Russell Wilson, Broncos looking to snap 15-game losing streak to Chiefs: 'Create a new history'
Thursday marks 2,947 days since the last time the Denver Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs.
The day was Sept. 17, 2015. Patrick Mahomes was still at Texas Tech. Peyton Manning was under center for Denver in his final season.
The Chiefs have won 15 consecutive games over the Broncos since.
Russell Wilson is looking to change the narrative of the rivalry on Thursday night.
“The important thing is that we’ve got to create a new history,” Wilson said on Tuesday, via the team’s official website. “We have to be able to do that with one play at a time, one moment at a time, one game at a time. … Every game has a history of its own, and we’ve got to be focused on this one and go win this game.”
Since the 2015 season, the Broncos have shuffled through 11 different starting quarterbacks and haven’t made the postseason while finishing in the bottom of the AFC West in five of the eight campaigns.
The Chiefs’ 15 consecutive wins over the Broncos are tied for the longest active win streak by one team versus another (the Patriots have won 15 straight over the Jets).
Mahomes famously made his first career start in Week 17, 2017, over Denver, winning 27-24. He’s yet to lose to the Broncos in his career.
Mahomes is 11-0 in his career as a starter against Denver, tied for the longest win streak versus a single team to begin a career by a starting QB in the Super Bowl era, per NFL Research. It’s tied for the fifth-longest win streak versus a single team by a starting QB at any point of their careers (Bob Griese, 17 over Bills; Tom Brady, 13 over Bills; Steve Young, 13 over Rams; Troy Aikman, 12 over Cardinals).
Despite the win streak, it hasn’t always been rosy for Mahomes against Denver. The QB has thrown eight interceptions versus Denver in his career (his most against any opponent and the only team against which he has thrown over five INTs). Only five players in the NFL have multiple INTs versus Mahomes in their career, and three of them are Broncos (Justin Simmons, Josey Jewell and Patrick Surtain II).
Mahomes noted on Tuesday that despite the lopsided results, the Chiefs always take the rivalry seriously.
“When you play a team like the Broncos, same with any division opponent, there’s just another level of intensity, so I’m not worried about necessarily a streak or anything like that,” he said. “I’m worried about winning against a division opponent. I know just as much as I think everyone in this locker room knows that it doesn’t matter what the records are, it’s going to be a close game. It’s going to be a hard-fought battle. Both teams are going to give everything they have, and so that’s just the history of the matchup.
“That’s the thing with me, it’s not about the streak, it’s about going out there and finding a way to win against a division opponent in a tough-fought battle.”
Through five weeks, the Broncos (1-4) have given little indication that they’re ready to knock K.C. off the AFC West pedestal. But Sean Payton’s crew can rewrite that narrative by knocking off the Chiefs (4-1) in prime time and ending the nightmare streak that has hovered over Denver.