KANSAS CITY, MO — One of the Kansas City Chiefs’ final divisional matchups of the season came down to the wire against the Denver Broncos on Sunday but the Chiefs were able to get the job done and came out on the winning end of a 27-24 ballgame.
Patrick Mahomes tossed three touchdowns and 328 yards and the Chiefs (13-3; 5-0) defense forced a pair of turnovers to keep the Broncos (4-12; 0-5) from ruining their perfect AFC West record.
L’Jarius Sneed intercepted Russell Wilson and George Karlaftis hopped on a loose ball for the pair of forced turnovers Kansas City was able to take advantage of in the slim victory.
The Chiefs wasted little time getting ahead as Isiah Pacheco carried the ball into the end zone from five yards away for the early touchdown advantage eight minutes into regulation. The touchdown run was set up by a Mahomes to Jerick McKinnon 11-yard first down pass.
“They were playing a run defense so it gave us an opportunity to throw the ball a little bit,” said Kansas City head coach Andy Reid. “That’s how we were able to move the ball up and down the field as quickly as we did. We ended up four-for-five in the red zone.”
Mahomes also found Skyy Moore open near the endzone for an 18-yard gain to set up the score. Pacheco’s touchdown was followed up by a failed extra point attempt when Tommy Townsend mishandled the snap. The Chiefs led halfway through the opening quarter, 6-0.
The Broncos put together a six-minute drive at the end of the first quarter and into the second quarter which resulted in a Brandon McManus 49-yard field goal to cut the Chiefs lead in half, 6-3.
Things went south for Kansas City on their next drive when Mahomes was picked off in the end zone by Denver’s Justin Simmons for the Broncos to take over at KC’s 25-yard line.
The Chiefs were helped into the red zone on the drive by Mahomes and Kadarius Toney linking up for a 38-yard reception and a Mahomes to Kelce 12-yard strike before the turnover.
Following another Denver punt, Toney helped give the ball right back to the Broncos when he fumbled a punt at Kansas City’s 16-yard line where the Broncos took over in good field position.
It took only one play for Wilson to get the ball into the end zone as he took it himself and ran into the end zone unscathed from 16 yards out. The score put Denver ahead for the first time on the afternoon, 10-6.
When the Chiefs got the ball back with four minutes remaining before halftime, Mahomes hit Jerick McKinnon wide open on a rollout six-yard touchdown pass.
“He (McKinnon) just finds ways to get into the end zone,” said Mahomes. “A lot of times he’s not the first read, not the second read, but the fact that he’s able to be in the right spot at the right time when I need to hit a check down and get it to him and then he makes the most out of it. He does his job.”
Kansas City earned one more opportunity at the end zone when George Karlaftis got into the backfield and scooped up a fumble recovery after the Chiefs defensive line forced a fumble on Wilson around the Kansas City 40-yard line.
Harrison Butker came on for a 51-yard field goal try but it was blocked and Kansas City led Denver at halftime, 13-10.
