Broncos vs. Chiefs 2013, Week 13: Denver sweeps season series with Kansas City

As it turns out, Moreno’s just an emotional guy.

“The emotion always gets to me,” He told Yahoo Sports after the Broncos took firm command of the AFC West with a 35-28 win over Kansas City. “I am just thinking about everything in general through your whole life, just balled up into one. Yeah, it helps me. Sometimes I don’t even notice it, it just comes.”

“I’ve got to get my mind back right, got to get my body back right,” Bailey said. “That combination, plus being 35, it’s tough. It’s a tough game. It’s a young man’s game.”

With Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie out of action with a shoulder injury, the Broncos were hoping the 35-year-old Bailey could step to the front and make some plays along with Chris Harris Jr. and Kayvon Webster. However, Bailey could not keep up and eventually had to be kept on the sideline.

Over at Mile High Report, Kyle Montgomery wrote about how both teams moved the ball considerably throughout the game:

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The Broncos swept the Chiefs and almost have home-field advantage locked up. Manning’s video game numbers are the biggest reason why, although he also has an embarrassment of riches in his receiving corps -- he accomplished all this without Julius Thomas on Sunday. The Broncos could have four receivers with 10 or more touchdowns this year, which would be -- say it with me -- an NFL record.

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The Broncos poured it on in the third quarter. Manning hit Decker for two more scores and Denver quickly erased the 14-point deficit, scoring 21 unanswered points and leading 28-21 after three quarters.

Decker had a career day, grabbing his fourth touchdown early in the final period. That all but put the game away for Denver, although the Chiefs tried to make things interesting with a late score by Jamaal Charles. Smith had one final drive to make, driving from his own four-yard line down to the redzone with less than two minutes left, but the Chiefs failed to convert a fourth down, ending the game.

Knowshon Moreno is proving his awesomeness in all sorts of ways. Fresh off a 224-yard game against the Patriots, he kicked off tonight’s game by... well.. by crying in the strangest way we’ve ever seen a human being cry.

GIF via the omnipresent Bubbaprog We don’t know why Moreno was crying, and we won’t speculate; we’ll just comment how semi-unfortunate is that football players often have to have incredibly personal moments on national TV where we can see it and make GIFs of it. However, we will note that he cries like a faucet, or a horned frog. Incredible emotion is often incredible.

It’s a big loss for the Broncos, battling with the Chiefs for AFC West supremacy. The 5’5 speedster exploded onto the scene last season, recording 1,033 yards and two touchdowns on both punt and kickoff returns. He was on pace to meet those numbers this year, notching 796 return yards and two touchdowns in 11 games. The Broncos are expected to update Holliday’s status sometime after the game. Welker will serve as the main return man for the rest of the day.

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via GIFD Sports

The Chiefs currently lead, 21-7.

UPDATE: Julius Thomas has been officially ruled inactive against the Kansas City Chiefs, according to Adam Schefter.

Thomas was limited in practice this week with a knee injury. The team was holding out hope he would be able to go in the critical division showdown, but seems to have decided Sunday morning that won’t be possible.

The big game puts Moreno on pace to have his best season for the Broncos since his rookie year in 2009, when he gained 947 yards on 247 carries in 16 games. Moreno has struggled with injury the past two seasons, playing in just 15 games the past two years combined.

The Broncos play the Chiefs at 4:25 p.m. ET with coverage on CBS.

Game Date/Time and Location: Sunday, Dec. 1, 4:25 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo.

TV schedule and distribution map: CBS; The506.com

Now, both teams are 9-2 and looking for a rebound game. The winner of the game at Arrowhead Stadium can clinch a playoff berth if everything falls right, but that’s not the prime goal for these teams. With just four games left after this one, both have their eyes set on a division crown and the implications that come with it: home-field advantage for at least a round in the playoffs, and maybe even a bye.

That’s what’s on the line Sunday in Kansas City. The AFC playoff picture will be a lot clearer after this one.

Wolfe went to the hospital for testing and evaluation on his illness, determining the cause. It’s unknown what kind of ailment he has. This is the first game Wolfe will miss this season after he started the first 11 games. He has four sacks, 16 tackles and two fumble recoveries on the season.

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Sunday’s game is the de facto AFC West championship, with both teams tied atop the standings at 9-2 with relatively easy schedules through Week 16. Expect A-plus efforts from two rivals playing for a first-round playoff bye.

For more on Week 13, check out Matt’s full breakdown of the weekend’s best games.

The Broncos got the better of the Chiefs in the first meeting between the two teams, but Denver just lost to New England and is in the third game of a tough three-game stretch.

Still, the Broncos are everybody’s favorite pick this week. Other than David Fucillo, every member of the SB Nation panel picked the Broncos to win on Sunday. Meanwhile, 11 of the 13 ESPN analysts selected the Broncos in this game as well. NFL.com is in agreement as well, picking the Broncos to win, 30-21.

Oddsshark lists Denver as a 4.5-point road favorite against Kansas City, which makes sense given the Broncos’ 10-point margin of victory against the Chiefs at Mile High Stadium and the implied three-point advantage for the home team. Both teams are coming off of gut-wrenching three point losses in Week 12.

The over/under is pinned at 48.5-49 points. The Broncos are averaging 39 points per game on their own, but just 44 points were scored between the two teams when they met in Week 11. It would appear as though Vegas thinks that Kansas City’s defense is a solid bet to once again hold Denver beneath its season average. But the Chiefs may have to do it without linebackers Justin Houston and Tamba Hali, who suffered injuries during Kansas City’s loss to San Diego.

• NFL Week 13 expert picks | 3 teams can clinch playoff spot

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Houston was in pursuit on the play when he was hurt, diving for the ballcarrier before landing awkwardly on his arm. After the play, players from both teams immediately began waving on the medical staff while Houston lay kicking his feet on the turf.

The 24-year-old is having his best season yet, racking up 11 sacks through the first 11 games. A third-year pro, Houston made his first Pro Bowl last season after amassing 10 sacks, while also being one of the best run defenders in the league at his position.