Broncos vs. Chiefs live updates: Scores, highlights from ‘Thursday Night Football’

One of the NFL’s fiercest – yet most lopsided – rivalries is set to renew on “Thursday Night Football.”

The Kansas City Chiefs have a 15-game win streak in their series against the Denver Broncos, which is tied for the longest active mark in the NFL (the New England Patriots have also won 15 straight against the New York Jets). The two AFC West rivals are set to meet again for the first time this season when the defending champions play host to Russell Wilson and Co.

Tight end Travis Kelce, who is Patrick Mahomes’ leading target, is listed as questionable for the game with an ankle injury, but multiple reports indicated he is expected to play. The 1-4 Broncos, however, enter the matchup with far more turmoil, with the defense giving up a league-worst 36.2 points per game.

Check back throughout the night for updates on the game:

Chiefs lead Broncos 13-0 at halftime

A fairly stereotypical – as in, snoozy – first half of “TNF” ended with the Kansas City Chiefs leading the Denver Broncos 13-0.

Harrison Butker’s 60-yard field goal as time expired was one of the more exciting plays of the half. A 13-yard Patrick Mahomes scramble set up the score.

The flow of the game has made it seem like the Kansas City lead is more than 10, but Denver’s defense has stood strong in the red zone, holding the Chiefs to one successful trip in four tries.

Mahomes is 15 of 23 for 162 yards with one touchdown, a 3-yard pitch-and-catch with Kadarius Toney in the second quarter. Travis Kelce, with beau Taylor Swift in attendance, has seven catches for 109 yards.

Russell Wilson (7-for-11, 37 yards) has been sacked three times and is averaging 3.4 yards per pass attempt.

— Chris Bumbaca

Travis Kelce having huge game as Chiefs finally get in the end zone, take 10-0 lead

The Chiefs scored the game’s first touchdown on their fourth possession.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes found WR Kadarius Toney wide open outside on a flat route for a 3-yard touchdown.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce had two nice catches during the seven play, 62-yard touchdown drive, including a 19-yard catch that made Taylor Swift get up and cheer.

Kelce has a game-high seven catches for 109 yards in the first half.

— Tyler Dragon

Chiefs come up empty as ‘tush push’ field goal fake fails

The NFL cannot get enough of the tush push.

Problem is, nobody can execute the short-yardage play quite like the Philadelphia Eagles.

With 8:10 left in the first half and the Chiefs facing a fourth-and-2 from the Broncos’ 6-yard line, head coach Andy Reid called for a fake field goal. Second-string tight end Noah Gray lined up under center and got a push from behind via punter Tommy Townsend and offensive lineman Wanya Morris. But Gray could not advance the ball past the first-down marker and the Broncos escaped another Kansas City red-zone appearance with zero points allowed.

The Chiefs are 0-for-3 in the red zone and have three points despite winning the field position battle thus far.

— Chris Bumbaca

Back-to-back turnovers in Kansas City as Patrick Mahomes throws interception

The Broncos and Chiefs have traded turnovers in the first quarter.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes threw an interception right after Kansas City’s defense forced a takeaway.

Mahomes was standing in the pocket looking for an open receiver. With the pocket collapsing around him, he tossed an ill-advised pass near the end zone that was intercepted by Broncos safety Justin Simmons.

Simmons returned the interception 6 yards to the Denver 7-yard line.

The interception was the first of the season for Simmons.

— Tyler Dragon

Russell Wilson interception ends Broncos’ second drive

The Broncos were having success running the ball.

Then Russell Wilson ended the party.

Wilson threw an interception to Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton, who was sitting underneath a Broncos receiver in zone coverage. Wilson never saw him, and the Chiefs got the ball back on the 43-yard line. It was Wilson’s third interception of the season.

— Chris Bumbaca

Travis Kelce helps set up Chiefs’ first score with lateral play

The Chiefs’ opening drive stalled in the red zone, but they were able to get three points on kicker Harrison Butker’s 35-yard field goal.

Kansas City’s opening drive was highlighted by tight end Travis Kelce’s 5-yard catch and lateral to fellow tight end Noah Gray. Gray was able to pick up an additional seven yards after the lateral. The play helped set up the Chiefs in field goal position.

The Chiefs covered 42 total yards on their opening drive.

— Tyler Dragon

Chiefs make fourth down stop on Broncos’ opening drive

Denver came up empty on the opening drive of the game despite moving the ball into Kansas City territory.

The Broncos converted a third-and-2 when Javonte Williams bounced off a pair of tacklers but Russell Wilson was driven out of bounds by Justin Reid on the subsequent fourth down.

The drive lasted nine plays and took 5:36 off the clock.

— Chris Bumbaca

Taylor Swift at Travis Kelce, Chiefs game again

Fresh off attending the premiere of her “Eras Tour” movie in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Taylor Swift is off to Kansas City for another one of her passions: watching Kansas City Chiefs football games.

Swift was spotted Thursday arriving at the Chiefs’ game against the Denver Broncos. The singer wore a black dress, paired with a red varsity jacket. She was then seen sitting next to Travis Kelce’s mother, Donna.

— Steve Gardner and Edward Segarra

Travis Kelce active for Thursday Night Football, will play against Broncos

All eyes were on the Chiefs’ inactive list prior to Thursday night’s for official word on Travis Kelce’s game status. The star tight end is a go.

Kelce is active despite his ankle injury and will be suiting up against the Denver Broncos.

Steve Smith blasts Broncos receiver Jerry Jeudy

Former NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. tried to make peace with Broncos wideout Jerry Jeudy. The interaction apparently did not go well and left the NFL Network analyst inclined to blast the 2020 first-round pick during the NFL Network pregame show.

According to Smith, he used the term “JAG” – “just a guy” – to describe Jeudy on his “Cut To It” podcast. Trying to explain himself and wish Jeudy luck from the sideline set on Thursday, Smith said Jeudy had no interest, and apparently responded: “(Expletive), I don’t mess with you.”

“I hope today that you actually show up in a way like you haven’t since they drafted you,” Smith said on air.

Smith wasn’t done: “When teams call me and ask should they trade for Jerry Jeudy, I will say no. Because he is mentally unable to handle constructive criticism from people who watch specifically can he be a wide receiver? He can be a wide receiver. Tier 3.”

— Chris Bumbaca

Frank Clark on the way out in Denver?

Frank Clark’s tenure with the Broncos appears to be nearing an end.

According to multiple reports, Denver will try to trade Clark before this month’s trade deadline. Clark is inactive for the matchup against the Chiefs – meaning he won’t face his former team in the AFC West contest – and has played in just two games (36 snaps) since signing with the Broncos this past offseason. NFL Network reported Clark and the Broncos reworked his contract to facilitate a potential trade.

Clark spent the first four seasons of his career with the Seattle Seahawks before being acquired by the Chiefs ahead of the 2019 campaign. He won two Super Bowls with Kansas City and went to three straight Pro Bowls from 2019-21.

Denver moved on from another veteran pass rusher, Randy Gregory, last week and sent him to the San Francisco 49ers for late-round draft compensation.

— Chris Bumbaca

Chiefs inactivesBroncos inactivesWhen does Thursday Night Football start?

Broncos at Chiefs will begin at 8:15 p.m. ET on Oct. 12.

How can I watch Broncos vs. Chiefs? Is Thursday Night Football only on Prime?

Broncos at Chiefs will be streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video and will be broadcast in local markets only.

Broncos vs. Chiefs predictions

Tyler Dragon: Chiefs 28, Broncos 16

The Broncos are a mess and on the brink of a fire sale. Denver has very little chance against the defending Super Bowl champions. The Chiefs have won four in a row since losing their season opener. Kansas City surprisingly has a top-10 defense and their wide receivers are slowly improving. Patrick Mahomes targeted Rashee Rice, Kadarius Toney and Justyn Ross 15 times in Week 5.

Victoria Hernandez: Chiefs 30, Broncos 17

Are Patrick Mahomes and company the same team as last year? No. But the Broncos haven’t shown anything that would make them competitive this year in the lopsided “rivalry.” Last week, Sean Payton got served a slice of humble pie and a short turnaround doesn’t help his cause.

Safid Deen: Chiefs 27, Broncos 17

Travis Kelce could be limited by an ankle injury, but Patrick Mahomes needs to get his other playmakers involved if Kansas City is going to repeat as champs. I like the Chiefs at home against the Broncos, who feel like a dysfunctional bunch during their 1-4 start under Sean Payton.

Broncos vs. Chiefs odds

The Chiefs entered Thursday as 10.5-point favorites, according to BetMGM NFL odds.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Broncos-Chiefs live updates: Thursday Night Football score, highlights