Chiefs record drops to 5-2 as Broncos rally for 28-24 win: AFC West flips
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- The Denver Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24 in Week 8.
- Kansas City's record fell to 5-2. Denver moved to 6-2 and took first place in the AFC West.
- Bo Nix led a 15-point fourth quarter. Malcolm Roach sacked Patrick Mahomes on the final play.
The Denver Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24 on Sunday, November 1. Denver scored 15 points in the fourth quarter. The win moved the Broncos to 6-2. Denver now leads the AFC West.
What happened
The game was played at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver. It was a Week 8 NFL game. Denver started fast.
Will Lutz kicked a field goal on the first drive. Denver led 3-0.
Kansas City answered fast. Patrick Mahomes found Rashee Rice for an 11-yard touchdown. The Chiefs led 7-3. Lutz kicked another field goal.
The score was 7-6 early in the second quarter.
Mahomes then threw a short pass to Emmett Johnson. The rookie running back ran 73 yards for a touchdown. The Chiefs led 14-6. Denver did not quit.
Bo Nix drove the Broncos down the field. He threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle on fourth down. Harrison Butker kicked a 45-yard field goal.
The Chiefs led 17-13 at halftime, according to Reuters.
The third quarter had only one score. Mahomes led an 11-play, 63-yard drive. He found Noah Gray for a 4-yard touchdown.
The Chiefs led 24-13.
The fourth quarter belonged to Denver. The Broncos had gained only 19 yards in the third quarter. But they came alive in the fourth.
Nix led an 80-yard drive. He threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Nate Adkins on fourth down. Waddle caught the two-point conversion.
The score was 24-21 with 8:55 left, reported Reuters.
Kansas City burned 6:24 off the clock on the next drive. Then Alex Singleton sacked Mahomes. Butker tried a 54-yard field goal.
He missed. Denver got the ball back with 2:31 left.
Nix found Jonah Coleman for a 51-yard pass play. It put Denver at the Chiefs' 5-yard line. On the next play, Coleman ran it in for a touchdown.
Denver led 28-24 with 1:56 left.
Mahomes had one last chance. He drove Kansas City to the Denver 1-yard line. With four seconds left, a Kansas City touchdown was wiped out by a false start.
The ball moved back to the 6-yard line. On the final play, Malcolm Roach sacked Mahomes. The game was over, according to Broncos Wire.
Why it matters
The loss dropped Kansas City's record to 5-2. It was the Chiefs' second straight defeat. Last week, Kansas City lost 20-3 to the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle had lost 32-29 to San Francisco in Week 5 before that game, reported Bleacher Report.
Denver moved to 6-2. The Broncos now lead the AFC West. They have won four games in a row. That streak includes an overtime win over Seattle earlier this season.
Denver entered Sunday's game as 1.5-point underdogs, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The win was also coach Sean Payton's 200th career win, reported Broncos Wire.
Mahomes threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 30 of 41 passes. Johnson had 143 total yards for Kansas City.
Rice and Gray also caught touchdown passes, according to Reuters.
Nix was 20 of 32 for 222 yards. Coleman had 104 total yards for Denver. Waddle caught a touchdown pass and a two-point conversion, reported Reuters.
The AFC West standings now read: Denver 6-2, Kansas City 5-2, Las Vegas 4-4, and the Los Angeles Chargers 0-7, according to Bleacher Report. Kansas City continues to adjust its roster. The Chiefs added Justin Watson to the practice squad as they rebuild depth.
What happens next
Kansas City will host the New York Jets next Sunday. The game kicks off at 1 PM ET, reported Bleacher Report.
Denver will travel to face the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers are 3-4. That game also kicks off at 1 PM ET. After that, Denver has a bye in Week 10, reported Broncos Wire.
Denver now holds the AFC West lead at 6-2. Kansas City sits one game back at 5-2. The division race is wide open.
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