15 unanswered: Broncos erase 11-point deficit to claim AFC West lead
A missed 54-yard field goal and a 51-yard gain by rookie Jonah Coleman fueled a fourth-quarter surge that put Denver in first place.
By Layla Petrov ·
The Denver Broncos scored 15 points without reply in the fourth quarter on Sunday to overcome an 11-point deficit. The final score stood at 28-24 against the Kansas City Chiefs, a result that moves Denver to first place in the AFC West. The win improves the Broncos record to 6-2 while the Chiefs drop to 5-2.
Kansas City built a comfortable cushion early in the game. Patrick Mahomes threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Rashee Rice in the first quarter after the wide receiver returned from a two-game absence due to a pulled right hamstring. The lead extended to 14-6 in the second quarter when Mahomes connected with rookie running back Emmett Johnson for a 73-yard score. That play came off a 38-yard catch-and-run by Johnson, who caught the ball near his own 40-yard line and raced untouched for the rest of the way.
The Chiefs increased the lead to 17-13 at halftime after Harrison Butker made a 45-yard field goal. Denver responded with a fourth-quarter drive that began with Bo Nix throwing a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nate Adkins. Nix then found Jaylen Waddle for the 2-point conversion, bringing the game to 24-21. The Broncos had gone three-and-out on all three of their third-quarter drives, but Nix directed a touchdown drive on each of Denver's final two possessions.
The momentum shifted when Butker missed a 54-yard field goal attempt wide right in steady rain. That miss followed a 6-yard sack of Mahomes by Alex Singleton. The Broncos needed just two plays and 35 seconds to take the lead. Nix threw a 51-yard pass to rookie running back Jonah Coleman, who then scored on a 5-yard run on the next snap. The score became 28-24 with 1 minute and 56 seconds remaining on the clock.
Kansas City managed to get inside the Denver 5-yard line with less than a minute left. A 32-yard catch by Travis Kelce and runs by Kenneth Walker III moved the ball. Walker ran for 69 yards on 21 carries in the game. He gained 3 yards on first-and-goal to put the ball at the 1-yard line. Mahomes threw an incomplete pass on second down, Walker was stuffed on third down, and Malcolm Roach sacked Mahomes on fourth-and-goal on the final play.
Nix finished 20 of 32 for 222 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Mahomes threw for 321 yards on 30 of 41 attempts with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Mahomes had been held without a touchdown pass in consecutive games for the first time in his career before finding Rice, Johnson, and Noah Gray for a 4-yard score in the third quarter. Denver kicker Wil Lutz made 39 and 45-yard field goals.
Both teams dealt with injuries during the contest. Chiefs defensive lineman Peter Woods left in the first quarter with a neck injury. Cornerbacks L'Jarius Sneed and Mansoor Delane were out, with Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams starting in their place. For Denver, cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine left in the second quarter with an ankle injury, and safety Brandon Jones was ruled out at halftime with a hamstring issue. Running back RJ Harvey was placed on short-term injured reserve after hurting a knee in Thursday practice.
The Broncos will visit the Carolina Panthers next Sunday. The Chiefs will host the New York Jets the same day.
