The Broncos will take on the rival Chiefs on “Thursday Night Football” starting Week 6. Both teams could face severe weather, with Kansas City likely to see strong gusts.
As of Thursday morning, the Weather Channel is predicting partly cloudy skies around kickoff (8:15 p.m. ET), with the chance of precipitation increasing above 10 percent only after 11 p.m., but the forecast includes 15-20 mph steady winds, noting that “there is a marginal risk of severe weather” throughout the evening.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service in Kansas City and Pleasant Hill, Mo. pointed out on wednesday Several “strong to severe storms” are developing Thursday night, with possible hail and winds of up to 40-60 mph. As a result, AccuWeather is predicting the possibility of severe thunderstorms Thursday night with wind gusts as high as 39 mph.
How will strong winds affect the Broncos vs. Chiefs? For one, the passing game can be reduced to avoid gusty winds. Both Denver and Kansas City rely heavily on their respective aerial attacks. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes ranks sixth among all players in pass attempts this year, while Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson is tied for second with 11 passing touchdowns.
The Broncos are expected to receive reinforcements if their AFC West opponent is forced to go down, with starter Javonte Williams returning from a quadriceps injury in Week 5. The Chiefs relied heavily on their secondary — Isaiah Pacheco, who scored in three straight games last year.
