursday, the biggest takeaway might in fact turn out to be how the Chiefs handle the pressure against what looks like one of the league's better units.

Prediction

Look, the Broncos have won 12 consecutive divisional road games dating back to 2011 for a reason.

Manning might have looked sluggish last week, but on a short turnaround for a Thursday game, it's better to roll with him than anyone else. He's going into the matchup prepared for a familiar opponent backed by perhaps the best defense he's ever had.

Kansas City isn't a slouch. But Smith might have a hard time getting rid of the ball, and the Broncos are athletic enough to shut down his favorite target, Travis Kelce.

Look for the Broncos to play ball-control offense with strong defense on the road to eke out a win.

Prediction: Broncos 27, Chiefs 24

Statistics courtesy of ESPN unless otherwise specified.