Patrick Mahomes has no late-game miracle, Broncos stand on goal line to preserve win over Chiefs
It was time for the Denver Broncos to catch a break against Patrick Mahomes.
The Broncos have been tormented by Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs over the years, but managed to get on the goal line in the final seconds to secure a dramatic victory.
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The Broncos led 24-13 in the fourth quarter and the offense was going nowhere. But they had two successful drives, including one that ended with Jonah Coleman scoring from 5 yards out to give the Broncos the lead. The Chiefs drove to the 1-yard line but Denver held. On fourth-and-goal from the 6-yard line on the final play, following a false start penalty, Mahomes was pressured and sacked. The Broncos held on for a 28-24 victory.
The Broncos avoided a sweep of the Chiefs this season and are now 6-2, ahead of the Chiefs 5-2 for the division lead. The Chiefs were 14-2 during Mahomes’ starts against the Broncos. This is what was supposed to make the fourth quarter comeback even better.
The Chiefs take the lead at halftime
The most important play of the first half came from a Chiefs running back, but it wasn’t Kenneth Walker III.
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The Broncos were doing a good job containing Walker before halftime, but lost rookie Emmett Johnson when he sneaked out of the backfield for a pass. Johnson was wide open for a catch and run, which went 73 yards for a touchdown. This gave Kansas City a 14-6 lead. The Chiefs had already scored on an 11-yard pass from Patrick Mahomes to Rashee Rice.
The Broncos responded, on a fourth-and-goal touchdown pass from Bo Nix to Jaylen Waddle from the one-yard line, but Denver lost track of Johnson again. He came out of the backfield for a 38-yard catch, which set up a field goal late in the first half.
The Chiefs led 17-13 at halftime. It wasn’t as dominant as Kansas City’s 31-10 win over the Broncos in Week 1, but the defense played pretty well and the offense made some big plays.
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Broncos bounce back in fourth quarter
The third quarter was a lot like the first half. The Broncos struggled to maintain possessions while the Chiefs scaled back their offense. The Broncos hit three three-and-outs to start the second half as Kansas City began to pull away.
Kansas City had a couple big third-down conversions on an 11-play drive that ended with a 4-yard Noah Gray touchdown run from Mahomes. This gave the Chiefs a 24-13 lead late in the third quarter. During the third consecutive hat-trick, the boos from the home crowd were unmistakable. Denver gained 9 yards in the third quarter. It looked like the Chiefs were going to get another win against Denver, but the Broncos offense suddenly started moving the ball.
The Broncos finally managed to score in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs almost had goal line position, but on fourth down, Nate Adkins caught a 2-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion went to Waddle and the Chiefs’ lead fell to 24-21. The Chiefs had a drive, but Harrison Butker missed a 54-yard field goal in the rain – it was a strange decision for Andy Reid to attempt the field goal in poor conditions – and the Broncos got the ball back with 2:31 to play. Immediately, rookie running back Jonah Coleman completed a short pass and raced 51 yards to the 4-yard line after the two-minute warning. On the next first play, Coleman scored on a touchdown for a 28-24 lead.
Kansas City’s rookie running back responded, as Johnson had a 44-yard kickoff return to the Chiefs’ 44-yard line. Mahomes has been in much worse situations than having to go 51 yards in 1:46 for the win. Mahomes hit Travis Kelce 32 yards to get the Chiefs inside the red zone. It looked like the Broncos might have recovered a Walker fumble in the end zone, but Walker was judged at the 1-yard line. After stops on second and third down, Kansas City had a chance to win. The Chiefs appeared to have scored a touchdown, but there was a false start that erased it. This led to an extra shot and the Broncos immediately put pressure on Mahomes and brought him down for the sack.
After so many years of Mahomes pulling off last-second miracles, the Broncos pulled off a dramatic victory over him and the Chiefs.
Teddy Ricketson
The Broncos beat the Chiefs 28-24.
Denver’s defense quickly went after Mahomes and he tried to get a pass while getting sacked, but he was lost through contact.
The game is over.
Denver improves to 6-2, while Kansas City falls to 5-2.
Teddy Ricketson
Kansas City lost 5 yards as Jaylon Moore was whistled for false start. The Chiefs had scored a touchdown on the play, but it was called off.
Teddy Ricketson
Kansas City is on the 1 yard line. The Chiefs called their last timeout with 4 seconds remaining.
Teddy Ricketson
The Chiefs rookie plays a game.
After Denver’s go-ahead touchdown, Emmett Johnson ran back 45 yards to the 44-yard line. It looked like he made it to the 50 yard line, but the replay assistance came in and said he was out to the 44. Still, a great return.
Kansas City needs a touchdown to take the lead.
Teddy Ricketson
After the two-minute warning, Coleman was given the ball and told to do something with it.
The rookie hit him from five yards.
Although this is exciting for Denver who now leads 28-24, Patrick Mahomes has made a career out of these types of situations. He has 1:56 left to play and he needs a touchdown.
Teddy Ricketson
Bo Nix threw a short check to Jonah Coleman as the Chiefs sent a big blitz.
Coleman broke through the defense and completely knocked down the field, picking up 51 yards.
After the two-minute warning, Denver will score first and score from the 5-yard line.
Teddy Ricketson
The Chiefs had no problem racking up short yards and multiple first downs. The drive stopped at the 30-yard line.
Even in the rain and his distance difficulties, Andy Reid trotted Harrison Butker. It was a 54-yard attempt, but Butker missed it wide right.
Denver takes over at its own 36-yard line, trailing by three with 2:31 left.
Teddy Ricketson
The Broncos find the magic on fourth-and-goal. After a jam, an incompletion and a 0 win, Sean Payton rolled the dice again.
This time Bo Nix hit Nate Adkins after play action for the score from two yards out.
Denver scored two and Waddle converted the attempt. The Broncos trail 24-21 with 8:55 left.
There were two big plays that helped set up the drive. Nix hit Adam Trautman for a 22-yard gain, then the Kansas City defense was called for unnecessary roughness for another 15 yards.
Then Marvin Mims took a patient turn and tallied 14 to get the offense to the goal line.
Teddy Ricketson
Kansas City ran six plays and had 19 yards while falling behind about three minutes.
Still, the Chiefs led by 11 with 13:13 left.
Teddy Ricketson
We’re heading into the fourth quarter. Kansas City will have the ball at its own 31-yard line, facing third-and-1.
The Chiefs still lead by 11.
Teddy Ricketson
Denver was unable to respond to Kansas City’s arguments with points of its own.
The Broncos went for another 3-and-out, their third straight result in the second half.
Kansas City leads 24-13 with 1:18 left in the third.
Teddy Ricketson
Patrick Mahomes led the pack and entered the red zone. Once again, the Chiefs proved that there were simply too many playmakers for their offense to cover.
Mahomes found Noah Gray for the four-yard score.
Kansas City now leads 24-13 with 1:38 left in the third quarter.
Teddy Ricketson
Denver’s offense may not have left the locker room at halftime yet.
The Broncos ran three plays for a total of eight yards. Denver was deep in its own territory, so Sean Payton opted to punt the ball away.
Teddy Ricketson
Kansas City’s first drive of the second half played out similarly to Denver’s. It ended in a punt, but the Chiefs ran five plays and had 20 total yards before punting.
Teddy Ricketson
Outside of a five-yard false start penalty, it was a three-and-out for Denver who failed to get a first down.
Kansas City will now get its first possession of the second half.
Teddy Ricketson
Kansas City found itself on the field thanks in large part to another huge gain from rookie running back Emmett Johnson. This time, he had a 38-yard reception to bring the Chiefs within field goal range.
After the drive stalled, Harrison Butker kicked a 45-yard field goal to give KC a 17-13 lead with less than 30 seconds left in the first half.
Teddy Ricketson
It looked like the Chiefs defense pushed the Broncos offense to the goal line.
Bo Nix then went for play action and performed well. He hit Jaylen Waddle for the score.
Notably on the journey, Courtland Sutton was injured and is in the medical tent.
Denver trails 14-13 with 1:15 left in the first half.
Teddy Ricketson
Mahomes is Mahomes again.
The Chiefs quarterback was about to be destroyed by a defender, but he barely completed the pass.
He floats over to Emmett Johnson, who then uses his speed to get down the field. He had a defender to beat and fumbled, but that knocked the defender down and helped Johnson get into the end zone for the score.
The Chiefs lead 13-6.
Teddy Ricketson
It looked like the Kansas City offense found a cheat code against the Denver defense on its second drive of the game. The Chiefs drove all over the field and it ended with a Rashee Rice touchdown.
Since then, Kansas City has run six offensive plays, gained eight yards and punted twice.
Still, the Chiefs led 7-6 with 13:46 left in the first half.
Teddy Ricketson
Bo Nix hit Courtland Sutton for a 23-yard gain to end the first quarter. The Broncos then had two incompletions sandwiching a 7-yard run that put them on fourth and third.
Wil Lutz came in for the 45-yard attempt and made it.
Kansas City leads 7-6.
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