Chiefs get it done, improve to 13-3 with win vs. Broncos: Here’s the story of the game

A see-saw battle broke out between the Chiefs and Denver Broncos during Sunday’s game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

The game featured four lead changes, but quarterback Patrick Mahomes and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed made sure the Chiefs wouldn’t lose this one.

Mahomes passed for two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, while Sneed came up with an interception to help give the Chiefs a 27-24 win and a sweep of the annual two-game series.

“I thought it was a good game,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “It was up and down a bit; there were some lulls offensively. I thought the defense did a nice job throughout. ... Defensively, Sneed’s play was a big play for us.”

Mahomes completed 29 of 42 passes for 328 yards and three touchdowns with an interception for a 106.1 passer rating. He also improved to 11-0 against the Broncos.

While Sunday’s win extended the Chiefs’ winning streak over the Broncos to 15 straight games, history has shown nothing is easy between these AFC West rivals.

“When you’re playing a defense like this, whenever they give you opportunities, you have to execute on them and I didn’t today,” Mahomes said. “I took what was there and did a lot of good things as far as moving the chains that first half, but in the second half I just missed a lot of throws that I have to hit.”

The Chiefs were out of sync to start the third quarter, punting on their first three possession of the second half. Kansas City also finished the game converting just two of nine third-down attempts (22%).

Denver took advantage of the Chiefs’ stalled offense and took a 17-13 lead when quarterback Russell Wilson connected with tight end Albert Okwuegbunam, the former Mizzou standout, for a 25-yard touchdown.

Mahomes and the Chiefs’ offense woke up early in the fourth quarter when Mahomes connected with tight end Blake Bell on a 17-yard touchdown pass to give the Chiefs a 20-17 lead. Sneed stepped up on the Broncos’ ensuing possession with an interception of Wilson to set up the Chiefs at Denver’s 17-yard line.

The Chiefs would get in the end zone four plays later when Mahomes found running back Jerick McKinnon for a 3-yard touchdown to push the Chiefs’ lead to 27-17.

Denver closed the gap to 27-24 when Wilson rushed for his second touchdown of the game, but the Chiefs’ defense held the Broncos to close out the game.

The back-and-forth nature of the game started early. After the Chiefs defense held the Broncos to a three-and-out, Kansas City marched down the field with an efficient 10-play, 65-yard drive that featured Mahomes completing a pass to himself. A Denver defender batted the pass at the line of scrimmage, but Mahomes was able to pull down the loose ball and gain 6 yards on a scramble to the right side.

The drive also saw early work for all three running backs, as Isiah Pacheco, Ronald Jones and McKinnon each recorded at least one touch. Pacheco capped the series with a 5-yard touchdown run. The extra point, though, became an adventure after punter Tommy Townsend bobbled the snap and couldn’t get the ball down for kicker Harrison Butker.

The teams traded punts, with Townsend sending off a 60-yard bomb, before Denver got on the board thanks to kicker Brandon McManus’ 49-yard field goal.

Chiefs were driving on ensuing possession and appeared in good shape. Mahomes guided them down the field with a 38-yard completion to wide receiver Kadarius Toney, and then circled around the pocket to avoid Denver’s pass rusher before finding Kelce underneath with a flick pass. But the drive ended when Mahomes threw an interception in the end zone on a pass in Justin Watson’s direction.

Kansas City’s defense did its part to hold the Broncos on Denver’s ensuing possession, but disaster struck on the punt when Toney fumbled the ball. The Broncos recovered at the Chiefs’ 16-yard line and Wilson made the Chiefs pay with a touchdown run on the first play of the ensuing possession.

“It’s a good lesson for Toney,” Reid said. “He doesn’t have a lot of experience doing this, but you keep that ball in the other hand, keep it on the outside. It’s great for him to learn that.”

Kansas City responded on the next possession with a seven-play, 80-yard drive. Mahomes finished it with a 6-yard pass to McKinnon, who had 56 total yards (52 receiving) and two touchdowns, both on catches. He has now recorded a touchdown catch in five straight games to become the first running back in the NFL since 1970 to accomplish the feat.

“It’s extremely special,” Mahomes said. “It’s so cool to me because he’s one of those guys that does it the right way. ... Hopefully, he can keep scoring touchdowns. It’s a good thing for us.”

“Just opportunity,” McKinnon said of his touchdown binge. “Coach Reid, EB (offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy), the play calling, and then Pat finding me in space.”

Denver got the ball back with 1:02 remaining on the clock and quickly moved to the Chiefs’ 28-yard line. But the Chiefs’ two first-round picks from the 2022 NFL Draft came through with a stellar play. Cornerback Trent McDuffie came free from the left side of the line of scrimmage to record a strip-sack on Wilson for an 8-yard loss and defensive end George Karlaftis recovered the loose ball to give the Chiefs possession.

“It was a huge turning point in the game, I felt like,” Karlaftis said.

But the Chiefs squandered that opportunity to add points when Broncos defensive end Eyioma Uwazurike blocked Butker’s 51-yard field-goal attempt. Kansas City held a 13-10 halftime lead.

“I just thought overall, I liked the team win,” Reid said. “We have stuff that we need to work on.”

The Chiefs improved to 13-3, their fifth such record in franchise history. The previous times the Chiefs recorded 13 or more wins in a single season: 2020, 2003, 1997 and 1995.

Here’s what else stood out Sunday afternoon:

SPECIAL TEAMS SNAFUS

From Townsend’s botched hold to Toney’s fumble on a punt return, the Chiefs’ issues on special teams continued.

Toney’s fumble marked the fifth turnover from a returner this season. Rookie Skyy Moore lost three muffed punts this season (Week 3, Week 7, Week 12) and tight end Jody Fortson lost a fumble during a kickoff return in Week 10.

Butker also missed a 51-yard attempt to close out the first half. He now has six missed field goals this season.

ROOKIE SURGE

Karlaftis continued his late-season rise.

With a sack of Wilson in the first half, Karlaftis has now recorded five sacks in the past six games. His 5.5 sacks this season ties him for the fifth-most sacks by a rookie in franchise history.

“Throughout the year, he’s gotten better and we got to continue to push him to get better throughout the year,” defensive tackle Chris Jones said.

INJURIES

Left guard Joe Thuney briefly left the game early in the third quarter. He looked to be in pain and was helped to the sideline by left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and center Creed Humphrey.

Thuney spent time at the blue medical tent for evaluation before getting his right ankle re-taped. The veteran guard returned to action on the Chiefs’ next offensive possession, but later left the game again and was ruled out.

“Joe Thuney re-injured that ankle,” Reid said. “We’ll just have to see where it goes from here. They’ll MRI it and do all that.”

Nick Allegretti filled in for Thuney for the rest of the game.

Rookie wide receiver Skyy Moore suffered a hand injury in the fourth quarter and was ruled out, while Sneed suffered a hip injury on his interception.

NOT SUITED UP

Quarterback Shane Buechele, tackle Geron Christian, rookie offensive lineman Darian Kinnard, defensive end Joshua Kaindoh and defensive lineman Malik Herring were inactive.

UP NEXT

The Chiefs are on the road in Week 18 to close out the regular season. It’s an AFC West divisional game again, this time against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium.