Kansas City @ Denver preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 1, 2013 ) Denver 35, Kansas City 28

Their Super Bowl performance notwithstanding, Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos showed they haven't lost anything off their fastball in their season-opening victory. The Kansas City Chiefs cannot say the same and now they face the task of traveling to Denver and slowing down Manning when the AFC West rivals clash on Sunday. Manning is 4-0 against the Chiefs since joining the Broncos and threw for 726 yards and six touchdowns in a season sweep of Kansas City in 2013.

Not much went right for the Chiefs in last week's 26-10 home loss to Tennessee, a defeat exacerbated by the loss of two defensive starters - linebacker Derrick Johnson and nose tackle Mike DeVito - to ruptured Achilles tendons. Kansas City was 9-0 heading into a matchup at Denver last season, but a 27-17 defeat triggered a 2-5 finish that saw the team give up more than 30 points on four occasions. One plus for the Chiefs will be the return of wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, who missed the opener while serving a one-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Broncos -13. O/U: 51

ABOUT THE CHIEFS (0-1): Running back Jamaal Charles was the centerpiece of Kansas City's offense last season, leading the league in touchdowns (19) while rushing for 1,287 yards, but he had only seven carries for 19 yards against the Titans. "We just failed to get him the ball," conceded quarterback Alex Smith, who was picked off three times after throwing an AFC-low seven interceptions last season. "Absolutely. One of our biggest playmakers, if not the biggest playmaker. Certainly need to get him involved more." The loss of Johnson, who registered at least 100 tackles in each of the last four seasons, is a huge blow for a defense that was gashed for 162 yards rushing by Tennessee.

ABOUT THE BRONCOS (1-0): Denver looked in midseason form as Manning threw three second-quarter touchdown passes to tight end Julius Thomas to bolt to a 24-0 lead before its offense bogged down in the second half of a 31-24 victory over Indianapolis. To that end, the Broncos are focusing on fine-tuning their running game after rushing for only 132 yards on 32 attempts. "There were holes that I missed and didn't hit fast enough," said running back Montee Ball, who ran for 67 yards on 23 carries. "It is stuff that we can correct and will correct." Denver's retooled defense, featuring newcomers DeMarcus Ware and cornerbacks Aqib Talib and T.J. Ward, recorded three sacks and a pair of interceptions in the opener.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Manning threw three TD passes last week to move within 14 of tying Brett Favre (508) for first place on the all-time list.

2. Bowe has fared well in his last three games in Denver, hauling in 23 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns.

3. Thomas, who was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week, had three catches for 43 yards and a TD in one game versus the Chiefs last season.

PREDICTION: Broncos 34, Chiefs 19