6 Bold Predictions for Denver Broncos' Week 13 Matchup

This week's Sunday Night Football matchup features the 8-3 Denver Broncos traveling to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the 7-4 Kansas City Chiefs. 

The showdown is a fantastic one. The two squads are longtime division rivals; the Broncos currently lead the AFC West, while the Chiefs sit one game back. Obviously, both teams have their sights set on the postseason. 

The foes last met in Week 2 of this season; the Broncos won that game in Denver 24-17.

This Sunday's game will play a pivotal role in both the AFC West race and the AFC wild-card race. In addition, pride is on the line in this stellar matchup between two historical rivals. 

1. The Chiefs Fans Will Be Beyond Fired Up

Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

This isn't the boldest prediction, as the Kansas City Chiefs have an amazing fanbase and come out fired up on a regular basis. This week, however, I think the noise and passion emitting from Arrowhead Stadium will be deafening.

Not only are the Chiefs facing one of their fiercest foes and playing for a tie for first in the AFC West, but they are also coming off a shocking and embarrassing loss to the lowly Oakland Raiders last week in Oakland.

As if that's not incentive enough for the Chiefs fans to bring their A-game, the Kansas City community is dealing with some sobering news this week. Star safety Eric Berry will miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with what is believed to be lymphoma this past Monday.

While this is awful news and the Chiefs will surely miss Berry on the field, I believe that they and their fans will turn their grief into passion. As we saw when Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano battled leukemia two seasons ago, adversity brings out the best in great teams with great fans. 

The Chiefs certainly fit this bill, and regardless of who we root for, we all obviously wish Berry the absolute best in his fight. 

"

Safety Eric Berry and the @KCChiefs are in our thoughts today. Get well fast, @Stuntman1429!

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) November 24, 2014"

2. Peyton Manning Will Be Sacked Three Times

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

The Kansas City Chiefs are tied for fourth this season with 31 sacks on opposing quarterbacks, and the Denver Broncos offensive line has been struggling lately to keep quarterback Peyton Manning free of pressure. 

The Chiefs' greatest strength is their defense against the pass, and this starts with the pass rush. 

I don't think the Chiefs will completely stymie Manning on Sunday night, yet I do expect them to pressure him significantly, and ultimately, sack him thrice. 

3. Jamaal Charles Will Get Stymied by the Broncos Run Defense

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles is one of the best in the business and easily the most important asset to the Chiefs offense. 

That said, Charles will have a very difficult time on Sunday night against a Denver run defense that has been stellar this season. It is the second-best run defense in the league, allowing an average of only 75.5 yards per game to opposing rushers. 

Charles will get his chances to bust this prediction, as the Chiefs will lean on him heavily like usual, yet Kansas City will have to find other ways to move the ball. 

4. Dwayne Bowe Scores His First Touchdown of the Season

John Cordes/Associated Press

The Kansas City Chiefs may be 7-4, yet they have one of the worst passing offenses in the league. They collect an average of only 189.5 passing yards per game, and a Kansas City wide receiver has yet to score a touchdown this season. 

Adam Teicher of ESPN.com made it clear that the lack of touchdowns is not the only department where Chiefs wide receivers fall short. The wide receiver corps also ranks last in the league in total catches, yards and targets, among other categories. 

Things won't change much this week for the Chiefs receivers, yet veteran wideout Dwayne Bowe will score a touchdown and break a streak that no one in Kansas City is particularly proud of. 

5. The Game Is Surprisingly Low-Scoring

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

According to our friends at OddsShark.com, the Vegas over/under for this game is 49.5. This is a fairly high figure for an NFL game, and it's no surprise, since the Denver Broncos are the fifth highest-scoring team in the league. 

This matchup, however, will be defined by defense rather than offense, so I predict this game to be a much lower-scoring affair than Vegas is calling for. 

Both punters shouldn't worry about eating light on Thanksgiving, since they will get a healthy amount of work on Sunday night to burn off all that turkey. 

6. The Chiefs Nab the Victory at Home

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Given the home-field advantage, the emotional news surrounding Eric Berry and the desire for vengeance following a rough loss last week, the Kansas City Chiefs will best the Denver Broncos on Sunday night in a thrilling game. 

Neither team will have control of the game until the very end, and it will be a fight from start to finish. 

Ultimately, the Chiefs' pass rush and ability to control and protect the football will lead them to victory. They will move into a tie with the Broncos for first place in the AFC West, and it'll be an exciting finish over the next couple of weeks to see who comes out on top. 

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All stats courtesy of NFL.com, except where noted.