Chiefs lead Broncos 7-3 after Rice touchdown in Denver

The Kansas City Chiefs hold a 7-3 lead over the Denver Broncos following the first quarter of their AFC West matchup at Empower Field at Mile High.

The score was tied early when Broncos kicker Will Lutz converted a 39-yard field goal at 3:35 p.m. to give Denver an initial advantage. The Chiefs responded with an 11-yard catch-and-run touchdown by Rashee Rice, who caught the pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes. This scoring play gave Kansas City the lead with just over six minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

The game pits the top two teams in the division against each other. The Broncos enter this contest with a record of 5-2 and are on a three-game winning streak. Four of Denver's five victories this season have been decided by a single score. The Chiefs, who are 5-0 before this week's results, suffered a 20-3 defeat against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks last week at Lumen Field.

Rookie defensive end R Mason Thomas was listed as active for the game. Wide receiver Rashee Rice, who is returning from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the previous two games, was also active for the matchup.

The Kansas City Chiefs released their list of inactives for the Week 8 game prior to kickoff. The team traveled from Kansas City to Denver for the contest, which follows their recent loss in Seattle.