There’s no shame in losing to the champion, and nothing wrong with being second best. Well, not that the Broncos are second-best, or anywhere close to it. But nobody’s contesting that the Chiefs are not only the reigning champions, they’re acting the part. The longer the Chiefs’ win streak got, the more of a self-fulfilling prophecy it became. And say what? It was a heartbreak for Sean Payton and his side.

Speaking of winning streaks, how about the opposite of one? That’s right, the Broncos’ 16-14 defeat today is actually their 8th in a row at Arrowhead Stadium. The Kansas City Chiefs haven’t lost a home game to their AFC West rivals since September 2015. After the Broncos’ shock 24-9 win against the Chiefs at the New Mile High Stadium, they might’ve had their fingers crossed for upset #2 tonight, but to no avail. Reportedly, Broncos head coach Sean Payton called it “One of the toughest losses” he’s faced when speaking to players.

In part, that’s because at no point in the game could you have written the Broncos off. The 2nd quarter was an incredibly happening one, 80% of the entire game’s points came about in it. With the help of some excellent work from Bo Nix (2 touchdowns), the quarter ended with the Broncos leading 14-10. From that point on, the Chiefs had a slight edge, scoring 2 field goals, one each quarter. The real heartbreak came right at the end of the 4th quarter. At 16-14 and within field goal distance, the Broncos attempted a field goal, but Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams got a hand to the kick and put that dream to rest.

No win then, for the Denver Broncos, now consigned to 5-5. That brings the second heartbreak and might’ve contributed to this being one of Sean Payton’s toughest losses. The Broncos have not made the playoffs once since 2015, the year they won the Super Bowl (and yes, beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead). Since then, they’ve finished every season either 3rd or 4th in AFC West, except 2019, when they finished 2nd. 3rd place is where they’re languishing right now, though a win today would have elevated them to 2nd. Though Sunday could have been a turning point, maybe with some hope of a wildcard berth, the Broncos can more or less kiss that dream goodbye at this point. All while their division rivals celebrate like the sun could never set on them.

Just how long can that Chiefs’ win streak last?

Sean Payton might claim the game as their toughest loss, but their opponents are celebrating. We are now more than halfway through the season, and the Kansas City Chiefs just can’t stop winning. That’s not to say they look invincible, of course. That last-second attempt at a field goal could easily have handed them that first L. Plus that 26-25 game against the Bengals, they’ve had some wins on a razor’s edge this season. But at the end of the day, the Chiefs keep rolling the dice, and they keep coming up with sixes.

But coming up next Sunday, we might be in for the match of the season so far. Remember that bit about there being no shame coming in second best? Well, the Buffalo Bills under Josh Allen arguably are the second-best team. At 8-2, they sit at the top of the AFC East and are a constant and credible threat to the Chiefs. They have themselves been on a 5 game-win streak and have beaten the Chiefs in 3 of their last 5 games.

This is arguably the biggest threat they’ll face in a while. If they can crack the Bills, it’s relatively smooth sailing for a bit, not that they should get cocky. It’ll be the Panthers, then the Raiders, and then the Chargers. And while there’s always a chance of an upset, a charged-up Chiefs side, with Patrick Mahomes in lightning form and Travis Kelce rediscovering his mojo, shouldn’t struggle too hard. Let’s see what the passage of time reveals.