Chiefs vs. Broncos: Key Matchups in Crucial AFC West Battle

Who will reign supreme in the AFC West?

The Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs meet Sunday night for one of the biggest games of the 2013 season. The Chiefs are unbeaten at 9-0, while the 8-1 Broncos are looked upon by many as the Super Bowl favorite.

Kansas City is looking to silence all the doubters, while Denver will want to prove that the loss to the Indianapolis Colts earlier in the season was an aberration.

Not only should this be a good game, but it will also be a great clash of styles, featuring the high-flying Broncos offense against the more smashmouth Chiefs offense.

Here are three of the bigger matchups to watch on Sunday night.

Denver Offensive Line vs. Kansas City Front Seven

After last week, there was some speculation, albeit brief, that Peyton Manning could miss this huge game. Jack Del Rio made sure to end any of that talk by Monday, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

However, there's little chance that ankle will be at 100 percent by game time. Manning has never been the most mobile quarterback, and any sort of leg injury could sap whatever mobility he still has left.

It will be up to the Chiefs front seven to hit Manning early and hit him often. That will obviously disrupt the Denver passing game and help to further injure that ankle more than it already is.

Although Manning doesn't throw off his right ankle, he still has to drop back. He could have trouble if his ankle becomes more inflamed.

Denver Offense vs. Kansas City Offense

The Broncos are scoring 41.2 points a game, and the Chiefs are putting up 23.9 a game. That's quite the disparity. It's no secret that Denver will look to open up the game, while Kansas City will want to keep the score low.

Which side will win out?

More importantly, how will one side react to not getting its way? Can Alex Smith lead the Chiefs offense to a win if Kansas City needs to score 35-40 points? Can Denver win if the score stays in the low 20s?

This game won't go both ways. It can't possibly be a shootout and a defensive struggle at the same time.

Denver Receivers vs. Kansas City Cornerbacks

The Chiefs cornerbacks must be very physical with the Denver receivers right at the snap. They need to jam the likes of Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker and Eric Decker inside that five-yard window.

That will throw the Broncos wideouts off their routes early and ensure that Kansas City doesn't get any needless penalties.

It's becoming increasingly hard to stop opposing wide receivers in the secondary. Between the illegal touching penalty and increased awareness of helmet-to-helmet hits and defenseless receivers, you don't have a lot of leeway if you're a defender.

If Thomas and Co. can get free in the secondary, it could be a long game for Kansas City. It doesn't matter how much talent the Chiefs secondary has. It's almost impossible to cover everybody in the Broncos receiving corps.