By Nate Taylor, Nick Kosmider and Chris Licata
The Kansas City Chiefs’ undefeated record was protected by a Leo Chenal fingertip Sunday. The linebacker blocked the Denver Broncos’ walk-off 35-yard field goal attempt to give Kansas City a 16-14 win and extend the Chiefs’ perfect start to 9-0.
The tight victory continued Andy Reid’s squad’s knack for winning close finishes, giving the Chiefs their seventh one-possession win this season.
The Chiefs didn’t take a lead until under six minutes to play in the fourth quarter, following Harrison Butker’s third field goal. The heavy lifting from Butker and Kansas City’s suffocating defense was requisite as Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs offense on just one touchdown drive.
A sizable gap remains between the Chiefs and the rest of the AFC West after Sunday’s wild finish. Despite a valiant showing from rookie quarterback Bo Nix, the Broncos will return home with a 5-5 record.
IT’S BLOCKED! @CHIEFS WIN! STILL UNDEFEATED! pic.twitter.com/hMLhAgbRpf
— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2024
Chenal channels Super Bowl moment
The Broncos did everything right in the final six minutes of the game. Nix didn’t commit a turnover and led an efficient drive to put the Broncos in position to win on a 35-yard field goal with one second left in regulation. The Chiefs defense wasn’t the issue, either. Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo unleashed unorthodox blitzes to hold the Broncos scoreless after halftime.
After the Broncos took a timeout with one second left to set up Wil Lutz, the Chiefs put their best field-goal block defenders on the field — defensive tackle Mike Pennel, defensive end George Karlaftis and Chenal. Lutz’s field-goal attempt was blocked by a diving Chenal, whose efforts rescued the Chiefs, keeping their perfect season intact.
In Super Bowl LVIII, Chenal blocked the extra-point attempt after the San Francisco 49ers’ lone touchdown in the second half, a highlight that helped lead the Chiefs to force the game into overtime, a game they won on a 3-yard walk-off touchdown from Mahomes to receiver Mecole Hardman. — Nate Taylor, Chiefs beat writer
Mahomes was far from his best
For the first time this season, Mahomes wasn’t at his best in the fourth quarter. Even with him being sacked four times — a byproduct of the Chiefs having to split snaps at left tackle with Wanya Morris and rookie Kingsley Suamataia because of Morris’ right knee injury early in the second quarter — Mahomes missed two ideal opportunities to throw a touchdown.
Early in the fourth quarter, Suamataia and the rest of the offensive line gave Mahomes a clean pocket while rookie receiver Xavier Worthy was open against man coverage from cornerback Riley Moss for a potential 51-yard touchdown. Mahomes, though, missed Worthy and the field, as his deep pass landed out of bounds.
The Chiefs should’ve scored a touchdown on their final drive. Instead, Mahomes missed tight end Travis Kelce, who was wide open in the back of the end zone, forcing the Chiefs to settle for a short field goal, which ended up being the game-winning score. — Taylor
Broncos wasted a terrific final drive
Would-be memorable drive wasted.
For two glorious drives Sunday, Denver’s offense looked as sharp, efficient and dynamic as it had all season. Nix spread the ball around and rookie Devaughn Vele for the game’s first touchdown. Rookie running back Audric Estimé ran hard into the second level of the Kansas City defense. Courtland Sutton beat cornerback Trent McDuffie on a go route and caught an on-target pass from Nix for a 32-yard touchdown. The Broncos were sizzling as they built a 14-3 lead.
The next four drives after that for the Broncos: A missed field goal and four punts.
Then, Nix put together the most important drive of his young career. Taking over with just under six minutes remaining, the rookie quarterback drove the Broncos into position for Lutz to attempt a winning field goal. The biggest moment was third-and-6 from the Kansas City 30-yard line. Nix moved up in the pocket, buying time for Sutton to come open on a crossing route.
Nix hit the veteran receiver for a 13-yard gain, allowing the Broncos to melt the clock before attempting a 35-yard kick. But it was blocked by Chenal and the Broncos were left with only heartbreak. — Nick Kosmider, Broncos beat writer
Bonitto was a force all game, but missed on a crucial sack
Nik Bonitto fought through the block and the chip and then put Mahomes in his sights. It was third-and-13 in the third quarter. Bonitto, a constant presence in the Kansas City backfield, had his second sack of the day lined up. But Mahomes ducked the takedown attempt, scrambled to his right and found running back Samaje Perine for a 35-yard gain. A drive that appeared on the verge of ending in a punt instead turned into a field goal for the Chiefs.
It was the type of play that could have been a back-breaker for Denver’s defense had they let it. Instead, they later forced the Chiefs to kick a field goal in the red zone. It’s something the Broncos did on three of Kansas City’s four drives inside the 20. In their past two games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, the Broncos have allowed only two Chiefs touchdowns. On Sunday, they sacked Mahomes four times and pressured him relentlessly. The unit did enough to win, bouncing back after a lopsided loss to the Ravens last week.
In the end, the Broncos had nothing to show for it besides a ninth straight road loss to the Chiefs. — Kosmider
Required reading
- ‘No more rookies anymore’: Broncos’ playoff hopes could hinge on draft class’s growth
- Broncos second-half predictions: Bo Nix’s numbers, WR milestone and … playoffs?
- Chiefs becoming masters of the long-play TD drive: ‘It’s demoralizing to a defense’
- Have the Chiefs supplanted the Cowboys as America’s top TV team?
(Photo: Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
