The Denver Broncos overcame an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit with 15 unanswered points, then held firm on the final play to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 28-24 on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High.
The victory improved Denver to 6-2 and moved the Broncos into first place in the AFC West. Kansas City fell to 5-2.
Patrick Mahomes finished 30-of-41 for 321 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Rashee Rice, returning from a hamstring injury, caught an 11-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Rookie running back Emmett Johnson added a 73-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter and finished with five catches for 128 yards. Tight end Noah Gray hauled in a 4-yard score in the third quarter that put the Chiefs ahead 24-13.
Kenneth Walker III carried 21 times for 69 yards but was largely contained after a strong performance against Denver earlier in the season.
The Broncos, led by Bo Nix (20-of-32, 222 yards, two touchdowns), stayed within striking distance. Nix connected with Jaylen Waddle on a 1-yard touchdown just before halftime, then found tight end Nate Adkins for a 2-yard score in the fourth quarter. A successful two-point conversion cut the lead to 24-21.
After Harrison Butker missed a 54-yard field goal attempt, Nix hit rookie Jonah Coleman for a 51-yard gain. Coleman scored on a 5-yard run with 1:56 remaining to give Denver a 28-24 lead.
Kansas City drove into the red zone on its final possession and reached the 1-yard line. A false-start penalty backed the Chiefs up, and Malcolm Roach sacked Mahomes on fourth-and-goal as time expired, sealing the win for Denver. The victory was Sean Payton’s 200th as an NFL head coach.
The Chiefs outgained the Broncos 399-294 and controlled possession, but 11 penalties for 105 yards proved costly throughout the afternoon. Denver committed just six penalties for 45 yards.
The Chiefs will look to regroup next week against the New York Jets.
