The Chiefs opened their 2026 season without wide receiver Rashee Rice and they’ll close it the same way.
Rice served a six-game suspension to open the season and he will not play in the team’s final two games due to a concussion. Rice was placed on injured reserve on Wednesday.
The Chiefs also placed cornerback Trent McDuffie (knee), wide receiver Tyquan Thornton (concussion), and cornerback Jaylen Watson (groin) on injured reserve. They filled those roster spots by signing defensive end Ethan Downs, cornerback Melvin Smith, and tight end Tyreke Smith to the active roster while also activating cornerback Nazeeh Johnson from injured reserve.
Offensive tackle Jaylon Moore (knee), defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (illness), wide receiver Nikko Remigio (knee), defensive end George Karlaftis (illness), and linebacker Nick Bolton (illness) are listed as questionable for Thursday’s game against the Broncos. Tight end Jake Briningstool (hamstring) has been ruled out.
It’s been a decade since the Broncos beat the Chiefs in Kansas City. If the Chiefs extend that streak on Christmas night, it will be a major surprise.
With both Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew out due to knee injuries, the options at quarterback for the home team are Chris Oladukon and Shane Buechele. And the Chiefs are 6-9. And the Broncos are 12-3.
As a result, the Broncos are currently favored by 13.5 points.
What does Denver coach Sean Payton think about the double-digit point spread?
“We don’t really pay attention to that,” Payton told reporters. “We try to stay in touch with the game. This game specifically — every one of these players understands the significance of where we’re at with two games left in the season. We don’t really follow the spread honestly. There’s just too many other things — this is a three-day work week, so today’s meeting this morning was where we’re at, the opponent we’re playing, what has taken place since the last time we played them. There’s carryover. I think for both teams on a short week, there are defenses and offenses maybe, plays that neither one of got to use in the first game that still may apply. So that helps.”
It also helps that the Chiefs are extremely shorthanded at the most important position on the team, and that they’re playing out the string for the first time since 2012, during Romeo Crennel’s lone (and disastrous) 2-14 season as head coach.
That led to the arrival of Andy Reid in 2013, followed by a run of relevance that never (until last Sunday against the Titans) had the Chiefs playing a game while eliminated from playoff contention. And it has resulted in the Chiefs beating the Broncos at home every year since 2016, capped by last year’s improbable victory on the last-play block of a potential game-winning Denver field goal.
It likely won’t be so close this time around.
After three straight Super Bowl runs, and five in six seasons, the combination of fatigue, disappointment, and the inherent distractions of a holiday week could be the ingredients for the Broncos covering the spread easily. Throw in the fact that the Chiefs and Kansas timed the announcement that the team will leave Arrowhead Stadium after the 2030 season, and plenty of fans may decide to take Christmas off from their commitment to show up and support the team.
The only question, frankly, is whether anyone will bother to watch the standalone prime-time game on Prime Video. If they do, the reason won’t be to watch the Chiefs.
Unless, of course, the goal is to enjoy watching them lose, after so many seasons of dominating Denver, and pretty much the rest of the league.
Appeals officer Jordy Nelson upheld the two-game suspension of Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman on Tuesday. Perryman will miss Saturday’s game against the Texans and the Week 18 game against the Broncos.
The league suspended him on Monday for repeated violations of player-safety rules.
Perryman was flagged for unnecessary roughness for delivering a forcible blow to the helmet of Cowboys receiver Ryan Flournoy while Flournoy was on the ground after making a catch during the second quarter of Sunday’s game. That action violated Rule 12, Section 2, Article 10(b), which prohibits “using any part of the helmet or facemask to butt or make forcible contact to an opponent’s head or neck area.”
In 10 games, Perryman made 47 tackles and three pass breakups.
He previously served a two-game suspension in 2023 while with the Texans for repeated violations of player-safety rules.
Perryman is eligible to return to the Chargers’ active roster on Monday, Jan. 5.
The NFL and NFLPA have three jointly appointed hearing officers, with Derrick Brooks and Ramon Foster the others.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw remained out of practice on Tuesday, two days before the Broncos play the Chiefs. That does not bode well for his availability.
Greenlaw injured his hamstring during Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars, playing 50 of 70 defensive snaps.
The team’s estimated practice report did not change from Monday.
Tight end Nate Adkins (knee), wide receiver Pat Bryant (concussion) and center Luke Wattenberg (shoulder) also were listed as non-participants for a second consecutive day.
Linebacker Justin Strnad (foot) remained a full participant and on track for a return after being injured in the Week 15 game against the Packers and missing Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars.
The Broncos and Seahawks have already claimed playoff berths, but both teams still have plenty to play for in Week 17.
Denver can clinch the top seed in the AFC if they beat the Chiefs on Thursday night while the Chargers, Patriots, Jaguars, and Bills all lose their games. They can also claim the AFC West title with a win and a Chargers loss or tie against the Texans on Saturday. They also win the division with a tie and a Chargers loss.
The Seahawks have a trickier path to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They need a win over the Panthers on Sunday along with a Rams loss and a tie between the Bears and 49ers. The NFC West will be theirs with a win and losses or ties by both the Rams and the 49ers. A Seahawks tie would be enough if both the Rams and 49ers lose their games.
Elsewhere in the AFC, the Jaguars will win the South with a win over the Colts and a Texans loss or tie while the Patriots will take the East with a win over the Jets and a Bills loss or tie against the Eagles. A Steelers win over the Browns or a Ravens loss to the Packers will make Pittsburgh the AFC North champs.
The Texans will clinch a playoff spot with a win or a Colts loss. The Packers are in a similar situation in the NFC as they’ll book a postseason spot with a win or a Lions loss to the Vikings on Christmas.
The Bears will be the NFC North champs with a win or a Packers loss while the Panthers will take the NFC South with a win and a Bucs loss or tie in Miami.
If the Packers, Texans, Panthers, and Steelers all clinch their playoff spots this week, all 14 playoff berths will be filled before the final week of the regular season.
