Full box score
Nick Shock’s takeaways:
Leaders flee to remain undefeated. Offensively, the Chiefs have been the same team they have been all season, slowly moving the football down the field in 10-, 11-, and 16-play drives. But unlike weeks past, the Chiefs couldn’t impose their will on Denver’s defense, and when Patrick Mahomes missed an open Travis Kelce shot in the end zone on third down, they were forced to settle for an unprotected, last-second field goal. The Chiefs were beaten in the final minute on Sunday because when they needed to make stops to preserve their lead, they failed. Broncos rookie kicker Bo Nix led a patient 43-yard drive that required 13 plays to move into field goal range, and with their timeouts exhausted, all the Chiefs could do was hope for a stunning play to keep their winning streak alive . Their prayers were answered on the final shot, when a group of Chiefs forced their way through the interior protection of Denver’s field goal unit, clearing the way for Leo Chenal to foul Will Lutz. Try to win the game. The play sent Mahomes into a celebratory sprint around the field at Arrowhead Stadium, where the Chiefs proved time and time again to be very difficult to beat. Hopefully this will also serve as a reminder that they will still need to do their best to win on a weekly basis. Nix, Broncos put on a win-worthy performance. Denver jumped all over Kansas City in the first half Sunday, racing to a 14-3 lead by putting together two 70-plus-yard scoring drives that both ended in touchdowns. The latter of the two scores — a perfectly placed 32-yard touchdown pass from Bo Nix to Courtland Sutton — stood as a sign that the Broncos were not about to kneel at the feet of the defending champion Chiefs. The Knicks were sharp all afternoon, completing 22 of 30 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns, but Denver’s offense sputtered in the second half, failing to support a Broncos defense that benefited from the loss of left tackle Waniya Morris. , harassed Mahomes all day (four sacks, 40.8% pressure rate) and gave Denver a legitimate chance to win. However, the Knicks delivered in the clutch, completing a key third-down pass to Sutton to move the Broncos into the Kansas City red zone, where they wisely drained the remaining clock and set up for a game-winning field goal. This is where the real heartbreak arrived, as Kansas City blocked Will Lutz’s 35-yard attempt, keeping the Chiefs’ undefeated record alive by the slimmest of margins. It’s hard to win games in this league, but the Broncos should feel proud of their efforts on Sunday. Steve Spagnuolo’s adjustments are paying off. Kansas City found itself in an unfamiliar position just before halftime, trailing the Broncos 14-3, after surrendering two shockingly effective goals to its rookie quarterback. Everything was going well for the Broncos: They averaged 6.1 yards per carry, and the Knicks went into halftime with a 14-of-20 passing line for 160 yards and two scores. The Chiefs needed an answer and Spagnuolo delivered it, limiting Denver’s offense to 68 yards in the second half and preventing them from adding a single point to their total. The effort allowed the methodical Chiefs attack enough time to get back into the game, as they drove off two long shots on goal to take a 16-14 lead. All that effort was nearly wasted when the same defense couldn’t stop the Knicks and Broncos late in the game, allowing them to move into field goal range in the final minute. But fortunately, the Chiefs’ special teams unit came to the rescue, leading them to a win that might not have been possible had their defense not held their own in the second half.
Broncos-Chiefs Next Gen Stats Insight (via NFL Pro): Patrick Mahomes faced pressure on 20 of 49 dropbacks (40.8%), the highest pressure rate he’s faced since Week 8, 2023 (which was also against the Broncos). Mahomes was 5 of 14 for 92 yards when pressured, resulting in a -17.8% CPOE, his lowest mark of the season. Meanwhile, his CPOE of +5.8% when not facing pressure was his highest mark of the season, and from a clean pocket, he was 23 of 28 for 174 yards and his only touchdown.
NFL Research: The Chiefs lead the NFL with seven wins by one possession this season. The most wins by an eventual Super Bowl champion is nine each for the 2015 Broncos and 1986 Giants.
