The Kansas City Chiefs let a 24-13 fourth-quarter lead slip away as the Denver Broncos scored 15 unanswered points. After Harrison Butker missed a 54-yard field goal, Bo Nix connected with Jonah Coleman for 51 yards before Coleman scored the go-ahead touchdown. Kansas City reached Denver’s 1-yard line on its final possession, but a false start and fourth-down sack ended the comeback attempt.
Patrick Mahomes finished 31 of 42 for 327 yards and three touchdowns. Emmett Johnson led Kansas City with five catches for 128 yards and a touchdown, while Rashee Rice recorded seven receptions for 53 yards and a score. Nix threw for 216 yards and two touchdowns. Kansas City outgained Denver 405-294 but committed 11 penalties for 105 yards. The Chiefs fell to 5-2, while Denver improved to 6-2.
Join Arrowhead Pride on game day!
Stay on top of every Chiefs update and debate every snap with other members of Chiefs Kingdom. Game-day discussion is smoother in the SB Nation app.
Fewer ads
Jump easily between conversations
Faster commenting and posting
Download oniOS orAndroid.
First Quarter
The Chiefs opened the game with consecutive Kenneth Walker III runs, but gained only four yards. On third down, a bad snap from Creed Humphrey resulted in a fumble that Patrick Mahomes recovered before throwing incomplete under pressure from Zach Allen. Matt Araiza then punted 44 yards, with Marvin Mims Jr. calling for a fair catch at the Denver 17-yard line.
Denver moved 62 yards after beginning at its own 17, receiving significant help from two Chiefs penalties. A defensive pass-interference call against Kristian Fulton produced 18 yards before Jack Cochrane’s unnecessary-roughness penalty added another 15. Kansas City’s defense tightened inside its 25-yard line, with Nick Bolton pressuring Bo Nix into a third-down incompletion. Wil Lutz finished the drive with a 39-yard field goal, giving Denver a 3-0 lead.
The Chiefs answered with a seven-play, 69-yard touchdown drive. Patrick Mahomes opened it with a 15-yard completion to Travis Kelce, while a 15-yard facemask penalty against Eyioma Uwazurike helped move Kansas City into Denver territory. Rashee Rice caught three passes for 26 yards on the possession, including an 11-yard touchdown reception that gave the Chiefs their first lead. Mahomes completed all five of his passes on the drive and added a two-yard scramble to move the chains.
Denver went three-and-out after beginning at its own 34-yard line. Bo Nix completed a short pass to Troy Franklin before Marvin Mims Jr. gained five yards on an end-around, but Chris Roland-Wallace broke up Nix’s third-down throw to Evan Engram. Jeremy Crawshaw punted 44 yards, and Nikko Remigio returned it nine yards to give Kansas City possession at its own 23.
Kansas City’s third possession stalled after a false-start penalty against Travis Kelce created second-and-14. Mahomes completed short passes to Kelce and Emmett Johnson, but the two gains totaled only 12 yards and left the Chiefs two yards short of the first down. Matt Araiza’s 40-yard punt went out of bounds at the Denver 29.
Second Quarter
Denver covered 45 yards in eight plays, with Bo Nix scrambling for one first down before connecting with Courtland Sutton for a 23-yard gain into Chiefs territory. Kansas City’s defense held at its 26-yard line when George Karlaftis batted down Nix’s third-down pass intended for Jaylen Waddle. Wil Lutz converted the 45-yard field goal, trimming the Chiefs’ lead to 7-6.
Kansas City went three-and-out in just nine seconds. Mahomes’ first-down throw to Travis Kelce was ruled incomplete with replay assistance, and his next two passes to Kenneth Walker III and Rashee Rice also fell incomplete. Matt Araiza boomed a 64-yard punt, but Marvin Mims Jr.’s 16-yard return gave Denver possession at its own 32.
Pinned at its own 5-yard line, Kansas City drove 95 yards to extend its lead. Kenneth Walker III opened the possession with a 10-yard run, and Mahomes found Rashee Rice for 12 more. A Trey Smith holding penalty put the Chiefs behind the chains, but on third-and-10, Mahomes delivered a short pass to Emmett Johnson, who broke free for a 73-yard touchdown. Harrison Butker’s extra point gave Kansas City a 14-6 lead.
Denver answered with a 69-yard touchdown drive that consumed more than six minutes. A 15-yard facemask penalty against Drue Tranquill extended the possession, while completions to Courtland Sutton and Adam Trautman moved the Broncos into the red zone. An end-zone pass-interference call against Alohi Gilman placed the ball at the 1-yard line, but Kansas City stopped three consecutive rushing attempts. On fourth-and-goal, Bo Nix found Jaylen Waddle for the touchdown. Wil Lutz’s extra point cut the Chiefs’ lead to 14-13.
The Chiefs responded with a quick six-play scoring drive. After a short completion to Xavier Worthy, Mahomes found Emmett Johnson along the right side for a 38-yard gain to Denver’s 35. A seven-yard completion to Travis Kelce moved Kansas City closer, but two incompletions ended the touchdown opportunity. Harrison Butker converted from 45 yards, giving the Chiefs a 17-13 lead with 23 seconds remaining in the half.
Third Quarter
Denver opened the second half with a three-and-out. After Jonah Coleman gained one yard, an Evan Engram false start put the Broncos behind schedule. Bo Nix completed two short passes to Marvin Mims Jr., but they produced only 10 yards and left Denver facing fourth-and-4. Jeremy Crawshaw punted 44 yards, with Nikko Remigio making a fair catch at the Kansas City 18.
Kansas City moved from its own 18 to the 38 but failed to cross midfield. A defensive-holding penalty against Taylor Rapp extended the drive before Mahomes completed passes to Xavier Worthy and Cyrus Allen for a combined 12 yards. Kenneth Walker III gained only three yards on two carries, and Mahomes’ third-down pass intended for Allen fell incomplete. Matt Araiza’s 62-yard punt carried into the end zone for a touchback.
Denver went three-and-out for the second consecutive possession. Jonah Coleman gained one yard before short completions to Jaylen Waddle and Courtland Sutton left the Broncos facing fourth-and-2. A false start against JL Skinner backed up the punt team five yards, and Jeremy Crawshaw’s 40-yard punt was fair-caught by Nikko Remigio at the Kansas City 37.
Kansas City put together a 12-play, 63-yard touchdown drive that lasted more than five minutes. Emmett Johnson supplied the biggest rushing play with a 15-yard gain, while Mahomes converted third downs with a 10-yard completion to Noah Gray and a 12-yard strike to Cyrus Allen. Mahomes then returned to Gray for a four-yard touchdown. Harrison Butker’s extra point extended the Chiefs’ lead to 24-13 late in the third quarter.
Denver went three-and-out for the third consecutive possession, with Bo Nix throwing incomplete to Evan Engram, Marvin Mims Jr. and Jaylen Waddle. Jeremy Crawshaw punted 48 yards, and Nikko Remigio returned it 13 yards. However, a holding penalty against Jadon Canady erased most of the return, leaving Kansas City to begin at its own 22-yard line.
Fourth Quarter
Kansas City crossed into the fourth quarter with a seven-play possession but could not add to its lead. Kenneth Walker III gained 10 yards on three carries, including a third-and-1 conversion, while Mahomes added four yards on a scramble. On the next third down, Mahomes found Emmett Johnson for five yards, leaving the Chiefs one yard short. Matt Araiza’s 59-yard punt went into the end zone for a touchback.
Denver drove 80 yards in 10 plays to make it a one-possession game. Jonah Coleman contributed 19 rushing yards, while Bo Nix connected with Adam Trautman for 22 yards before an unnecessary-roughness penalty against Alohi Gilman moved the ball to Kansas City’s 18. Marvin Mims Jr. followed with a 14-yard run, but the Chiefs forced Denver into fourth-and-goal. Nix then found Nate Adkins for a two-yard touchdown and completed the two-point conversion to Jaylen Waddle, cutting Kansas City’s lead to 24-21 with 8:59 remaining.
Kansas City drained more than six minutes from the clock while driving from its own 30 into Denver territory. Mahomes completed passes to Jake Briningstool, Jalen Royals and Emmett Johnson, while Kenneth Walker III helped produce three first downs on the ground. The Chiefs reached Denver’s 30-yard line, but Alex Singleton sacked Mahomes for a six-yard loss on third-and-2. Harrison Butker then missed the 54-yard field-goal attempt wide right, leaving Kansas City’s lead at 24-21 with 2:36 remaining.
Denver immediately capitalized on Butker’s missed field goal. Bo Nix found Jonah Coleman out of the backfield for a 51-yard gain, moving the Broncos from their own 44 to the Kansas City 5. On the next snap, Coleman powered up the middle for a five-yard touchdown. Wil Lutz’s extra point gave Denver a 28-24 lead.
Kansas City drove from its own 44 to Denver’s 1-yard line, highlighted by Mahomes’ 32-yard completion to Travis Kelce and an eight-yard pass to Kenneth Walker III. Walker gained three yards on first-and-goal but was stopped for no gain on third down after a Mahomes incompletion. A false start against Jaylon Moore moved the Chiefs back to the 6-yard line before Malcolm Roach sacked Mahomes at the 12 on fourth down. The goal-line stand preserved Denver’s 28-24 victory.
Comments