R-and-R Bowl: NFL Didn’t Help Chiefs in November Stretch

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Chiefs will be rested and recharged for two of the most important and difficult games on their schedule. Unfortunately, so will their opponents.

Kansas City comes off its Week 10 bye facing two of the three best teams in AFC, the Chiefs also have to face the Broncos (8-2) and Colts (7-2) after each team gets more than a week of recovery.

During their NFL-best seven-game winning streak, the Broncos’ seven wins in a 39-day span tie the 1973 Dolphins and 2021 Packers for the most in the NFL since 1935.

Sean Payton, Bo Nix and the Broncos now will play only one game in the next 23 days, hosting the Chiefs on Nov. 16… pic.twitter.com/rdfTG6LbeC
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 7, 2025

Not only do the Broncos get a mini-bye before hosting Kansas City in Week 11, on Nov. 16 in Denver, the Colts get two weeks before having to travel to Arrowhead Stadium in Week 12, for a Nov. 23 showdown.

League's hottest team and AFC's biggest surprise in consecutive weeks

Denver survived the Raiders on Thursday night, 10-7, riding a suffocating defense in a less-than-thrilling AFC West win. The Broncos are the league’s hottest team, with seven straight wins entering their trip to Kansas City.

daniel jone — Nov 2, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Indianapolis Colts quarterback Daniel Jones (17) drops back to make a pass during the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Meanwhile this week, Indianapolis meets Atlanta on Sunday in Berlin, Germany (8:30 a.m. CT, NFL Network). Then, the Colts can take their time getting back across the Atlantic Ocean and recalibrate to the time change because the league gave Indianapolis a Week 12 bye.

To be fair, in 2023 when the NFL scheduled the Chiefs to play the Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany, Kansas City also got a week off to recover.

patrick mahome — Nov 5, 2023; Frankfurt, Germany; A general overall view as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) throws the ball against the Miami Dolphins in the second half during an NFL International Series game at Deutsche Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Dallas on a short week

After hosting Indianapolis, the Chiefs must travel to Dallas on a short week to face the Cowboys as part of the annual John Madden Thanksgiving Celebration.

Short weeks are nothing new to the Chiefs since they drafted Patrick Mahomes in 2017. After a Monday Night Football win over Washington Oct. 27, Kansas City had the daunting task of visiting Buffalo on five days of rest. Mahomes didn’t mind, though.

l'jarius snee — Nov 21, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L'Jarius Sneed (38) celebrates with team mates after intercepting a pass against the Dallas Cowboys during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

“No, not really,” he said Oct. 29. “I mean, I think everyone deals with it. I mean, obviously we're about to get a great football team. But I mean, that’s part of playing in the NFL; you have to be able to be ready for sudden changes like that. I mean, that could happen to you in the playoffs.

“And you get another opportunity to be on a short week against a great football team and see how your team responds. And so, it's stuff that you can learn from and build from. And so, I'm just excited to get to go up against them, and playing a big game in a great environment.”

john madde — Dec 8, 1973; Oakland, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Oakland Raiders head coach John Madden talks to an official against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Long Photography-Imagn Images | Long Photography-Imagn Images

Dallas will be a great environment, too. When the Chiefs clash with the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day, the CBS broadcast is expected to shatter the NFL record for most-watched regular-season game. The Cowboys and Giants established that mark, 42.1 million, on Thanksgiving in 2022.

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