Denver Broncos news is beginning to centre on the same question again: can their home-field edge make the difference when the Chiefs come back to Empower Field at Mile High in Week 8? After losing to Kansas City in Week 1, Denver now gets the return meeting at a stadium where Sean Payton's team has been remarkably difficult to beat.
The Broncos have started 3-0 at home this season with wins over the Jaguars, Rams and Seahawks, and their recent record at Empower Field at Mile High underlines why this matchup matters. Since the start of the 2025 season, Denver has gone 11-1 in regular-season games at home and has won 16 of its last 17 regular-season home games. A victory over the Chiefs would not just extend that run, it could also push Denver to 6-2 and keep the Broncos first in the AFC West.
Payton sees the crowd as part of the plan
Payton has been open about how much the home environment has meant to his team. He said the Broncos' home games have been amazing, and added that while the end result is hard to measure, the crowd noise and overall atmosphere add stress to the opponent's operation. In a game like this, he said, that is significant.
That view was echoed inside the locker room. Nik Bonitto called it a huge advantage, pointing to the altitude and the noise as problems for visiting teams. He said the fans get loud, the setting is difficult, and that it can help the defense whether opponents are struggling to get the calls in or dealing with pressure up front.
Why Week 8 feels different
The Broncos are not treating this as anything bigger than the next game, at least publicly. Courtland Sutton said it is the most important one because it is the next one, while Bo Nix described the approach as a next-game mentality. That fits the mood around a team that has built its early-season success on staying focused on the immediate task.
Still, the stakes are obvious. Denver already knows what it is like to lose to the Chiefs this season, but it also knows what it has done at home under Payton. Mike McGlinchey said Arrowhead Stadium and the Broncos' home are both among the hardest places to play in the country, while Justin Strnad said it is always an advantage at home with the fans and that Denver will need them to be super loud this week.
That is the point of this Week 8 meeting. The Broncos have earned the right to believe they can handle a rivalry game at home, and the numbers back that up. If they defend that record again, Denver's strong home run and its place at the top of the AFC West will both look a little more convincing.
