Broncos Beat Chiefs 28-24 as Malcolm Roach Sacks Mahomes on the Final Play; Denver Takes AFC West Lead

The Denver Broncos beat the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24 on Sunday, Nov. 1, in Denver. They came back from 11 points down in the fourth quarter and finished with a goal-line stand: defensive tackle Malcolm Roach sacked Patrick Mahomes on fourth-and-goal on the final play. The win moved Denver (6-2) into first place in the AFC West, a half-game ahead of Kansas City (5-2), according to the Associated Press.

The AP noted it was coach Sean Payton’s 200th career win and Denver’s 15th straight win in one-score games over two seasons. Mahomes is now 80-3 in his career when leading by double digits in the fourth quarter.

How the Broncos came back

Kansas City led 24-13 early in the fourth quarter. From there, according to the AP:

• Bo Nix threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nate Adkins, then hit Jaylen Waddle for a two-point conversion to make it 24-21.
• With about 2 1/2 minutes left, Alex Singleton sacked Mahomes for a 6-yard loss. On the next play, Harrison Butker missed a 54-yard field goal wide right in steady rain.
• Denver needed only two plays and 35 seconds to go ahead. Nix hit rookie running back Jonah Coleman for a 51-yard gain, and Coleman ran in a 5-yard touchdown on the next snap.

The goal-line stand: Chiefs stopped at the 1

Mahomes had just under two minutes left. A 44-yard kickoff return by Emmett Johnson and a 32-yard catch by Travis Kelce got the Chiefs inside the Denver 5 with 35 seconds to go. Then the Broncos’ defense held, per the AP:

1. Patrick Surtain II stopped Kenneth Walker III at the 1.
2. Mahomes threw incomplete under pressure from Que Robinson.
3. Third-string safety J.L. Skinner stuffed Walker for no gain.
4. On fourth-and-goal, Mahomes threw what looked like the winning touchdown to Rashee Rice, but a false start on right tackle Jaylon Moore wiped it out. On the replay from the 6 with 4 seconds left, Roach broke through alongside Nik Bonitto and sacked Mahomes for a 6-yard loss.

Payton called the crowd-induced penalty “huge.” Mahomes said, “I wish I had done a better job of getting the ball out, give somebody a chance.” He also said he “can’t put him in that position,” referring to the sack before Butker’s miss.

Bo Nix stats: slow start, strong finish

Nix finished 20 of 32 for 222 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. CBS Sports noted that he was 15 of 26 for 153 yards through three quarters, and the home crowd booed. Then he went 5 of 6 for 84 yards in the fourth.

It was his 15th career game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime. The AP said that passes Dak Prescott for the most by a quarterback in his first three seasons since the 1970 merger. “It’s always fun to throw it short and they run for a long time,” Nix said.

Coleman led Denver in carries (11), rushing yards (41) and receiving yards (63), per CBS Sports.

Mahomes played well in the loss

Mahomes was 30 of 41 for 321 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Johnson, also a rookie running back, had five catches for 128 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown. Kelce had five catches for 67 yards, and Rice had seven for 53.

CBS Sports questioned Andy Reid’s decision to kick on fourth-and-8 from the Denver 36. It noted that Butker is now 2 of 7 from 50-plus yards this season.

Denver’s run defense was much better than in the opener, when Walker ran for 173 yards in a 31-10 Chiefs win. This time he had 69 yards on 21 carries. “It was personal,” Bonitto said, per the AP.

Injuries

• Chiefs: DL Peter Woods (neck) was hurt in the first quarter.
• Broncos: CB Kris Abrams-Draine (ankle) left in the second quarter, and S Brandon Jones (hamstring) was ruled out at halftime.

AFC West standings and what’s next

Denver has won four straight and erased the head-to-head edge Kansas City held after Week 1. The Chiefs have lost two in a row. Next Sunday, Kansas City hosts the New York Jets and Denver visits the Carolina Panthers. The AP noted the Broncos are just 10 of 48 on third down over their last four games.

FAQ

Earlier coverage: Chiefs vs. Broncos: How to Watch, Rashee Rice's Return and What's at Stake in the AFC West (Nov 1)