The Broncos have been unpredictable most of the season, especially in their home and road results. Denver has won three straight road games, including back-to-back road wins at Atlanta and the New York Jets.

That's impressive, and equally unimpressive is their home results. Denver is 3-3 at home this year, with three straight losses. Included in those losses is 4-8 Jacksonville and a baffling 21-point loss to 3-9 Oakland in the last home game.

Denver hosts Kansas City this week, and based on recent results, a loss can't be assumed. The Broncos know they have to play better at home.

"We've got to emphasize that point," defensive end Elvis Dumervil said. "We have a mentality on away games -- it's us against the world. We have to bring that mentality at home."

The beauty for the Broncos is their road wins and San Diego's problems have made up for the home disappointments. The Broncos are 7-5 and in control of the AFC West. The Chargers are 4-8 and fading. Denver can clinch the division this week with a San Diego loss to Oakland and a victory on Sunday against the Chiefs. If the Broncos win the AFC West, they will host a playoff game in January.

Despite the three-game lead with four to play, Broncos coach Mike Shanahan was careful not to take the division championship and a playoff game for granted.

"It's far from over," Shanahan said. "We've seen teams bounce back very quickly. The thing that we're going to do is hopefully concentrate on the job at hand. We've got Kansas City in our backyard. We've got to worry about our business.

When asked about San Diego being out of it in the AFC West, he chided the questioner.

"To assume something like that to me is a big mistake, for our football team, as well as the rest of the NFL," Shanahan said.

With a month to go in the regular season, Shanahan also wasn't ready to call the season a failure at Invesco Field at Mile High. The Broncos have had plenty of confusing losses at home, but Shanahan thought the team can play better in Denver.

"We'll see how we do at home in the remainder of our games," Shanahan said. "Hopefully we can play at the level we have in the past and do the things we're capable of doing."

SERIES HISTORY: 97th regular-season meeting. Chiefs lead the series 53-43, and Kansas City beat Denver earlier this season for one of its two wins. The Chiefs beat Denver 33-19 in Week 4. The Broncos own a playoff win over Kansas City during the 1997 season. That led to Denver's win in Super Bowl XXXII.