Chiefs and Broncos open NFL season under Monday night spotlight
Kansas City are listed as 2.5-point favourites against defending AFC West champions Denver, with SportsLine projecting a low-scoring contest.
The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Denver Broncos at Arrowhead Stadium on 14 September 2026 in the opening game of the NFL season, with kickoff scheduled for 8:15 p.m. ET.
CBS Sports reports that Kansas City are listed as 2.5-point favourites, while the total is set at 43.5 points. SportsLine’s model, based on 10,000 simulations, recommends the under.
The projection comes after contrasting 2025 campaigns. Kansas City finished 6–11 and missed the playoffs following nine consecutive AFC West titles. Denver went 14–3, won the division for the first time since 2015 and lost 10–7 to New England in the AFC Championship Game.
SportsLine projects Denver quarterback Bo Nix to finish with fewer than 200 passing yards and one touchdown. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is projected for 180 passing yards and one touchdown.
The model gives projected combined scores of both 40 and 39 points in the source material. Its forecasts and the listed betting odds may change before kickoff, and the source does not identify which team it favours against the spread.
